Skaldic Maestro (3.5e Class)

Author: Foxwarrior (talk) Date Created: 8/31/2024 Status: A sweet song Editing: If the edit is good, don't hesitate

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An emotional mage who projects rage 10 1 Good Good Poor Good Alternate Magic Full

Skaldic Maestro

With a rousing poem, the Skaldic Maestro whips their party into a frenzy.

Making a Skaldic Maestro

The Skaldic Maestro drives others and theirselves to new heights of valor.

Abilities: Skaldic Maestros are Charisma-based, but they work theirselves into a rage sometimes so physical stats are useful.

Races: Races with voices or access to voices mostly

Alignment: Any non-lawful.

Starting Gold: 6d4×10 gp (150 gp).

Starting Age: Moderate.

Table: The Skaldic Maestro

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Poemforming, Forms
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+5
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+5
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+6
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+6
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+7
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+7
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+8
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+8
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+9
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+9
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+10
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+11
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+11
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+12
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (nobility & royalty) (history) (geography) (Int), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (any) (Cha), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Skaldic Maestro.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Skaldic Maestros are proficient with simple and martial weapons and shields and light and medium armor.

Poemforming (Su): The Skaldic Maestro forms powerful magical poems, which must be spoken aloud and heard by a creature to affect it. Despite being made of words, generally the passionate delivery of the magical poems is enough to affect a creature, and only a very few specified forms and flourishes are language-dependent. If the Skaldic Maestro class is the character's first Maestro class, their Form save DCs are Wisdom-based.

Forms (Su): Skaldic Maestros are a Maestro Form-Based class and thus use those rules.

Basic Forms

Inspire Violence — Active

Voice

[Any]

Range: Close

Target: A creature whose turn it is

Action: Immediate

The Skaldic Maestro inspires a target to feats of greater violence.

The creature gets a morale bonus to attack and damage this turn equal to the number of pips on the first die.

Flourishes:

• [Any] Inspire speed: The creature also gets a morale bonus to its movement speeds of 10' per pip on this die.

Aura of Courage — Active Ongoing

Voice

[2-]

Range: Personal

Area: Allies within a Close range emanation of you, including you.

Action: Standard

The Skaldic Maestro's presence instills bravery in nearby allies.

While in the area, allies are immune to Fear, and get a bonus to saves against mind-affecting effects equal to the number of pips on the first die. If allies enter the area, they gain these bonuses, and if they leave the area, they lose these bonuses.

Cowing Strike — Active

Voice

[Any]

Range: Close

Target: One creature

Action: Attack

The Skaldic Maestro adds biting words to their biting blows.

They make a normal attack with a weapon, unarmed, natural, or feral strike, and if it hits, the creature must make a Will save or be Frightened for one round per pip on the first die.

Flourishes:

• [3+] Cowing Blast: Any number of additional creatures the maestro designates within 5' per pip on this die must save as well.

Rousing Speech — Active

Voice

[3-] [3-]

Range: Close

Target: Any number of creatures in range

Action: Full-round

The Skaldic Maestro gives a speech which spurs the battered and beaten onto feats of heroism.

Each creature gains a number of temporary hit points equal to the number of pips on the first die, times the Skaldic Maestro's character level. Then each creature may save again against one effect on them with a duration other than permanent or instantaneous, with a bonus equal to the number of pips on the second die; a successful save removes the effect.

As part of activating Rousing Speech, the Skaldic Maestro may charge.

Flourishes:

• [Any] Louder Voice: The range of Rousing Speech increases by 10' per pip on this die.

Sweet Song — Active Ongoing

Voice

[Odd]

Range: Close

Target: Any number of creatures in range

Action: Standard

The Skaldic Maestro sings some soothing poetry which fascinates onlookers.

Each targeted creature must make a Will save or be Fascinated by the Maestro until the form ends or the maestro gets out of range.

Flourishes:

• [Even] Suggestive Song [Language-Dependent]: As part of the song, the Maestro may implant a suggestion. When a creature stops being fascinated by the song, it must make a Will save against the suggestion or immediately go off and do it.

Killing Joke [Language-Dependent] — Active Ongoing

Voice

[Odd]

Range: Close

Target: One creature in range.

Action: Standard

The Skaldic Maestro tells a joke that's lethally funny to one creature.

The creature is afflicted with uncontrollable laughter. It collapses into gales of manic laughter, falling prone and taking 1d6 damage per pip on the first die each round. The subject can take no actions while laughing, but is not considered helpless. After the form stops being sustained, it can act normally.

A creature with an Intelligence score of 2 or lower is not affected. A will save negates this form.

• [Odd, can't be the same as the first die] Contagious Laughter: Creatures that start their turns within 5' per pip on this die of a creature laughing from this Killing Joke must make a Will save or also start laughing in the same way.

Master Forms

Aura of Violence — Active Ongoing

Voice

[Any] [Even]

Range: Personal

Area: Allies within a Close range emanation of you, including you.

Action: Standard

The Skaldic Maestro's voice just passively inspires allies to acts of greater violence.

While in the area, allies get a morale bonus to attack and damage rolls equal to the number of pips on the first die. If allies enter the area, they gain these bonuses, and if they leave the area, they lose these bonuses.

Aura of Blank Mind — Active Ongoing

Voice

[3-]

Range: Personal

Area: Allies within a Close range emanation of you, including you.

Action: Standard

The Skaldic Maestro's presence instills bravery in nearby allies.

While in the area, allies are subject to a mind blank effect, and get a morale bonus to Will saves equal to the number of pips on the first die. If allies enter the area, they gain these bonuses, and if they leave the area, they lose these bonuses.

Shout — Active

Voice

[Any]

Range: Personal

Area: All other creatures within a Close range conical Spread.

Action: Standard

The Skaldic Maestro unleashes a powerful shout, blasting back and damaging creatures in the area.

Each creature takes 1d6 Sonic damage per character level and is knocked backwards 5' per pip on the first die. If it hits an obstacle, it takes another 2 Bludgeoning damage per character level, and if it doesn't, it falls prone. A Reflex save negates the knockback and halves the damage.

Flourishes:

• [Any] Bigger Shout: The area of the spread increases by 10' per pip on this die.
• [Odd] Scary Shout: Creatures must also make will saves or be Panicked for 1 round per pip on this die.

Drive Rage — Active Ongoing

Voice

[Even] [Any]

Range: Close

Area: Up to one creature in range per pip on the second die.

Action: Standard

The Skaldic Maestro drives creatures into a rage, making them supernaturally strong and frenzied.

Each creature Rages like a Barbarian, except the bonus to Strength and Constitution is equal to 2 + the number of pips on the first die, and the bonus to Will saves is equal to half the number of pips on the first die. Affected creatures may make a Will save to negate the effect on them.

This form must end after a maximum of a number of rounds equal to the number of pips on the second die.

Flourishes:

• [2-] Sudden Rage: Inspire Rage may be used as a Swift action, and the bonus to Strength and Constitution increases by 2.

Indomitable Thews — Active

Voice

[3-]

Range: Close

Target: One creature

Action: Immediate

The Skaldic Maestro inspires a creature to tighten their muscles just before a blow strikes, bouncing the blow right off.

When a creature would be damaged or required to make a Fortitude save, the maestro may use Indomitable Thews to give them damage reduction /- of 10 points per pip on the first die against that attack, and a morale bonus to the fortitude save of twice the number of pips on the first die. Until the creature's next turn, they have damage reduction of 2 per pip on the first die, and a morale bonus to fortitude saves equal to the number of pips on the first die.

Cryptic Riddle [Language-Dependent] — Active Ongoing

Voice

[6]

Range: Medium

Target: One creature

Action: Standard

The Skaldic Maestro speaks a cryptic riddle which gets under a victim's skin and drives them mad.

At the start of each of its turns, the creature must make a Will save or be Dazed for 1 round (ending right after the next save). If it's already Dazed, it becomes Confused until this form stops being sustained instead.

Flourishes:

• [Any] Mass Riddle: All creatures within 5' of the target per pip on this die must also save against the riddle each turn.

Calming Song — Active Ongoing

Voice

[3+]

Range: Medium

Target: Any number of creatures in range

Action: Standard

The Skaldic Maestro sings some soothing poetry which makes onlookers unable to feel anything much.

Each targeted creature must make a Will save or be calmed by the Maestro as per calm emotions until the form ends or the maestro gets out of range.

Flourishes:

• [Any] Boring Song [Language-Dependent]: Each affected creature takes 1d6 points of nonlethal damage per pip on this die each round, as the song is so aggressively boring that it gradually drives them unconscious. This does not end the effect.

Inspire Command [Language-Dependent] — Active Ongoing

Voice

[6]

Range: Medium

Target: One creature

Action: Full-round

The Skaldic Maestro speaks a poem so commanding the subject can't help but obey.

The targeted creature must make a Will save or obey the maestro's every spoken command until the form ends or the maestro gets out of range. This control is quite visible, and can be detected with a DC 15 Sense Motive check.

Flourishes:

• [6] Lasting Commands: Control does not end when the maestro gets out of range.

Active Performance — Passive Ongoing

Any

[Any] [Any]

Range: Personal

Target: Self

The Skaldic Maestro learns to fight while using skaldic forms.

Whenever the maestro uses a Standard action Active Skaldic form, they may make an attack. Whenever they use a Full-Round action Active Skaldic form, they may partial charge. Active Performance does not trigger when using forms from other classes.

Ultra Forms

Call of Valhalla — Active Ongoing

Voice

[6]

Range: Close

Target: An open space within range

Action: Standard

The Skaldic Maestro speaks a poem that can be heard across the plane but only by its desired subject, calling out to a creature for its aid.

The maestro chooses one creature, normal for its type, capable of greater teleport or greater plane shift. One of that type of creature teleports or plane shifts into the open space and serves the maestro willingly for as long as this form is sustained. The maestro may only use Song of Valhalla to request the help of a creature with a CR no greater than the maestro's character level minus 2.

Aura of the Divine — Active Ongoing

Voice

[4+]

Range: Personal

Area: Allies within a Medium range emanation of you, including you.

Action: Standard

The Skaldic Maestro's presence instills divine power in nearby allies.

While in the area, allies gain immunity to Death effects, poison, and disease, Good fly speeds of 20' per pip on the first die as they sprout wings from their backs, a deflection bonus to AC equal to the number of pips on the first die, and a bonus to damage against Outsiders and Elementals of twice the number of pips on the first die. If allies enter the area, they gain these bonuses, and if they leave the area, they lose these bonuses.

Inspire Brutality — Active

Voice

[Any]

Range: Close

Target: A creature whose turn it is

Action: Immediate

The Skaldic Maestro inspires a target to incredible acts of destruction.

The creature's effective size category for the purpose of special attacks such as grapple or bull rush this turn increases by a number of steps equal to the number of pips on the first die (to a maximum of Colossal). It also gets a morale bonus to Strength and a penalty to Dexterity of twice the number of pips on the first die. Its weapons and natural, feral, and unarmed attacks also increase in size the same amount.

Flourishes:

• [2-] Cheap Brutality: The maestro may use Inspire Brutality as a free action, and the first die gets a bonus to the number of pips on it equal to the number of pips on this one.

Whispering Muse — Active

Voice

[Any]

Range: Personal

Area: 100 miles radius per pip on the first die

Action: 1 minute

The Skaldic Maestro creates a short impassioned tale and inspires other artists to believe they came up with it on the spot.

Any creature in the area that is currently not danger, doing a performance for entertainment (such as with a Perform check to make money) must make a Will save or suddenly get inspired by the tale the maestro created. They can immediately switch to performing and speaking or singing this story with a +10 insight bonus to the perform check. If they resist the urge to performing the story (because the words in it would lead to them being killed by the audience, for example), it throws them off their stride and gives them a -10 insight penalty to their perform check instead.

Immersive Story [Language-Dependent] — Active

Voice

[Any]

Range: Medium

Targets: One creature per pip on the first die, and yourself

Action: 1 minute

The Skaldic Maestro describes a place so immersively, it feels like they're really there. And then, when they look up, they are.

After the first round of using this form, each creature becomes fascinated by the story, and when the form is finished, the creatures are all teleported together to a place of your choosing on any plane, so long as you can clearly describe the place. If the description is ambiguous, you are transported to a random place that meets the description. All creatures maintain the same relative position to each other that they had before teleporting, or the nearest open space if that's invalid.

Any creature may make a Will save to resist.

Flourishes:

• [1] Aggressive Story: Immersive Story may be used as a standard action, and does not have to target yourself.

Dancing Song — Active Ongoing

Voice

[5+]

Range: Long

Target: Any number of creatures in range

Action: Standard

The Skaldic Maestro sings some exciting poetry which makes onlookers feel an unstoppable need to dance.

Each targeted creature must make a Will save or have to dance as per irresistible dance until the form ends or the maestro gets out of range.

Flourishes:

• [Any] Choreography: On each affected creature's turn, the Skaldic Maestro may make the creature move or double-move as it dances.

Legendary Strike — Active

Voice

[Any]

Range: Close

Target: One creature

Action: Attack

The Skaldic Maestro speaks canceling words with their crushing blows, ending a legendary foe's magic power.

They make a normal attack with a weapon, unarmed, natural, or feral strike. It ignores miss chances, damage reduction, and resistances, and if it hits, it dispels any spell effects on the target with a caster level less than the maestro's character level plus the number of pips on the first die.

Flourishes:

• [5+] Inspiring Strike: If the attack hits, then for 1 round, all attacks against the target ignore miss chances, damage reduction, and resistances.

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