Inspiring Greatness

The bard’s inspire courage power is one of the strongest class powers in the Adventurer Conqueror King System. In effect, inspire courage is a shortened (1 turn) duration bless spell, usable by a 1st level bard. Additionally, higher level bards may inspire courage once per day per class level, and inspire courage “stacks” with an actual bless (or similar) spell.

                                                                                

I was comparing bard-like classes in my games (see ACKS "Bard" Comparison below), and I had a thought. What if these classes had an additional class-specific use of inspire courage, for flavor and flexibility? This additional use should not be as strong as the base effect, as the base effect is pretty strong and there is no need to overly increase the power of these classes. However, I like flexibility, and I am willing to let a character exchange a strength for flexibility.

With this expansion, a bard’s core abilities (aside from inspire courage) can be more effective when needed most. An elven courtier’s magical music can be unmatched in beauty and efficacy. A dwarven cantor’s shanty sharpens his allies’ skills. A brass jongleur may better protect his wards. And both a bronze captain and a grey wizard can steady allies at the brink of flight.

Class	Inspire …
Bard	A bard may expend a use of inspire courage to gain a +2 bonus on his next Arcane Dabbling, Loremastery, read languages or use arcane scrolls throw.
Elven Courtier	An elven courtier may expend a use of inspire courage to cause the effect of her next Magical Music to have the duration of the spell in one round (rather than one turn) by making a successful proficiency throw with a -4 penalty.
Dwarven Cantor	A dwarven cantor may expend a use of inspire courage to grant the character’s allies within a 50' radius a +1 bonus to proficiency throws and thief skills for 10 minutes (1 turn).
Brass Jongleur	A brass jongleur may expend a use of inspire courage to grant the character’s allies within a 50' radius a +1 bonus to all saving throws for 10 minutes (1 turn).
Bronze Captain	A bronze captain may expend a use of inspire courage to calm the creature touched and remove all fear. If the subject is currently running away due to magical fear, it is allowed a new saving throw to resist that fear, at a bonus of +1 per level of the bronze captain.
Wizard (Fellowship)	A wizard of the college of fellowship may expend a use of inspire courage to calm the creature touched and remove all fear. If the subject is currently running away due to magical fear, it is allowed a new saving throw to resist that fear, at a bonus of +1 per level of the wizard.

ACKS "Bard" Comparison

Class	HD	Fights as	Saves as	Spells as	Item use	Stronghold	Non Race-specific Powers
Bard	d6	Thief	Thief	None	Thief	Fighter	inspire courage, Arcane Dabbling, Loremastery, Perform, lvl 4 read languages, lvl 10 use arcane scrolls
Elven Courtier	d6	Cleric	Thief	Mage ½	Mage, Thief	Elf	classical weapons training, inspire courage, Diplomacy, Magical Music, Perform
Dwarven Cantor	d6	Fighter	Fighter	Cleric ½	Fighter	Dwarf	inspire courage
Brass Jongleur	d6	Thief	Thief	None1	Thief	Thief	classical weapons training, inspire courage, Diplomacy, hear noise, Perform
Bronze Captain	d8	Fighter	Fighter	None	Fighter	Tinman	inspire courage, lvl 2 specialize, lvl 5 resolve, lvl 8 specialize
Wizard (Fellowship)	d4	Mage	Mage	Mage 2/3	Mage	Mage	inspire courage, … 2

¹ Except if Divine Spellcasting proficiency is selected, then limited.

² See The Wizard.