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
|
d6
|
Fighter
|
Fighter
|
Cleric ½
|
Fighter
|
Dwarf
|
inspire courage
|
|
d6
|
Thief
|
Thief
|
None1
|
Thief
|
Thief
|
classical weapons training, inspire courage, Diplomacy, hear noise, Perform
|
|
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.
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