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--- legacy:characters:background:bard [2025/03/06 14:36] – created tailkinker
+++ legacy:characters:background:bard [2025/08/29 11:40] (current) – tailkinker
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 The Bard is a master of both art and influence, wielding the power of music, storytelling, and performance to sway hearts and minds. While some may view the Bard as a mere entertainer, those who truly understand the depths of this background know that a Bard’s talents extend far beyond the stage. The Bard thrives in social situations, capable of turning the tide of a conversation with a well-timed song or a stirring tale. Their performance can inspire allies, manipulate foes, and even weave magic into the fabric of reality, drawing on their unique connection to the collective spirit of the world.
-{{ :legacy:characters:background:bard.png?400|}}Bards are also known for their versatility, adapting to any situation with ease. Whether by playing a lively tune to lift the spirits of their companions or crafting a mournful ballad that brings enemies to their knees, Bards are always ready to shift the mood of any moment. Their skill set makes them exceptional diplomats, strategists, and leaders, able to navigate complex social networks and influence powerful figures. In battle, their songs can act as potent tools, bolstering their comrades’ courage or striking fear into the hearts of their enemies.
+Bards are also known for their versatility, adapting to any situation with ease. Whether by playing a lively tune to lift the spirits of their companions or crafting a mournful ballad that brings enemies to their knees, Bards are always ready to shift the mood of any moment. Their skill set makes them exceptional diplomats, strategists, and leaders, able to navigate complex social networks and influence powerful figures. In battle, their songs can act as potent tools, bolstering their comrades’ courage or striking fear into the hearts of their enemies.
 A Bard’s education comes from a rich history of mentors, experience, and personal exploration. They often grow up surrounded by oral traditions, apprenticing under elders or wandering performers. Through years of practice, they develop a deep understanding of music, poetry, history, and folklore. While many Bards travel the world in search of new stories, songs, and inspiration, others prefer to stay in one place, sharing their knowledge with those who seek it. Whether performing at the court of royalty or the bustling marketplace, the Bard's influence spreads wherever their voice is heard.
 The Bard is more than just a performer---they are a living conduit of the world’s vast narrative, using their art to make sense of the chaos around them. Whether through a haunting melody, a rousing anthem, or a carefully crafted story, the Bard is a force of personality and inspiration, weaving a legacy of their own through every note, word, and action.
-===== Attributes =====
-When you select this background, add seven points to your XXX score and five points to your XXX score.
-In addition, you may distribute eight points among any of your other attribute scores.  No single attribute may receive more than four points.
 ===== Features =====
-**Stamina**:  A XXX begins play with 25 stamina, plus an amount equal to your Strength bonus.
+**Stamina**:  A Bard begins play with 12 stamina, plus an amount equal to your Strength bonus.
-**Recovery Dice**:  When you select XXX as your background, you gain two eight-sided dice (2d8) as Recovery dice.  This is in addition to any Recovery dice you gained due to your ancestry.
+**Recovery Dice**:  When you select Bard as your background, you gain two eight-sided dice (2d8) as Recovery dice.  This is in addition to any Recovery dice you gained due to your ancestry.
-**Defences**:  Add two training ranks to your XXX defence.
+**Defences**:  Add two training ranks to your Will defence.  A Bard's strength of personality makes influencing them difficult at best.
+===== Skills =====
+Place one training rank in the Performance skill.  You gain three specialties in Performance:  Singing, your choice of any musical instrument, and your choice of any other specialty.
-===== Skills =====
+Place one training rank in the Lore skill.  You gain three specialties of your choice in that skill.
-Place one training rank in the XXX skill.  In addition, choose any three additional skills from the following list:
+In addition, choose any three additional skills from the following list:  Blades, Deception, Diplomacy, Insight, Intimidation, Lore, Medicine, Perception, Sleight of Hand, Society, Unarmed Combat.
 Place one training rank in each of the selected skills.
+You may choose Performance a second time, so long as this would not raise that skill's training ranks above two.
+===== Inspiration =====
+The Bard's words and songs can be used to inspire their allies to greater performance.  As a one-second action, you can grant a single ally that you can see, and that can hear you, an Inspiration die, which is a d6.  You can only do this once per turn, as it is assumed that you spent an entire ten-second round exhorting your ally to greater effort.  (Speaking is a free action, so only the one second is consumed to grant Inspiration.)  No single character can have more than one Inspiration die at a time, and if it is not consumed within an hour, it is lost.
+Whenever an ally makes an attack roll, skill check or defence check, they may choose to roll their Inspiration die and add it to the total rolled.  When rolled, the Inspiration die is consumed.  The character must choose to use Inspiration before the dice are rolled.
+You can use this ability twice, plus a number of times equal to your ranks in Performance.  Once you have used up all these uses, you cannot use this ability again.  You recover all uses of this ability when you [[legacy:rules:actions:Take a Long Rest]].
 ===== Traits =====
 Choose one of the following traits, and add it to your character.  In addition,
-the following traits are available to your character as Basic traits, regardless of their base class.
+the following traits are available to your character as Apprentice-tier traits.
+  * [[legacy:traits:Healing Word]]
+  * [[legacy:traits:Font of Inspiration]]
+  * [[legacy:traits:Improved Inspiration]]
+  * [[legacy:traits:Vicious Mockery]]
+The following traits are available to your character as Journeyman-tier traits, and may be selected starting at level five.
-The following traits are available to your character as Intermediate traits, regardless of their base class.
+  * [[legacy:traits:Constant Inspiration]]
+  * [[legacy:traits:Greater Inspiration]]
+The following traits are available to your character as Master-tier traits, and may be selected starting at level nine.
+  * [[legacy:traits:Paragon of Inspiration]]
 ===== Starting Equipment =====