Faerûnian Prestige Class : Warrior Skald
Among the Northlanders dwell bardic musicians who live for two things: poetry and warfare. Accompanying heroes of great renown, these warrior skalds fight at their sides while composing the epics that will be told for centuries to come.
Most warrior skalds were once bards, though they eventually ignore their spellcasting to improve their fighting prowess.
They focus on oratory rather than music, and their greatest creative achievement is to compose an epic poem about a military campaign or other adventure. Warrior skalds will often recite parts of an epic in the middle of combat to spur on their allies and frighten their foes. Many soldiers find it unnerving to battle a warrior skald who recites poetry in stentorian tones, working the events of the ongoing battle into each stanza.
NPC warrior skalds are usually found on the battlefield or in various noble courts, where they recite poems of battles both recent and ancient. Silverymoon and Waterdeep both have guildhouses for warrior skalds, where poems and tales of adventure are enthusiastically traded.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Warrior Skald, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Skills: Concentration 6 ranks, Perform (poetry, any others) 9 ranks.
- Feats: Power Attack, Cleave.
Class Skills
The warrior skald's class skills are Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Perform, Profession, Sense Motive, Speak Language, and Swim.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class feature of the warrior skald prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The warrior skald is proficient with martial weapons, armor, and shields.
Bardic Music: At 1st level, the warrior skald gains the bardic music ability if she did not already have it from a previous class. All the bardic music effects (countersong, fascinate, inspire competence, inspire courage, inspire greatness, and suggestion) become available to her immediately, subject to their usual Perform skill requirements (see Bard in the Player's Handbook). Additionally, all the bardic music effects, including countersong, can be produced with poetry rather than music. Each bardic music-effect except suggestion requires one daily use of the bardic music ability. Suggestion does not require any uses, but the subject must first be fascinated. The warrior skald combines her bard and warrior skald levels to determine how many times per day she can use her bardic music ability.
Words of Rejuvenation (Su): A 2nd-level warrior skald can inspire her allies so they shake off the effects of fatigue. Fatigued characters who hear the warrior skald speak for a minute are no longer fatigued, and exhausted characters are only fatigued. The warrior skald can use this ability only once per hour. It is a language-dependent ability that counts as one daily use of bardic music.
Demoralize: At 3rd level, the warrior skald's poetry hurts enemy morale. Once they've heard the warrior skald's epic oratory for a full round, opponents within 20 feet must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + warrior skald levels + Cha bonus) or be shaken (-2 morale penalty on attacks, damage, and saves) as long as the warrior skald continues to recite and for 5 rounds thereafter. This is a mind-affecting, language-dependent ability that counts as one daily use of bardic music.
Marcher's Chant: At 5th level, the warrior skald gains the ability to encourage those engaged in dull, repetitive action, such as marching or rowing. When traveling overland or engaged in a similar long-term physical effort, those who hear the warrior skald's exhortations find they can exert themselves for longer. Those within earshot of the warrior skald can march or exert themselves 50% longer before making Constitution checks (see Forced March in Chapter 9 of the Player's Handbook). The warrior skald need not chant nonstop throughout the entire march but must be chanting at least half the time. Inspire Heroism: As an additional use of bardic music, a 6th-level warrior skald with 15 or more ranks in Perform - can use poetics to inspire tremendous heroism in a single willing ally within 30 feet, allowing that creature to fight bravely even against overwhelming odds. For every three levels the warrior skald attains beyond 5th, he can inspire heroism in one additional creature. To inspire heroism, the warrior skald must recite poetry and the creature must hear the poetry for a full round. A creature so inspired gains a +4 morale bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saving throws, and a +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the warrior skald continue to recite poetry and for up to 5 rounds thereafter. This is a mind-affecting ability that counts as one daily use of bardic music.
Words of Fear (Su): A 7th-level warrior skald's oratory becomes frightful to foes who hear and understand it. Once they've heard the warrior skald for a full round, opponents within 20 feet must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + warrior skald levels + Cha bonus) or be frightened (flee if possible, or suffer a -2 morale penalty on attacks, damage, and saves) as long as the warrior skald continues to recite and for 5 rounds thereafter. This is a mind-affecting, language-dependent ability that counts as three daily uses of bardic music. Words of Panic (Su): A 9th-level warrior skald's oratory is so frightening that few can withstand it. Once they've heard the warrior skald for a full round, opponents within 20 feet must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + warrior skald levels + Cha bonus) or be panicked (-2 morale penalty on saves, and creature flees or cowers, dropping items) as long as the warrior skald continues to recite and for 5 rounds thereafter. This is a mind-affecting, language-dependent ability that counts as three daily uses of bardic music.
Words of Fury (Su): A 10th-level warrior skald with at least 19 ranks in Perform can enrage her allies. This ability functions exactly like barbarian rage on all willing allies within 20 feet, and it lasts as long as the warrior skald continues her performance. Words of fury requires three daily uses of performance per round maintained. It is a supernatural, mind-affecting ability.
| Warrior Skald | Hit Die: d6 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Bardic music |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Words of rejuvenation |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Demoralize |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | - |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Marcher's chant |
| 6th | +6 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Inspire heroism |
| 7th | +7 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Words of fear |
| 8th | +8 | +6 | +6 | +2 | - |
| 9th | +9 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Words of panic |
| 10th | +10 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Words of fury |
Source: Races of Faerûn