Fakir (Character Kit)

:This was originally published in Dragon Magazine #225
==Fakir==
(Bard kit)
Hunath knew he almost had these outlanders. The breath of fire, the bed of nails, the rope to nowhere these simple illusions were the gods work to these ash-faced northern invaders. Now he drew forth from his turban a pungi flute and on it played a spellbinding melody to entrance the serpent before him. With the forces of the Rajah circling back on the invaders, he hoped to entrance these serpents from the north for crucial moments. "Play on, Hunath!" he thought to himself "Your countrymen depend on you, so play on! Description: Fakirs are wonder-work-in entertainers who rely on their skills to win food and coins from strangers. They can be found in marketplaces, smoke-houses or anywhere they can find benefactors. They are often master showmen, though wealthy persons often find them to be irritants. Their magic may seem mere con jury compared to that of Swamis, but woe betide those who anger Fakirs. They often credit their work to the gods, but only a few mean it.
Fakirs play instruments as do Western bards. They specialize in flashy magic, as there is rarely anything subtle about a Fakir. They almost never receive enough money to do anything but entertain for food; though many high-level Fakirs could do whatever they wanted with their skills, few leave the art of fakirism. Fakirs sometimes have alliances with thieves, Swamis, and even Brahmins.
Class role: Very low, hardly above panhandlers. However, a few Fakirs rise in society, usually in service to a Kshatriya or Swami.
Minimum requirements: Standard in all respects. Fakirs can be of any gender and alignment, though reputation is important, more so than anything else.
Weapon proficiencies: Any. Fakirs sometimes work weapons into their acts; swords, daggers, lassoes, and so on can work here.
Nonweapon proficiencies: 
* Bonus: Crowd working* plus one of musical instrument, singing, or dancing.
* Required: Begging*, spellcraft (see below). 
* Recommended: Acting*, animal training, appraising, artistic ability, chanting*, craft instrument*, fast-talking*, languages, local history, rope use, sword swallowing (see below), ventriloquism. 
* Forbidden: Intimidation*.
: (Proficiencies marked with an asterisk are from The Complete Bard's Handbook and The Complete Thief's Handbook.)
The Fakir gets his choice of instruments, among them the sitar, the pungi nose flute, the narsinga curved trumpet, the 19-stringed bina guitar, the bowed sarod lute, the sarangi violin, the tambourine, the tandava and tabla drums, the shruti harmonium, or the vina zither. Instead, the Fakir may choose to sing ragas or dance in any number of styles.
Equipment: A Fakir can have no apparent equipment except instruments and magic when working to receive benefactions.
Special benefits: The Fakir has the Jongleur’s ability to entertain the crowd; after the Fakir performs for 1d10 rounds, all viewers must make a saving throw vs. paralyzation or have their reactions adjusted one step friendlier. He also has the ability to inspire benefactions; the combination of skill and poverty requires anyone with money to make a Wisdom check or be compelled to donate some of it to the Fakir. He also has the Charlatan’s ability to detect fakery: If the Fakir attempting to detect lies or swindling makes a Charisma check, he realizes the nature of any deception.
Fakirs need no spell books, instead having a unique ability called “spell mimicry.” When a Fakir watches a caster use a wizard spell of a level he can use, he can make a Chance to Learn Spell roll. If successful, the Fakir can memorize the spell from then on. However, if a month passes between uses of a spell in an act, he forgets it. The uses of rope trick and phantasmal force may be obvious, but protection from evil might be harder to work in. Once a Fakir’s maximum spells for a level is reached, he can learn no new spells. The Fakir cannot choose to forget a spell to make room for another.
The Fakir also rarely needs material components. When a component crucial to a spell is required, the Fakir can substitute something cheap. For example, instead of the 5,000 gp in powdered diamond for a wall of force, the Fakir uses colored powder. Use good judgement; a building is still needed for guards and wards.
Special hindrances: Fakirs lack the abilities to rally allies, counter song effects, or identify magic items. They do not have access to the read languages ability. They attract no followers, cannot build strongholds, and cannot use written magical devices. Wealth options: Poverty is mandatory at 1st level. The Fakir cannot have wealth showing when using his special abilities.
Category:Character Kit
Category:Character Kit Dragon Magazine