Bard

**Bard** is a character class available to players in the *13th Age* fantasy tabletop roleplaying game ruleset. It is a part of the *13th* *Age* core ruleset published by Pelgrane Press. The bard class is a part of the larger canon of character classes available to players in D20 Fantasy TTRPGs. The bard is primarily categorized as a 'utility support' class being a competent spellcaster while also fulfilling the 'jack-of-all-trades' archetype bards are developed around. Their battle cries and high Charisma also make bards great candidate for swashbuckling type characters. Many of the bard's abilities and powers are based around being musically talented, as is tradition in RPGs.

In *WovenRealm,* Soren is the bard in the Emerald Caravan. Soren's focus has less been on the musical side of the class, but rather, on the storyteller and leaning into some of the classes more roguish aspects.

## Playstyle

### Role

The Bard is the truest 'jack-of-all-trades' class being able to handle a variety of different types of play. The bard's true role though is that as party support through a variety of means. Their abilities and spells tend to focus on providing support to their allies through buffs and empowering them. Their high charisma score sees the bard often heading conversations as the 'party face.'

### Ability Scores

Keeping in line with the bardic tradition, as masters of storytelling and song, the most important ability score to a bard is their Charisma. Charisma is the ability score spells and powers of the bard use as their modifier. Bards may benefit from increasing Dexterity, especially if they are going to be providing utility support through skills typically affiliated with a rogue. Strength and Constitution may also prove helpful to bards who find themselves on the frontline of combat. Bards who take the Loremaster or Mythkenner talents utilize Intelligence and Wisdom, respectively, for their magic and abilities.

### Primary Mechanics

The bard's primary mechanics are their Bardic Songs and their Battle Cries. Songs are sustained abilities with varying effects based on the individual song. Battle Cries are encouragements and inspirations a bard makes through swashbuckling, flexible melee attacks. Bards are also spellcasters, utilizing their virtuosity in song and storytelling to move the very essence of the arcane. Many talents of the bard focus on supplementing their magic abilities or battle cries. With the bards being 'loremasters and balladeers,' they have more Icon focused abilities than other classes. The majority of the bardic powers and abilities are supportive.

### Narrative & Background

The ruleset offers wandering minstrel, cathedral musician, court jester, mercenary, tavern owner, failed hedge wizard, diplomat, spy, royal taster, caravan guide, smuggler, and battle skald all as potential background suggestions for bard characters.

## In Campaign

According to Soren himself, his clairvoyance has always manifested in the throes of storytelling, a talent that has always come quite naturally to the Watcher bard. These abilities have likely been further enhanced after acquiring Absinthe Morrigan's personal journal, which is now Soren's Storybook. Soren's various spells taken from other classes is explained through a natural ability of his to 'steal magic' from others. As a member of the Watchers, Soren has been trained to focus on the more 'roguish pursuits' of the profession, skills that have come into use throughout the Emerald Caravan's adventure.

## Homebrew

Soren's special boon spell *Venomous Words* is expressed to have been born from Soren's tendency to steal magic. Many of Soren's other powers and abilities homebrewed for *WovenRealm* exist through items or other narrative means. Soren's acumen with musical instruments through the class has allowed him to use the *False Hydra's Lullaby* bullroarer on occasion.

## Notes & Trivia

* The bard has a clear *Dungeons & Dragons* analogue where they are also musicians, storytellers, orators, loremasters, performers, and sometimes jesters where they were originally introduced to be the 'jack-of-all-trades' class.
* The bard class as a tradition is based on minstrels, orators, and musicians. Their specific inspiration, and the name of the class itself comes from old Celtic cultures, where a bard was a professional story teller, poet, composer, historian, and genealogist.
* The 'skald' variation of the class takes inspiration from the old Norse tradition.