Spell Effects of Bards in Anglesey
Background:
Bards do not have spells as other classes do, they utilize their performance skills, especially music, to create spell-like effects. As explained on the 'Bards and Magic' page, bards persuade the magic to assist them. As a result, all bard spells have an element of performance to them and a base for the magic to tie into. For example, a lullaby performed by the bard, amplified in effect and distance by the magic, that affects a group of humans.
It also means that magic does not take as much of a toll on bards as it does on other magic using classes (Magic users are forcing the magic and clerics are serving as living conduits for the Gods – thus both require long rests to prepare their spells). An Anglesey Bard may choose to reacquire his/her spells without a long rest at the cost of a level of exhaustion (performing still takes a lot of energy!). The Bard may do this once and then must rest enough to return to normal (i.e. get rid of the level of exhaustion)before he/she can reacquire any spell energy.
Preparation: Sense and Summon Magic
Bards have an innate ability to sense the magic around them and persuade it to power spells. This process has 3 steps: First, usually during a long rest, the Bard concentrates for 30 minutes while doing a quiet performance. During this time, the magic that is locally available will gather around the Bard. The Bard will be able to discern the following things about the magic: 1. Strength: non-existent, weak, average, strong, overbearing . Average is by far the most common. There is normally a reason why it is not average….. 2. Nature of the magic: cooperative, indifferent, hostile. Second, the Bard may choose to make a Lore check for additional information. The DM makes the roll in secret and supplies information based on the roll (success gives +1 to stage 3, failure -1. The DM may give background information at this point – possible reason why the local magic is non-existent or hostile, etc…). Third, the Bard makes a Performance check to get the magic’s cooperation. Before the check, the approximate DC is supplied by the DM. (Failure = no magic and Bard needs to try in a new spot, Success = magic will help Bard, Critical Success=1 spell of the Bard’s choice is augmented - usually extra damage or range or duration...) .
Note: In very rare cases, the magic is very self-aware. The DM will warn the Bard of this situation in vague terms upon the sensing magic stage. The Bard may choose to continue, stop, run away at this point, ….. If the Bard continues, he/she will then be in negotiation with the self-aware magic. That situation may be extremely good or extremely bad…… In either case, the magic will expect something from the Bard and his/her companions - service/assistance, ….. their souls. Bards should really hesitate before negotiating with an evil self-aware magic of overbearing strength!
Casting: Having succeeded in persuading the magic to 'come along for some fun', the Bard can cast his/her spell. Examine each spell for the components to cast it (usually just performance/verbal). In addition, sporadically as time or travel goes on, the Bard will need to do some sort of performance to keep the magic interested and 'on-board'. (Yep, I'm going with the Bard and we're going to do this really cool spell that will be a good joke on.... 'Squirrel!' Wonder where the squirrel is going....). The ordinary/average magic you will deal with most of the time is not very self aware…… As you were warned, Bard magic is not like Cleric or Mage magic..... But, it has some interesting angles the other classes do not have access to....
Prerequisites: Bard spells require a performance prerequisite in order to cast them. These prerequisites are natural outgrowths of the spell (e.g. play music or sing -for lullaby- = can cast sleep). Prerequisites include music and/or singing, acting, fortune telling, tumbler/juggler, ..... These skills must be studied skills, not defaults!
Spell slot and spells known: Bards have the same number of spell slots and spells known as the 5e rules with 2 notable exceptions: 1. Bards at any level (from #1 up) have 4 cantrip slots. If the Bard wishes to cast more than 4 cantrips between rests, he/she can sacrifice a 1st level spell slot for 4 more cantrips, a 2nd level spell slot for 8 cantrips….. 2. Known spells. Bards follow the 5e rules for known spells at a particular time (i.e. a 2nd level bard only knows 5 spells – cantrips not counted). Thus, the Bard can choose which of the 5 spells and 4 cantrips he/she wishes to cast at the time until the magic energy is used up (e.g. the Bard can choose to use any of the 1st level spell effects he/she knows). This aspect is unlike clerics and magic users who have only the spells that were prepared to select from (e.g. you can cast magic missile as many times as you have 1st level+ spell slots; but if you did not prepare magic missile as one of your first level spells even though you know it and could have prepared it, you're out of luck…..). So far for #2 we are sticking to the 5e rules…
But, in Anglesey, the interpretation is the Bard only has practiced the performance for those 5 spells. Thus, a Bard can ‘train’ with another Bard or at a Bard College and swap any of those 5 spells for different spells at a level and school that the Bard can cast. Therefore, Bards are able to change up which spells they know. This training takes time (1 day + 1 day per level of the spell) and a bit of negotiation (spell training in return or money or a service or a future favour…..).
Another difference arising out of this spell replacement is the Anglesey Bard condition of “Rusty Spells”. When a Bard replaces spells, the displaced spells (the ones no longer ‘known’) are now ‘rusty’. ‘Rusty’ spells can be restored under the following conditions: 1. The Bard knew and used/performed the spell at least 5 times. 2. The Bard takes an undisturbed period of time to practice the rusty spell - 1 hour + 1 hour/spell level for each spell. 3. The ‘rusty’ spell replaces another spell of the same level and that spell now becomes ‘rusty’. 4. The Bard meets all requirements to cast the spell….
Bard Cantrip Effects Bard 1st Level Spell Effects Bard 2nd Level Spell Effects Bard 3rd Level Spell Effects
Bards do not have spells as other classes do, they utilize their performance skills, especially music, to create spell-like effects. As explained on the 'Bards and Magic' page, bards persuade the magic to assist them. As a result, all bard spells have an element of performance to them and a base for the magic to tie into. For example, a lullaby performed by the bard, amplified in effect and distance by the magic, that affects a group of humans.
It also means that magic does not take as much of a toll on bards as it does on other magic using classes (Magic users are forcing the magic and clerics are serving as living conduits for the Gods – thus both require long rests to prepare their spells). An Anglesey Bard may choose to reacquire his/her spells without a long rest at the cost of a level of exhaustion (performing still takes a lot of energy!). The Bard may do this once and then must rest enough to return to normal (i.e. get rid of the level of exhaustion)before he/she can reacquire any spell energy.
Preparation: Sense and Summon Magic
Bards have an innate ability to sense the magic around them and persuade it to power spells. This process has 3 steps: First, usually during a long rest, the Bard concentrates for 30 minutes while doing a quiet performance. During this time, the magic that is locally available will gather around the Bard. The Bard will be able to discern the following things about the magic: 1. Strength: non-existent, weak, average, strong, overbearing . Average is by far the most common. There is normally a reason why it is not average….. 2. Nature of the magic: cooperative, indifferent, hostile. Second, the Bard may choose to make a Lore check for additional information. The DM makes the roll in secret and supplies information based on the roll (success gives +1 to stage 3, failure -1. The DM may give background information at this point – possible reason why the local magic is non-existent or hostile, etc…). Third, the Bard makes a Performance check to get the magic’s cooperation. Before the check, the approximate DC is supplied by the DM. (Failure = no magic and Bard needs to try in a new spot, Success = magic will help Bard, Critical Success=1 spell of the Bard’s choice is augmented - usually extra damage or range or duration...) .
Note: In very rare cases, the magic is very self-aware. The DM will warn the Bard of this situation in vague terms upon the sensing magic stage. The Bard may choose to continue, stop, run away at this point, ….. If the Bard continues, he/she will then be in negotiation with the self-aware magic. That situation may be extremely good or extremely bad…… In either case, the magic will expect something from the Bard and his/her companions - service/assistance, ….. their souls. Bards should really hesitate before negotiating with an evil self-aware magic of overbearing strength!
Casting: Having succeeded in persuading the magic to 'come along for some fun', the Bard can cast his/her spell. Examine each spell for the components to cast it (usually just performance/verbal). In addition, sporadically as time or travel goes on, the Bard will need to do some sort of performance to keep the magic interested and 'on-board'. (Yep, I'm going with the Bard and we're going to do this really cool spell that will be a good joke on.... 'Squirrel!' Wonder where the squirrel is going....). The ordinary/average magic you will deal with most of the time is not very self aware…… As you were warned, Bard magic is not like Cleric or Mage magic..... But, it has some interesting angles the other classes do not have access to....
Prerequisites: Bard spells require a performance prerequisite in order to cast them. These prerequisites are natural outgrowths of the spell (e.g. play music or sing -for lullaby- = can cast sleep). Prerequisites include music and/or singing, acting, fortune telling, tumbler/juggler, ..... These skills must be studied skills, not defaults!
Spell slot and spells known: Bards have the same number of spell slots and spells known as the 5e rules with 2 notable exceptions: 1. Bards at any level (from #1 up) have 4 cantrip slots. If the Bard wishes to cast more than 4 cantrips between rests, he/she can sacrifice a 1st level spell slot for 4 more cantrips, a 2nd level spell slot for 8 cantrips….. 2. Known spells. Bards follow the 5e rules for known spells at a particular time (i.e. a 2nd level bard only knows 5 spells – cantrips not counted). Thus, the Bard can choose which of the 5 spells and 4 cantrips he/she wishes to cast at the time until the magic energy is used up (e.g. the Bard can choose to use any of the 1st level spell effects he/she knows). This aspect is unlike clerics and magic users who have only the spells that were prepared to select from (e.g. you can cast magic missile as many times as you have 1st level+ spell slots; but if you did not prepare magic missile as one of your first level spells even though you know it and could have prepared it, you're out of luck…..). So far for #2 we are sticking to the 5e rules…
But, in Anglesey, the interpretation is the Bard only has practiced the performance for those 5 spells. Thus, a Bard can ‘train’ with another Bard or at a Bard College and swap any of those 5 spells for different spells at a level and school that the Bard can cast. Therefore, Bards are able to change up which spells they know. This training takes time (1 day + 1 day per level of the spell) and a bit of negotiation (spell training in return or money or a service or a future favour…..).
Another difference arising out of this spell replacement is the Anglesey Bard condition of “Rusty Spells”. When a Bard replaces spells, the displaced spells (the ones no longer ‘known’) are now ‘rusty’. ‘Rusty’ spells can be restored under the following conditions: 1. The Bard knew and used/performed the spell at least 5 times. 2. The Bard takes an undisturbed period of time to practice the rusty spell - 1 hour + 1 hour/spell level for each spell. 3. The ‘rusty’ spell replaces another spell of the same level and that spell now becomes ‘rusty’. 4. The Bard meets all requirements to cast the spell….
Bard Cantrip Effects Bard 1st Level Spell Effects Bard 2nd Level Spell Effects Bard 3rd Level Spell Effects