Troubadour

Troubadours are holy performers who honor Flower as patron by using the arts to inspire love in others. Most sing or dance, some act or recite, and a few juggle or tumble -- but they all show others the power of love by example. They encourage pretty people be seen as more than just sex objects; they help those who were not born beautiful to let their inner beauty shine.

Troubadours are often clerics with an inclination to the performing arts or bards who have a sacred calling to spread love. In both cases, they are moved by the power of the arts to communicate and foster love in the souls of those they entertain. Troubadours often tend to express their love of the arts in their dress and speech -- some are simple, beautiful, and graceful; others are baroque, entrancing, and full of flair.

As NPCs, some troubadours are wanderers and travelers. Others stay in one place as teachers, courtiers, or entertainers among folk high and low. Many troubadours focus on an object of chaste devotion, working for a worthy person, group, cause, or ideal. Some troubadours celebrate their connection to the divine, adding music and love to temple services -- others shun temples and religion, serving Flower through their deeds. A number also create works of art. All troubadours, however, work to spread love and harmony, and to leave the Wold a happier and more loving place.

Hit die: d8

Requirements

• Saves: Base Will save +4
• Skills: Perform (5 ranks)
• Spells: Must be able to cast Shield Other or Remove Curse
• Special:Must have used music, art, diplomacy, or humor to defuse a violent conflict or caused hostile people to become friendly.

Table -- The Troubadour

lvl...att...will...refx...fort...special abilities

1. .....+0....+2.....+0.....+0.....Art of Love, +1 spellcast lvl
2. .....+1....+3.....+0.....+0.....Inspire Love, +1 spellcast lvl
3. .....+2....+3.....+1.....+1.....True Heart, +1 spellcast lvl
4. .....+3....+4.....+1.....+1.....Lesser Inner Beauty, +1 spellcast lvl
5. .....+3....+4.....+1.....+1.....Chivalrous Love, +1 spellcast lvl
6. .....+4....+5.....+2.....+2.....Inspire Mercy, +1 spellcast lvl
7. .....+5....+5.....+2.....+2.....Steadfast Heart, +1 spellcast lvl
8. .....+6....+6.....+2.....+2.....Greater Inner Beauty, +1 spellcast lvl
9. .....+6....+6.....+3.....+3.....Chivalrous Champion, +1 spellcast lvl
10. .....+7....+7.....+3.....+3.....Inspire Change of Heart, +1 spellcast lvl

Class Skills

The Troubadour's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Heal (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha, exclusive skill), and Survival (Wis).

Note: Troubadours often use the Craft skill to create art -- Craft (Song), Craft (Drama), Craft (Painting), and Craft (Sculpture) are common choices. Having five or more ranks in a relevant Craft skill can give a +2 synergy bonus on some Perform and Diplomacy rolls, if the DM so rules.

Skill Points per level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

• Weapon & Armor Proficiencies: Troubadours are proficient in all armor and shields except tower shields. They are proficient with all simple weapons.

• Spells & Spell Progression: When a new troubadour level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (better wildshape, metamagic or item creation feats, and so on). This essentially means that she adds the level of troubadour to the level of some other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before she became a troubadour, she must decide to which class she adds her troubadour levels for purposes of determining spells per day when she first adopts the PrC.

• Sect: Troubadours gather in colleges -- both formal and informal "schools" used for trading songs, teaching, and performing. Organized activities often include free performances for the common folk, works of art put on public display, and the creation of epic songs to celebrate the memorable ahppenings of the community. A few wealthier colleges of troubadours establish and maintain art museums, concert halls, and theaters that are free or low cost.

Special Abilities

• Art of Love: The troubadour gains the same bardic music ability that bards do, based on the troubadour's perform skill (PHB 29). However, the troubadour may not use the Suggestion ability. Bard levels stack with troubadour levels for this purpose.

• Inspire Love: Troubadours can change an NPC's attitude towards the favorable with either a successful diplomacy check or successful perform check (PHB p.72). Use the DCs listed in the PHB under the diplomacy skill -- but troubadours gain a sacred bonus equal to their level when making such attempts.

• True Heart: The troubadour is immune to all charm, suggestion, compulsion, and dominate effects; the troubadour is also forbidden to use any such effect on anyone else.

• Lesser Inner Beauty: The troubadour may use either Wisdom or Charisma -- whichever is more advantageous -- for skill checks, spell casting (including spell DCs and extra spells), Will saves, Monk AC bonus, Paladin's healing, and so on. Moreover, the troubadour now has a happy glow that makes him seem attractive, and makes others happy to see him, regardless of his natural beauty.

• Chivalrous Love: The troubadour may declare a devotion to an NPC, an organization, or an ideal. She swears faithfulness, loyalty, and chaste respect for the object of her devotion. If the devotion is accepted (as determined by the DM), the troubadour may wear and display a token of the devotion. An ideal -- like Romance or True Love or Freedom or Art -- always "accepts" a troubadour's devotion. When wearing her token, the troubadour gains a +1 "favored" bonus to Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Perform checks and weapon damage rolls. A troubadour's token is vulnerable when worn -- it can be sundered or disarmed like a weapon, and is the first possession affected by area attacks such as fireballs. If her token is stolen, lost, or destroyed, the troubadour loses the +1 bonus and suffers a -1 morale attack penalty until it is restored.

• Inspire Mercy: With a successful Diplomacy or Perform check, the troubadour can convince a target faced with a decision to select the more kind and merciful option. This check is opposed by the target's will save, with a +2 bonus for each alignment step the target is away from the troubadour. This ability cannot be used in combat. If the target is hostile, then the troubadour must first use Inspire Love to shift that attitude to unfriendly (PHB p.72). This ability is not an enchantment -- it actually inspires the target to freely change their attitude. Note: the attitude shift lasts only until something happens to shift attitude again. Moreover, the DM should interpret the results and use of this ability, so that an affected creature does not act in a way opposite to its nature.

• Steadfast Heart: The troubadour is immune to all enchantment/charm magic and all effects that influence emotion and behavior (fear, confusion, antipathy, etc.).

• Greater Inner Beauty: After one day of tutoring, performing, and conversation, the troubadour can teach another creature to use his or her Wisdom bonus instead of Charisma bonus for all Charisma-based skills. However, the troubadour can only teach this to a creature with Intelligence above 5 whose charisma is not higher than average for its species. Moreover, afterward the creature will be appear more attractive, radiant, and happy to observers.

• Chivalrous Champion: If the troubadour is on a mission or quest at the request of his devoted love, or in direct service to the object of his devotion, he gains a +4 "favored" bonus to Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Perform checks and weapon damage rolls, and this bonus continues until the quest is complete, even if the troubadour's token is stolen, lost, or destroyed. The DM decides when this bonus applies.

• Inspire Change of Heart: Once per day, with a successful Diplomacy or Perform check, the troubadour can convince a target to reconsider or temper an earlier harsh or cruel decision. This check is opposed by the target's will save, modified by alignment: +2 for each alignment step the target is away from the troubadour. This ability cannot be used in combat. If the target is hostile, then the troubadour must first use Inspire Love to shift that attitude to unfriendly (PHB p.72). This ability is not an enchantment -- it actually inspires the target to freely change their attitude. Note: the attitude shift lasts only until something happens to shift attitude again. Moreover, the DM should interpret the results and use of this ability, so that an affected creature does not act in a way opposite to its nature.

Note to DMs: This class depends on role-play and non-combat interaction for much of its power. If you have a troubadour in your game, you may want to include more opportunities for negotiation and diplomacy, if you do not already do so. However, do not let the troubadour's abilities throw a spanner into your game. You decide how to apply abilities like Inspire Love. A successful result does not mean that the tyrant is suddenly buddies with the captured PCs, but instead of executing the traitors outright, he decides to think about it overnight -- maybe giving your heros a chance to escape! All of which is to say, let the troubadour use his powers and be effective in the group, yes; but feel free to interpret the results to improve your game, not ruin your plans.