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Dream Singer (Bard)

January 12th, 2016

Joshua Zaback

Best in Class Archive

                Bards might seem an unusual choice to represent Dream Week, but I felt that no other class quite encapsulated the spirit of the dreamer quite as much as the bard. The dream singer is precisely what he sounds like: a character who specializes in lullabies as well as in singing potent enchantments over those who fall asleep, granting them lasting benefits or blights upon waking.

 

New Bard Archetype
Dream Singer
 

            Dream singers are bards who specialize in inspiring the very dreams of others. Unlike a normal bard who focuses on inspiring his allies while they are awake, the dream singer prefers to affect the dreams of others while they sleep, for good or ill. Masters of lullabies and skilled in the art of magical songcraft which can empower others or ensnare their minds, the dream singer reigns supreme over his sleeping friends and foes.

                Lullaby (Su): A dream singer can use his bardic performance to sing others to sleep. By expending 1 round of bardic performance, as a standard action, the dream singer can attempt to put a single creature to sleep. The target is entitled to a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the dream singer’s level + the dream singer’s Charisma modifier) to negate the effect. If there is a difference between the target’s Hit Dice and the dream singer's level, the target receives a bonus or penalty equal to that difference (up to a +5 bonus or -5 penalty). A creature who succeeds on her saving throw is immune for 24 hours. If the target fails, she falls asleep for 1 round. Each round thereafter, the dream singer can continue to expend 1 round of bardic performance as a move action to keep the target asleep, though the target receives a new saving throw to resist the effect. This is a sonic mind-affecting sleep effect.

                This replaces the inspire courage bardic performance.

                Inspiring Dream (Su): At 3rd level a dream singer can sing a special tune that causes a sleeping creature to gain a benefit of the dream singer's choosing upon waking. By expending 1 round of bardic performance, as a standard action, the dream singer can cause a sleeping creature to become inspired upon waking, granting her a +1 bonus to attack rolls, saving throws, or skill and ability checks upon waking for 1 minute per level. At 7th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the bonus granted by this ability increases by an additional +1. Starting at 10th level, a dream singer can affect a number of sleeping creatures equal to his Charisma modifier with this ability. This is a sonic mind-affecting effect.

                This ability replaces the inspire competence bardic performance.

                Lustful Dream (Su): At 8th level, a dream singer can sing a special tune that causes a sleeping character to fall madly in love with the dream singer in her dreams, and some of that affection carries over into the waking world. As a standard action, a dream singer can expend 1 round of bardic performance in order to cause a sleeping character to succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the dream singer’s level + the dream singer’s Charisma modifier) or be affected as though by a charm monster spell cast by the dream singer for a number of minutes equal to the dream singer’s level upon waking. Starting at 10th level, a dream singer can affect a number of sleeping characters equal to his Charisma modifier with this ability. This is a sonic mind-affecting effect.

                This ability replaces the dirge of doom bardic performance.

                Restful Dream (Su): At 12th level, a dream singer can sing a tune of restfulness, which causes additional healing to sleeping creatures. As a standard action, the dream singer can expend 1 use of bardic performance in order to cause a number of sleeping creatures equal to his Charisma modifier to regain a number of hit points equal to his level. This is a sonic mind-affecting effect.

                This ability replaces the soothing performance bardic performance.

                Nightmare (Su): At 14th level, a dream singer can cause a sleeping creature to suffer from horrible nightmares. As a standard action, the dream singer can expend 1 round of bardic performance in order to cause a number of sleeping creatures equal to his Charisma modifier to be affected as though by the spell nightmare. At 20th level, this functions like the spell phantasmal killer, instead. This is a sonic mind-affecting effect.

                This replaces the frightening tune and deadly performance bardic performances.