Bard Feats

Feat Descriptions

Bard Feats are summarized on the table below. Note that the prerequisites and benefits of the feats on this table are abbreviated for ease of reference. See the feats description for full details.

The following format is used for all feat descriptions.

Feat Name: The feat’s name also indicates what subcategory, if any, the feat belongs to, and is followed by a basic description of what the feat does.

Prerequisite: A minimum ability score, another feat or feats, a minimum BAB, a minimum number of ranks in one or more skills, or anything else required in order to take the feat. This entry is absent if a feat has no prerequisite. A feat may have more than one prerequisite.

Benefit: What the feat enables the character (“you” in the feat description) to do. If a character has the same feat more than once, its benefits do not stack unless indicated otherwise in the description.

Normal: What a character who does not have this feat is limited to or restricted from doing. If not having the feat causes no particular drawback, this entry is absent.

Special: Additional unusual facts about the feat.

Feat Name	Prerequisites	MP Increase	Benefits
Authoritative Song (Metasong)	—	+2	You can alter any song that targets a single creature per round to become an authoritative song. When you perform an authoritative song, choose one of the following activities to prohibit: move closer to you, move away from you, make a melee weapon attack, make a ranged weapon attack, cast an offensive spell, or cast a non-offensive spell. A creature that is affected by the song and fails its saving throw against that song (if the song allows a saving throw to resist) cannot perform any action of the selected type on its next turn. This additional effect is a mind-affecting compulsion effect.
Chocobo Time (Bardic Performance)	Perform (percussion) 3 ranks, Perform (string) 3 ranks, or Perform (wind) 3 ranks	—	This bright and spritely tune mimics the sound of chocobo feet, slowly building to a steady, ground-eating pace. When you complete this performance, you affect one ally in hearing range per bard level. This feat increases the affected target’s base land speed by 10 feet for 1 hour. This adjustment is treated as an enhancement bonus. There is no effect on other modes of movement, such as burrow, climb, fly, or swim. As with any effect that increases your speed, this ability affects your jumping distance (see Athletics).
Coaxing Song (Metasong)	—	+2	This feat only works with mind-affecting songs. A coaxing song affects mindless oozes and vermin as if they weren’t mindless, but has no effect on other creature types.
Crypt Song (Metasong)	—	+2	You can enhance any song that inflicts hit point damage to become a crypt song. A creature that dies within 1 round of being damaged by a crypt song is considered to have been killed by a death effect for the purpose of being returned to life. An undead creature damaged by a crypt song gains the sickened condition for a number of rounds equal to the song’s original song level; this duration is halved if the undead creature succeeds at its saving throw against the song. A crypt song gains the death descriptor.
Dazing Song (Metasong)	—	+3	You can modify a song to daze a creature damaged by the song. When a creature takes damage from this song, they become dazed for a number of rounds equal to the original level of the song. If the song allows a saving throw, a successful save negates the daze effect. If the song does not allow a save, the target can make a Will save to negate the daze effect. If the song effect also causes the creature to become dazed, the duration of this metasong effect is added to the duration of the song. Songs that do not inflict damage do not benefit from this feat.
Disruptive Song (Metasong)	—	+1	Targets affected by a disruptive song must make concentration checks when using songs, spells or spell-like abilities (DC equals the save DC of the disruptive song plus the level of the song being cast) for 1 round. Targets that avoid the song’s effects avoid this feat’s effect as well.
Empower Song (Metasong)	—	+2	All variable, numeric effects of an empowered song are increased by half including bonuses to those dice rolls. Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected, nor are songs without random variables.
Encouraging Song (Metasong)	Cha 13, Diplomacy 6 ranks	+1	Any morale bonus granted by an encouraging song is increased by 1.
Extend Song (Metasong)	Able to perform 1st-level bard songs	—	Your Bard songs last an additional three rounds beyond its normal duration.
Fearsome Song (Metasong)	—	+2	When a creature takes damage from a fearsome song, if that creature fails its save against the song, it becomes shaken for a number of rounds equal to the song’s original level. If the song doesn’t allow a save, creatures harmed by it can attempt a Will save (against the same DC the song would have if it did allow a save) to negate the shaken effect. If the song effect already causes creatures to become shaken, on a failed save, add the duration of this metasong effect to the duration of the shaken condition imposed by the song. A fearsome song can’t cause a creature to become frightened, even if that creature is already shaken.
Focused Song (Metasong)	—	+1	When performing a song that affects or targets more than one creature, you can choose one target or creature within the song effect. That creature’s saving throw DC to resist the song is increased by +2. You must choose which target to focus the song on before performing the song. Songs that do not require a saving throw to resist or lessen the song’s effect do not benefit from this feat.
Harmonic Song	Bardic performance class feature	—	Whenever you perform a 1st or higher level song while you are maintaining a bardic performance, you can maintain the bardic performance for that round without expending one of your rounds of performance for the day. In addition, you can switch from one bardic performance to another as a swift action when you perform a song while maintaining a bardic performance.
Heighten Song (Metasong)	—	Variable	A heightened song has a higher song level than normal (up to a maximum of 6th level). Unlike other metasong feats, Heighten song actually increases the effective level of the song that it modifies. All effects dependent on song level (such as saving throw DCs) are calculated according to the heightened level.
Lingering Performance	Bardic performance class feature	—	The bonuses and penalties from your bardic performance continue for 2 rounds after you cease performing. Any other requirement, such as range or specific conditions, must still be met for the effect to continue. If you begin a new bardic performance during this time, the effects of the previous performance immediately cease.
Maximize Song (Metasong)	—	+3	All variable, numeric effects of a song modified by this feat are maximized. Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected, nor are songs without random variables. An empowered, maximized song gains the separate benefits of each feat: the maximum result plus half the normally rolled result.
Minuet of the Malboro (Bardic Performance)	Perform (dance) 4 ranks	—	As ivy climbs walls and spills across even the rockiest and most uneven of terrain, so too does your dance propel you across broken stone and up walls. As long as you maintain the performance, whenever you move, you may move through 5 feet of difficult terrain each round as if it were normal terrain; this allows you to take a 5-foot step into difficult terrain. As long as you move laterally at least 10 feet, you may climb as if you had a climb speed equal to your base speed. You may spend the first round of this performance demonstrating the dance to up to one creature per two bard levels; if these students succeed at a DC 15 Perform (dance) check, they also gain the benefits of this feat as long as you maintain the performance.
Persistent Song (Metasong)	—	+2	Whenever a creature targeted by a persistent song or within its area succeeds on its saving throw against the song, it must make another saving throw against the effect. If a creature fails this second saving throw, it suffers the full effects of the song, as if it had failed its first saving throw. Songs that do not require a saving throw to resist or lessen the song’s effect do not benefit from this feat.
Piercing Song (Metasong)	—	+1	When you perform a piercing song against a target with spell resistance, it treats the spell resistance of the target as 5 lower than its actual SR.
Quicken Song (Metasong)	—	+4	Performing a quickened song is a swift action. You can perform another action, even performing another song, in the same round as you perform a quickened song. Performing a quickened song doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity.
Reach Song (Metasong)	—	Variable	You can alter a song with a range of close or medium to increase its range to a higher range category, using the following order: close, medium, and long. Songs with a fixed range have their range doubled, for the cost of 1 MP. Songs with a range of personal do not benefit from this feat.
Rondeau of Bastok (Bardic Performance)	Perform (sing) 4 ranks	—	This song follows a set repetition of verses and refrains with a pattern of syllables that remains constant from line to line. As you sing, listeners find their actions bound by your song’s relentless order. One enemy per bard level within listening range must make a successful Will save or find its movements hampered. A creature that fails its save can move only in a straight line each turn. The creature can choose which direction it wishes to move each turn, but it can move only along a straight line in that direction, and cannot move around corners or otherwise deviate from this line until its next turn. This effect lasts as long as you maintain the performance. Although this song has words, it is not language-dependent.
Sickening Song (Metasong)	—	+2	You can modify a song to sicken a creature damaged by the song. When a creature takes damage from this song, they become sickened for a number of rounds equal to the original level of the song. If the song allows a saving throw, a successful save negates the sickening effect. If the song does not allow a save, the target can make a Fortitude save to negate the sickening effect. If the song effect also causes the creature to become sickened, the duration of this metasong effect is added on to the duration of the song. Songs that do not inflict damage do not benefit from this feat.
Song Perfection (Metasong)	Perform 15 ranks, at least three metasong feats	—	Pick one song which you have the ability to perform. Whenever you perform that song, you may apply any one metasong feat you have to that song without affecting its MP cost, as long as the total modified cost of the song does not exceed the maximum amount of MP you may spend on a single song. In addition, if you have other feats which allow you to apply a set numerical bonus to any aspect of this song (such as Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, and so on), double the bonus granted by that feat when applied to this song.
Studied Song (Metasong)	—	+2	When performing a studied song, designate one target affected by the song. Attempt an appropriate Knowledge check based on that target’s creature type as you perform the song. The DC for this check is equal to 20 + the creature’s CR based on its race and not including any class levels or template (a creature that is defined by class levels has an effective CR of 0 for this ability). If you succeed, your studied song ignores any elemental resistance or damage reduction the target has because of its race as well as any bonuses on saving throws against the song granted by the target’s race (such as the bonus from a dwarf’s hardy ability). Your studied song doesn’t ignore elemental resistance, damage reduction, or saving throw bonuses granted by other songs and effects. If you fail the Knowledge check, the song still has its normal effects.
The Cockatrice Gambit (Bardic Performance)	Perform (comedy) or Perform (oratory) 7 ranks	—	You tell an old and humorous tale about a woman who refused to smile at anything, no matter how funny. Through a series of increasingly unlikely events involving a cart of horse manure, a king, and a flying carpet, her legendary frown broke at last. When you complete the performance, the target cured of Petrify status.
The Dance of the Moogle (Bardic Performance)	Perform (dance) 4 ranks	—	The shuffling steps, bends, and leaps of this intricate dance make you a difficult target to hit, but also make it more difficult for you to perform other actions. When using this feat, you take a –2 penalty on melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks, and you must make a concentration check to perform any song (DC 15 + the song’s level), but you gain a +2 dodge bonus to your Armor Class. When you have 8 ranks in Perform (dance), and every 4 ranks thereafter, the penalty increases by –1 and the dodge bonus increases by +1. You can combine this feat with fighting defensively and Combat Expertise, but not total defense. When you use this feat, it lasts until the start of your next turn. Abilities that extend the duration of a bardic performance (such as Lingering Performance) affect this feat; this allows you to get multiple rounds of its benefit (and its penalties) at the cost of only 1 round of bardic performance.
The Foolish Galka (Bardic Performance)	Perform (act) or Perform (comedy) 6 ranks	—	This pantomime tells the tale of a foolish galka farmer who failed to control the weeds that grew so quickly upon his land. In desperation, the farmer bargained with a devil, who blasted the earth with salt and withering heat, leaving the fertile land desolate for a century. When you complete the performance, you can create a 30-foot cone or a 60-foot line that is blasted with scorching air and hot salt. Plants and oozes in this area take 1d6 points of damage per bard level (maximum 10d6); half this damage is fire damage, half is piercing damage. A Reflex save reduces the damage by half. Creatures other than plants or oozes take half damage, or no damage on a successful save.
The Kefka Refrain (Bardic Performance)	Perform (sing) 5 ranks	—	Your song emulates the sounds of a terrible illness, causing one creature you are aware of who can hear your song to develop a psychosomatic flu. If the target fails its Will save, whenever it attempts any action other than moving up to its base speed or making a single melee attack (but not both) in a single round, it must succeed at a concentration check (DC 10 + your Charisma modifier) to avoid wasting its action because of a fit of coughing and sneezing.
The Mithra Cat-Step (Bardic Performance)	Perform (dance) 5 ranks	—	This quick dance is a series of small steps culminating in a series of leaps. When you complete the performance, for the next 10 minutes you treat any distance fallen as if it were a number of feet shorter equal to half your bard level × 5. You may spend the first minute of this effect demonstrating the dance to up to one creature per two bard levels; if these students succeed at a DC 15 Perform (dance) check, they also gain the benefits of this feat for the remainder of its duration.
The Requiem of the Fallen Mage-King (Bardic Performance)	Perform (oratory) 10 ranks or Perform (sing) 10 ranks	—	This piece tells the story of a mighty mage-king who seemed to defy time by snatching near-victory from an overwhelming number of enemies. When you complete the performance, you gain the ability to accelerate time once, which must be used in the next 10 minutes. When you perform this feat, you gain the ability to spend a swift action to perform a nonmagical action that normally requires a move action or a standard action. For example, you could make a full attack, then spend a swift action to take a normal move, load a light crossbow, or draw a weapon in the same round. You must use this extra action within 10 minutes of performing the feat; otherwise the benefit is lost.
Threnodic Song (Metasong)	Knowledge (religion) 6 ranks	+2	This feat only works on mind-affecting songs. A threnodic song affects undead creatures (even mindless undead) as if they weren’t immune to mind-affecting effects, but has no effect on living creatures.
Thundering Song (Metasong)	—	+2	You can modify a song to deafen a creature damaged by the song. When a creature takes damage from this song, it becomes deafened for a number of rounds equal to the original level of the song. If the song allows a saving throw, a successful save negates the deafening effect. If the song does not allow a save, the target can make a Fortitude save to negate the deafening effect. If the song effect also causes the creature to become deafened, the duration of this metasong effect is added to the duration of the song. Songs that do not inflict damage do not benefit from this feat.
Tonberry's Grudge (Bardic Performance)	Perform (string) 7 ranks	—	You produce a sound that causes creatures to believe they are suffering a particularly ghastly and terrifying death, such as immolation, freezing to death, or being eaten alive by insects. When you complete this performance, all creatures within 30 feet who can hear your performance must make a successful Will saving throw or take 1d6 points of elemental damage. The elemental type can be either earth, fire, ice, lightning, water, or wind (your choice, chosen when you begin performing the feat). Affected creatures that fail their saving throws take damage on the round you begin the performance and each round you continue the performance as long as they remain in range. Abilities that extend the duration of a bardic performance affect this feat.