Fey Minstrel (Bard/Druid)

(Original Concept by Elghinn Lightbringer)

Primary Class: Bard.

Secondary Class: Druid.

Alignment: Any neutral.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The fey minstrel selects three druid skills to add to her class skills in addition to the normal bard class skills. The fey minstrel gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 6 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The fey minstrel is proficient with all simple weapons, the longsword, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, whip, and with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form she assumes with wild shape (see below). The fey minstrel is also proficient with light armor, but she is prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, she may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. A fey minstrel may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. See the ironwood spell description. A fey minstrel is proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.

Spellcasting: The fey minstrel casts arcane spells drawn from the bard spell lists, and adds all spells from the Animal and Plant domains, plus one of the following Terrain domains of her choice to her list: Aquatic‡, Arctic‡, Cave‡, Desert‡, Forest (see New Domains in this book), Jungle‡, Mountains‡, Plains‡, or Swamp‡. The fey minstrel learns and casts spells as a bard equal to her fey minstrel level. A fey minstrel receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score. (‡Ultimate Magic)

Bardic Performance (Ex): The fey minstrel gains the following new bardic performances.

Faun’s Folly (Sp): A fey minstrel of 3rd level or higher can use his performance to create a number of spell-like fey effects meant to enchant or beguile a creature that she has already fascinated (as the bardic performance). Using this ability does not disrupt the fascinate effect, but it does require a standard action to activate (in addition to the free action to continue the fascinate effect). A Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 fey minstrel’s level + the fey minstrel’s Cha modifier) negates any of the following effects. Using the faun’s folly performance does not count against a fey minstrel’s daily use of bardic performance. This ability replaces inspire courage, suggestion, inspire heroics, and mass suggestion.

At 3rd level, a fey minstrel can use her performance to lull a fascinated creature to sleep (as the spell). At 10th level, this effect functions as deep slumber. Sleep is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability and relies on audible components.

At 8th level, a fey minstrel can use her performance to charm a creature (as the charm monster spell) that she has already fascinated. A fey minstrel can use this ability more than once against an individual creature during an individual performance. Charm monster is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability and relies on audible components.

At 13th level, a fey minstrel can use her performance to confuse a creature (as the confusion spell) that she has already fascinated. A fey minstrel can use this ability more than once against an individual creature during an individual performance. Confusion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability and relies on audible components.

At 18th level, a fey minstrel can use her charm monster performance to simultaneously charm any number of creatures that she has already fascinated. Mass charm monster is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability and relies on audible components.

Irresistible Performance (Su): At 20th level, a fey minstrel can use her performance to make a creature feel an undeniable urge to dance, and is subject to an irresistible dance spell. While under this effect, the target continues to shuffle and tap its feet, making it impossible for the target to do anything other than caper and prance in place. This imposes a –4 penalty to Armor Class and a –10 penalty on Reflex saves, and it negates any AC bonus granted by a shield the target holds. The dancing target also provokes attacks of opportunity each round on its turn. A successful Will save reduces the duration of this effect to 1 round and the fey minstrel cannot use irresistible performance on that creature again for 24 hours. This performance expends six rounds of the fey minstrel’s daily rounds. Irresistible performance is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability and relies on audible components. This ability replaces deadly performance.

Wild Empathy (Ex): At 1st level, a fey minstrel gains the druid’s wild empathy ability. This ability and replacescounter song.

Versatile Performance (Ex): This is exactly like the bard ability of the same name, except that the fey minstrel gains this ability at 2nd, 10th, and 18th level. The fey minstrel may only select from the following types of Perform with their associated skills: Oratory (Diplomacy, Sense Motive), Sing (Bluff, Sense Motive), String (Bluff, Diplomacy), and Wind (Diplomacy, Handle Animal).

Resist Nature’s Lure (Ex): At 3rd level, a fey minstrel gains the druid’s resist nature’s lure ability, except that the fey minstrel gains only a +2 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like and supernatural abilities of fey. This onus increases to +4 at 6th level, and +6 at 9th level. This bonus also applies to spells and effects that target plants, such as blight, entangle, spike growth, and warp wood. At 12th level, a fey minstrel becomes immune to the spell-like and supernatural abilities of fey, and to spells and effects that target plants. This ability replaces inspire competence.

Woodland Stride (Ex): At 4th level, a fey minstrel gains the druid’s woodland stride ability. This ability replaces versatile performance gained at 6th level.

Wild Shape (Su): At 6th level, a fey minstrel gains the druid’s wild shape ability, and can turn herself into any Small or Medium creature of the animal type and back again once per day, as a standard action, and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. This ability functions like the beast shape I spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour for every two fey minstrel levels, or until she changes back. A fey minstrel can use this ability an additional time per day at 11th and 16th level.

At 11th level, a fey minstrel can use wild shape to change into a Tiny animal, or a Small fey creature. When taking the form of a Tiny animal, a fey minstrel’s wild shape now functions as beast shape II. When taking the form of a Small fey creature, the fey minstrel’s wild shape functions as polymorph.

At 16th level, a fey minstrel can use wild shape to change into a Diminutive animal, or a Medium fey creature. When taking the form of an animal, a fey minstrel’s wild shape now functions as beast shape III. When taking the form of a Medium or smaller fey creature, the fey minstrel’s wild shape now functions as greater polymorph.

A fey minstrel cannot cast spells while in an animal form, even if she has the Natural Spell feat. She can cast spells while in a fey form if the creature is generally humanoid in appearance. This ability replaces dirge of doom, inspire greatness, and jack-of-all trades.

Trackless Step (Ex): At 7th level, a fey minstrel gains the druid’s trackless step ability. This ability replaces versatile performance gained at 14th level.

Table: Fey Minstrel

Table: Fey Minstrel Spells Known