Shroudsinger (Bard/Oracle)

Some believe there is a veil, a thin curtain that guards the way between life and death. Lying just beyond the veil, out of sight and out of touch, are spirits lost in the limbo of purgatory who aimlessly wander the afterlife. However, there is one with the power and know-how to restore these trapped souls to life, even if it is only for a few precious moments. The shroudsinger, trained in her ethereal arts, travels the lands as a simple bard while granting temporary reprieve to these spirit’s senseless existence. In return, these spirits envelope the shroudsinger in their eternal embrace, protecting her from harm and granting her extraordinary powers to further her mission of mercy. (Original Concept by Raiderrpg)

Primary Class: Bard.

Secondary Class: Oracle.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The shroudsinger adds Heal and any oracle mystery skills to his class skills in addition to the normal bard class skills. The shroudsinger gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The shroudsinger is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the longsword, rapier, sap, short sword, shortbow, and whip. Shroudsingers are also proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields). A shroudsinger can cast bard spells while wearing light armor and using a shield without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance.

Spellcasting: The shroudsinger casts arcane spells which are drawn from the bard spell list. She can cast bard spells without preparing them before hand as normal, but cannot exceed her base daily spell allotment. She otherwise learns, knows, and casts spells as a bard equal to her shroudsinger level.

Bardic Performance: This is exactly like the bard ability of the same name, except that the shroudsinger only has access to the bard’s fascinate, suggestion, dirge of doom, frightening tune, and mass suggestion performances. The shroudsinger also gains dance of the dead and ghastly waltz as new performances, which are described hereafter.

Dance of the Dead (Su): A shroudsinger of 12th level or higher can use her performance to gain control over the empty shells of those who have passed beyond the veil, though only for a few fleeting moments. At the start of the shroudsinger’s next turn, she can animate one nearby corpse or skeleton as the animate undead spell which are then placed under her control. She may continue to select one additional corpse or skeleton each round that she maintains her performance, but cannot exceed a number of HD of undead equal to her shroudsinger level. During her performance, she can command these animated undead without any hindrance to her performance. Once the performance ends, the corpses or skeletons fall to the ground, no longer animated. Dance of the dead requires a full-round action to begin the performance, regardless of anything that would normally reduce the time requirement of a performance. This ability replaces soothing performance.

Ghastly Waltz (Su): A shroudsinger of 15th level or higher can use her performance to summon the disembodied spirits of those who have passed beyond the veil. At the start of the shroudsinger's next turn, two ghosts rise up from the ground to heed her command. Each ghost has the same statistics as the ghost listed in the Bestiary, but are each armed with a +1 ghost touch rapier During her performance, she can command these ghosts without any hindrance to her performance. Once the performance ends, the ghosts vanish. Ghastly waltz requires a full-round action to begin the performance, regardless of anything that would normally reduce the time requirement of a performance. This ability replaces inspire heroics.

Mystery: The shroudsinger gains the oracle’s mystery ability and may select the Ancestor* mystery, or the new Veil mystery (see New Mysteries). This ability replaces countersong, inspire courage, inspire competence, versatile performance, inspire greatness, jack-of-all trades,and deadly performance. (*Ultimate Magic)

At 1st level, a shroudsinger adds the skill listed in her mystery to her class skills. Also, she may choose a revelation, and an additional revelation every five levels thereafter.

At 3rd level, a shroudsinger gains a mystery spell and adds it to her spell list, and adds each subsequent mystery spell every three levels thereafter, up to her sixth mystery spell at 18th level, as shown on Table: Shroudsinger.

At 20th level, a shroudsinger gains her final revelation.

Oracle's Curse: At 1st level, the shroudsinger gains the oracle’s curse ability, except that the shroudsinger must select the haunted curse. This ability replaces distraction.

Table: Shroudsinger