ROGUE - BARD Jester Kit Description: Jesters are known by many names: fools, clowns, jokers, buffoons, etc. The Jester kit covers them all. Jesters are comedians at heart. They love to have a good time and enjoy sharing their mirth and merriment with others (even when they are not welcomed). Most people enjoy having a Jester about, as they raise morale, entertain, and make great scapegoats when problems arise. Jesters are flamboyant, outrageous, and ridiculous. Many believe that Jesters live in a constant state of borderline insanity. It is certain that they live for attention and feel relaxed only when they are the focus of events. Requirements: As a standard Bard, save that Jesters can be of any chaotic alignment. Humans, gnomes, half-elves, and tieflings can become Jesters. Weapons & Armor: Axe (hand), blowgun, crossbow (any), dagger, dart, firearm (any), javelin, knife, quarterstaff, scourge, sling, staff sling, whip Jesters may wear only leather, padded, studded leather, or elven chain mail. They do not use shields. Thief Abilities: Climb Walls, Detect Illusion, Detect Noise, Escape Bonds, Pick Pockets Special Benefits: The Jester's considerable comedic prowess and lunatic antics and nature provide him or her with a number of special abilities, as follows: Entertainment: As a standard Bard, but a Jester will never attract followers. Fool's Luck: It is amazing to most that Jesters can survive in any situation. They are careless, foolish, and given to whimsical decisions. It is the Jester's good luck that preserves him or her through many dangers. This luck grants a ± 1 (±5%) to almost any die roll that the Jester makes, including saving throws, ability and proficiency checks, thief skill checks, surprise, initiative, resurrection survival, system shock, bend bars/lift gates, and almost any other conceivable roll. In fact, when rolling saving throws a Jester is entitled to make two rolls and select the better result. The only dice rolls not affected by this luck are attack rolls, damage rolls, initial character generation rolls, and hit point rolls. Jester's Mind: Jesters are immune to attacks that cause confusion or insanity, whether magical, psionic, or whatever. Further, they gain a saving throw bonus equal to their level vs. all other forms of mental attack; telepathic power scores for powers used against them should be penalized by an amount equal to their level (non-offensive Telepathic powers suffer only half this penalty, rounded down). Furthermore, any being attempting to magically or psionically read a Jester's mind has a percentage chance equal to the Jester's level of becoming confused (c.f. 4th level wizard spell confusion) for 1d6 turns plus 1 turn per level of the Jester. If a Jester possesses a magical medallion of thought projection, this effect applies to all creatures within the range of the medallion's effects. Jesting: Jesting is the art of projecting meaning and mood through the use of body motions. By jesting (or gesturing), a Jester may communicate a single sentence each round, which anyone observing the Jester who makes a successful check against Wisdom or Intelligence (whichever is lower) at -5 can understand. Such communication is totally silent and does not rely on a shared language (certain gestures transcend linguistic barriers). The Jester must use his or her whole body for the communication; thus, he or she must be fully visible and within 30 feet of an intended recipient for communication to be possible. Jesting can also be used to taunt or tease others within 30 feet of the Jester, assuming that they are able to hear and observe the Jester without obstruction. This form of Jesting requires those being accosted to roll a saving throw vs. paralyzation, with a -1 penalty for every three levels of the Jester (round to nearest multiple of three). Those who fail must immediately try to physically strike the Jester for as long as the Jesting continues, ignoring wise combat strategy. Affected creatures will recklessly pass by more dangerous targets in an attempt to attack the Jester. The effect ends immediately if the Jester ceases Jesting, including if the Jester is physically struck or fails a saving throw, but a Jester can always just begin Jesting the next round. Joking: The practice of creating and telling jokes has been elevated to an art form by Jesters; this skill can be told in an attempt to alter reactions. For any form of joke to function, the Jester must speak a language known by the recipient of the joke. Furthermore, the Jester must be within easy verbal range of the recipient. Such jokes require 1d10 rounds to tell, after which the audience must roll a saving throw vs. paralyzation, with a -1 penalty for every three levels of the Jester (round to nearest multiple of three). Those who fail have their reactions adjusted by one level in the direction desired by the Jester. Those who make their saves take the jokes the wrong way, and their reactions are adjusted by one level in the opposite direction. Jesters also have a good sense for comedic timing and appropriateness of their jokes (though they do not always apply this sense in their profession). In fact, Joking at just the right moment and in just the right way can dispel the effects of fear. Joking in this fashion requires a full round, and it enables all those affected by any form of fear within 30 feet of the Jester to make a new saving throw to negate the fear effect, even if a save was not allowed against the fear effect in the first place. Note that those affected by fear will stop for a round and listen to the Jester and will not continue to flee (or suffer other fear effects) unless the new saving throw granted by this ability is failed. Performance Magic: As a standard Bard, but in addition a Jester can use spells from the school of Wild Magic through their performance. Rumor & Legend: As a standard Bard. Special Hindrances: It is difficult for Jesters to be taken seriously in any social situation, and they simply cannot muster the respect from others needed to exercise Leadership & Influence as other Bards can. For much the same reason, a Jester's Charisma should be considered as if only half its actual score (rounding up) for the purpose of attracting henchmen and determining their loyalty score toward the Jester. In a similar fashion, though they love obscure humor and wordplay of all sorts and often try to weave jokes from different races and cultures throughout their comedic routines, Jesters approach this in a very superficial way and do not truly study Language Lore like a standard Bard. In fact, Jesters do not apply themselves very deeply or learning any new skills, gaining new weapon and non- weapon proficiency slots only every five levels. Finally, the mildly insane nature of Jesters precludes them from having psionic Wild Talents. Bonus Proficiencies: Juggling, Tumbling Preferred Proficiencies: Acting, Blather, Crowd Working, Dancing, Debate, Disguise, Fast-talking, Gaming, Jumping, Luck, Musical Instrument, Poetry, Prestidigitation, Singing, Ventriloquism ***DISCLAIMER*** As with all postings by me of classes or races, it should be noted that portions of the information contained herein were inspired by or derived from information in published works of TSR, Inc., and may contain references to those works, quotations or passages of text (especially in the area of 'Character Description', where applicable sections from TSR works were often carried over more or less intact into my campaign world), or particular powers or abilities invented by TSR staff writers. No relationship with TSR, Inc., is to be implied by this use, nor is any attempt being made to solicit profit or remuneration of any kind. I have read the TSR Online Policy document, and have tried to accommodate the stipulations contained therein. In instances where I have lifted an essentially complete class or race without significant alteration, I have not included these in my postings but instead have inserted a reference to the appropriate D&D sourcebook for those curious in including it in their campaign. Only variations that include a significant component of original work, alteration, or reformulation (including the compositing elements from various TSR sources into new combinations) of have been included in this set of postings. Jason Eric Nelson < tjaden@u.washington.edu >