PRIEST-SHAMAN KIT Skald Description: Skalds are honored and respected members of warlike barbarian clans. They serve as historians and lorekeepers, memorizing the feats of each raid and battle, setting them down in the form of poetry, ready to relate this oral history at any time it is requested. Skalds are often supported and protected by clan chieftans who love to hear of great duels and mighty wars. When events are unfolded in the form of poetry, it makes the telling all the more inspiring. There is rarely more than one Skald in a given clan or tribe (save for apprentices to a master Skald), and as a result Skalds rarely perform together unless they have entered a poetic duel at an in-gathering of the clans. Adventuring Skalds, however, are common. Every Skald is easily caught up in the fervor and majesty of adventure, danger, and combat. Great quests also serve as source material for their ballads and poems. In addition to standard Shaman class requirements, Skalds must have a Charisma score of at least 13. In addition, Skalds are considered to have a degree of special 'neutral' status in Barbarian society, being able to walk untouched in the middle of clan wars and blood feuds, so long as they do fight in support of either side. To reflect this, Skalds must have at least one component of neutrality in their alignment. Weapons & Armor: As a typical Shaman with regard to weapons. Skalds do not use shields but can wear any type of armor up to and including chain mail, though they will not wear heavier armor. Special Benefits: Skalds gain the standard Shaman reaction bonus when dealing with barbarian NPCs. Circle of Aged Masters: As a typical Shaman. Clan Lore: This ability represents a Skald's copious knowledge of tribal and clan history (both their own and others). Skalds have a 5% chance per level of experience to know something about legendary and famous persons, places, and events that relate to nomadic, barbaric, or savage cultures of any type. This percentage is doubled if the information is relevant to his or her home terrain type, and he or she can also attempt a check at normal success to recall lore about non-barbaric societies that are native to his or her terrain type (including other races); though the clans keep to a 'savage' lifestyle, they keep their eyes on the 'civilized' societies on their turf to make sure they do not pose a danger to their way of life. The kind and amount of information gained on a successful roll will is determined by the DM. It requires 1d10 rounds of examining the item (or place or person) to use this ability. Note that use of this ability is very impressive to members of barbaric cultures. Any Barbarian able to clearly hear and understand the Skald when he or she relates a bit of Clan Lore must save vs. paralyzation with a -1 penalty per three levels of the Skald (rounding to nearest multiple of three). Those who fail have their reactions to the Skald improved by one level. If the save succeeds, reactions are unaffected, unless a natural 20 was rolled, in which case reactions are worsened by one level. This effect occurs regardless of whether the Skald succeeds on his or her Clan Lore check (in fact, if the check succeeds reactions will be improved by two steps on a failed save). Second Sight: As a Shaman of half his or her actual level (rounding up). Spirit Guide: Like other Shamans, Skalds have a Spirit Guide; however, unlike a typical Shaman, the Spirit Guide of a Skald is not an animal spirit, but rather it is the spirit of a skilled warrior or chieftain of his or her tribe or clan. This Spirit Guide is normally invisible to all creatures other than the Skald, but it can become visible if the Skald asks it to do so, in which case it appears as a transparent image of the person as he or she appeared in life. The Spirit Guide can be a source of direction and wisdom for the Skald, offering advice and assistance. They retain memories of their own lifetimes and also can see glimpses of the future through the spirit world. Once per day, the Skald can ask his or her Spirit Guide to invoke one of the following magical spell effects on his or her behalf: aid, comprehend languages, prayer, spiritual hammer, or strength. This takes one round of chanting and a successful Wisdom check. If the check is successful, the Skald gains the power to cast the spell in question (taking effect at his or her level). The spell may be cast immediately or may be retained for up to one full day, but no further magical favors can be requested until the spell is used. If the check is failed, the Spirit Guide is unable to provide any magical assistance for that day. A Skald of 5th level or above can instead request tongues or protection from normal missiles, while a Skald of 10th level or above can request a heroes' feast, giant strength, or speak with dead. Skalds can also send their Spirit Guide to request magical spells from other spirits. However, a Skald's Spirit Guide, being a deceased warrior rather than an animal spirit, provides access to rather different spheres of magic. A Skald has major access to the spheres of Charm, Combat, Guardian, Protection, and War, and minor access to the spheres of All, Divination, Healing, Music, and Travelers. The rules for requesting spells in this fashion is as described for the Shaman, though a Skald's Spirit Guide is especially efficient at finding spells from the Combat and War spheres, requiring only one round (or turn, as appropriate) per level of the spell. War Chant: This chant allows a Skald to increase the fighting ability of his or her allies by inspiring them with recitations of epic battle poetry and song. The Skald must begin chanting at least one round before combat begins, or else his or her allies will be too caught up in the events around them to pay attention to and be inspired by the Skald's song. Such chanting has an effective range of ten feet per level of the Skald and a maximum duration of one round per level of the Skald, although their effects also end if the Skald is killed, incapacitated, magically silenced, or flees from combat. The Skald can choose from a number of possible effects for his or her song, and the Skald may choose to cause one effect, plus an additional effect for every three levels (drop fractions; e.g., a 3rd level Skald may invoke 2 effects, a 6th level Skald 3, etc.). These effects may be changed in each battle in which the Skald participates. The possible bonuses include the following (note that a given bonus cannot be invoked more than once; i.e., a 6th level bard could not grant a +3 bonus on attack or damage rolls, but must select three separate effects): +1 to friendly Morale and saves vs. fear for every six levels of the Skald (rounded up) -1 to enemy Morale and saves vs. fear for every six levels of the Skald (rounded up) +1 to attack rolls +1 to damage rolls +1 to saving throws -1 bonus to initiative in melee -1 bonus to Armor Class for all allies +1 hit point per level of the Skald (damage taken is subtracted from these bonus hit points first) Warcraft: In addition to their everyday knowledge of Clan Lore, Skalds possess a vast store of information about the art of war and the manufacture and history of weapons and other military items. A Skald thus has a 5% chance per level to know something about any weapon, shield, piece of armor, or other combat-related item that he or she examines (including magical items restricted to the warrior class), doubled as usual when dealing with items native to his or her home terrain. This copious knowledge of the arts of war also applies to their personal skills in combat. Thus, Skalds gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with any weapon (or with spells, where applicable). They also gain a +1 damage bonus when using one of their terrain-specific weapons (see the Shaman description, under Weapons & Armor). Finally, Skalds are able to learn non-weapon proficiencies from the Fighter list without penalty, and they are also able to use magical items normally restricted to the Warrior class. Special Hindrances: Skalds do not gain the Communion with Nature, Natural Medicine, or Omen Reading abilities of a typical Shaman. In addition, they do not gain any special benefits from their association with their warrior Spirit Guide, as a Shaman does from an animal spirit. Skalds do not use the weapon of choice benefit of typical Shamans, as this is superseded by their Warcraft ability. Skalds otherwise share the benefits and hindrances of typical Shamans. Bonus Proficiencies: Chanting, Survival (in native terrain) Required Proficiencies: Ancient History, Local History, Poetry Preferred Proficiencies: Acute Hearing, Alertness, Armorer, Awareness, Blacksmithing, Blind-fighting, Bowyer/Fletcher, Crowd Working, Endurance, Etiquette, Excellent Vision, Hunting, Leadership, Leatherworking, Monster Lore, Musical Instrument, Navigation, Rune Lore, Seamanship, Singing, Swimming, Weaponsmithing Forbidden Proficiencies: Reading/Writing (cannot be taken at 1st level, but may be gained later), plus any proficiency from the Psionicist, Rogue, or Wizard list that is not listed above. In addition to these Proficiency selections, Skalds can choose from the Preferred Proficiencies typical for their home terrain type (see the Shaman description).