# Bard High-Level Abilities

This page lists High-Level Abilities available to Bards.

Note that this list assumes a full install of Talents of Faerun, excluding the 'new low-level abilities' component. If you have a partial install, your High-Level Ability system may differ from the one documented here in small ways.

### Alchemy: Enhancement Potions

The character has learned the secrets of brewing a variety of useful potions. Brewing potions requires the expenditure of gold on the raw materials (equal to the cost of buying the potion in a store) and draws slightly on the character's life force (equivalent to a loss of 1 experience point per gold piece cost).
The character may brew the following potions:
Oil of Speed
Potion of Agility
Potion of Explosions
Potion of Fire Breath
Potion of Fortitude
Potion of Genius
Potion of Infravision
Potion of Insight
Potion of Invisibility
Potion of Master Thievery
Potion of Mind Focusing
Potion of Perception
Potion of Power
Potion of Strength
Requirements: high level Bard, high level Mage, or high level Sorcerer.

### Alchemy: Protective Potions

The character has learned the secrets of brewing potions that protect the drinker from various forms of mundane and magical harm. Brewing potions requires the expenditure of gold on the raw materials (equal to the cost of buying the potion in a store) and draws slightly on the character's life force (equivalent to a loss of 1 experience point per gold piece cost).
The character may brew the following potions:
Potion of Absorption
Potion of Cold Resistance
Potion of Defense
Potion of Fire Resistance
Potion of Insulation
Potion of Invulnerability
Potion of Magic Blocking
Potion of Magic Protection
Potion of Magic Shielding
Potion of Mirrored Eyes
Potion of Stone Form
Requirements: high level Bard, high level Mage, or high level Sorcerer.

### Alchemy: Rogues' Potions

With cleverness innate to the class, an experienced rogue has seen enough potions in his/her adventuring career to simulate the creation of one. Brewing potions requires the expenditure of gold on the raw materials (equal to the cost of buying the potion in a store) and draws slightly on the character's life force (equivalent to a loss of 1 experience point per gold piece cost).
The character may brew the following potions:
Antidote
Oil of Speed
Potion of Agility
Potion of Explosions
Potion of Extra Healing
Potion of Healing
Potion of Infravision
Potion of Invisibility
Potion of Master Thievery
Potion of Mind Focusing
Potion of Perception
Potion of Power
Rogue's Potion of Frost Giant Strength
Requirements: high level Bard or high level Thief.

### Alchemy: Warrior potions

The character has learned the secrets of brewing potions that grant warriors superhuman strength and prowess. Brewing potions requires the expenditure of gold on the raw materials (equal to the cost of buying the potion in a store) and draws slightly on the character's life force (equivalent to a loss of 1 experience point per gold piece cost).
The character may brew the following potions:
Potion of Cloud Giant Strength
Potion of Fire Giant Strength
Potion of Frost Giant Strength
Potion of Heroism
Potion of Hill Giant Strength
Potion of Stone Giant Strength
Potion of Storm Giant Strength
Requirements: high level Bard, high level Mage, or high level Sorcerer.

### Ambidexterity

The character has learned to use both hands equally when fighting, and no longer suffers an additional -2 penalty with off-hand attack rolls when dual-wielding.
Requirements: high level Blade, high level Ranger, or high level Swashbuckler.
Restrictions: not available to Archer.

### Avoid Danger

A rogue's natural sense of preservation becomes heightened with the use of the Avoid Danger ability. Avoid Danger gives a +4 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to all Saving Throws. The effect lasts for 3 rounds.
Special: For rogues with the Advanced Avoid Danger feat, these effects increase to a +6 bonus to AC, a +3 bonus to all Saving Throws, a slight increase in movement speed, and the ability to dodge all normal missiles.
Requirements: high level Bard or high level Thief.

### Avoid Danger, Advanced

The rogue's Avoid Danger ability is heightened in effectiveness. Avoid Danger now grants +6 AC and +3 to saving throws, lasts for five rounds, and allows the rogue to move so quickly that his/her movement rate is increased by 2 (base is 10) and normal missiles have no chance of striking him/her.
Prerequisite: Avoid Danger.
Requirements: high level Bard or high level Thief.

### Avoid Death

A high-level rogue can develop a sixth sense that allows him/her to avoid almost certain death. This passive ability causes the rogue to avoid any one death effect (including imprisonment, petrification, and disintegration) that would otherwise kill him/her outright. The ability functions at most once per eight hours.
Prerequisite: Avoid Danger.
Requirements: high level Bard or high level Thief.

### Break Enchantment

The bard has learned how to remove enchantments with the power of his/her music. he/she may remove the effects of all spells from the Enchantment school - such as Hold, Charm and Confusion spells - from a single creature. This ability can be used three times per day.
Requirements: high level Bard.

### Call Spirit Warrior

Spirit Warriors are spectral echoes of past heroes whose souls now rest in the halls of Valhalla. If a bard agrees to spread stories and songs of their legendary deeds in order to prevent them from being forgotten, a spirit of one of these valiant fighters will materialize and join the bard's cause for a short while (10 rounds). The mere presence of this fabled warrior instills courage in all nearby allies raising their morale to its highest. The Spirit Warrior summoned by a Skald is slightly more powerful than that summoned by other bards.
Requirements: high level Bard.

### Enhanced Bard Song: the Epic of

This mighty battle chant grants the Bard and his/her allies +4 to hit, +4 to all saving throws, +10% bonus to magic resistance and immunity to Fear and Charm. The Bard him/herself receives an 8 point bonus to all of his/her saving throws while singing the song.
Requirements: high level Bard.
Restrictions: not available to Jester or Skald.

### Enhanced Jester Song: the Mesmeric Melody

The Enhanced Jester Song affects all opponents within hearing range who must save vs. spells once per round or become distracted (-2 save penalty) confused (no save bonus) or mesmerized (+2 save bonus). The Jester him/herself becomes immune to all mind-affecting spells and abilities while singing the song.
Requirements: high level Jester.

### Enhanced Skald Song: the Saga of

This mighty battle chant grants the Skald and his/her allies +5 to hit, +5 to damage, -5 to AC, +10% resistance to physical damage, immunity to Fear, Stun and Confusion. The Skald him/herself receives a 10 point bonus to his/her armor class while singing the song.
Requirements: high level Skald.

### Enthralling Melody

Range: Visual range of the caster
Duration: 5 rounds
Casting Time: 7
Area of Effect: 30-feet radius
Saving Throw: Special
By softly humming a subtly hypnotic tune, an experienced Bard can captivate and enthrall any audience, even creatures that do not understand his/her language. Opponents in the area of effect must successfully save vs. paralyzation or give the Bard their undivided attention, totally ignoring their surroundings and becoming fascinated for the following five rounds. Fascinated creatures can take no actions for the duration of the effect; however, they can still perceive danger on a subconscious level, so any hostile action taken against them automatically breaks this state. In addition, even if opponents make their saving throws and avoid the fascination effect, there is still a 25% chance that they will become confused for one round (no save) from being too deeply immersed into the hypnotic pattern of the song.
This ability completely ignores any magic resistance of the targets. However, it has no effect on mindless creatures such as Constructs, Skeletons, Zombies and Slimes.
Requirements: high level Bard.

### Extra Level 6 Spell

Choosing this ability allows the character to cast an additional level 6 arcane spell.
Requirements: able to cast sixth-level arcane spells.

### Finesse

With proper training and skills, the blade can achieve perfection in his/her special spin stances. This passive ability improves both the Offensive and Defensive spin innates. Activating Offensive Spin will grant an extra 5% to the Critical Hit chance for the duration of the ability. While in Defensive Spin, the blade will be able to move around, though his/her movement rate will be reduced to 50%.
Requirements: high level Blade.

### Greater War Cry

With Greater War Cry, the character's War Cry becomes more powerful. The character emits a powerful and frightening yell that will leave all opponents in a 30' radius panicked with fear if they fail to save vs. spell at -2. In addition to this effect, Greater War Cry will increase the combat effectiveness of nearby party members by granting them a THAC0 bonus of 3 and immunity to fear effects for 2 rounds.
Prerequisite: War Cry.
Requirements: high level Fighter or high level Skald.

### Lingering Song

The bard's music stays with the listeners long after the last note has died away. When the bard stops playing, the effect of the song lasts an additional 2 rounds.
Requirements: high level Bard.
Special: this ability may be selected twice. Its effects are cumulative.

### Maestro of Enchantment

The bard can mimic the effects of any commonly-known arcane enchantment spell of 6th level or less. This ability can be used three times per day.
Requirements: high level Bard.

### Mass Charm

Range: Visual range of the caster
Duration: 5 rounds
Casting Time: 6
Area of Effect: 30-feet radius
Saving Throw: Special
An experienced Bard eventually learns to influence the actions of his/her opponents. By focusing his/her willpower a Bard can suggest a course of activity which opponents feel strongly compelled to follow. The suggestion must be worded in such a manner as to make the activity sound reasonable. Obviously self-destructive orders are not carried out and break the enchantment. If a common language is shared, the Bard can generally force the subjects to perform as he/she desires, within the limits of their abilities. If no common language is shared, the character can communicate only by using basic commands, such as "Come here," "Go there," "Fight," "Stand still" etc. Opponents can attempt a saving throw vs. spells in order to avoid being controlled, but even if they succeed, there is still a 25% chance that they will suffer a mental breakdown from the amount of stress that their minds have suffered. This will effectively cause them to enter a Berserk state (no save) and attack the nearest creature for one round.
This ability completely ignores any magic resistance of the targets. However, it has no effect on undead, or on mindless creatures such as constructs and slimes. The racial charm resistance of Elves and Half-Elves also applies.
Requirements: high level Bard.

### Power Attack

A Power Attack allows the warrior to strike blows so forceful that they stun an opponent for 2 rounds if the opponent fails a Save vs. Death at a -4 penalty. The ability lasts for 2 rounds.
Requirements: high level Fighter, high level Paladin, high level Ranger, or high level Skald.

### Resonating Weapon

Bards eventually achieve a high degree of control over sound which enables them to imbue any weapon with concentrated sound energy for a short while. A weapon imbued in this fashion resonates with a sharp tone and deals an extra 2d4 points of sonic damage to its target on each hit. Furthermore, anyone struck by the resonating weapon must save vs. breath or become temporarily deafened. After 4 rounds have passed, the weapon ceases to resonate and the deafness subsides.
Requirements: high level Bard.

### Slippery Mind

This rogue can occasionally manage to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel him/her. The first time he/she fails a saving throw against charm, domination, or similar magic, he/she is nonetheless unaffected. This ability can function at most once per hour.
Requirements: high level Bard or high level Thief.

### Sound Barrier

The most skilled of all Bards are able to fully control the intensity, speed, and direction of the very waves which compose sound, which allows them to shape and bend it as they see fit. By utilizing this ability, the Bard encases him/herself within a sphere of swirling sound waves thereby forming a barrier which protects him/her from all sound-based spells and attacks, such as Silence, Deafness, Power Words, Holy Word, the howl of the demilich, and the wail of the banshee. Anyone who attempts to break through the barrier and strike the Bard in melee takes 2d8 points of sonic damage. Furthermore, the attacker may become deafened (75% chance) or stunned (25% chance) during the following round unless a save vs. breath is made. The sound barrier dissipates after 5 rounds.
Prerequisite: Resonating Weapon.
Requirements: high level Bard.

### Sound Burst

Range: Visual range of the caster
Duration: Instantaneous
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: 30-feet radius
Saving Throw: Special
The Bard magically amplifies the capabilities of a musical instrument in order to fill his/her surroundings with high-pitched, stone-shattering sound waves. Creatures in the nearby area take 15d6 points of sonic damage and are also deafened for five rounds. Deafened creatures suffer a 50% chance of spellcasting failure. A successful save vs. breath halves the damage and negates the deafness.
This ability completely ignores any magic resistance of the targets. However, resistance to energy damage can reduce the amount of damage dealt.
Requirements: high level Bard.

### Use Any Item

Rogues take pride in their ability to adapt and make clever use of whatever is at hand. This ability is an extension of that basic skill. Once learned, the effect is permanent. The ability allows the rogue to use any item, even items that are typically restricted to one class. This allows the rogue to use everything from wands and scrolls to mighty weapons that none but a warrior could otherwise use.
Prerequisite: Use Wands.
Requirements: high level Bard or high level Thief.

### War Cry

With a War Cry, the warrior emits a powerful and frightening yell that will panic all opponents in a 15-ft. radius if they don't make their Save vs. Spell.
Requirements: high level Fighter or high level Skald.