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Old 09-07-2017, 07:25 AM   #8
JMason
 
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cockeysville, MD
Default Re: Bards, songs, and spells

Okay, I'm still trying to work this out. It looks like singing might be a free action, and let you attack with a weapon or take some other action. But you can't very well sing two things in the same second, so singing and casting on the same turn seems to be out.

But is playing an instrument a "free action"? In which case you could play an instrument for you Song ability, and still cast a spell, but I'm not sure that I consider playing a free action.

And it looks like most of the Songs require the Bard to be singing or speaking anyway:

Command - This already states it requires a series of concentrates. And to send the commands the Bard must sing or speak (while playing). So, I don't see how they could also cast a spell. I guess they could have given a command, but keep the effect up by playing. In this case, can they cast a spell (at -3 for concentrating on another spell), or no?

Echoes - This says it is a free action. I can see this if they are sining, and how that would let the Bard sing, find the target, and attack. But what about casting a spell? Again, can playing an instrument be a free action, which would let them also sing a spell? If not then this one is a "singing only" ability.

Humiliation - This one requires that the subject share a language with you, but does that mean that it must be sung, or that the Bard can play an instument and then speak an insult? It's called out to be a free action, but I'm still not sure that playing an instrument is free... so "singing only" ability?

Sending - This states that it works "...as if you were singing gently into the recipient’s ear". So another "sining only" and preventing the use of spells.

Terror - This one is described as "chanting", so I guess that is "singing only"?

Wild - Another that isn't quite clear if you must be singing or could play and speak. In either case you can't cast a spell while communicating, but while the animal is speaking or you have a pause in the conversation?

Maybe this is all just trying to overly complicate things, but in my last G:DF game I had a Bard that was never happy about the limitations of their abilities, so I want to make sure I fully understand what the intent of the rules are here.

My take at this point is that even "free actions" are going to prevent spells from being used on the same turn that a Song ability is being used.
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