 Argent Dramaturge
Source Adventurer's Guide pg. 172
The city of Kintargo has a long and proud association with the arts, particularly the theater and the opera. The fascination with operatic performances is well established throughout the nation of Cheliax, yet in Kintargo the lack of direct meddling from the government or the church of Asmodeus (a luxury afforded by the city’s relative distance from the Chelish heartland) allowed for performers in Kintargo to lace their works with anti-Thrune metaphors and themes of freedom and individuality that would have swiftly resulted in arrests or even executions had artists dared to perform them elsewhere in the nation.
It was from such traditions that Kintargan performers began to build powerful, magical performances, the most famous of which today is the “Song of Silver.” The potent magic of this song has inspired some Silver Ravens to delve into the secrets and lore of magical performances. These talented performers study not only the history of the songs and plays popular among bards, but also the underlying structures and themes from which these performances derive their magical potential. Using this knowledge, these argent dramaturges subtly alter their bardic performances to make them more effective against the forces of House Thrune and Cheliax.RequirementsTo qualify to become an argent dramaturge, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Feat: Skill Focus (Perform).
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 2 ranks, Knowledge (history) 2 ranks, Perform (sing) 6 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks.
Spells: Able to cast spells, including at least one 2nd-level spell with the language-dependent descriptor or the sonic descriptor.Class SkillsThe Argent Dramaturge's class skills are Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Fly (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perform (all) (Cha), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Hit Die: d6.Class Features| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Spells Per Day | | 1st | +0 | +0 | +1 | +1 | Argent performance (“Song of Silver”) | +1 level of existing class | | 2nd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | Dramaturgical flourish | +1 level of existing class | | 3rd | +1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | Argent performance (anchoring aria) | +1 level of existing class | | 4th | +2 | +1 | +2 | +2 | Dramaturgical flourish | +1 level of existing class | | 5th | +2 | +2 | +3 | +3 | Argent performance (60-ft. radius, breath of life) | +1 level of existing class | | 6th | +3 | +2 | +3 | +3 | Dramaturgical flourish | +1 level of existing class | | 7th | +3 | +2 | +4 | +4 | Argent performance (swift) | +1 level of existing class | | 8th | +4 | +3 | +4 | +4 | Dramaturgical flourish | +1 level of existing class | | 9th | +4 | +3 | +5 | +5 | Argent performance (righteous chord) | +1 level of existing class | | 10th | +5 | +3 | +5 | +5 | Dramaturgical flourish | +1 level of existing class |
The following are class features of the argent dramaturge prestige class.
Argent Performance: An argent dramaturge can use Perform (sing) to create special magical effects that hinder outsiders (particularly those affected by silver, such as devils) as per the bardic performance bard class feature. She can use this ability for 2 rounds per day for each argent dramaturge level she has, and can use rounds of bardic performance gained from bard levels to perform argent performances and vice-versa. Starting an argent performance is a move action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action.
An argent performance cannot be disrupted, but ends immediately if the argent dramaturge is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. An argent performance counts as a bardic performance when determining how many performances the argent dramaturge can have in effect at one time. An argent performance has audible components but not visual components. The save DC against an argent dramaturge’s performance is equal to 10 + the argent dramaturge’s level + her Charisma modifier.
At 13th level, an argent dramaturge can start an argent performance as a swift action if she chooses.
The performance abilities that an argent dramaturge gains are noted below.
Song of Silver (Su) The recovery of the lost lyrics and melody of the famed “Song of Silver” aided the Silver Ravens immeasurably in their fight against the Chelish tyrant Barzillai Thrune. While the true “Song of Silver” must be performed in the Kintargo Opera House by a skilled performer, argent dramaturges have learned to create a lesser version of the “Song of Silver” that can take effect when performed in any location. When the argent dramaturge uses her argent performance to create the “Song of Silver,” all weapons (both natural and manufactured) within a 30-foot radius of the argent dramaturge are treated as if they were silver for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction, and a number of targets equal to the argent dramaturge’s Charisma modifier (minimum 1 target) become immune to fear effects and gain a +4 sacred bonus on saving throws against charm and compulsion effects.
At 5th level, once per day as an immediate action, an argent dramaturge can grant a single ally who is currently benefiting from the saving throw bonus from the “Song of Silver” the effects of a breath of life spell (CL = the argent dramaturge’s character level). Granting this effect immediately ends the “Song of Silver” performance, and the argent dramaturge must wait 3 rounds before activating a new “Song of Silver” (but she can activate other argent or bardic performances in the meantime).
At 5th level, the “Song of Silver” affects a 60-foot-radius area around the argent dramaturge.
Anchoring Aria (Su): At 3rd level, the argent dramaturge can use her knowledge of the magical melodies woven into the Song of Silver to block the dimensional travel of fiends. As long as she maintains the aria, any evil outsider that attempts to use spells or spell-like abilities of the teleportation subschool within a 30-foot radius of the argent dramaturge must succeed at a caster level check (DC = 11 + her character level) or else the spell or spell-like ability fails. An evil outsider that uses a teleportation effect to appear within this 30-foot-radius area or that is summoned into this area must succeed at a Will saving throw or it is staggered for 1 round. At 5th level, this argent performance affects a 60-foot-radius area around the argent dramaturge.
Righteous Chord (Sp): At 9th level, as a standard action that costs 2 rounds of argent or bardic performance, the argent dramaturge can affect a single evil outsider within 60 feet as per the spell banishment, treating her character level as her caster level. As a free action, the argent dramaturge can attempt a Perform check with a DC equal to 10 + the HD of the targeted outsider. If successful, she is treated as having presented the targeted outsider with one object or substance the target fears or hates for the purpose of determining the effects of the banishment spell. Activating this argent performance does not end a currently active argent or bardic performance.
Dramaturgical Flourish (Su): At 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, an argent dramaturge’s studies into the history and structure of stories grant her access to secret performances, allowing her to select an option from the list of dramaturgical flourishes below. Unless otherwise noted, an argent dramaturge cannot select a dramaturgical flourish more than once.
Heartening Song: An argent dramaturge’s countersong functions against mind-affecting effects that rely on negative emotions (such as crushing despair, rage, or fear effects) as well as sonic and language-dependent effects. An argent dramaturge must have the countersong bardic performance to select this dramaturgical flourish.
Masterpiece: The argent dramaturge gains a bardic masterpiece (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 21) without needing to sacrifice a feat or spell known. She must still meet the prerequisites of the masterpiece. An argent dramaturge can take this flourish more than once, but must select a new bardic masterpiece each time she does so.
Reactive Performance: The argent dramaturge can activate her countersong or distraction bardic performance as an immediate action. When she does so, she must expend 2 rounds of bardic performance rather than 1. An argent dramaturge must have the countersong and distraction bardic performances to select this dramaturgical flourish.
Sudden Competence: An argent dramaturge can activate her inspire competence bardic performance as an immediate action by spending 2 rounds of bardic performance. She can even use this ability after an ally has failed a skill check. If the check would have been successful with the inspire competence bonus, the character attempting the check instead succeeds at that check. An argent dramaturge must have the inspire competence bardic performance to select this dramaturgical flourish.
Ultimate Courage: Allies who are affected by the argent dramaturge’s inspire courage bardic performance gain double the normal morale bonuses on saving throws against fear and charm effects. An argent dramaturge must have the inspire courage bardic performance to select this dramaturgical flourish.
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