Perform

Description

Ability Score Used:	Charisma
Usable Untrained?	Yes
Armor Check Penalty Applies?	No

You are skilled at one form of entertainment, from singing to acting to playing an instrument. Like the Knowledge, and Profession skills, Perform is actually a number of separate skills. You could have several Perform skills, each with its own ranks.

Each of the nine categories of the Perform skill includes a variety of methods, instruments, or techniques, a small sample of which is provided for each category below.

• Acting (comedy, drama, pantomime)
• Comedy (buffoonery, limericks, joke-telling)
• Dancing (ballet, waltz, jig)
• Keyboard Instruments (harpsichord, piano, pipe organ)
• Oratory (epic, ode, storytelling)
• Percussion Instruments (bells, chimes, drums, gong)
• String Instruments (fiddle, harp, lute, mandolin)
• Wind Instruments (flute, pan pipes, recorder, trumpet)
• Singing (ballad, chant, melody)

Table: Perform Skill DCs

Perform DC	Performance
10	Routine performance. Trying to earn money by playing in public is akin to begging. You can earn 1d10 cp/day.
15	Enjoyable performance. In a prosperous city, you can earn 1d10 sp/day.
20	Great performance. In a prosperous city, you can earn 3d10 sp/day. In time, you may be invited to join a professional troupe and may develop a regional reputation.
25	Memorable performance. In a prosperous city, you can earn 1d6 gp/day. In time, you may come to the attention of noble patrons and develop a national reputation.
30	Extraordinary performance. In a prosperous city, you can earn 3d6 gp/day. In time, you may draw attention from distant patrons, or even from extraplanar beings.

Common Uses

You can impress audiences with your talent and skill in your chosen performance type.

Action

Varies. Trying to earn money by playing in public requires anywhere from an evening's work to a full day's performance. The bard's special Perform-based abilities are described in that class's description.

• Retry? Yes. Retries are allowed, but they don't negate previous failures, and an audience that has been unimpressed in the past is likely to be prejudiced against future performances. (Increase the DC by 2 for each previous failure.)

Modifiers

• Equipment: A masterwork musical instrument gives you a +2 circumstance bonus on all Perform checks that involve its use.
• Trained: A bard must have ranks in specific Perform categories to use some of his Bardic Performance abilities.

Epic Skill Uses

Note: All uses below require a minimum of 21 Ranks in the skill to use.

Legendary Performance

(DC 60) - performance is so memorable that you can attract the attention of patrons such as deities, and powerful extraplanar beings. Performances in a prosperous city can earn you 10d6 gp per day.

World-Changing Performance

(DC 100) - your performance changes the zeitgeist of your civilization. You never pay for lodging, food, drink or any other luxury while in a city or larger settlement, as all your expenses are covered by your adoring fans. Up to once per month, you can implant an idea, alter public opinion, or subvert political agendas simply by including subtle references reinforcing your views during your performances. Your songs can start wars or stop them.