Perform (Cha)
Like Craft, Knowledge, and Profession, Perform is actually a number of separate skills. The PC could have several Perform skills, each with its own ranks, each purchased as a separate skill. Each of the nine categories of the Perform skill includes a variety of methods, instruments, or techniques, a small list of which is provided for each category below.
- Acting (comedy, drama, mime)
- Comedy (buffoonery, limericks, joke-telling)
- Dance (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, shawm, trumpet)
- Sing (ballad, chant, melody)
Check: The PC can impress audiences with his talent and skill.
Perform Check |
Performance |
---|---|
10 | Routine performance. Trying to earn money by playing in public is essentially begging. The PC can earn 1d10 cp/day. |
15 | Enjoyable performance. In a prosperous city, the PC can earn 1d10 sp/day. |
20 | Great performance. In a prosperous city, the PC can earn 2d10 sp/day. |
25 | Memorable performance. In a prosperous city, the PC can earn 1d6 gp/day. In time, he may be invited to join a professional troupe and develop a regional reputation. |
30 | Extraordinary performance. In a prosperous city, the PC can earn 2d6 gp/day. In time, he may come to the attention of noble patrons and develop a national reputation.* |
*A good rule of thumb here is that every 5 points above 30 earns another 1d6 gp and grants a 5% chance that the performer will gain the attention of a potential patron. For example, a DC 50 check earns 6d6 gp and has a 20% chance of gaining attention.
"Prosperous city", as noted above, means a city of any size. Decrease the amount of money the bard earns based on the size of the venue:
Performance | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Town Size | Routine | Enjoyable | Great | Memorable | Extraordinary |
Large town | 1d8 cp | 1d8 sp | 1d10 sp | 1d4 gp | 1d6 gp |
Small town | 1d6 cp | 1d6 sp | 1d8 sp | 3d8 sp | 1d4 gp |
Village | 1d4 cp | 1d4 sp | 1d6 sp | 2d6 sp | 3d8 sp |
Hamlet | 1d4 cp (50%) | 1d10 cp | 1d4 sp | 1d8 sp | 2d6 sp |
Thorp | 1d4 cp (25%) | 1d8 cp (75%) | 1d10 cp | 1d4 sp | 1d6 sp |
The percentages listed are the chance that a bard will make that amount of money; if the die roll is over the number listed, the bard makes nothing (except maybe a free meal and/or a place to sleep).
A masterwork musical instrument grants a +2 circumstance bonus on Perform checks that involve its use.
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.
Try Again: Yes. Retries are allowed, but the first impression (or performance, in this case) tends to stick with the listener, and is often hard to overcome – either good or bad. The performer suffers a cumulative -2 circumstance penalty for each check past the first for a day’s performances.
Special: In addition to using the Perform skill, the PC can entertain people with sleight of hand, tumbling, tightrope walking, and spells (especially illusions).