General Rules: Feats - Bardic Dancing

Bardic Dancing [Special] (adapted from Path of Magic)
You are able to create a mystical performance using elaborate dance steps and body postures.
   Prerequisites: Bardic music ability, Perform: Dancing 1+ ranks.
   Benefit: You are able to use your bardic music abilities to create mystical performances with dance. Some bardic music abilities require concentration, which means the bard must take a standard action each round to maintain the ability. While dancing, you cannot engage in combat or movement, but you can cast spells that do not require somatic components and activate magic items by magic words (such as wands). In addition to the abilities listed below, you gain a +2 synergy bonus on Perform checks when using the following mystical performance effects: Spell Delay and Sustain Spell.

• Unsettling Dance (Su): A bard with 8 or more ranks in the Perform: Dancing skill can perform a dance that mimics an unpredictable spinning attack pattern. The bard must make a Perform skill check when this dance begins. The DC of the check is (10 + the Hit Dice of any intended target); any foe who has Hit Dice that total higher than (the bard's Perform check result - 10) are immune to the Unsettling Dance. The bard may unsettle one eligible foe within 15 feet for every point of his Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). These unsettled foes are treated as if they are flanked for as long as the bard remains within 15 feet of their location, regardless of whether any other characters or creatures are near them. The targeted enemies are simply too leery of the bard to pay full attention to their own defenses. The dance only works against those targets that can see the bard - the deceptive footwork and flashy displays of the performance do not fool the other senses. This is a mind-affecting ability.


• Shield Dance (Su): A bard with 8 or more ranks in the Perform: Dancing skill can perform a dance that allows them to flit to and fro between an enemy and the bard's allies. To begin this performance, the bard must make a Perform: Dancing check with a DC equal to (5 + the Hit Dice of the foe with the highest Hit Dice). If the check fails, the bard stumbles around foolishly for a few seconds and sacrifices his action for this turn, but otherwise suffers no ill effects. If the bard succeeds, he provides a +1 circumstance bonus to the Armor Class of any allies within 15 feet of his location at the beginning of the round. This dance consumes a full-round action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Though the bard dances between his allies and their enemies during the round, the bard begins and ends the round in the same location. This is a mind-affecting ability.


• Juggling Dance (Su): A bard with 8 or more ranks in the Perform: Dancing skill can perform a dance that is one of the few bardic abilities that is a direct attack. When the bard attempts this performance, he must dance about and juggle a handful of knives or other small objects for one to six rounds, during which time he is unable to take any other actions. At the end of the dance, the bard unleashes a barrage of small, thrown weapons, which he has been juggling. At this point, the bard must make a DC 15 Perform: Dance or Perform: Juggling check, with a +1 bonus to the roll for every round spent in preparation.
  
  
  
  For every two points by which the bard exceeds the DC, the bard may make a single ranged attack with one of the weapons he was juggling. The attack is made at his full attack bonus, and the target must be within range of the weapon. The bard can only juggle, and thus throw, up to one object per point of Dexterity.
  
  
  
  Only Small, thrown weapons may be used in the juggling dance's attack - larger weapons are simply too unwieldy to be tossed about in the manner required by the dance.


• Dance of the Naked Hand (Su): A bard of 2^nd level with 9 or more ranks in the Perform: Dancing skill can generate an intense arcane energy surrounding his body that can be seen as a dimly glowing silver aura. This energy is used to provide strength and accuracy to the unarmed attacks of an ally.
  
  
  
  To use Dance of the Naked Hand, the bard must dance for three rounds, during which he can take no other actions. At the end of this time, the bard must make a DC 20 Perform: Dancing check. For every two points by which the bard exceeds the DC, the bard grants a +1 competence bonus to the unarmed attack and damage rolls of an ally within 30 feet. This bonus applies to all unarmed attack and damage rolls for one round per point of the bard's Charisma modifier; the ally does not need to remain within 30 feet of the bard after the first round this bonus is effective to retain the benefits of Dance of the Naked Hand. This is a mind-affecting ability.


• Dance of the Eased Mind (Su): A bard of 3^rd level with 12 or more ranks in the Perform: Dancing skill may use this dance that is a favorite among courtiers and other bards that are called upon to entertain the elite of the world. A bard skilled in this dance can earn a fortune from the nobility, who will pay handsomely to use this dance to their advantage. The dance is exhausting, and only a few bards have the ability to perform it for long periods of time - those who can, however, can earn up to 100 shillings per hour for their talents.
  
  
  
  This dance must be performed for 10 minutes before its benefits become apparent. At the end of this time, the bard must make a DC 15 Perform: Dancing check. If the check fails, the bard is unable to evoke the desired emotions of trust and calm in his selected targets. If the check succeeds, up to four targets within 50 feet of the bard may fall under the sway of the hypnotic, seductive dance. These targets are allowed a Will save (DC 10 + ½ the bard's class level + the bard's Charisma modifier). If they succeed, the dance does not affect them this hour. if they fail, they are more gullible and easier to deal with on a social level for one hour. Any character using Bluff, Diplomacy, Sense Motive, or Sleight of Hand against these targets is granted a +4 circumstance bonus during the next hour.
  
  
  
  Each subsequent hour requires an additional Perform: Dancing check by the bard. The DC for the second check is increased by five, to 20, and each additional check is also increased by five. As long as the bard continues to succeed at his Perform: Dancing checks, the affected targets remain susceptible to social manipulation. if the bard fails a check, he must immediately stop dancing and rest for no less than three hours.
  
  
  
  The bard may switch targets at any time, releasing one of the prior targets for every new target added. New targets are allowed saving throws as noted above. Dance of the Eased Mind is a mind-affecting ability.


• Rejuvenating Dance (Su): A bard of 7^th level with 15 or more ranks in the Perform: Dancing skill is able to fill an area with the energy of their dance, reducing the severity of his companion's wounds and helping them rest. The performance of this dance requires three full hours, during which the bard is incapable of taking any other action. Once the bard finishes his dance, he must immediately rest for eight hours, so drained is he by the efforts of releasing his personal energies.
  
  
  
  At the end of each hour of performance, the bard must make a DC 20 Perform: Dancing check. For every two points by which the bard exceeds the DC, the bard's companions can convert one hit point of lethal damage into nonlethal damage. If the bard's performance check fails, the bard's performance ends, though he still must rest immediately afterwards.

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