Mystic Dancer (Apath)

	Unofficial rules compendium
	Contents 1 Alignment; 2 Hit Die; 3 Class Skills; 4 Table: The Mystic Dancer; 5 Class Features 5.1 Weapon and Armor Proficiency; 5.2 Spells 5.2.1 Cantrips; 5.2.2 Table: Mystic Dancer Spells; ; 5.3 Athletic Dance; 5.4 Bardic Performance 5.4.1 Fast Dance; 5.4.2 Entice (Su); 5.4.3 Ki Dance; ; 5.5 Unarmed Strike 5.5.1 Table: Small or Large mystic dancer Unarmed Damage; ; 5.6 Way of Life Armor Bonus (Ex); 5.7 Versatile Performance(Ex); 5.8 Uncanny Dodge (Ex); ; 6 Summary of Changed Class Abilities; 7 Design Notes;
	Contents 1 Alignment; 2 Hit Die; 3 Class Skills; 4 Table: The Mystic Dancer; 5 Class Features 5.1 Weapon and Armor Proficiency; 5.2 Spells 5.2.1 Cantrips; 5.2.2 Table: Mystic Dancer Spells; ; 5.3 Athletic Dance; 5.4 Bardic Performance 5.4.1 Fast Dance; 5.4.2 Entice (Su); 5.4.3 Ki Dance; ; 5.5 Unarmed Strike 5.5.1 Table: Small or Large mystic dancer Unarmed Damage; ; 5.6 Way of Life Armor Bonus (Ex); 5.7 Versatile Performance(Ex); 5.8 Uncanny Dodge (Ex); ; 6 Summary of Changed Class Abilities; 7 Design Notes;

The body is the vessel of the soul, and the movements of the body can be used to channel magical energy into the world and into physical perfection. The mystic dancer lives to make this true and to perfect himself through the dance.

A mystic dancer is variant bard with some monk features. Like a monk, the mystic dancer prefers to fight without armor. Like a bard, she can use perform to influence and inspire those nearby but is specialized in dance rather than music or recitation. This is an example of Way of Life martial arts.

Unlike a normal bard, a mystic dancer is not a jack of-all-trades and does not gather legends and lore in her travels, instead focusing on perfecting her art of the dance.

Alignment

Any. Unlike the standard bard, the mystic dancer is often a part of a troupe or other organization, or even an ascetic order.

Hit Die

d8

Class Skills

The mystic dancers class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Perception (Wis) Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points per Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Table: The Mystic Dancer

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Unarmed Damage	AC Bonus	Class Abilities
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	1d6	0	Athletic dance, bardic performance, cantrips, distraction, fascinate, fast dance, inspire courage +1, Improved Unarmed Strike, way of life armor bonus
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	1d6	0	Versatile performance, well-versed
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	1d6	0	Entice
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	1d6	0	Uncanny dodge
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	1d6	1	Inspire courage +2,
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	1d8	1	Ki dance (magic), versatile performance
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	1d8	1	Bardic performance (move action)
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	1d8	1	Dirge of doom
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6	1d8	1	Inspire greatness
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7	1d8	2	Ki dance (cold iron and silver), versatile performance
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+7	1d10	2	Inspire courage +3
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	1d10	2	Inspire greatness (2 targets), soothing performance
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	1d10	2	Bardic performance (swift action)
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+9	1d10	2	Frightening tune, versatile performance
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+9	1d10	3	Inspire heroics, Inspire greatness (3)
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	2d6	3
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	2d6	3	Inspire courage +4
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+11	2d6	3	Inspire greatness (4), inspire heroics (2), versatile performance
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+11	2d6	3	Ki dance (admantine)
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+12	2d6	4	Deadly performance

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the mystic dancer.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A mystic dancer is proficient with the club, dagger, dart, sap, scimitar, shuriken, and whip. If eastern weapons are in use, they are also proficient with the hanbo and fighting fan. Mystic dancers are not proficient with any armor or with shields.

Spells

A mystic dancer casts arcane spells, which are drawn from the bard spell list. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a mystic dancer must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a mystic dancers spell is 10 + the spell level + the mystic dancers Charisma modifier. Every mystic dancer spell has a somatic component (dance moves) that requires freedom to move and risks arcane spell failure. A mystic dancer can never apply the Still Spell feat to any of her bard spells, but unlike a normal bard she can apply the Silent Spell feat to her bard spells.

Like other spellcasters, a mystic dancer can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Mystic Dancer Spells. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score.

The mystic dancer's selection of spells is extremely limited. A mystic dancer begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of the mystic dancer’s choice. At most new mystic dancer levels, she gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Mystic Dancer Spells. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a mystic dancer knows is not affected by her Charisma score; the numbers on Table: Mystic Dancer Spells are fixed.)

Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third mystic dancer level after that (8th, 11th, and so on), a mystic dancer can choose to learn a new spell in place of one she already knows. In effect, the mystic dancer "loses" the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell's level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level mystic dancer spell the mystic dancer can cast. A mystic dancer may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that she gains new spells known for the level.

As noted above, a mystic dancer need not prepare her spells in advance. She can cast any spell she knows at any time, assuming she has not yet used up her allotment of spells per day for the spell's level.

Cantrips

Mystic dancers learn a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table: mystic dancer Spells Known under "Spells Known." These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again.

Table: Mystic Dancer Spells

Level	Spells Per Day						Spells Known
Level	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	Zero	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
1	1						4	2
2	2						5	3
3	3						6	3
4	3	1					6	3	2
5	4	2					6	4	3
6	4	3					6	4	3
7	4	3	1				6	4	4	2
8	4	4	2				6	4	4	3
9	5	4	3				6	4	4	3
10	5	4	3	1			6	4	4	4	2
11	5	4	4	2			6	4	4	4	3
12	5	5	4	3			6	4	4	4	3
13	5	5	4	3	1		6	4	4	4	4	2
14	5	5	4	4	2		6	4	4	4	4	3
15	5	5	5	4	3		6	4	4	4	4	3
16	5	5	5	4	3	1	6	5	4	4	4	4	2
17	5	5	5	4	4	2	6	5	5	4	4	4	3
18	5	5	5	5	4	3	6	5	5	5	4	4	3
19	5	5	5	5	5	4	6	5	5	5	5	4	4
20	5	5	5	5	5	5	6	5	5	5	5	5	4

Athletic Dance

A mystic dancer adds half her class level to all perform (Dance) checks, including those used for versatile performance. This ability replaces Bardic Knowledge.

Bardic Performance

All the performances of the mystic dancer incorporate dancing and demand the Perform (Dance) skill. A mystic dancer can use bardic performance using only visual components. In order to maintain a mystic dance, the mystic dancer must move at least 5 ft. every round. A mystic dancer cannot maintain a bardic performance if immobilized or grappled, unless she can break free on her turn and move at least 5 ft. It is possible for a mystic dancer to use bardic performance while swimming, climbing, or flying as long as the DC of the maneuver is met each round.

A mystic dancer has access to the following kinds of bardic performance, and can use all of these with only visual components.

Distraction
Fascinate
Inspire Courage
Dirge of Doom (8th level)
Inspire Greatness (9th)
Soothing Performance (12th)
Frightening Tune (14th)
Inspire Heroics (15th)
Deadly Performance (20)

In addition, mystic dancers have access to the following unique forms of bardic performance.

Fast Dance

While using any bardic performance, the mystic dancer's land speed is increased by 10 ft. This translates to higher movement rates for other modes of movement based on land speed. This ability replaces countersong.

Entice (Su)

A mystic dancer of 3rd level or higher can use dance to force opponents to focus on her.

Each creature to be enticed must be within 50 feet, able to see the mystic dancer, and able to pay attention to her. The mystic dancer must also be able to see the creature and can choose not to affect all possible targets in the area. Affected creatures must make a Will save (DC 10 + Charisma bonus +½ mystic dancer's level) or be unable to act against anyone but the mystic dancer. If there are important or dangerous events going on around, such as combat, targets get a new save each round on the mystic dancer's turn. Targets attacked or who have not seen the mystic dancer since their last turn automatically break the effect. A creature for which the effect is negated-by a save, having the ability neagted, or by being attacked-cannot be affected by your entice ability again for the next 24 hours.

An enticed target moves at least ten feet closer to the mystic dancer each round and cannot use any action that affects targets or an area and not include the mystic dancer in the effect or area. While enticed, a target takes a -4 penalty on attack rolls and skill checks and suffers a -4 penalty on the save DC of all its abilities. If the creature chooses to inflict nonlethal damage, the penalty for doing that does not stack with the penalty from entice.

Targets do not automatically perceive entice as a hostile action, and might just think of it as a distracting performance, depending on circumstances. Entice is a mind-affecting, emotion ability and replaces inspire competence.

Ki Dance

At 6th level, while using any kind of bardic performance, the mystic dancer's unarmed attacks are imbued with power.

The mystic dancer's unarmed attacks are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Ki dance improves with the character's mystic dancer level.
At 10th level, her unarmed attacks are also treated as cold iron and silver weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
At 19th level, her unarmed attacks are also treated as admantine weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and for ignoring the hardness of objects.

As a free action on her turn, after counting off her remaining rounds of bardic performance, a mystic dancer can give herself certain benefits at the cost of ending her bardic performance immediately after applying the bonus (her current bardic performance applies to any bonus attack made). She can restart the bardic performance in the same round if she has actions remaining to do so, but must spend an additional round of bardic performance for that round to do so.

Make one additional attack at her highest attack bonus when making a standard-action attack, or
Increase her speed by 20 feet for 1 round, or
Give himself a +4 dodge bonus to AC for 1 round.

Ki dance replaces suggestion, jack of all trades, and mass suggestion.

Unarmed Strike

At 1st level, a mystic dancer gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A mystic dancers attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a mystic dancer may even make unarmed strikes with her hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a mystic dancer striking unarmed. A mystic dancer may thus apply her full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all her unarmed strikes.

Usually a mystic dancers unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but she can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on her attack roll.

A mystic dancers unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.

A mystic dancer also deals more damage with her unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown on Table: The mystic dancer. The unarmed damage on Table: The mystic dancer is for Medium mystic dancers. A Small mystic dancer deals less damage than the amount given there with her unarmed attacks, while a Large mystic dancer deals more damage; see Table: Small or Large mystic dancer Unarmed Damage.

Table: Small or Large mystic dancer Unarmed Damage

Level	Damage (Small mystic dancer)	Damage (Large mystic dancer)
1st-5rd	1d4	1d8
6th-10th	1d6	1d10
11th-15th	1d8	2d6
16th-20th	1d10	2d8

Way of Life Armor Bonus (Ex)

When unarmored and unencumbered, the mystic dancer adds her Charisma bonus (if positive) as a dodge modifier to armor class and CMD. In addition, a mystic dancer gains a +1 to this bonus at 5th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every five mystic dancer levels thereafter (+2 at 10th, +3 at 15th, and +4 at 20th level). She loses this bonus when she when she wears any armor, uses a shield, when she carries a medium or heavy load, or when she is denied her Dexterity bonus to armor class.

Versatile Performance(Ex)

At 2nd level, a mystic dancer must select Perform (Dance) as her first skill for the versatile performance ability. This modifies the versatile performance ability.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

Starting at 4th level, a mystic dancer can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. This ability replaces lore master.

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

These abilities of the original class are lost or modified in this archetype:

Alignment
Class Skills
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Spellcasting
Bardic Knowledge
Bardic Performance
- Countersong
- Fascinate
- Inspire Competence
- Suggestion
- Mass Suggestion
Versatile Performance
Lore Master
Jack of all Trades

Design Notes

Differs from earlier version by being closer to be original bard. It now only takes a 5 ft. move to make a bardic performance. The class is also up-balanced as the old archetype was based on the 3.5 assumption that a bard can not perform and cast spells in the same round, which is not true in Pathfinder. Of course, it also suffers the nerfs the pathfinder bard suffers compared to the 3.5 bard; mainly in its spell list.

Archetype balance is fragile; I feel this archetype is more balanced than earlier ones, now perhaps just a tad strong.