Artiste (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

Inspiring art

An artiste is trained to use the Craft skill to create magical effects on those around him, including himself if desired. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to his class level.

Using inspiring art has two stages. First, the piece of art must be created, then it must be displayed.

Creating Art

Creating a piece of art uses a Craft skill and usually takes at least one day of work (8 hours), but can take more or less depending on the Craft skill the artist works with. Make a Craft check at the end of this period; The DC of this check is 15 + the artiste's class level. On a failure, the object just doesn't meet the artiste's rising standards and is not good enough to use with the inspiring art ability. Each art object created is liked to one specific inspiring art effect (see below), and displaying that particular work of art always uses the same effect. As the artiste learns new inspiring art effects, he needs to craft new artworks to use them. There is no limit to the number of artistic works an artiste can create, so it is certainly possible to carry around multiple artworks for different effects or in case they get destroyed (or sold).

The following craft skills are typically used to make art, and each lists what a typical artwork made by that skill is, how long it takes to craft, and it's physical characteristics. A week is 5 works days (40 hours of work), a month is 4 work weeks (160 hours of work).

Craft	Examples	Time	Weight	Hardness	Hit points	Blacksmithing	Ironwork	1 month	5 lbs.	10	10
Calligraphy	Illumination	1 week	-	0	1
Carpentry	Paneling	1 week	20 lbs.	5	20
Carving	Scrimshaw	1 week	1 lbs.	5	5
Founding	Metal sculpture	1 week	50 lb.	9	50
Glassblowing	Glassworks	1 day	2 lbs	3	1
Jewelry	Jewelry	1 week	-	5	1
Leatherworking	Patternwork	1 day	5 lbs.	5	20
Mechanic	Automatons	1 month	20 lbs.	5	10
Painting	Pantings, murals	1 week	5 lbs	3	10
Pottery	Vases, urns,	1 day	10 lbs.	3	3
Sculpting	Sculpture	1 week	50 lb.	5	100
Tailor	Banners, Clothes	1 day	5 lbs.	3	20
Weaving	Tapestries	1 week	20 lb.	3	40
Whitesmithing	Engraving	1 week	2 lbs.	9	5

Displaying art

Displaying inspiring art is a standard action and lasts a number of rounds equal to the artiste's level + Intelligence modifier. An artiste cannot have more than one inspiring art in effect at one time, and unlike a normal bard cannot halt the inspirational effect of an artistic work once it has been started; an artiste need not put any effort into maintaining the effect once it has begun - it runs its course regardless of what happens to the artiste. If the art object itself is destroyed, this heinous act restarts the art's inspirational inspiring effect; it lasts artiste's level + Intelligence modifier rounds from the moment it was destroyed, and any level-dependent effects count as six levels higher than the artiste's actual level.

At 7th level, an artiste can display inspiring art as a move action instead of a standard action. At 13th level, an artiste can display inspiring art as a swift action.

All inspiring art effects are mind-affecting effects with visual components. Targets must have line of sight to the art when the art is displayed for the art to have any effect. Blind creatures are immune to inspiring art.

Any effect that affects a visual bardic performance also affects inspiring art.

= Inspiring Art Effects

As he advances in ability, the artiste learns to use his art to inspire in more powerful ways.

Distraction (Su): At 1st level, an artiste can use his art to counter magic effects that depend on sight. Each round of the Distraction, he makes a Craft skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the art (including the artiste himself) that is affected by an illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack may use the artiste’s Craft check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Craft check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the Distraction is already under the effect of a non-instantaneous illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it sees the Distraction, but it must use the artiste’s Craft check result for the save. Distraction does not work on effects that don’t allow saves.

Fascinate (Su): At 1st level, an artiste can use his art to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with his work of art. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see the art, and capable of paying attention to it. The Distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels an artiste has attained beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with this ability.

Each creature within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the artiste’s level + the artiste’s Int modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the artiste cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and observes the art while the art inspiration lasts. While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Perception checks. Any potential threat to the target allows the target to make a new saving throw against the effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect.

Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability.

Inspire Courage (Su): A 1st level artiste can use his art to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 5th level, and every six artiste levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +5 at 23 level.

Inspire Competence (Su): An artiste of 3rd level or higher can use his art to help an ally succeed at a task. The ally must be within 30 feet and able to see the art. The ally gets a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as she continues to see the art. This bonus increases by +1 for every three levels the artiste has attained beyond 3rd (+3 at 7th, +4 at 9th, +5 at 12th, +6 at 15th, +8 at 18th).

When crafting an artwork to inspire competence, the artiste must pick what skill the bonus applies to; any time the artwork is displayed it inspired that same skill.

Vista of Doom (Su): An artiste of 5th level or higher can use his art to foster a sense of growing dread in his enemies, causing them to take become shaken. To be affected, an enemy must be within 30 feet and able to see the artwork. The effect persists for as long as the enemy is within 30 feet. The art cannot cause a creature to become frightened or panicked, even if the targets are already shaken from another effect. Vista of doom is a mind-affecting fear effect. A Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 artiste’s level + artiste’s Int modifier) negates the effect.

Mass Suggestion (Sp): An artiste of 7th level or higher can use his art to make a suggestion (as per the spell) to each creature that has already become fascinated (see above). Using this ability does not disrupt the fascinate effect and does not require a separate action. The suggestion takes place after one round of fascinated observation of the artwork.

A Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 artiste’s level + artiste’s Int modifier) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature (but see mass suggestion, below). Mass suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability.

Unlike other forms of inspiring art, an art object can both fascinate and suggest an action, but the general type of action the suggestion is to inspire must be decided when the art object is created.

Inspire Greatness (Su): An artiste of 9th level or higher can use his art to inspire greatness in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet, granting extra fighting capability. For every three levels an artiste attains beyond 9th, he can target one additional ally while using this art (up to a maximum of six at 24th level). To inspire greatness, all of the targets must be able to see the art. A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target’s Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells that are Hit Dice dependent.

Soothing Art (Su): An artiste of 11th level or higher can use his art to create an effect equivalent to the cure serious wounds and calm emotions, using the artiste's level as the caster level. A Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 artiste’s level + artiste’s Int modifier) negates the effect.

Frightening Art (Sp): An artiste of 13th level or higher can use his art to cause fear in his enemies. To be affected, an enemy must be able to see the art and be within 30 feet. Each enemy within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the artiste’s level + the artiste’s Int modifier) to negate the effect. If the save succeeds, the creature is immune to this ability for 24 hours. If the save fails, the target becomes frightened and flees for as long as the target see the art.

Inspire Heroics (Su): An artiste of 15th level or higher can inspire tremendous heroism in himself or a single ally within 30 feet. For every three artiste levels the character attains beyond 15th, he can inspire heroics in one additional creature. To inspire heroics, all of the targets must be able to see the art. Inspired creatures gain a +4 morale bonus on saving throws and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. The effect lasts for as long as the targets are able to witness the performance. Inspire heroics is a mind-affecting ability that relies on audible and visual components.

Alter Reality (Su): An artiste of 17th level can display a work that alters reality, depicting the world in such a way that it becomes real. This is similar to a limited wish spell. The effect of the wish must be expressed trough art, and takes effect when the art is displayed. Subtle effects of alter reality can become permanent, such as changes in the appearance or demeanour of onlookers.

Deadly Art (Su): An artiste of 20th level or higher can use his art to cause one enemy to die from joy or sorrow. To be affected, the target must be able to see the art for 1 full round and be within 30 feet. The target receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the artiste’s level + the artiste’s Int modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the target is staggered for 1d4 rounds, and the artiste cannot use deadly art on that creature again for 24 hours. If a creature's saving throw fails, it dies. Deadly art is a mind-effecting death effect.

Art Techniques

At level 4 and every 5 levels thereafter, the artiste can select one art technique, methods that lets him alter how his inspiring art works.

Dual Art (Su): The artist can combine two subjects in one piece of art, and displaying the piece of art has both effects. Displaying such an artwork uses up three of the artiste's daily uses of inspiring art.

Gift Art (Su): The artiste can give away (or sell) a work of art that anyone can display, with effects just as if the artiste himself had displayed it, but only once. It is always a standard action to display someone else's' work of art. By giving away a work of art like this, the artiste ties up one of his daily uses of inspiring art in it; until this gift artwork is used, the artiste has one less daily use of inspiring art. If the artiste recovers the work, he can continue to use it normally or make gift art of it again.

Personal Art (Su): Personal art is keyed to specific individuals or to a specific group of viewers, and only affects members of this group.. A particular work of art can even have two effects, one on the select group of people, and one on other viewers. The artiste can specify the group by race, class, alignment, cultural group, religion, or even by family. Unlike other art techniques, this one can be combined with gift art and public art.

Public Art (Su): The artiste can create an artwork for public display, that affects anyone when they first see that piece of art. This can be used to create an inspirational piece to attract people to certain location, or even as a kind of magical trap. Public Art has it's effect based on the artiste's current level and Intelligence bonus, even if those values changed since the artwork was made. Public art is made to be displayed in a certain location; it generally cannot be moved except at the DM's discretion. Public art is made on an impressive scale; creating a piece of public art takes three times as long as creating a normal artwork, it weighs 10 times as much and has double the normal hit points.

Sketch Art (Su): An artist can create a temporary artwork on the fly as a full-round action, displaying it as a part of the act of creating it. The artste still needs tools and something to create the art out of and to pass the usual Craft skill check. An artiste that knows the prestidigitation" spell can use that spell to create sketch art in thin air. Sketch art that is destroyed ceases to inspire and does not have the usual effect of destroyed artworks.