Noble Virtuoso (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

A noble virtuoso is a noble born bard, from a family of wealth and rank. Having had the best teachers and a chance to develop her talents from an early age, the noble virtuoso is a skilled dilettante, never having to rely on her art for survival, but always so very eager for approval.

Class Information

This is a prestige class archetype.

Prestige Class: Noble Scion.

Build Class: Bard.

The noble virtuoso is a bard from high society.

Role: A noble virtuoso is often the face and benefactor of an adventuring team, but in action she often holds back to provide inspiration and support.

Alignment: Any. A noble virtuoso tries to be a carefree artist living for the moment, but her upbringing is part of her and tells her to take responsibility.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills

The noble virtuoso's 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), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features

The noble virtuoso has all the class features of the bard, except as follows:

Affluent (Ex)

At each level, a nible virtuoso gains a stipend worth a number of gold pieces equal to 750 multiplied by his class level. (He gains 750 gp at 1st level, an additional 1,500 gp at 2nd level, and so on.) This replaces the distraction bardic performance.

Prestigious Influence (Ex)

At 2nd level, a nible virtuoso can use his influence to receive special treatment, favors, and other services. He effectively has a pool of virtual gold pieces equal to 150 gp plus 10 gp per class level to spend on services and non-material goods. This pool replenishes at the beginning of every week. This replaces the versatile performance from level 2.

Services and nonmaterial goods available to a nible virtuoso include:

• Pay for lodgings, stabling, taxes, and tolls.
• Improve his lifestyle quality.
• Hire entertainers, messengers, mounts, servants, transport, workers, and so on.
• Obtain invitations to exclusive events, or entry into privileged locations.
• Spread rumors or start a whispering campaign.
• Purchase spellcasting services.
• Employ an expert hireling to make a skill check with a check bonus of +10 plus his class level (50 gp).

A nible virtuoso cannot permanently gain goods or wealth from this ability; boons attainable from this ability are generally only available in settlements of 5,000 people or more. The exact benefits available in a location are subject to GM discretion.

Aristocratic Erudition (Ex)

At 3rd level, a nible virtuoso gains a bonus equal to 1/3 his class level on Diplomacy, Knowledge (local), and Knowledge (nobility) checks. This ability also reduces the DCs of Diplomacy and Knowledge (local) checks others make to gather publicly known information about the nible virtuoso by the same amount. This replaces bardic knowledge.

Servitor (Ex)

At 4th level, a nible virtuoso gains a faithful NPC servitor of the same level as a cohort granted by the Leadership feat. This servitor can only have levels in NPC classes and comes equipped with gear appropriate for a character 1 level lower than the servitor's actual level. The servitor does not follow the nible virtuoso as would a cohort or follower, but instead can run various errands for his master while the nible virtuoso is adventuring, such as delivering messages or maintaining the scion's manor in his stead. This replaces versatile performance from level 6

Regional Expertise (Ex)

At 5th level, and again at 10th and 15th level, a nible virtuoso gains a bonus feat from one of the lists below, depending on where he is from. These feats must be taken from the same list at each level (except for feats under the “general” category, which can be taken by nobles from any region). A nible virtuoso need not meet the prerequisites for these feats. At their discretion, GMs may add other feats to these regions or create lists for other regions. This replaces lore master from level 5 and 11 and versatile performance form level 10.

Land of the Fallen Dragon Kings: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (dueling sword), Flanking Foil, Step Up, Weapon Focus (dueling sword).

The Empire of Devils: Careful Speaker, Enforcer, Intimidating Prowess, Skill Focus (Knowledge [planes]).

The Land of the Ten-Thousand Gods: Improved Unarmed Strike, Skill Focus (Perform [dance]), Voice of the Sibyl, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike).

The Elven Forest Kingdom: Agile Maneuvers, Breadth of Experience, Skill Focus (Knowledge [nature]), Weapon Focus (longbow).

The Shadow Kingdom: Blind-Fight, Diehard, Shadow Strike, Stealthy.

The Kingdom of Pharaohs: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (khopesh), Self-Sufficient, Skill Focus (Knowledge [history]), Weapon Focus (khopesh).

The Satrapy of the Desert: Animal Affinity, Quick Draw, Skill Focus (Appraise), Weapon Focus (scimitar).

The River Nations: Improved Dirty Trick, Improved Steal, Ironguts, Skill Focus (Knowledge [local]).

The Fallen Empire: Dazzling Display, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (falcata), Skill Focus (Bluff ), Weapon Focus (falcata).

The Gothic Kingdoms: Combat Reflexes, Focused Discipline, Skill Focus (Knowledge [nobility]), Stoic.

General: Acrobatic, Additional Traits, Alertness, Antagonize, Athletic, Cosmopolitan, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Fleet, Improved Initiative, Persuasive, Prodigy, Rhetorical Flourish, Run, Scholar.

Leadership (Ex)

At 7th level, the nible virtuoso gains Leadership as a bonus feat. This replaces lore master from level 17.

Greater Leadership (Ex)

At 13th level, a nible virtuoso can recruit a cohort up to one level lower than himself an doubles the number of followers. At 19th level, he can recruit a cohort of the same level as himself and quadruples the number of followers. This replaces versatile performance from level 14 and 18.

Peerless Patrician (Ex)

At 20th level, once per round a nible virtuoso can roll twice on any Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (nobility), or Sense Motive check and take the better roll. Once per day, instead of rolling one of these skill checks, he can assume the roll resulted in a natural 20. This replaces deadly performance.

Table: Noble Virtuoso

Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
						1	2	3	4
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Affluent, bardic performance, cantrips, countersong, fascinate, inspire courage +1	1	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Prestigious influence, well-versed	2	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Aristocratic erudition (+1), inspire competence +2	3	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Servitor	3	1	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Inspire courage +2, regional expertise	4	2	—	—	—	—
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Aristocratic erudition +2, suggestion	4	3	—	—	—	—
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	Inspire competence +3, Leadership	4	3	1	—	—	—
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	Dirge of doom	4	4	2	—	—	—
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6	Aristocratic erudition +3, inspire greatness	5	4	3	—	—	—
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7	Jack-of-all-trades, regional expertise	5	4	3	1	—	—
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+7	Inspire competence +4, inspire courage +3	5	4	4	2	—	—
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Soothing performance	5	5	4	3	—	—
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Greater leadership	5	5	4	3	1	—
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+9	Frightening tune	5	5	4	4	2	—
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+9	Aristocratic erudition +5, inspire competence +5, inspire heroics, regional expertise	5	5	5	4	3	—
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Jack-of-all-trades (class skills)	5	5	5	4	3	1
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Inspire courage +4	5	5	5	4	4	2
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+11	Aristocratic erudition +6, mass suggestion	5	5	5	5	4	3
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+11	Inspire competence +6, jack-of-all-trades (take 10), greater leadership	5	5	5	5	5	4
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+12	Peerless patrician	5	5	5	5	5	5

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

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

• Class Skills
• Bardic Knowledge
• Distraction
• Versatile performance (all)
• Lore Master (all)
• Deadly Performance