Bard-based prestige classes

The bard profession is for wandering minstrels, gatherers of stories, and those who seek ancient art and artifacts. However, some bards choose to take sides in greater battles, or seek selfishly after greater powers of song and magic. There are 3 prestige classes which reflect the divergent paths which more powerful bards can take.

Sublime Chord

The Sublime chord pursues the greater power of Bardic magic and song, aiming to bend these forces to his or her own benefit. The sublime chord is like the elite amongst bards, learning more powerful spells and songs than would otherwise be possible for the average itinerant songsmith.

Sublime chords expand their bard magic to include wizard and sorcerers spells, and ultimately can even cast the most powerful of wizardly spells. They learn new and more powerful bard spells, which can enhance their casting ability and cast powerful new spells in their own right. In this regard they are really just an embellishment on the standard bard pathway.

Warchanter

A warchanter is a bard who forsakes his magical pursuits in exchange for the greater glory of leadership in war. The warchanter advances in combat power and hit points like a monk or a fighter, though he does not gain any of their other special combat abilities. He ceases to gain new bardic spell powers, but in exchange he learns new songs which can influence combat and the combat powers of his allies. The warchanter inspires fear and awe in his enemies, and can combine these effects with other spells to boost the power and resilience of his allies, all the while laying about him with vicious abandon. Many is the fighting band which has won the day under a Warchanter's inspirational leadership.