---
title: "The Bard"
slug: bard
parent: dungeon-world
published: true
---

## The Bard

The poems say an adventurer's life is all open roads and the glory of coin and combat. The tales told in every farmhand-filled inn have to have some ring of truth to them, don't they? The songs to inspire peasantry and royals alike—to soothe the savage beast or drive men to a frenzy—have to come from somewhere.

Enter the bard. You, with your smooth tongue and quick wit. You teller-of-tales and singer-of-songs. It takes a mere minstrel to retell a thing but a true bard to live it. Strap on your boots, noble orator. Sharpen that hidden dagger and take up the call. Someone's got to be there, fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with the goons and the thugs and the soon-to-be-heroes. Who better than you to write the tale of your own heroism?

Nobody. Get going.

### Names

*Elf*: Astrafel, Daelwyn, Feliana, Damarra, Sistranalle, Pendrell, Melliandre, Dagoliir

*Human*: Baldric, Leena, Dunwick, Willem, Edwyn, Florian, Seraphine, Quorra, Charlotte, Lily, Ramonde, Cassandra

### Look

Choose one for each: Knowing Eyes, Fiery Eyes, or Joyous Eyes. Fancy Hair, Wild Hair, or Stylish Cap. Finery, Traveling Clothes, or Poor Clothes. Fit Body, Well-fed Body, or Thin Body.

### Stats

Your maximum HP is 6+Constitution. Your base damage is d6.

### Starting Moves

Choose a race and gain the corresponding move:

**Elf.** When you enter an important location (your call) you can ask the GM for one fact from the history of that location.

**Human.** When you first enter a civilized settlement someone who respects the custom of hospitality to minstrels will take you in as their guest.

You start with these moves:

**Arcane Art.** When you **weave a performance into a basic spell**, choose an ally and an effect: heal 1d8 damage; +1d4 forward to damage; their mind is shaken clear of one enchantment; the next time someone successfully assists the target with aid, they get +2 instead of +1. Then roll+Cha. On a 10+, the ally gets the selected effect. On a 7-9, your spell still works, but you draw unwanted attention or your magic reverberates to other targets affecting them as well, GM's choice.

**Bardic Lore.** Choose an area of expertise: Spells and Magicks; The Dead and Undead; Grand Histories of the Known World; A Bestiary of Creatures Unusual; The Planar Spheres; Legends of Heroes Past; Gods and Their Servants. When you **first encounter an important creature, location, or item (your call) covered by your bardic lore** you can ask the GM any one question about it; the GM will answer truthfully. The GM may then ask you what tale, song, or legend you heard that information in.

**Charming and Open.** When you **speak frankly with someone**, you can ask their player a question from the list below. They must answer it truthfully, then they may ask you a question from the list (which you must answer truthfully): Whom do you serve? What do you wish I would do? How can I get you to ______? What are you really feeling right now? What do you most desire?

**A Port in the Storm.** When you **return to a civilized settlement you've visited before**, tell the GM when you were last here. They'll tell you how it's changed since then.

### Alignment

Choose an alignment:

**Good.** Perform your art to aid someone else.

**Neutral.** Avoid a conflict or defuse a tense situation.

**Chaotic.** Spur others to significant and unplanned decisive action.

### Gear

Your load is 9+Str. You have dungeon rations (5 uses, 1 weight). Choose one instrument, all are 0 weight for you: your father's mandolin, repaired; a fine lute, a gift from a noble; the pipes with which you courted your first love; a stolen horn; a fiddle, never before played; a songbook in a forgotten tongue.

Choose your clothing: leather armor (1 armor, 1 weight) or ostentatious clothes (0 weight).

Choose your armament: dueling rapier (close, precise, 2 weight); or worn bow (near, 2 weight), bundle of arrows (3 ammo, 1 weight), and short sword (close, 1 weight).

Choose one: adventuring gear (1 weight); bandages (0 weight); halfling pipeleaf (0 weight); 3 coins.

### Bonds

Fill in the name of one of your companions in at least one: This is not my first adventure with _______________. I sang stories of _______________ long before I ever met them in person. _______________ is often the butt of my jokes. I am writing a ballad about the adventures of _______________. _______________ trusted me with a secret. _______________ does not trust me, and for good reason.

### Advanced Moves

When you gain a level from 2-5, choose from these moves.

**Healing Song.** When you **heal with arcane art**, you heal +1d8 damage.

**Vicious Cacophony.** When you **grant bonus damage with arcane art**, you grant an extra +1d4 damage.

**It Goes To Eleven.** When you **unleash a crazed performance** (a righteous lute solo or mighty brass blast, maybe) choose a target who can hear you and roll+Cha. On a 10+ the target attacks their nearest ally in range. On a 7–9 they attack their nearest ally, but you also draw their attention and ire.

**Metal Hurlant.** When you **shout with great force or play a shattering note** choose a target and roll+Con. On a 10+ the target takes 1d10 damage and is deafened for a few minutes. On a 7–9 you still damage your target, but it's out of control: the GM will choose an additional target nearby.

**A Little Help From My Friends.** When you **successfully aid someone** you take +1 forward as well.

**Eldritch Tones.** Your arcane art is strong, allowing you to choose two effects instead of one.

**Duelist's Parry.** When you hack and slash, you take +1 armor forward.

**Bamboozle.** When you **parley with someone**, on a 7+ you also take +1 forward with them.

**Multiclass Dabbler.** Get one move from another class. Treat your level as one lower for choosing the move.

**Multiclass Initiate** (Requires: Multiclass Dabbler). Get one move from another class. Treat your level as one lower for choosing the move.

When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these moves or the level 2-5 moves.

**Healing Chorus** (Replaces: Healing Song). When you **heal with arcane art**, you heal +2d8 damage.

**Vicious Blast** (Replaces: Vicious Cacophony). When you **grant bonus damage with arcane art**, you grant an extra +2d4 damage.

**Unforgettable Face.** When you **meet someone you've met before** (your call) after some time apart you take +1 forward against them.

**Reputation.** When you **first meet someone who's heard songs about you**, roll+Cha. On a 10+, tell the GM two things they've heard about you. On a 7-9, tell the GM one thing they've heard, and the GM tells you one thing.

**Eldritch Chord** (Replaces: Eldritch Tones). When you use arcane art, you choose two effects. You also get to choose one of those effects to double.

**An Ear For Magic.** When you **hear an enemy cast a spell** the GM will tell you the name of the spell and its effects. Take +1 forward when acting on the answers.

**Devious.** When you use charming and open you may also ask "How are you vulnerable to me?" Your subject may not ask this question of you.

**Duelist's Block** (Replaces: Duelist's Parry). When you hack and slash, you take +2 armor forward.

**Con** (Replaces: Bamboozle). When you **parley with someone**, on a 7+ you also take +1 forward with them and get to ask their player one question which they must answer truthfully.

**Multiclass Master** (Requires: Multiclass Initiate). Get one move from another class. Treat your level as one lower for choosing the move.