Bard Questions

[Ziere]

I'm interested in playing a bard for an upcoming campaign, but with how different the FFd20 bard is from the PF one, there are a few things I am confused about.

First question, how exactly does the Additional Song ability work? Do you cast however many songs you can as a single standard action? Or do you still have to take a standard action for each, but they don't break the concentration of the other songs and only require one concentration action for all of them?

Second question is on Foe Requiem, which seems to be the bard's main attack spell. Depending on which part of the site (or the PDFs) you look at, the description and variables of the song seem to change. The Song Lists say that it is 1d6 for the damage die, but the Song Descriptions say 2d6. Which is it? The lists also say 'one enemy', but the descriptions just say 'one creature'. Does the bard get to pick the target of the song, and if so can they change the target each round of the song? Or is the target picked randomly, and if so are allies included in that?

[Viladin]

I'm interested in playing a bard for an upcoming campaign, but with how different the FFd20 bard is from the PF one, there are a few things I am confused about.

First question, how exactly does the Additional Song ability work? Do you cast however many songs you can as a single standard action? Or do you still have to take a standard action for each, but they don't break the concentration of the other songs and only require one concentration action for all of them?

Just as it says:
Additional Song: Starting at 5th level, a bard can perform an additional song, allowing him to perform two songs. At 10th level, the bard can perform three songs and at 20th level, the bard can perform four songs. The Perform check is needed for each song, with a +4 to the perform DC for each song after the first.

Second question is on Foe Requiem, which seems to be the bard's main attack spell. Depending on which part of the site (or the PDFs) you look at, the description and variables of the song seem to change. The Song Lists say that it is 1d6 for the damage die, but the Song Descriptions say 2d6. Which is it? The lists also say 'one enemy', but the descriptions just say 'one creature'. Does the bard get to pick the target of the song, and if so can they change the target each round of the song? Or is the target picked randomly, and if so are allies included in that?

The song description is the correct one. I'll fix the list in the next update. 2d6 and versus any one creature within 30 feet. And yes, you can change the target each round.

[Ziere]

Just as it says:
Additional Song: Starting at 5th level, a bard can perform an additional song, allowing him to perform two songs. At 10th level, the bard can perform three songs and at 20th level, the bard can perform four songs. The Perform check is needed for each song, with a +4 to the perform DC for each song after the first.

I appreciate the response, but that really doesn't tell me anything. The description doesn't even say 'at the same time', so going off of 'Just as it says', the bard can only perform one song in their entire lifetime until they reach level 5. Pedantic, yes, but without anything more specific it is hard to assume anything else more accurate.

So I'll list out the options as they could be interpreted, and you can tell me either which one or whether I missed one.
1) The bard, at level 5, can perform two songs as a single standard action...
-1a) They can also maintain these two songs with a single standard action concentration check. (This version being vastly more powerful than the once-per-day full-round action Doublecast ability that other mages get, so it is hard to believe it is correct)
-1b) However the songs still require a standard action of concentration each, so only one of the songs can actually be maintained afterward. (Still really powerful but not by as much)

2) The bard, at level 5, can maintain the concentration on two songs with a single standard action of concentration...
-2a) and the standard action to start performing the second song counts for the concentration of the first song
-2b) but the first song still needs a separate standard action concentration while starting the second song, so one of the songs will need to be a swift action (and the third and fourth songs at higher levels become nearly impossible)

3) The bard, at level 5, can start a second song while the first song is still in the duration of time between the end of concentration and the end of the song, given as one round + the bard's Cha modifier. I thought this was already given by the segment in Songs that says "The bard may do other things while the song duration is in effect, including other songs", but perhaps that line is only while assuming the bard has the Additional Song ability.

4) The bard, at level 5, can perform a second song. Before level 5, the bard can only perform one song before his ability is completely cut off. The literal and pedantic interpretation that is definitely not the correct answer otherwise there would be no point in having MP or learning more than one song.

[Viladin]

Just as it says:
Additional Song: Starting at 5th level, a bard can perform an additional song, allowing him to perform two songs. At 10th level, the bard can perform three songs and at 20th level, the bard can perform four songs. The Perform check is needed for each song, with a +4 to the perform DC for each song after the first.

I appreciate the response, but that really doesn't tell me anything. The description doesn't even say 'at the same time', so going off of 'Just as it says', the bard can only perform one song in their entire lifetime until they reach level 5. Pedantic, yes, but without anything more specific it is hard to assume anything else more accurate.

So I'll list out the options as they could be interpreted, and you can tell me either which one or whether I missed one.
1) The bard, at level 5, can perform two songs as a single standard action...
-1a) They can also maintain these two songs with a single standard action concentration check. (This version being vastly more powerful than the once-per-day full-round action Doublecast ability that other mages get, so it is hard to believe it is correct)
-1b) However the songs still require a standard action of concentration each, so only one of the songs can actually be maintained afterward. (Still really powerful but not by as much)

2) The bard, at level 5, can maintain the concentration on two songs with a single standard action of concentration...
-2a) and the standard action to start performing the second song counts for the concentration of the first song
-2b) but the first song still needs a separate standard action concentration while starting the second song, so one of the songs will need to be a swift action (and the third and fourth songs at higher levels become nearly impossible)

3) The bard, at level 5, can start a second song while the first song is still in the duration of time between the end of concentration and the end of the song, given as one round + the bard's Cha modifier. I thought this was already given by the segment in Songs that says "The bard may do other things while the song duration is in effect, including other songs", but perhaps that line is only while assuming the bard has the Additional Song ability.

4) The bard, at level 5, can perform a second song. Before level 5, the bard can only perform one song before his ability is completely cut off. The literal and pedantic interpretation that is definitely not the correct answer otherwise there would be no point in having MP or learning more than one song.

1b and 3. The concentration checks are free actions.

[Ziere]

1b and 3. The concentration checks are free actions.

Is that a rules change that is stated somewhere? I thought that FFd20 uses PF rules unless otherwise stated, and in PF concentration to maintain the duration of a spell or ability requires a standard action.

EDIT: Except where otherwise stated, of course. For example bards can maintain a bardic performance as a free action, but this wording doesn't appear or get referenced at all in the the bard songs rules.

[Viladin]

1b and 3. The concentration checks are free actions.

Is that a rules change that is stated somewhere? I thought that FFd20 uses PF rules unless otherwise stated, and in PF concentration to maintain the duration of a spell or ability requires a standard action.

EDIT: Except where otherwise stated, of course. For example bards can maintain a bardic performance as a free action, but this wording doesn't appear or get referenced at all in the the bard songs rules.

I will have to put something in there then.