Troubadour

Troubadour¶

The whole world's a stage, and everyone on it, an actor. No one knows this better than the troubadour. You find energy in the drama of everyday life and know how to draw spectacle forth from even the most mundane of situations. You accent highs and deepen lows in service to whoever might witness your performance.

As a troubadour, you chase drama. The insurmountable dangers of the world might cause many a hero to cower. But you take to that world stage not intending to die, but to find out if you are truly alive.

"History is a tale. Each of us is just a story we tell ourselves. Change the story, and you change the world." Jackson Bootblack

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Basics¶

Starting Characteristics: You start with an Agility of 2 and a Presence of 2, and you can choose one of the following arrays for your other characteristic scores:

2, −1, −1
1, 1, −1
1, 0, 0

Weak Potency: Presence − 2

Average Potency: Presence − 1

Strong Potency: Presence

Starting Stamina at 1st Level: 18

Stamina Gained at 2nd and Higher Levels: 6

Recoveries: 8

Skills: You gain the Read Person skill (see Skills in Chapter 9: Tests). Then choose two skills from the interpersonal skill group and one skill from the intrigue or lore skill groups. (Quick Build: Brag, Flirt, Read Person, Rumors.)

1st-Level Features¶

As a 1st-level troubadour, you gain the following features.

Troubadour Class Act¶

Panache, melody, and depiction. Some troubadours have it all, but everyone starts somewhere. Your troubadour class act is your art form, summing up the manner in which the world becomes your stage. As you go about unearthing the drama of everyday life and strife, you choose a troubadour class act from the following options, each of which grants you a skill. (Quick Build: Virtuoso.)

Auteur: You seek drama from story and recount, using your magic to manipulate the sequence of events unfolding before you. You have the Brag skill.
Duelist: Drama infuses your every movement done in tandem with another. You perform dances of death, putting trust in your opponent to return your passion in kind. You have the Gymnastics skill.
Virtuoso: You find drama in music and song, weaving magic between vibrations and filling the audience with your pathos. You have the Music skill and can play an instrument.

Your troubadour class act is your subclass, and your choice of class act determines many of the features you'll gain as you gain new levels.

Drama¶

During battles, you are fueled by the dynamic ups, downs, and upside downs of the fray, from which you derive a Heroic Resource called drama.

Troubadour Advancement Table¶

Level	Features	Abilities	Class Act Abilities
1st	Troubadour Class Act, Drama, Kit, Scene Partner, Routines, Class Act Features, Class Act Triggered Action, Troubadour Abilities	Signature, 3, 5	-
2nd	Appeal to the Muses, Invocation, Perk, Class Act Ability	Signature, 3, 5	5
3rd	Class Act Feature, 7-Drama Ability	Signature, 3, 5, 7	5
4th	Characteristic Increase, Melodrama, Perk, Skill, Zeitgeist	Signature, 3, 5, 7	5
5th	Class Act Feature, 9-Drama Ability	Signature, 3, 5, 7, 9	5
6th	Perk, Spotlight, Class Act Ability	Signature, 3, 5, 7, 9	5, 9
7th	Characteristic Increase, A Muse's Muse, Equal Billing, Skill	Signature, 5, 7, 9	5, 9
8th	Perk, Class Act Feature, 11-Drama Ability	Signature, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11	5, 9, 11
9th	Roar of the Crowd, Class Act Ability	Signature, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11	5, 9, 11
10th	Applause, Characteristic Increase, Dramaturgy, Greatest of All Time, Perk, Skill	Signature, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11	5, 9, 11

Drama in Combat¶

At the start of a combat encounter or some other stressful situation tracked in combat rounds (as determined by the Director), you gain drama equal to your Victories. At the start of each of your turns during combat, you gain 1d3 drama.

Additionally, you gain drama when certain events occur during a combat encounter:

The first time three or more heroes use an ability on the same turn, you gain 2 drama.
The first time any hero is made winded during the encounter, you gain 2 drama.
Whenever a creature within your line of effect rolls a natural 19 or 20, you gain 3 drama.
When you or another hero dies, you gain 10 drama.

When you are dead, you continue to gain drama during combat as long as your body is intact. If you have 30 drama during the encounter in which you died, you can come back to life with 1 Stamina and 0 drama (no action required). If you are still dead after the encounter in which you died, you can't gain drama during future encounters.

You lose any remaining drama at the end of the encounter.

Drama Outside of Combat¶

Though you can't gain drama outside of combat, you can use your heroic abilities and effects that cost drama without spending it. Whenever you use an ability or effect outside of combat that costs drama, you can't use that same ability or effect outside of combat again until you earn 1 or more Victories or finish a respite.

When you use an ability outside of combat that lets you spend unlimited drama on its effect, such as Artful Flourish, you can use it as if you had spent an amount of drama equal to your Victories.

The Auteur Troubadour

Abilities like Guest Star, Missed Cue, and Twist at the End allow the auteur to rewrite bits of what happens in the battle by temporarily removing creatures from an encounter, bringing people back to life, or causing a new ally to appear. These abilities and features are no more powerful than any other, but they're narratively different from shooting rays of fire or swinging a sword.

This is because, uniquely among all the subclasses in Draw Steel, the auteur knows that the combat encounter playing out at your table is really a story being told sometime later, probably in a tavern.

When the auteur uses these abilities, they are changing that story. They rewrite stories to make them more dramatic in the telling. What actually happened is a matter of some debate. Even the people who were there don't agree on exactly what took place. How people remember it is what's important!

This is pretty weird, but also very fun. If it's too weird for you or your table, you could always interpret those abilities as a kind of magic. A school of conjuring that really does change the battlefield, which the auteur merely flavors as rewriting the story.

Kit¶

You can use and gain the benefits of a kit. See Chapter 6: Kits for more information. (Quick Build: Swashbuckler.)

Scene Partner¶

Whenever you obtain a success on a test to interact with an NPC using a skill from the interpersonal group, you can form a bond with that NPC. When you enter into a negotiation with a bonded NPC, their patience increases by 1 (to a maximum of 5). Additionally, the first time during a negotiation that you personally make an argument that would increase a bonded NPC's interest by 1, you instead increase their interest by 2 (to a maximum of 5).

You can have a number of bonds active equal to your level. When you form a bond with a new NPC that would exceed the limit, you must choose which of your active bonds to lose.

Routines¶

You enter every battle with a set of performance abilities at the ready. Performances are magical presentations (such as songs, dances, poems, or gymnastic feats) that your allies can participate in. These abilities have the Performance keyword. At the start of each combat round, as long as you are not dazed, dead, or surprised, you can either choose a new performance or maintain your current performance (no action required). Your performance lasts until you are unable to maintain it or until the end of the encounter.

You start off with the Choreography and Revitalizing Limerick performance abilities. Your choice of class act grants you additional performances.

Choreography¶

Taps, kicks, steps. It's all "choreography."

Area, Magic, Performance	No action
📏 5 aura	🎯 Self and each ally in the area

Effect: While this performance is active, each target who starts their turn in the area gains a +2 bonus to speed until the end of their turn.

Revitalizing Limerick¶

There once was a man from Capital...

Area, Magic, Performance	No action
📏 5 aura	🎯 Self and each ally in the area

Effect: At the end of each of your turns while this performance is active, you can choose up to a number of targets equal to your Presence score. Each chosen target can spend a Recovery.

1st-Level Class Act Features¶

Your troubadour class act grants you two features, as shown on the 1st-Level Class Act Features table.

1st-Level Class Act Features Table¶

Class Act	Features
Auteur	Blocking, Dramatic Monologue
Duelist	Acrobatics, Star Power
Virtuoso	Power Chord, Virtuoso Performances

Acrobatics¶

You have the following performance ability, which is usable with your Routines feature.

Acrobatics¶

Folks love a good tumble.

Area, Magic, Performance	No action
📏 5 aura	🎯 Self and each ally in the area

Effect: While this performance is active, each target who starts their turn in the area can automatically obtain a tier 3 outcome on one test made to jump, tumble, or climb as part of their movement before the end of their turn.

Blocking¶

You have the following performance ability, which is usable with your Routines feature.

Blocking¶

No, no, no, you lose the audience that way. Try it like this...

Area, Magic, Performance	No action
📏 2 aura	🎯 Each creature in the area

Effect: At the end of each of your turns while this performance is active, you can choose up to a number of targets equal to your Presence score and teleport those targets to unoccupied spaces in the area. A target can't be teleported in a way that would harm them (such as over a cliff), leave them dying, or result in them suffering a condition or other negative effect.

Dramatic Monologue¶

You have the following ability.

Dramatic Monologue¶

It doesn't need to make sense. Just say it with emotion.

Magic, Ranged	Maneuver
📏 Ranged 10	🎯 Special

Effect: Choose one of the following effects:

You orate a rousing tale of victory. One ally within distance gains an edge on the next power roll they make before the start of your next turn.
You weave a tale of high-stakes heroics. One ally within distance gains 1 surge.
You insult a foe where they're most vulnerable. One enemy within distance takes a bane on the next power roll they make before the end of their next turn.

Spend 1 Drama: You can choose two targets for the chosen effect.

Power Chord¶

You have the following ability.

Power Chord¶

Your instrument rings true and your music blows everyone away.

Area, Magic	Maneuver
📏 2 burst	🎯 Each enemy in the area

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: Push 1
12-16: Push 2
17+: Push 3

Star Power¶

You have the following ability.

Star Power (1 Drama)¶

Your years of practicing fencing and dancing pay off on the battlefield.

-	Maneuver
📏 Self	🎯 Self

Effect: You gain a +2 bonus to speed until the end of your turn. Additionally, the next power roll you make this turn can't have an outcome lower than tier 2.

Spend 1 Drama: You gain a +4 bonus to speed instead.

Virtuoso Performances¶

You have the following performance abilities, which are usable with your Routines feature.

"Thunder Mother"¶

All for thunder motherrr! ♪ Run and hide for coverrr!♪

Magic, Performance, Ranged, Strike	No action
📏 Ranged 10	🎯 One creature

Effect: At the end of each combat round while this performance is active, you can make a power roll against the target that ignores cover. You can't target the same creature twice with this effect.

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: Lightning damage equal to your level
12-16: Lightning damage equal to 5 + your level
17+: Lightning damage equal to 10 + your level

"Ballad of the Beast"¶

Teeth are bare! ♪ Eyes black! ♪ No escaping the beast!♪

Area, Magic, Performance	No action
📏 5 aura	🎯 Self and each ally in the area

Effect: While this performance is active, each target who starts their turn in the area gains 1 surge.

Class Act Triggered Action¶

Your troubadour class act grants you a triggered action, as shown on the Class Act Triggered Actions table.

Class Act Triggered Action Table¶

Class Act	Triggered Action
Auteur	Turnabout Is Fair Play
Duelist	Riposte
Virtuoso	Harmonize

Harmonize (3 Drama)¶

Give the chorus a little punch.

Ranged	Triggered
📏 Ranged 5	🎯 One ally

Trigger: The target uses an ability that targets only one enemy and costs 3 or fewer of their Heroic Resource.

Effect: The target can choose one additional target for the triggering ability. Any damage dealt to the additional target is sonic damage.

Spend 1+ Drama: You can trigger this ability when a target uses an ability that has a Heroic Resource cost of 3 + each additional drama spent.

Riposte¶

"I'd have brought treats had I known I'd be fighting a dog."

Melee	Triggered
📏 Melee 1	🎯 Self or one ally

Trigger: The target takes damage from a melee strike.

Effect: The target makes a free strike against the creature who made the triggering strike.

Turnabout Is Fair Play¶

All's fair in love and whatever.

Ranged	Triggered
📏 Ranged 10	🎯 One creature

Trigger: The target makes an ability roll that has an edge, a double edge, a bane, or a double bane.

Effect: An edge on the triggering roll becomes a bane, or a double edge becomes an edge. A bane becomes an edge, or a double bane becomes a bane.

Spend 3 Drama: An edge on the triggering roll becomes a double bane, or a double edge is negated. A bane becomes a double edge, or a double bane is negated.

Troubadour Abilities¶

Your performance centers around maneuvering through the scene of battle, maintaining its momentum so that the story flows as dramatically as possible.

Signature Ability¶

Choose one signature ability from the following options. Signature abilities can be used at will. (Quick Build: Witty Banter.)

Artful Flourish¶

And they said practicing fencing was a waste!

Melee, Strike, Weapon	Main action
📏 Melee 1	🎯 Two creatures or objects

Power Roll + Agility:

≤11: 2 damage
12-16: 5 damage
17+: 7 damage

Effect: You can shift up to 3 squares.

Spend 2+ Drama: You can target one additional creature or object for every 2 drama spent.

Cutting Sarcasm¶

There you are, radiating your usual charisma.

Magic, Ranged, Strike, Weapon	Main action
📏 Ranged 10	🎯 One creature

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: 2 + P psychic damage; P < WEAK, bleeding (save ends)
12-16: 5 + P psychic damage; P < AVERAGE, bleeding (save ends)
17+: 7 + P psychic damage; P < STRONG, bleeding (save ends)

Instigator¶

I didn't do it! What?

Melee, Strike, Weapon	Main action
📏 Melee 1	🎯 One creature

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: 3 + P damage
12-16: 6 + P damage
17+: 9 + P damage

Effect: The target is taunted by you or a willing ally adjacent to you until the end of the target's next turn.

Witty Banter¶

A lyrical (and physical) jab insults an enemy and inspires an ally.

Magic, Melee, Ranged, Strike	Main action
📏 Melee 1 or ranged 5	🎯 One creature

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: 4 + P psychic damage
12-16: 5 + P psychic damage
17+: 7 + P psychic damage

Effect: One ally within 10 squares of you can end one effect on them that is ended by a saving throw or that ends at the end of their turn.

Spend 1 Drama: The chosen ally can spend a Recovery.

Heroic Abilities¶

You master a range of heroic abilities, all of which cost drama to empower them.

3-Drama Ability¶

Choose one heroic ability from the following options, each of which costs 3 drama to use. (Quick Build: Harsh Critic.)

Harsh Critic (3 Drama)¶

Just one bad review will ruin their day.

Magic, Melee, Ranged, Strike	Main action
📏 Melee 1 or ranged 10	🎯 One creature or object

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: 7 + P sonic damage
12-16: 10 + P sonic damage
17+: 13 + P sonic damage

Effect: The first time the target uses an ability before the start of your next turn, any effects from the ability's tier outcomes other than damage are negated for all targets. Ability effects that always happen regardless of the power roll work as usual.

Hypnotic Overtones (3 Drama)¶

You produce an entrancing note that twists the senses in a spectacular fashion.

Area, Magic	Main action
📏 2 burst	🎯 Each enemy in the area

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: Slide 1; I < WEAK, dazed (save ends)
12-16: Slide 1; I < AVERAGE, dazed (save ends)
17+: Slide 2; I < STRONG, dazed (save ends)

Spend 2+ Drama: The size of the burst increases by 1 for every 2 drama spent.

Quick Rewrite (3 Drama)¶

You write something unexpected into the scene that hinders your enemy.

Area, Magic, Ranged	Main action
📏 3 cube within 10	🎯 Each enemy in the area

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: 4 damage; P < WEAK, slowed (save ends)
12-16: 5 damage; P < AVERAGE, slowed (save ends)
17+: 6 damage; P < STRONG, restrained (save ends)

Effect: The area is difficult terrain for enemies.

Upstage (3 Drama)¶

As you bob and weave through the crowd, you can't help but leave the audience wanting more.

Melee, Strike, Weapon	Maneuver
📏 Self; see below	🎯 Self

Effect: You shift up to your speed. You make one power roll that targets each enemy you move adjacent to during this shift.

Power Roll + Agility or Presence:

≤11: Taunted (EoT); A < WEAK, prone
12-16: Taunted (EoT); A < AVERAGE, prone
17+: Taunted (EoT); A < STRONG, prone and can't stand (EoT)

5-Drama Ability¶

Choose one heroic ability from the following options, each of which costs 5 drama to use. (Quick Build: Dramatic Reversal.)

Dramatic Reversal (5 Drama)¶

Give the audience a surprise.

Area, Magic	Main action
📏 3 burst	🎯 Self and each ally in the area

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: The target can shift 1 square and make a free strike.
12-16: The target can shift up to 2 squares and make a free strike that gains an edge.
17+: The target can shift up to 3 squares and make a free strike that gains an edge, then can spend a Recovery.

Fake Your Death (5 Drama)¶

O happy dagger, this is thy sheath!

Magic	Maneuver
📏 Self	🎯 Self

Effect: You turn invisible and create a magical illusion of your corpse falling in your space. While you are invisible, you gain a +3 bonus to speed and you ignore difficult terrain. The illusion and your invisibility last until the end of your next turn, or until the illusion is interacted with, you take damage, or you use a main action or a maneuver.

Flip the Script (5 Drama)¶

You try a different take on events, justifying the new locations everyone ended up in.

Area, Magic	Main action
📏 3 burst	🎯 Self and each ally in the area

Effect: Each target can teleport up to 5 squares. Any teleported target who was slowed is no longer slowed.

Method Acting (5 Drama)¶

They're so hurt by your performance, you start to believe it yourself.

Melee, Strike, Weapon	Main action
📏 Melee 1	🎯 One creature

Power Roll + Agility:

≤11: 6 + A damage; P < WEAK, weakened (save ends)
12-16: 10 + A damage; P < AVERAGE, weakened (save ends)
17+: 14 + A damage; P < STRONG, weakened (save ends)

Effect: You can become bleeding (save ends) to deal an extra 5 corruption damage to the target.

2nd-Level Features¶

As a 2nd-level troubadour, you gain the following features.

Appeal to the Muses¶

You can give a rousing speech, invoke your inspirations, or lift your fellows' spirits, appealing to the muses to heighten a battle's drama. However, irony is eager to hand your fortune to the villain to achieve the same end.

Before you roll to gain drama at the start of your turn, you can make your appeal (no action required). If you do, your roll gains the following additional effects:

If the roll is a 1, you gain 1 additional drama. The Director gains 1d3 Malice (see Draw Steel: Monsters).
If the roll is a 2, you gain 1 Heroic Resource, which you can keep or give to an ally within the distance of your active performance. The Director gains 1 Malice.
If the roll is a 3, you gain 2 of a Heroic Resource, which you can distribute among yourself and any allies within the distance of your active performance.

Invocation¶

You have a specific manner that helps define your presence on the battlefield. Choose one of the following features.

Allow Me to Introduce Tonight's Players¶

Whenever you take the first turn in a combat encounter, you can use a main action to introduce yourself and your allies to your opponents. Each ally can shift up to their speed, and ability rolls made against them have a double bane until the end of the combat round. Additionally, any surprised enemy is no longer surprised.

Formal Introductions¶

As a respite activity, you can scribe a notice of your arrival (such as a calling card or a formal letter) addressed to an enemy. You can deliver the notice to the target personally if you are in the same general area, send it by courier, or leave it in a covert location for the target to find. You can have only one notice active at a time.

The Director determines when the target receives your notice. When the target receives the notice, they become alarmed and take desperate measures to stop you. The Director gains 1 additional Malice per combat round during encounters involving the target. The heroes start each such encounter with 2 additional hero tokens (Chapter 1: The Basics). These hero tokens disappear at the end of the encounter.

My Reputation Precedes Me¶

You can invoke your reputation at the start of a social interaction with one or more NPCs who haven't met you before, automatically creating a bond with one of those NPCs from that group as if using your Scene Partner feature (above). This bond counts against the limit on active bonds from your Scene Partner feature. While the bond is active, all heroes present treat their Renown as 2 higher than usual for the purpose of entering into a negotiation with the bonded NPC.

The Director can award the heroes 1 hero token to make you infamous among the group of creatures instead, and preventing you from forming this bond. Until you take action to improve your reputation, all heroes present take a bane on tests made to interact with creatures in the group using skills from the interpersonal skill group. You can still use your Scene Partner feature to find allies within the group.

Perk¶

You gain one interpersonal, lore, or supernatural perk of your choice. See Chapter 7: Perks.

2nd-Level Class Act Ability¶

Your troubadour class act grants your choice of one of two heroic abilities.

2nd-Level Auteur Ability¶

Choose one of the following abilities.

Guest Star (5 Drama)¶

We offered them a percentage of the gross. So they're working for free!

Magic, Ranged	Main action
📏 Ranged 10	🎯 Special

Effect: A guest star appears to help you during the encounter: either a bystander within distance uplifted by your magic, or a mysterious new hero who appears in an unoccupied space within distance. This guest star is controlled by you, has their own turn, and shares your characteristics. Their Stamina maximum is half yours. They have no abilities other than your melee and ranged free strikes. At the end of the encounter, or when the guest star is reduced to 0 Stamina, they retreat or revert to a bystander. The same bystander can't be uplifted this way more than once during an encounter.

Twist at the End (5 Drama)¶

You didn't see that coming, did you?!

Magic, Ranged	Main action
📏 Ranged 10	🎯 One dead enemy

Effect: A target who is not a leader or solo creature comes back to life with half their Stamina and becomes an ally under the Director's control. The players can work with the Director to determine when the target takes their turn each combat round. At the end of the encounter, the target turns to dust and is blown away.

2nd-Level Duelist Ability¶

Choose one of the following abilities.

Classic Chandelier Stunt (5 Drama)¶

Audiences love this bit.

Melee, Strike, Weapon	Main action
📏 Melee 1	🎯 Self and one willing ally

Effect: Each target can shift up to 5 squares, including vertically, but must end this movement adjacent to the other target and on solid ground. Each target can then make a melee free strike that deals extra damage equal to twice their highest characteristic score.

En Garde! (5 Drama)¶

Wait, it's... Guard! Turn! Parry! Dodge! Spin! Thrust! Ha!

Melee, Strike, Weapon	Main action
📏 Melee 1	🎯 One creature

Power Roll + Agility:

≤11: 7 + A damage
12-16: 11 + A damage
17+: 16 + A damage

Effect: The target can make a melee free strike against you. If they do, you can make a melee free strike against the target.

2nd-Level Virtuoso Ability¶

Choose one of the following abilities.

Encore (5 Drama)¶

Again! Again!

Magic, Strike	Main action
📏 Special	🎯 Special

Effect: You use an ability that you have observed being used this combat round. The ability must have the Strike keyword, cost 5 or fewer of a Heroic Resource, and cost no Malice. When you make the strike, you use your Presence score for any power rolls, and any damage you deal is sonic damage.

Tough Crowd (5 Drama)¶

Your fans don't seem to like the opening act...

Area, Magic, Ranged	Main action
📏 3 cube within 10	🎯 Special

Effect: The area is haunted by a swirling horde of phantoms until the end of the encounter. Allies can enter any square of the area without spending movement. At the end of each of your turns, you can make one power roll that targets each enemy in the area.

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: 5 corruption damage; M < WEAK, pull 1 toward the center of the area
12-16: 9 corruption damage; M < AVERAGE, pull 2 toward the center of the area
17+: 12 corruption damage; M < STRONG, pull 3 toward the center of the area

3rd-Level Features¶

As a 3rd-level troubadour, you gain the following features.

3rd-Level Class Act Feature¶

Your troubadour class act grants you a feature, as shown on the 3rd-Level Class Act Features table.

3rd-Level Class Act Features Table¶

Class Act	Features
Auteur	Missed Cue
Duelist	Foil
Virtuoso	Second Album

Foil¶

At the start of an encounter, choose one creature within your line of effect. You have a double edge on power rolls made against or in competition with that creature. The chosen creature also has a double edge on power rolls made against or in competition with you. If the chosen creature is reduced to 0 Stamina, you can choose a new foil at the start of the next combat round.

Missed Cue¶

If you aren't surprised at the start of an encounter, you can choose one enemy within your line of effect who is not a leader or solo creature. The Director temporarily removes the chosen creature from the encounter. The chosen creature enters the encounter at the start of the second combat round. You must earn 3 Victories before you can use this feature again.

Second Album¶

You have the following performance abilities, which are usable with your Routines feature.

"Fire Up the Night"¶

Maybe you and I ♪ We can still bring the light!♪

Area, Magic, Performance	No action
📏 5 aura	🎯 Self and each ally in the area

Effect: While this performance is active, each target who starts their turn in the area doesn't take a bane on strikes against creatures with concealment. Once during their turn, they can search for hidden creatures as a free maneuver (see Hide and Sneak in Chapter 9: Tests).

"Never-Ending Hero"¶

And toniiight we can truly say ♪ They will alllways find a way!♪

Area, Magic, Performance	No action
📏 5 aura	🎯 Self and each ally in the area

Effect: While this performance is active, each target who starts their turn dying while in the area gains an edge on power rolls and ignores the effects of bleeding until the end of their turn.

7-Drama Ability¶

Choose one heroic ability from the following options, each of which costs 7 drama to use.

Extensive Rewrites (7 Drama)¶

No, this isn't right. That foe was over there!

Area, Magic	No action
📏 4 burst	🎯 Each enemy in the area

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: Slide 3; P < WEAK, this slide ignores the target's stability
12-16: Slide 5; P < AVERAGE, this slide ignores the target's stability
17+: Slide 7; P < STRONG, this slide ignores the target's stability

Effect: Instead of sliding a target, you can swap their location with another target as long as each can fit into the other's space. You can't slide targets into other creatures or objects using this ability.

Infernal Gavotte (7 Drama)¶

A spicy performance lights a fire under your allies' feet.

Area, Magic, Melee, Weapon	Main action
📏 3 burst	🎯 Each enemy in the area

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: 5 fire damage; A < WEAK, weakened (save ends)
12-16: 7 fire damage; A < AVERAGE, weakened (save ends)
17+: 10 fire damage; A < STRONG, weakened (save ends)

Effect: Each ally in the area can shift up to 2 squares.

Star Solo (7 Drama)¶

Your performance travels and doesn't stop moving until your audience is completely rocked.

Magic, Melee, Ranged, Strike, Weapon	Main action
📏 Melee 1 or ranged 10	🎯 One creature or object

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: 5 + P damage
12-16: 8 + P damage; push 3
17+: 11 + P damage; push 5

Effect: You can choose to have this ability deal sonic damage. Additionally, you can use this ability against the same target for the next 2 combat rounds without spending drama.

We Meet at Last (7 Drama)¶

You magically intertwine your fate with another creature-for better or worse.

Magic, Ranged	Maneuver
📏 Ranged 10	🎯 One creature

Effect: Until the end of the encounter, both you and the target can target each other with abilities even if you are beyond distance, with the distance of this ability replacing those abilities' distances. The target can't be force moved by an ability used beyond distance this way.

Additionally, once on each of your turns, you can use a free maneuver to communicate a motivating or dispiriting message to the target, either granting them 2 surges or forcing them to take a bane on the next ability roll they make before the start of your next turn.

4th-Level Features¶

As a 4th-level troubadour, you gain the following features.

Characteristic Increase¶

Your Agility and Presence scores each increase to 3.

Melodrama¶

You have more ways of getting the most drama out of a situation. Choose two of the following events to add to the events that grant you drama during battle:

Whenever a creature rolls a natural 2 on a power roll, you gain 2 drama.
The first time the Director deals damage to a hero using a Villain action or an ability that costs Malice, you gain 2 drama.
The first time a hero unwillingly falls 5 or more squares, you gain 2 drama.
The first time a hero deals damage with 3 surges, you gain 2 drama.
Whenever a hero spends their last Recovery, you gain 2 drama.

Alternatively, you can forgo choosing a new event to choose one event you already have (including an event gained with this feature). Whenever the chosen event grants you drama, you gain 1 additional drama.

Perk¶

You gain one perk of your choice.

Skill¶

You gain one skill of your choice. See Skills in Chapter 9: Tests.

Zeitgeist¶

You always have your ear to the ground, your finger on the pulse. When you start or finish a respite, choose one of the following effects.

Foreshadowing¶

You can ask the Director for two clues regarding an upcoming encounter or negotiation. One of the clues can be false.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!¶

By bragging, intimidating, leading, or lying, you attempt to spread one piece of information into the local area. Make a Presence test:

≤11: Your information reaches no one.
12-16: Your information reaches the nearest populated area of town size or larger. You and each ally present when you make the test gain an edge on Presence tests in that area until one of you spends a Recovery.
17+: Your information reaches the nearest populated area of town size or larger, plus the next closest such population. You and allies present for your test gain an edge on Presence tests made in those areas until you start your next respite.

Latest Goss¶

You can ask the Director for three rumors regarding the area you're in or an area you plan on entering before your next respite. One of the rumors can be false.

5th-Level Features¶

As a 5th-level troubadour, you gain the following features.

5th-Level Class Act Feature¶

Your troubadour class act grants your choice of one of two features.

Auteur Features¶

Choose one of the following features.

Fix It in Post¶

Once on each of your turns, you can use a free maneuver to change one condition affecting a creature within distance of your Dramatic Monologue ability. Choose one of the following conditions on the target: bleeding, frightened, prone, slowed, or taunted. You change that condition to another of those conditions, maintaining the duration and origin of the original condition. A target who is no longer prone can stand up.

Take Two!¶

You have the following performance ability, which is usable with your Routines feature.

Take Two!¶

One more, and this time make it interesting.

Area, Magic, Performance	No action
📏 5 aura	🎯 Self and each ally in the area

Effect: While this performance is active, each target who starts their turn in the area can reroll the first power roll that turn that obtains a tier 2 outcome. They must use the new roll.

Duelist Features¶

Choose one of the following features.

Verbal Duel¶

Once on each of your turns while the target of your Foil feature is adjacent to you, you can use a free maneuver to exchange words with them. Make an opposed Presence test with the target. Whoever gets the higher result can make a free strike, which deals psychic damage instead of its usual damage.

We Can't Be Upstaged!¶

You have the following performance ability, which is usable with your Routines feature.

We Can't Be Upstaged!¶

Swordplay so graceful it looks like you all practiced this.

Area, Magic, Performance	No action
📏 5 aura	🎯 Self and each ally in the area

Effect: While this performance is active, a target who starts their turn in the area gains a bonus to the distance they can shift equal to your Presence score until the end of their turn.

Virtuoso Features¶

Choose one of the following features.

Bolstering Banter¶

Once on each of your turns, you can use a free maneuver to exchange words with a target of your current performance, other than yourself. The target can spend a Recovery to gain temporary Stamina equal to their recovery value.

Medley¶

You can maintain two performances at a time using your Routines feature.

9-Drama Ability¶

Choose one heroic ability from the following options, each of which costs 9 drama to use.

Action Hero (9 Drama)¶

You wield your weapon at blistering speed, leaving everyone around you fighting for their lives.

Area, Melee, Weapon	Main action
📏 3 burst	🎯 Each enemy in the area

Power Roll + Agility:

≤11: 10 damage
12-16: 14 damage
17+: 20 damage

Effect: Unless you score a critical hit, this ability can't reduce a non-minion target below 1 Stamina.

Continuity Error (9 Drama)¶

Your subject is written into two places at once.

Magic, Ranged	Maneuver
📏 Ranged 10	🎯 One enemy or object

Effect: The target is split into two separate entities, one of which remains in the target's space while the other appears in an unoccupied space of your choice within distance. If the target is a creature, this creates a new creature under the Director's control. Each entity has half the original target's Stamina, is weakened, and takes 1d6 corruption damage at the start of each of their turns. If either entity is reduced to 0 Stamina, the other entity persists as the original entity and this effect ends. The effect also ends if both entities occupy the same space, causing them to automatically merge and combine their current Stamina.

Love Song (9 Drama)¶

You play a small ditty that plants you inside your target's heart.

Magic, Ranged	Maneuver
📏 Ranged 10	🎯 One creature or object

Effect: The target gains 20 temporary Stamina. Until the end of the encounter, whenever the target takes damage while you're within distance, you can choose to take the damage instead of the target.

Patter Song (9 Drama)¶

Dazzle them with your fancy patter and they forget where they were.

Magic, Ranged	Maneuver
📏 Ranged 10	🎯 Special

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: One ally within distance can take their turn immediately after yours.
12-16: Two allies within distance can take their turns immediately after yours in any order.
17+: Three allies within distance can take their turns immediately after yours in any order. One of those allies can have already taken a turn this combat round.

6th-Level Features¶

As a 6th-level troubadour, you gain the following features.

Perk¶

You gain one interpersonal, lore, or supernatural perk of your choice.

Spotlight¶

You have the following performance ability, which is usable with your Routines feature.

Spotlight¶

The audience is watching, so you'd better give them a show.

Area, Magic, Performance	No action
📏 5 aura	🎯 Self and each ally in the area

Effect: While this performance is active, each target who starts their turn in the area gains 1 of their Heroic Resource. This Heroic Resource disappears at the end of the target's turn if they don't spend it.

6th-Level Class Act Ability¶

Your troubadour class act grants your choice of one of two heroic abilities.

6th-Level Auteur Abilities¶

Choose one of the following abilities.

Here's How Your Story Ends (9 Drama)¶

You give away the ending of this battle, and it's not great for them.

Area, Magic	Main action
📏 5 burst	🎯 Each enemy in the area

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: 2 psychic damage; P < WEAK, frightened (save ends)
12-16: 5 psychic damage; P < AVERAGE, frightened (save ends)
17+: 7 damage; P < STRONG, frightened (save ends)

You're All My Understudies (9 Drama)¶

It's important for everyone to know each other's lines, just in case...

Area, Magic	Maneuver
📏 5 burst	🎯 Each ally in the area

Effect: Until the end of the encounter, each target gains the speed bonus, weapon distance bonus, disengage bonus, and stability bonus of your currently equipped kit in addition to their own kit's bonuses.

6th-Level Duelist Abilities¶

Choose one of the following abilities.

Blood on the Stage (9 Drama)¶

It's love and blood or drama and blood. Either way, there's always blood.

Melee, Strike, Weapon	Main action
📏 Melee 1	🎯 One creature or object

Power Roll + Agility:

≤11: 12 + A damage; M < WEAK, bleeding (save ends)
12-16: 18 + A damage; M < AVERAGE, bleeding (save ends)
17+: 24 + A damage; bleeding (EoT), or if M < STRONG, bleeding (save ends)

Fight Choreography (9 Drama)¶

You and your partner make a flashy show of derring-do, then get back to your corners.

Melee, Strike, Weapon	Main action
📏 Melee 1	🎯 One creature

Effect: You and the target each make a melee free strike that targets each enemy within 3 squares of either of you, dividing the enemies between each of you. You choose which enemies your free strike targets and which enemies the target creature's free strike targets. You then slide the target 5 squares, ignoring stability.

6th-Level Virtuoso Abilities¶

Choose one of the following abilities.

Feedback (9 Drama)¶

Your music pounds the crowd to the beat until their hearts can't stand it anymore.

Area, Magic	Main action
📏 Three 3 cubes within 1	🎯 Each enemy in the area

Effect: A prone target ignores this ability.

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: 7 sonic damage; P < WEAK, prone
12-16: 10 sonic damage; P < AVERAGE, prone
17+: 13 sonic damage; P < STRONG, prone

Legendary Drum Fill (9 Drama)¶

You start a drumroll that roars like thunder with every impact the heroes make.

Area, Magic	Maneuver
📏 4 burst	🎯 Self and each ally in the area

Effect: Each target gains 1 surge, then gains 1 surge at the start of each combat round until the end of the encounter.

7th-Level Features¶

As a 7th-level troubadour, you gain the following features.

Characteristic Increase¶

Each of your characteristic scores increases by 1, to a maximum of 4.

Equal Billing¶

You can use your Scene Partner feature to form a bond with one willing hero instead of an NPC you interact with using a test. If you bond with another hero, you lose your existing bond with a hero.

Additionally, you and creatures you are bonded with gain a +1 bonus to saving throws. Whenever you or a bonded creature succeeds on a saving throw, you and each creature you are bonded with gains temporary Stamina equal to your level.

A Muse's Muse¶

At the start of each of your turns during combat, you gain 1d3 + 1 drama instead of 1d3.

Skill¶

You gain one skill of your choice.

8th-Level Features¶

As an 8th-level troubadour, you gain the following features.

Perk¶

You gain one perk of your choice.

8th-Level Class Act Feature¶

Your troubadour class act grants you a feature, as shown on the 8th-Level Class Act Features table.

8th-Level Class Act Features Table¶

Class Act	Feature
Auteur	Deleted Scene
Duelist	Masterwork
Virtuoso	Crowd Favorites

Crowd Favorites¶

You have the following performance abilities, which are usable with your Routines feature.

Moonlight Sonata¶

Music pours out of your heart, filling the area with the utmost delicacy and without damper.

Area, Magic, Performance	No action
📏 5 aura	🎯 Each ally in the area

Effect: While this performance is active, each target who is dead can choose to continue taking turns after death. On each of their turns, a target can move and use either a main action or a maneuver, but can't spend Recoveries or use triggered actions. At the end of the encounter, each target who chose to take turns this way turns to dust and blows away.

Radical Fantasia¶

𝅘𝅥𝅮♪Viras, my Viras, will you hold their hands as they cryyy-aaaiigh?♪

Area, Magic, Performance	No action
📏 5 aura	🎯 Self and each ally in the area

Effect: While this performance is active, each target who starts their turn in the area ignores difficult terrain, and any ability they use that imposes forced movement gains a +2 bonus to the forced movement distance until the end of their turn. Additionally, once per combat round, each target can use a triggered action as a free triggered action.

Deleted Scene¶

Whenever a creature within distance of your Dramatic Monologue ability makes a power roll, you can spend 1 drama as a free triggered action to use Dramatic Monologue, targeting only one creature.

Masterwork¶

Choose one of your signature abilities and name it after yourself. You always have this ability available, even if it is sourced from a kit you switch out. Whenever you use this ability, you gain an edge and 1 surge that you can use only on this ability.

Additionally, when your named signature ability is the last ability you use in an encounter, you can immediately use the Hear Ye, Hear Ye! effect of your Zeitgeist feature to tell tales of your exploits after the encounter ends.

11-Drama Ability¶

Choose one heroic ability from the following options, each of which costs 11 drama to use.

Dramatic Reveal (11 Drama)¶

A little stage trickery, and where once stood a foe, now stands a friend!

Magic	Maneuver
📏 Self	🎯 Self

Effect: Until the end of the encounter, whenever you reduce a creature to 0 Stamina using an ability, you can use a free triggered action to teleport an ally within distance of that ability into the creature's space in a plume of rose petals. You or the teleported ally can then make a melee free strike.

Power Ballad (11 Drama)¶

A song for the brokenhearted wraps itself around the target and blossoms into a ward of thorns.

Magic, Ranged	Maneuver
📏 Ranged 10	🎯 Self or one ally

Effect: Until the end of the encounter, whenever the target takes damage while winded, they can use a free triggered action to deal half the damage they took to the source of the damage.

Saved in the Edit (11 Drama)¶

You shout a word of power that allows you to rewrite reality to your whims.

Magic	Maneuver
📏 Self	🎯 Self

Effect: Until the end of the encounter, whenever you deal rolled damage to a creature or object, or enable a creature to spend a Recovery, you can use a free triggered action to give that creature or object one of the following effects until the start of your next turn. If this ability is triggered by multiple targets taking damage or multiple creatures spending Recoveries simultaneously, each target receives the same effect:

The target has damage weakness equal to your Presence score against any magic, psionic, or weapon ability.
The target has damage immunity equal to your Presence score.
The target has a bonus to stability and a penalty to speed equal to your Presence score.
The target has a bonus to speed and a penalty to stability equal to your Presence score.

The Show Must Go On (11 Drama)¶

You shine a bright light on the players on the stage and compel them to finish the performance.

Area, Magic, Ranged	Maneuver
📏 5 cube within 10	🎯 Each enemy in the area

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: 6 damage; P < WEAK, the target can't willingly leave the area (EoT)
12-16: 8 damage; P < AVERAGE, the target can't willingly leave the area (save ends)
17+: 12 damage; the target can't willingly leave the area (EoT); if P < STRONG, they can't willingly leave the area (save ends)

Effect: Each ally within distance can't obtain lower than a tier 2 outcome on the next test they make before the start of your next turn.

9th-Level Features¶

As a 9th-level troubadour, you gain the following features.

Roar of the Crowd¶

You are empowered by your audience, near and far. You can't be made frightened, and if you are prone, you can stand up as a free maneuver.

Additionally, whenever you spend a Recovery, you can forgo regaining Stamina to invoke the roar of an invisible applauding audience. You and each ally within 3 squares of you gains temporary Stamina equal to 10 + the number of active bonds from your Scene Partner feature + either your Victories or the number of players in your game (whichever is higher).

9th-Level Class Act Ability¶

Your troubadour class act grants your choice of one of two heroic abilities.

9th-Level Auteur Abilities¶

Choose one of the following abilities.

Epic (11 Drama)¶

Your story tells a tale of the villain's waning power and how the heroes rose to the occasion to stop them.

Magic, Melee, Ranged	Maneuver
📏 Melee 1 or ranged 10	🎯 One creature

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: The target takes a bane on ability rolls (save ends).
12-16: The target has a double bane on ability rolls (save ends).
17+: The target has a double bane on power rolls (save ends).

Effect: Choose one ally within distance. While the target is affected by this ability, each time they use an ability, that ally can make a free strike against them after the ability is resolved.

Rising Tension (11 Drama)¶

You narrate the tension of the scene and put all hope into your protagonist to turn things around.

Magic, Ranged	Maneuver
📏 Ranged 10	🎯 One ally

Effect: The target gains 3 of their Heroic Resource, has a double edge on a power roll of their choice made during their next turn, is no longer slowed or weakened if they were before, and can immediately take their turn after yours if they have not taken their turn already this round.

9th-Level Duelist Abilities¶

Choose one of the following abilities.

Expert Fencer (11 Drama)¶

If you can land the strike, the crowd goes wild.

Charge, Melee, Strike, Weapon	Main action
📏 Melee 3	🎯 One creature or object

Power Roll + Agility:

≤11: 15 + A damage
12-16: 21 + A damage
17+: 28 + A damage; M < STRONG, bleeding (save ends)

Effect: This ability can't obtain better than a tier 2 outcome unless the target is at maximum distance. If you obtain a tier 3 outcome with a natural 17 or higher, you gain 3 surges that you can use immediately.

Renegotiated Contract (11 Drama)¶

No, no. You don't die until the sequel.

Melee, Strike, Weapon	Main action
📏 Melee 1	🎯 One creature

Effect: Add your current Stamina to your target's current Stamina, then you have half that total Stamina and the target has the remainder. If either of you would gain more Stamina this way than their Stamina maximum, the difference in Stamina between what that creature would gain and their maximum is gained by the other creature. Neither of you can gain more Stamina than your maximum this way. You then make a power roll.

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: You and the target can each end one effect on yourselves that is ended by a saving throw or that ends at the end of your turns.
12-16: You and the target can end any effects on yourselves that are ended by a saving throw or that end at the end of your turns.
17+: You can choose any of the current effects on you and the target that are ended by a saving throw or that end at the end of your turns, apply the chosen effects to the target, and end the rest.

9th-Level Virtuoso Abilities¶

Choose one of the following abilities.

Jam Session (11 Drama)¶

Your jam session creates new genres that compel everyone to get up and move.

Area, Magic	Main action
📏 5 burst	🎯 Each enemy in the area

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: 8 sonic damage
12-16: 11 sonic damage
17+: 15 sonic damage

Effect: Each creature within distance gains a +5 bonus to speed until the end of their next turn. While under this effect, each target must use their full movement during their turn.

Melt Their Faces (11 Drama)¶

The power of music rips through the reality around the target and blows them away.

Magic, Melee, Ranged, Strike	Main action
📏 Melee 1 or ranged 10	🎯 One creature or object

Power Roll + Presence:

≤11: 12 + P sonic damage; push 5
12-16: 16 + P sonic damage; push 10
17+: 22 + P sonic damage; push 15

Effect: Forced movement from this ability ignores stability.

10th-Level Features¶

As a 10th-level troubadour, you gain the following features.

Applause¶

You have an epic resource called applause. Each time you finish a respite, you gain applause equal to the XP you gain. You can spend applause on your abilities as if it were drama.

Additionally, whenever you or a creature within 3 squares would obtain a failure or a tier 1 outcome on a test, you can spend 1 applause to improve the outcome by 1 tier.

Applause remains until you spend it.

Characteristic Increase¶

Your Agility and Presence scores each increase to 5.

Dramaturgy¶

You gain 1 additional drama or other Heroic Resource whenever you use your Appeal to the Muses feature. Additionally, your performances no longer have a distance, but can affect any target on the encounter map within your line of effect.

Greatest of All Time¶

Whenever you obtain a success on a test, each NPC within your line of effect has their Impression score decreased by 4 during a negotiation (to a minimum of 1), and each ally within 3 squares of you gains an edge on their next test. These effects last until you start your next respite.

Perk¶

You gain one interpersonal, lore, or supernatural perk of your choice.

Skill¶

You gain one skill of your choice.