The Complete Bard's Handbook

The Complete Bard's Handbook is a 2^nd-edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons accessory, dedicated to the bard class. It was published in 1992.

“

Thief, musician, clown, actor, acrobat—just a partial list of the many twists on the bard class to be found in this book! Seventeen bard kits, multitudes of abilities and powers, new magical items, new proficiencies, rules for gaining patrons and followers, over 100 bardic instruments, and much more await you within. The Complete Bard's Handbook gives you everything you need to create a bard the world will never forget!

”

Description[]

The Complete Bard's Handbook is the 7^th book in the Player's Handbook Rules series and is designed to provide players and Dungeon Masters with comprehensive information and resources for creating and playing bard characters. The book offers detailed guidance on creating bard characters, including character attributes, race options, and background considerations. It provides players with the tools to design bards with diverse personalities and backgrounds.

The handbook explores the unique abilities of bards, such as their musical talents, storytelling, and spellcasting. It offers detailed rules for using these abilities effectively in the game, including performing bardic music and inspiring allies. It provides an extensive list of bard spells, as well as rules for spellcasting and learning new spells. It also discusses how bards interact with magic items and scrolls.

The Complete Bard's Handbook introduces various musical instruments that bards can use to enhance their performances and magical abilities. These instruments can be customized and become an integral part of a bard's identity. It also includes information on magical items and equipment that are particularly suited for bard characters, including instruments, clothing, and enchanted items. The book offers role-playing tips and suggestions for players to immerse themselves in the bardic persona. It covers topics such as storytelling, improvisation, and interacting with other characters.

Bards can belong to different bardic colleges or organizations, each with its own focus and specialties. The handbook explores these colleges in detail, allowing players to choose or create a college for their bard character.

The Complete Bard's Handbook provides campaign ideas and adventure hooks that involve bard characters and their unique abilities. It encourages Dungeon Masters to create adventures tailored to bards' talents. The book presents profiles of notable bard NPCs and potential allies or mentors for player characters. These NPCs can serve as sources of inspiration, quests, or guidance.

Contents[]

Chapter 1: Character Creation
Chapter 2: Bard Kits
Chapter 3: Demi-, Multi-Classed, and Dual-Classed Bards
Chapter 4: Proficiencies
Chapter 5: Bard Abilities
Chapter 6: Magic
Chapter 7: Music
Chapter 8: Role-Playing Bards
Chapter 9: Comrades

Index[]

Click here for index

Characters[]

Gladiel
Referenced only
Duke Mark • Thorp (squire) • Zagig Yragerne

Creatures[]

dwarf • gnome • half-elf • halfling
Referenced only
chicken • deer • dryad • dog (war dog) • ferret • fox • goblin • grey elf • harpy • lizard men • mouse • nightingale • nymph • ogre • orc • owl • panther • red dragon • sphinx • squirrel • troll

Bard Kits[]

Blade • Elven minstrel • Gallant • Jongleur • Loremaster (bard) • Meistersinger • Riddlemaster • Skald • Thespian • Whistler

Items[]

Clothing

bracers • cloak • clogs • jester clothing • mask

Food & Drink

egg • gourd

Games

jousting

Instruments

bagpipes • cittern • clarinet • clavichord • cymbals • drum • dulcimer • fanfare horn • flute • harpsichord • hunting horn • hurdy gurdy • jew's harp • kazoo • koto • lute • lyre • mandolin • ocarina • organ • panpipes • psaltery • rattle • rebec • shamisen • shawm • sitar • tambourine • viol • violin • virginal • xylophone • zither
Referenced only
oboe

Materials

bamboo • brass • clay • conch • copper • ivory • silver • slate

Weapons

bastard sword • battle axe • broad sword • hand axe • harpoon • jousting lance • katana • long bow • long sword • nunchaku • polearm (halberd • mancatcher) • rapier • scourge • short sword • spear • staff sling • three-piece rod • two-handed sword

Miscellaneous

blindfold • jugglables • metronome • pouch • purse • snuff box • soap • tightrope

Locations[]

Dale Lands • Greyhawk • Gunwar Keep

Magic[]

Clothing

armor of command • boots of dancing
Referenced only
medallion of ESP

Items

chime of hunger • chime of interruption • chime of opening • drums of deafening • drums of panic • harp of charming • harp of healing • horn of blasting • horn of bubbles • horn of collapsing • horn of fog • horn of goodness/evil • horn of the tritons • horn of Valhalla • lyre of building • pipes of haunting • pipes of pain • pipes of sounding • pipes of the sewers • recorder of recording • sword of dancing • tome of leadership and influence
Referenced only
crystal ball • deck of many things • necklace of missiles

Potions

philter of glibness

Spells

alter instrument • sound bubble • wall of sound
Referenced only
animal friendship • augury • burning hands • color spray • command • commune • confusion • control weather • control winds • darkness • delayed blast fireball • disintegrate • entangle • fear • find familiar • fireball • flame strike • haste • heal • hold person • hold portal • identify • locate animals or plants • lightning bolt • limited wish • magic mouth • obscurement • pass without trace • plant growth • quest • read languages • read magic • shape change • sleep • slow • speak with animals • speak with plants • suggestion • tongues • weather summoning • web

Others

material component • psionics • somatic component • spellbook • verbal component

Organizations[]

Barding Colleges

Anstruth • Canaith • Cli • Doss • Fochlucan • Mac-Fuirmidh

Religions[]

Tyr

Miscellaneous[]

ambidexterity • ballad • hymn • poetry • medley • opera • soprano

Gallery[]

Credits[]

Design: Blake Mobley
Design Resource: Tim Beach
Editing: Mike Breault
Black and White Art: Terry Dykstra, Valerie Valusek
Color Art: Carol Heyer, John and Laura Lakey, Glen Orbik,
Typography: Angelika Lokotz
Production: Paul Hanchette

Appendix[]

External Links[]

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The Complete Bard's Handbook on the DMs Guild store (affiliate link)
The Complete Bard's Handbook on the DriveThruRPG store (affiliate link)

Connections[]

Player's Handbook Rules (PHBR) series
Race books	The Complete Book of Dwarves • The Complete Book of Elves • The Complete Book of Gnomes & Halflings • The Complete Book of Humanoids
Class books	The Complete Barbarian's Handbook • The Complete Bard's Handbook • The Complete Druid's Handbook • The Complete Fighter's Handbook • The Complete Ninja's Handbook • The Complete Paladin's Handbook • The Complete Priest's Handbook • The Complete Psionics Handbook • The Complete Ranger's Handbook • The Complete Thief's Handbook • The Complete Wizard's Handbook