The Wandering Tuneweaver - a Kender Prestige Class Conversion

D&D 3e (3.0/3.5) Rules

by Tavin Springfingers

based on the prestige class conversion "Halfling Whistler" by Wil Upchurch

As notorious wanderers and adventurers, kender struck with wanderlust invariably tend to become something more than they start out as. Being so naturally impressionable, kender, more than other races, will branch out and accept and incorporate varied experiences and talents into the very core of their chosen profession. This is one such abberation.

Tales have long been told of wandering kender performers who have in the course of their travels grown an unnatural affinity with the forces of nature. These performers have often gained an understanding of nature that allow them to perform songs of such a magnitude that they've been known to bring tears even to elvan eyes. Amongst these performers are a rare few who, through both trade and personality, have gained special favor with Branchala and Habbakuk. These few are known as Tuneweavers.

Good natured and free spirited, Tuneweavers have been granted magical gifts by the gods which they can evoke through song. These adventurers travel the open road, cheerful companions to the animals, and often their protectors as well. At home equally in a city or outside it, Tuneweavers tend to temper typical kender curiosity and troublemaking with a sense of duty to stick up for the underdog, to protect the helpless, and to help folks in need, whether the means to do so be legal or not.

Becoming a Tuneweaver

Entry Requirements:
Race: Kender
Alignment: Neutral Good or Chaotic Good
Skills: Handle Animal - 4 ranks, Knowledge (nature) (4 ranks), Perform (some vocal talent or wind instrument) (6 ranks), Survival (4 ranks)
Special: Must have a small trained animal as a companion or pet (in the case of classes that can use animal companions of a larger nature, such as rangers, that class's companion fulfills this requirement).

Hit Die: d6

Class Skills (6+Cha Modifier per level): Balance, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Handle Animal, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Nature), Listen, Move Silently, Mount, Musical Instrument, Perform, Profession, Sense Motive, Speak Language, Spellcraft, Survival, Tumbling, and Tree Fighting*

I have adapted Tree Fighter from the original conversion into a Class Skill, as I think it should well be offered as such to all little people.

Class Features:

Set Abilities:

These abilities are level based and represent common abilities that all Tuneweavers share.

Unassuming Nature

A Tuneweaver's affinity to nature has imbued him with a vibe that animals find calming. With this ability, animals automatically regard a Tuneweaver one level of disposition better (ie. Angry to Neutral, Neutral to Good). This also affords him a bonus to the skills Handle Animal and Mount at the rate of +1 per level. It also allows the Tuneweaver to add his Charisma modifier to any proficiency roll regarding interacting with animals.

Melody of Disruption

At 5th level, a Tuneweaver gains the remarkable ability to suspend magical effects with a tune. The Tuneweaver may choose to whistle, hum, chant, or even play a wind instrument in order to evoke the ability, just so long as it makes use of his breath. The melody can counter any spell effect as long as it originates within earshot of the Tuneweaver's voice, and as long as the magical effect affects him. For example, a Tuneweaver can hum a song that will protect everyone in earshot from the effects of the spell ice storm as long as he is within the spell's radius of effect, but cannot stop the effects of a hold person spell cast on another person. Magical effects are not dispelled, but are instead delayed for as long as the Tuneweaver continues the melody. Continuing the melody each round is considered a standard action, and if the Tuneweaver is struck, he must make a Perform skill check to continue uninterrupted. Once the Tuneweaver stops the melody, any countered effects will continue as if uninterrupted (ie. ice storm will effect the area it was cast on and will last for the rest of it's duration as if it had been cast when the melody stopped). Spells that were already in effect when the melody is started will finish out the remainder of their duration once it stops. A Tuneweaver can use the melody once per spell effect, and an additional number of times per day equal to his Charisma modifier.

Melody of Dissipation

At 10th level, a Tuneweaver's melody becomes stronger, having a more powerful effect. A number of times per day equal to his Charisma modifier +1, a Tuneweaver may choose to actually dispel a given magical effect instead of merely delaying it. This acts like a dispel magic cast by a mage of the same level with the following exceptions:
- It can only be cast as a counterspell or as a targeted dispel on a single magical effect
- The Tuneweaver may use his Charisma modifier when making a dispel check
- A Tuneweaver has the option to expend his full allotment of Dissipation Melodies for a given day in order to power a single one that acts as dispel magic cast as an area dispel, with checks given to all magical effects in range. Again, the Tuneweaver may use his Charisma modifier on all dispel checks.

A Tuneweaver may aslo choose to sacrifice one allotment for a Melody of Dissipation to gain two more Melodies of Disruption on any given day. On a successful Spellcraft check (plus Cha modifier), he may also choose to use either melody on an effect that does not target or affect himself Finally, due to the increased power of the Tuneweaver's performance, he need no longer make Perform checks if struck in order to continue a melody.

Optional Abilities:

These abilities represent various effects that can be gained by a Tuneweaver in his adventures, but are not common to all Tuneweavers. As is in their travelling nature, Kender Tuneweavers tend to become exposed to vastly different experiences, thus encouraging them to develop in varyingly different ways. Starting at level one, and once more at each following level, a Tuneweaver may choose one of these optional abilities to add to his repertoire. Certain abilities can even be stacked to gain additional bonuses or to make effects more powerful.

Enthralling Melody:

Using this melody, a Tuneweaver can attempt to win over a person as if casting a charm person spell as a mage of the same level. It can be used as many times a day as the Tuneweaver's Charisma Modifier. Taking this ability a second time allows the Tuneweaver to instead use the melody as if it were a charm monster spell instead, once more as if cast by a mage of the same level. It also grants the Tuneweaver the ability to use the melody one additional time per day. Each additional time this ability is taken after the second adds one more time the melody can be used per day.

Harmonic Resonance

A Tuneweaver may use this to emit a single resonating note that will mimic the effects of the spell shatter as if cast by a mage of the same level. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to the character's Charisma modifier. Each additional time this ability is taken adds one more time per day which it can be used.

Exodus Hymn

The power of this song can distract a target searching for a Tuneweaver. It allows them to essentially use the ability Hide in Plain Sight as detailed in Kipper Snifferdoo's Knights of Hylo class under Valiant Talents for Order of the Pouch. This ability lasts as long as the Tuneweaver continues to sing. If the character already posesses this ability, then this song further enhances it, negating the penalty for using the Hide skill while running. This ability can be used a number of times per day equaling the character's Charisma modifier. Each additional time this ability is taken adds one more time per day that it can be used. Also, if taken for the second time, and the character doesn't have the Hide in Plain Sight talent, it acts as if the character did, negating the penalty for Hide skill checks while running.

Wind Whistler

Many a Tuneweaver has been able to use his musical ability to manipulate the forces of the sky. Taking this ability allows the character to whisper to the wind as if casting the spell message , providing the target is outside. This can be used a number of times per day equal to the character's level. Taking this ability again allows the Tuneweaver to summon rain clouds that will last as long as he continues to whistle. During this time, the character can control the amount of rain, from a light sprinkle to a torrential downpour. Alternately, at this level the Tuneweaver may also choose to use the ability to disperse naturally forming rain clouds. Again, once the character stops whistling, the sky will revert to it's natural state. This ability can be used up to three times per day. Taking this ability a third time allows even greater control of the wind, allowing the Tuneweaver to lift himself or something else on magical winds as if casting the spell levitate as a mage of the same level, while the Tuneweaver must continue to whistle for the winds to keep the target aloft, the maximum duration it can last is the same as that of the Levitate spell. This ability can be used twice a day. Finally, if taken a fourth time, once a day the Tuneweaver may whistle up a flash storm that will take 1d4 rounds to completely form. On the round directly after completely forming, the storm will unleash a chain lightning spell on those targeted by the character, once more as if cast by a mage of the same level.

Ballad of the Beast

When one spends a lot of time with critters, one can often gain an unparalleled understanding of them. The first time this ability is taken allows the Tuneweaver to sing a song which acts like the spell speak with Animals as if cast by a druid of the same level. The song must be sung uninterrupted, takes two rounds to finish, and must be sung in the presence of the target animal the Tuneweaver wishes to speak to. Once done, the Tuneweaver only gains the ability to speak to animals of the target animal's race for the duration of the ability's effect. It can be used a number of times per day equal to the Tuneweaver's Charisma modifier. Taking the ability a second time allows the character to use the same song to gain the effect of casting charm Animal as if by a druid of the same level. This ability shares the same allotment of times per day as the previous tier, meaning an amount of times equal to the Tuneweaver's Charisma modifier per day for both levels of the ability. Each subsequent time the skill is taken adds one more time per day to the total allotment.

Mystical Accompaniment

A good Tuneweaver can figure out how to bolster the abilities of both himself and others through his talented performance. The first time this ability is chosen, the Tuneweaver can use a musical instrument which, when played in tandem with the any of his song abilities, allows the Tuneweaver to bolster the accompanying spell effect as if he used it one lever higher (ie. a third level Tuneweaver could use this ability to sing the Ballad of the Beast while playing a Lute to gain the effect of speak with animals as if cast by a fourth level druid). The instrument must be played the entire duration of the song or the magical effect stops immediately. If struck while playing the musical instrument, the Tuneweaver must make a successful Musical Instrument check with a -2 penalty in order to continue playing uninterrupted. The second time the ability is taken, the character gains the ability to bolster magical spells of others. With a successful Spellcraft check, the Tuneweaver may sing a magical harmony to accompany any spell, arcane or divine, which uses a verbal component. The effect is that the spellcaster casts the spell as if he were one level higher. Both abilities share the same allotment pool, which equals to a number of times per day the same as the character's level. This ability may be taken twice more after the second time, each time raising the bonus to the spell's caster level by one to a maximum of three levels higher.

Nature's Diddy

Animals aren't the only living things affected by a wonderful song. The first time a Tuneweaver chooses this ability, he finds that he can sing a song that allows him to speak with plants, as the spell, and as if cast by a druid of the same level. As with the Ballad of the Beast, the character must sing the song uninterrupted, which takes two rounds, and must be in the company of the plant which he wishes to speak with. Also, as with Ballad of the Beast, the character only gains the ability to speak with that particular type of plant. It can be used an amount of times per day equal to the Tuneweaver's level. The second time taken, the Tuneweaver can sing a song which has the effect of entangle as if cast by a druid of the same level. The character must continue the song for the entire duration, but cannot extend the duration of the effect further than that dictated by the spell. This ability can be used twice a day. Finally, the third time taking this ability allows the Tuneweaver to sing a song which replicates the effect of command Plants , as if cast by a druid of the same level. The Tuneweaver must continue to sing or the effect is immediately halted. This ability can be used once a day.

Song of the Divine

A Tuneweaver's song can also heal the mind, body, and soul. The first time taking this ability, the character gains the ability to sing to a specific target, evoking an effect like cure light wounds, as if cast by a cleric of the same level. This song may be used an amount of times per day equal to the character's Charisma modifier. The second time this ability is taken, the Tuneweaver may use a song to evoke an effect like the spell calm emotions, as if cast by a cleric of the same level. The character must continue singing uninterrupted for the duration or the effect is immediately negated. This ability can be used an amount of times per day equal to the character's Charisma modifier. Each time this ability is taken after the second raises the amount of time each effect can be used per day by one.

Class Skill: Tree Fighting

Tree Fighting (Dex) Only for characters categorized as Small

Being of smaller stature, some folk learn to develop any advantage they can get. Kender and even Gnomes have often been known to climb into trees to reduce the advantage that larger creatures have in battle.

Check: A successful check allows a person with this skill to climb while fighting an enemy with no penalty to either attack or defense.

Special: Once a person with this skill is on sound footing and of equal height as his attacker, he gains a +1 bonus to his attack.

This item has been published here with permission from the author(s) and may not be reproduced without permission. This is a fan submission and its contents are completely unofficial. Some characters, places, likenesses and other names may be copyright Wizards of the Coast.