A cacophonist is so bad at playing his instruments that instead of providing good morals to his friends and allies, he instead brings woe and misery to those not accustomed to the noise.
The cacophonist is an archetype of the bard class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The cacophonist mainly focuses on STR/DEX for martial combat and CHA for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Bardic Performance, Inspire Courage. 3rd – Inspiration, Inspire Competence. 4th – Wide Audience. 8th – Song Talent. 9th – Inspire Greatness. 12th – Soothing Performance. 15th – Inspire Heroics. 18th – Funeral Ballad.
Bardic Performance (Su)
When an enemy first enters the area of a bardic performance they receive a Will save (DC 10 + half of the bard’s level + his Charisma modifier) to negate the effect for the next 24 hours.
Inspire Cowardice (Su): At 1st level, a cacophonist can use his performance to inspire cowardice in his enemies, undermining them against fear and hampering their combat abilities. To be affected, an enemy must be able to perceive the cacophonist’s performance. An affected enemy receives a -1 penalty on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a -1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 5th level, and every six cacophonist levels thereafter, this penalty increases by -1, to a maximum of -4 at 17th level. Inspire cowardice is a mind-affecting ability. Inspire cowardice can use audible or visual components. The cacophonist must choose which component to use when starting his performance.
Inspire Inadequacy (Su): A cacophonist of 3rd level or higher can use his performance to hinder an enemy at a task. The enemy must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the cacophonist. The enemy gets a -2 penalty on skill checks with a particular skill as long as he continues to hear the cacophonist’s performance. This penalty increases by -1 for every four levels the cacophonist has attained beyond 3rd (-3 at 7th, -4 at 11th, -5 at 15th, and -6 at 19th). Certain uses of this ability are infeasible, and may be disallowed at the GM’s discretion. A cacophonist can’t inspire inadequacy in himself. Inspire inadequacy relies on audible components.
Inspire Mediocrity (Su): A cacophonist of 9th level or higher can use his performance to inspire mediocrity in an enemy within 30 feet, granting extra fighting ineptness. For every three levels a cacophonist attains beyond 9th, he can target one enemy while using this performance (up to a maximum of four at 18th level). To inspire mediocrity, all of the targets must be able to see and hear the cacophonist. A creature inspired with mediocrity lowers their maximum hit points by 2 Hit Dice (d10s), apply the target’s Constitution modifier, if any, to these penalty Hit Dice, a -2 penalty on attack rolls, and a -1 penalty on Fortitude saves. The penalty to Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells that are Hit Dice dependent. Inspire mediocrity is a mind-affecting ability and it relies on audible and visual components.
Disruptive Performance (Su): A cacophonist of 12th level or higher can use his performance to create an effect equivalent to the darkra spell, using the cacophonist’s level as the caster level. In addition, this performance adds the fatigued, sickened, or shaken condition to all those affected, chosen by the cacophonist at the time of casting. Using this ability requires 4 continuous performances, and the targets must be able to see and hear the cacophonist throughout the performance. Disruptive performance relies on audible and visual components.
Inspire Timidness (Su): A cacophonist of 15th level or higher can inspire tremendous timidness in an enemy within 30 feet. For every three cacophonist levels the character attains beyond 15th, he can inspire timidness in one additional enemy. To inspire timidness, all of the targets must be able to see and hear the cacophonist. Inspired creatures gain a -4 penalty on saving throws and a -4 penalty to AC. The effect lasts for as long as the targets are able to witness the performance. Inspire timidness is a mind-affecting ability that relies on audible and visual components.
Funeral Ballad (Su): Once per day, a cacophonist of 18th level or higher can use his performance to create an effect equivalent to circle of death, using the cacophonist’s level as the caster level. Using this ability requires 10 rounds of continuous performance, and the target must be within 10 feet of the cacophonist for the entire performance. Funeral ballad relies on audible and visual components.
This ability modifies bardic performance and replaces inspire courage, inspire competence, inspire greatness, soothing performance, inspire heroics, and funeral ballad.
Uninspiring (Su)
During battle, the cacophonist exhorts his enemies with words of discouragement and unwillingness. This affects all enemies within a 30-foot radius centered on the cacophonist, and deals 1d6 non-elemental damage, plus 1d6 additional points of damage for every two bard levels beyond 3rd (2d6 at 5th, 3d6 at 7th, and so on). A cacophonist may use uninspiring a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. This is a move action and does not provoke an attack of opportunity. This is a language-dependent ability.
This ability replaces inspiration.
Dissonance (Su)
At 4th level, usable per day equal to half of the bard’s level + his Charisma modifier, a cacophonist can perform a mingling set of discordant sounds to cause discord amongst his enemies. Using dissonance requires a Perform check DC 10 + the HD of the creature. The cacophonist’s dissonance can affect only a single creature. The target creature must be within 60 feet, and must be able to hear the cacophonist to be affected. Actions vary from the different dissonance abilities as well as duration (if any). The DC of any saving throw called for by a dissonance is equal to 10 + half of the bard’s level + his Charisma modifier.
- Cackle (Su): As a swift action, the cacophonist emits a disturbing cackle, causing a target creature to become shaken for 1 round. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 5 or more, then the target creature becomes shaken for 3 rounds and the DC increases by 1. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 10 or more, then the target creature becomes frightened for 1 round instead and the DC increases by 2. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 20 or more, then the target creature becomes frightened for 3 rounds and the DC increases by 3. A successful Will save negates the effect.
- Disrupt (Su): As an immediate action, the cacophonist bellows a disconcerting roar, causing a target creature that is attacking to suffer a -2 penalty to that specific attack roll. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 5 or more, then the penalty increases to -4 and the DC increases by 1. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 10 or more, then the penalty increases to -6 and the DC increases by 2. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 20 or more, then the penalty increases to -8 and the attacker cannot make multiple attacks and the DC increases by 3. A successful Will save negates the effect.
- Halt (Su): As an immediate action, the cacophonist commands a creature with a loud piercing yell to halt or otherwise stop. The target creature has its movement speed reduced by 5 feet. In addition, the creature cannot run or charge. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 5 or more, then the creature’s movement speed is reduced by 10 feet instead and the DC increases by 1. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 10 or more, then the creature’s movement speed is reduced by 15 feet instead and the DC increases by 2. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 20 or more, then the creature’s movement speed is reduced by 20 feet instead and the DC increases by 3. A successful Will save negates the effect.
- Interrupt (Su): As an immediate action, the cacophonist barks a distracting shout, causing a target creature who is casting a spell to need to make a concentration check (DC 15 + the level of the spell) with a -2 penalty or the spell fails. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 5 or more, then the penalty increases to -4 and the DC increases by 1. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 10 or more, then the penalty increases to -6 and the DC increases by 2. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 20 or more, then the penalty increases to -8 and the caster must pay an additional magic point and the DC increases by 3. A successful Will save negates the effect.
- Shatter (Su): As a swift action, the cacophonist emits a piercing cry, causing a target creature or object to take 1d6 + Charisma modifier points of non-elemental damage. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 5 or more, then the damage increases to 2d6 + Charisma modifier. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 10 or more, then the damage increases to 3d6 + Charisma modifier. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 20 or more, then the damage increases to 4d6 + Charisma modifier. A successful Fortitude save reduces the damage by half.
- Sickening (Su): As a swift action, the cacophonist creates a sound similar to nails scratching on a chalkboard, causing a target creature to become sickened for 1 round. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 5 or more, then the target creature becomes sickened for 3 rounds and the DC increases by 1. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 10 or more, then the target creature becomes nauseated for 1 round instead and the DC increases by 2. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 20 or more, then the target creature becomes nauseated for 3 rounds and the DC increases by 3. A successful Fortitude save negates the effect.
- Warble (Su): As a swift action, the cacophonist trills a vibrating sound effect, causing a target creature to be staggered for 1 round. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 5 or more, then the target creature becomes staggered for 3 rounds and the DC increases by 1. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 10 or more, then the target creature becomes dazed for 1 round instead and the DC increases by 2. If the cacophonist succeeds on his Perform check by 20 or more, then the target creature becomes dazed for 3 rounds and the DC increases by 3. A successful Fortitude save negates the effect.
This ability replaces wide audience.
Resonance (Su)
At 8th level, the cacophonist can affect multiple targets with some of his dissonance abilities. The cacophonist can use any dissonance ability and can affect a number of targets equal to his Charisma modifier. The cacophonist can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces a song talent gained at 8th level.
Improved Dissonance (Su)
At 12th level, the Perform DC for increased effects is reduced by 2. (For example, a cacophonist using Cackle, the Perform DC would be +3 for the first increased effect, then +8 for the second increased effect, and so on and so forth.)
This ability replaces ad advanced song talent gained at 12th level.
