Whether from a privileged upbringing or social elevation through worthy deeds, nobility is a station to which many aspire. To some princesses (or princes), their mantle is one of responsibility and the duties of governance. To others, the privileges of rank are rewards to flaunt and lavish upon themselves, without consideration of the commoners, peasants, and other underlings who exist wholly beneath their notice.
The princess is an archetype of the bard class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The princess mainly focuses on STR/DEX for martial combat and CHA for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Inspire Courage, Countersong. 2nd – Song Talent. 3rd – Inspiration. 4th – Song Talent. 6th – Song Talent. 7th – Skilled Performer. 10th – Song Talent. 12th – Advanced Song Talent. 14th – Frightening Tune.
Prerequisite
Must have the Princess social trait to take this archetype.
Royalty
At 1st level, a princess may choose a region where she is famous for her royal blood, and within that region, the locals are more likely to react favorably toward the princess. The princess gains a bonus on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks in that area and to influence people from that area.
At 1st level, this region is a settlement or settlements with a total population of 1,000 or fewer people, and the modifier on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks is +1. As the princess grows more famous, additional areas learn of her (typically places where she has lived or traveled, or settlements adjacent to those where she is known) and her bonuses apply to even more people. At 5th level, the region is a settlement or settlements with a total population of 5,000 or fewer people, and the modifier on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks is +2. At 9th level, the region is a settlement or settlements with a total population of up to 25,000 people, and the modifier on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks is +3. At 13th level, the region is a settlement or settlements with a total population of up to 100,000 people, and the modifier to Diplomacy and Intimidate is +4. At 17th level and above, the princess’s renown has spread far, and most civilized folk know of her (GM’s discretion); the princess’s modifier on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks is +5.
This ability replaces inspire courage.
Affluent (Ex)
At each level, a princess gains a stipend worth a number of gil equal to 750 multiplied by her bard level. (She gains 750 gil at 1st level, an additional 1,500 gil at 2nd level, and so on.)
This ability replaces countersong.
Aristocratic Erudition (Ex)
At 2nd level, a princess gains a bonus equal to half her bard level on Diplomacy, Knowledge (local), and Knowledge (nobility) checks. This ability also reduces the DCs of Diplomacy and Knowledge (local) checks others make to gather publicly known information about the princess by the same amount.
This ability replaces a song talent gained at 2nd level.
Prestigious Influence (Ex)
At 3rd level, a princess can use her influence to receive special treatment, favors, and other services. She effectively has a pool of virtual gil equal to 150 gil plus 10 gil per bard level to spend on services and non-material goods. This pool replenishes at the beginning of every week.
Services and non-material goods available to a princess include:
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Pay for lodgings, stabling, taxes, and tolls.
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Improve her lifestyle quality.
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Hire entertainers, messengers, mounts, servants, transport, workers, and so on.
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Obtain invitations to exclusive events, or entry into privileged locations.
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Spread rumors or start a whispering campaign.
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Purchase spellcasting services.
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Employ an expert hireling to make a skill check with a check bonus of +10 plus her bard level (50 gil).
A princess cannot permanently gain goods or wealth from this ability; boons attainable from this ability are generally only available in settlements of 5,000 people or more. The exact benefits available in a location are subject to GM discretion.
This ability replaces inspiration.
Teamwork Feat
At 4th level, and every four levels thereafter, the princess gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as teamwork feats. The princess must meet the prerequisites of the selected bonus feat.
As a standard action, the princess can choose to learn a new bonus teamwork feat in place of the most recent bonus teamwork feat she has already learned. In effect, the princess loses the bonus feat in exchange for the new one. She can only change the most recent teamwork feat gained. Whenever she gains a new teamwork feat, the previous teamwork feat becomes set and cannot be changed again. A princess can change her most recent teamwork feat a number of times per day equal to her Charisma modifier. In addition, all of the princess’s allies are treated as if they possessed the same teamwork feats as the princess for the purpose of determining whether the princess receives a bonus from her teamwork feats. Her allies do not receive any bonuses from these feats unless they actually possess the feats themselves. The allies’ positioning and actions must still meet the prerequisites listed in the teamwork feat for the princess to receive the listed bonus.
This ability replaces a song talent gained at 4th level.
Bardic Perfomance
A princess gains the following type of bardic performance.
Gather Crowd (Ex): At 6th level, the princess is skilled at drawing an audience. If she is in a settlement or populated area, she can shout, sing, or otherwise make herself noticed in order to attract an audience to her impromptu stage. The size of the crowd depends on the local population, but typically is a number of people equal to half of the bard’s level × the result of the princess’s Perform check. The crowd gathers over the next 1d10 rounds. If the princess fails to engage the crowd (such as by performing, kissing babies, trying to use fascinate, and so on), it disperses over the next 1d10 rounds.
This ability replaces a song talent gained at 6th level.
Greater Leadership (Ex)
At 7th level, a princess gains the Leadership feat as a bonus feat. Additionally, at 10th bard level or higher, the princess may take levels in the King prestige class. She must still be appointed the ruler of a state, city or region, but otherwise ignores the other prerequisites.
At 14th level, she can recruit a cohort up to one level lower than herself.
This ability replaces skilled performer.
Commanding Presence (Su)
At 10th level, the princess has learned how to focus attention on herself so thoroughly that even the presence of danger does not distract her adoring crowd. When using fascinate, a target making a save to break the effect because of a potential threat takes a –4 penalty on that save, and even obvious threats require a save rather than automatically breaking the effect. Creatures affected by the princess’s fascinate ability ignore the shaken condition.
This ability replaces a song talent gained at 10th level.
Servitor (Ex)
At 12th level, a princess gains a faithful NPC servitor of the same level as her cohort granted by the Leadership feat. This servitor can only have levels in NPC classes and comes equipped with gear appropriate for a character 1 level lower than the servitor’s actual level. The servitor does not follow the princess as would a cohort or follower, but instead can run various errands for his master while the princess is adventuring, such as delivering messages or maintaining the princess’s manor in her stead.
This ability replaces an advanced song talent gained at 12th level.
Peerless Nobility (Ex)
At 14th level, once per round, a princess can roll twice on any Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (nobility), or Sense Motive check and take the better roll. Once per day, instead of rolling one of these skill checks, she can assume the roll resulted in a natural 20.
This ability replaces frightening tune.
