Bardic Sage
(Unearthed Arcana, page 49, DnD 3.5)
A variant bard who focues his efforts on learning, research, and the power of knowledge.
Requirements
Alignment: Neutral good, neutral or neutral evil.
Alignment: A bardic sage who becomes chaotic or lawful cannot progress in levels as a bardic sage, though he retains all his bardic sage abilities.
Hit die
d6
Skill points
At first level: (6 + intelligence modifier) times 4.
Skillpoints per level: 6 + intelligence modifier.
Class features
Base Saves and Bonuses: The bardic sage has good Will saves, but has poor Fortitude and Reflex saves.
The bardic sage has all the standard bard class features, except as noted below.
Spellcasting: A bardic sage learns and casts spells as a normal bard, with a few exceptions. In addition to the normal number of spells known, a bardic sage knows one divination spell of each spell level he is capable of casting. For example, a 1st- level bardic sage knows four 0-level bard spells plus one 0-level bard spell of the divination school (such as detect magic, know direction_, or read magic). The bardic sages number of spells per day does not change.
To learn or cast a spell, a bardic sage must have an Intelligence score (not Charisma score) equal to at least 10 + the spell level. All other spellcasting factors, including bonus spells and save DCs, are still determined using the bardic sages Charisma score.
Add the following spells to the bardic sages class spell list: 1st detect chaos/evil/good/law; 2nd zone of truth; 3rd arcane sight; 4th analyze dweomer (lowered from 6th), sending; 5th contact other plane, greater scrying (lowered from 6th); 6th true seeing, vision.
Bardic Knowledge: A bardic sage gains a +2 bonus on all bardic knowledge checks.
Bardic Music: A bardic sages powers of inspiration are not as persistent as those of a traditional bard. His ability to inspire courage, inspire greatness, or inspire heroics lasts only 3 rounds after the ally can no longer hear the bardic sage sing, rather than the normal 5 rounds.