Dancer[edit]

Dance has long been an important part of Bardic traditions, and many Bards have used
Dance as an important medium for their many abilities. However, Dance has always been
accompanied by sound, be it clapping or tambourine or the tapping of their feet, because
it has always been the sounds of Bardic music that have held their power.
At the same time, Bards have always been jacks-of-all-trades, dabbling in a great many
things, their storytelling and minstreling being dashed with a bit of magic, their songs
embodying their own charisma and leadership to bolster allies in battle, and with their wit
and eloquence holding their own in the courts of kings. Martial Bards have been noted
throughout history - the military Bard have been an important part of infantry units in
armies throughout history for their abilities to improve others, but even Bards who take
up weapons themselves, while less usual, are far from uncommon.
As it turns out, many Bards found that Dancing was well suited to Martial combat, and a
variety of Martial Disciplines might be incorporated well into their Dance routines. These
Bards discovered that for the Martial arts, as opposed to the magical, it was the
movements of Dance, rather than the sounds, that were important. As these Bards moved
away from sound and towards motion, they became more and more distinctive, and have
become known as Dancers.

Making a Dancer[edit]
Dancers are, like Bards, support characters. They have enough base attack bonus to stand
in combat, but they have access to relatively few martial maneuvers and their ability to
use them is somewhat limited, especially at low levels. Their ability to help allies or
hinder enemies makes all the difference, however, and makes Dancers a formidable part
of any party. Further, they tend to be very charismatic, just like Bards, and are thus quite
suitable as a party face.
Abilities: Charisma is by far the most important ability of the Dancer; almost all of her
abilities are tied to her Charisma. However, since she, more so than the Bard, is likely to
find herself in melee combat, a Bard cannot afford to skimp on the Dexterity she needs to
avoid blows and place her own, or the Constitution required to be able to weather those
hits she cannot dodge. Like Bards, a Dancer is a jack-of-all-trades, making some
Intelligence important, and unlike Bards, their Will saves are not good, so Wisdom cannot
afford to be ignored. However, Dancers rarely bother with huge muscles, preferring speed
and stamina to pure Strength, since most of their damage comes from their Martial
Maneuvers and they cannot wear armor.
Races: Elves, unsurprisingly, are very often Dancers; the grace and elegance of the dance
is strongly appealing to them. Halflings are also well known for their dancers, and
humanity, as always, represents a great number of them as well.
Alignment: Any non-lawful.
Starting Gold: As Bard.
Starting Age: As Bard.
Table: The Dancer
Hit Die: d8

M.
Man Read
Spec euve
ied
rs (for
ial Kno
wn Danc
e)

Base Savi
Leve Atta
ng
ck Thro
l Bon
us ws
Fort Ref Will

1st

+0

2nd +1

3rd

+2

+2

+3

+3

+2

+3

+3

+0

Artfu
l
Dodg
e,
Bardi
c
Danc
e,
Bardi
c
Kno 2
wled
ge,
Distr
actin
g
Danc
e -1,
Weap
on
Fines
se

2 (2) 0

+0

Rally
Perfo 3
rman
ce

2 (2) 1

+1

Heart
flam
e
3
Danc
e

2 (2) 1

Refin
e
Perfo 4
rman
ce

2 (2) 1

4th

+3

+4

+4

+1

5th

+3

+4

+4

+1

Marti 4
al
Pose,

2 (2) 1

AC
Bonu
s +1
6th

7th

+4

+5

+5

+5

+5

+5

+2

War
Danc 5
e

2 (2) 1

+2

Danc
e of 5
the
Wild

3 (2) 1

3 (2) 1

8th

+6/+ +6
1

+6

+2

Distr
actin
g
6
Danc
e -2

9th

+6/+ +6
1

+6

+3

Marti 6
al Art

3 (2) 1

10th +7/+
+7
2

+7

+3

AC
Bonu 7
s +2

3 (2) 2

3 (3) 2

11th +8/+
+7
3

+7

+3

Danc
e of 7
the
Wind

12th +9/+
+8
4

+8

+4

Wizn 8
aibus

3 (3) 2

+4

Danc
e of
the 8
New
Moo
n

4 (3) 2

+4

Distr
actin
g
9
Danc
e -3

4 (3) 2

+5

Char
ming
Danc
e,
9
AC
Bonu
s +3

4 (3) 2

13th +9/+
+8
4

14th +10/
+5 +9

+11/
15th +6/+ +9
1

+8

+9

+9

+12/
16th +7/+ +10 +10 +5
2

Slow
Danc 10
e

4 (3) 2

+12/
17th +7/+ +10 +10 +5
2

Twin
Danc 10
e

4 (3) 3

+13/
18th +8/+ +11 +11 +6
3

Danc
e of
the 11
Cos
mos

4 (3) 3

+14/
19th +9/+ +11 +11 +6
4

The
Endl
ess 11
Walt
z

5 (3) 3

+15/
20th +10/ +12 +12 +6
+5

The
Last
Danc
e,
Distr
actin 12
g
Danc
e -4,
AC
Bonu
s +4

5 (3) 3

Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, 4 at 1st level)

Appraise (Int) Balance (Dex) Bluff (Cha) Climb (Str) Concentration (Con) Craft (Int) Decipher
Script (Int) Diplomacy (Cha) Disguise (Cha) Escape Artist (Dex) Gather Information (Cha) Hide
(Dex) Intimidate (Cha) Jump (Str) Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int) Listen (Wis)
Martial Lore (Int) Move Silently (Dex) Perform (Cha) Profession (Wis) Sense Motive (Wis) Sleight
of Hand (Dex) Speak Language (None) Swim (Str) Tumble (Dex)
Class Features[edit]
All of the following are class features of the Dancer.
Armor and Weapon Proficiency Dancers are proficient with all Simple and Martial
Weapons that may be used with Weapon Finesse, as well as with Whips. Dancers are not
proficient in any Armor, and wearing Armor interferes with their Dances.
Maneuvers: A Dancer begins with knowledge of two Martial Maneuvers. A typical
Dancer knows Maneuvers from the Dancing Leaf, Scarlet Rose, Setting Sun, and Shadow
Hand Disciplines. The Coin's Edge, Chthonic Serpent, Fool's Grip, Lost Lyrics, Scarlet
Bravura, and White Raven Disciplines, however, are alternate Disciplines for the Dancer.
Dancers learn additional Maneuvers as listed in the table. The Dancer must also meet a

Maneuver's prerequisite to learn it (see Table 3-1, Tome of Battle, pg. 39, to determine the
highest level Maneuver a Dancer can learn).
Upon reaching 5th level, and every odd level thereafter, a Dancer may choose to learn a
new Maneuver in place of one she already knows. In effect, she loses the old Maneuver
in exchange for the new one. She can choose a new Maneuver of any level she likes, as
long as it is a level that she may know; it may even be a higher level than the Maneuver
she forgets. She may only swap a single Maneuver at a given level.
Maneuvers Readied: A Dancer's Maneuvers are indelibly tied to her Dancing ability.
Though a Dancer may ready two Maneuvers at 1st level, and gains the ability to ready
more as she gains levels, she never gains the ability to ready very many. She readies her
Maneuvers by spending five minutes practicing, and then starts combat with these
Maneuvers available. After using one, it becomes expended, and is not available until the
end of the combat, or until she finishes one of her Bardic Dances, when these Maneuvers
are recovered.
However, when a Dancer prepares her Maneuvers, she also practices her Dance routines and can incorporate Maneuvers into them. See her Bardic Dance ability, below.
Stances Known: A Dancer begins play without any Stances, but at 2nd level, she may
learn one Stance from any Discipline from which she may learn Maneuvers. At 10th and
19th, she may learn additional Stances. Unlike Maneuvers, Stances are not expended, and
do not have to be readied. All Stances known to a Dancer are available at all times, and
she may switch between them as a Swift action. A Stance is an Extraordinary ability
unless noted otherwise in its description.
Unlike Maneuvers, a Dancer cannot change her Stances after selecting them at the
appropriate levels. Receiving training in an alternate Discipline is an exception to this,
however.
Artful Dodge (Ex): A Dancer gains a bonus to her Armor Class equal to her Charisma
modifier during any of her Dances. This bonus applies against Touch attacks and when
she is flat-footed, as long as she is unarmored and in one of her Dances when attacked.
Bardic Dance: Once per day per Dancer level, a Dancer may begin any of the Dances
that she knows as a Swift action. Dances provide benefits, either strengthening the
Dancer and her allies, or weakening her foes, similar to Bardic Music. For her Dance's
effects to work, she must be seen by each of those affected. These effects also last only as
long as the Dancer is Dancing. Also, when a Dance is finished, her normally prepared
Maneuvers are recovered, so she may use them again. During a Dance, the Dancer cannot
maintain her Martial Stance, and so loses the benefits of that Stance, though she may
return to it as a Free action once the Dance is complete. A Dance lasts a number of rounds
as indicated in each Dance's description; a Dancer may cease Dancing as a free action,
but this does not count as completing the Dance for the sake of recovering her Martial
Maneuvers.
Further, when a Dancer readies her Martial Maneuvers, she also prepares her Dances and
may associate a number of Maneuvers with each Dance. The number of Maneuvers that
may be associated with each Dance is listed in the table, in parentheses in the Maneuvers
Readied column. She must prepare ahead of time on which round of the Dance she will
use each associated Strike or Boost, though Counters do not need to be associated with a
given round, since they are to be used as needed. Any number of Dances may be prepared
with the same Maneuvers, as desired.

When she enters combat, she may begin a Dance as a Move action, and it will last for a
number of rounds indicated in the Dance's description. The round in which it is initiated
is round 1, and on each round her actions may be used to initiate the Dance's associated
Maneuvers. If she wishes, she can forgo the prepared Maneuvers in order to take any
other action she could otherwise make, but she misses the opportunity to use that
Maneuver and may not use it until she starts the Dance over. She may initiate her
normally prepared Maneuvers at any point in which they would be normally allowed in
the Dance, including at times when she had planned to use some other Maneuver
associated with the Dance.
Every Dance that a Dancer may learn requires a certain number of ranks in Perform
(Dance). If the Dancer does not have enough ranks by the time she gains the appropriate
level in the Dancer class, she does not learn that Dance until she does.
For example, a 1st level Dancer knows the Distracting Dance, which lasts 3 rounds, and
can ready two Maneuvers, so she may select what Maneuvers she'll be using on which
rounds. She might, for example, choose to prepare Lightning Speed for the second round
of Distracting Dance, and then select Crawling Ivy Strike to be used on the third turn.
When she begins to use the Distracting Dance, her Move action is spent beginning it,
while her Standard action may be used normally. On the second round, she may use
Lightning Speed for her Swift action, or else she may give up Lightning Speed to use
something else. She is free to use her Standard action as normal. On the third round, her
Standard Action may be used for Crawling Ivy Strike, though she may again choose to
forgo the opportunity to use that Maneuver.
A Dancer has difficulty Dancing in Armor or while carrying heavy weights, and wearing
even Light Armor halves the duration of her Dance as well as the number of Maneuvers
she may associate with it. If wearing Medium or Heavy Armor, or while carrying a
Medium or Heavy Load, the Dancer may not use any of her Dances.
Bardic Dance may count as Bardic Music in some situations, though this is left to the
DM's discretion. Typically, if uses of Bardic Music are being used to power some other
feature, Dance should usually work just as well. Similarly, if the benefit given to Bardic
Music is not specificly sound-based, then Dance should not work.
A Dancer may also know how to sing or play an instrument (especially, say, one who uses
the Lost Lyrics Discipline), but these performances do not typically carry the magic that
either her Dances or a Bard's Music would.
Bardic Knowledge: As the Bard feature. A multiclass Bard/Dancer stacks both classes'
levels for determining her total bonus to Bardic Knowledge checks.
Distracting Dance (Ex): The Distracting Dance lowers enemies' awareness in combat,
leaving openings for the Dancer and her allies. All enemies affected by the Distracting
Dance take a -1 distraction penalty to Armor Class, Attack Rolls, and Saving Throws.
Their DR is also lowered by 1, unless they have none in which case they take 1 extra
damage whenever they are successfully hit. These penalties last for the entire three round
duration of the Distracting Dance.
The Distracting Dance requires at least 3 ranks in Perform (Dance).
For an 8th level Dancer, these penalties all increase to -2. For a 14th level Dancer, they
are -3, and for a 20th level Dancer, they are -4. If any enemy affected by Distracting
Dance has less DR than the total penalty, the DR is reduced to 0 and then the remainder
of the penalty is treated as extra damage that the enemy takes when hit.

Weapon Finesse: A Dancer gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat at 1st level.
Rally Performance (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a Dancer hones her skill as a public
performer and can reroll a Perform check once per day, but only when attempting to
impress audiences for the purpose of earning money. A Dancer must take the result of the
reroll, even if it's worse than the original roll. See Perform on page 79 of the Player's
Handbook.
Heartflame Dance (Su): During a Heartflame Dance, a Dancer gains a Performance
bonus equal to her Charisma modifier to her Attack and Damage rolls. Her allies gain a
Performance bonus on their own Attack and Damage rolls equal to one third her
Charisma modifier. The Heartflame Dance lasts four rounds, and requires 6 ranks in
Perform (Dance).
Refine Performance (Ex): At 4th level, a Dancer learns how to make his performances
more appealing to the public of a prosperous city and is considered to have rolled at least
a 2 on each d10 or d6 when determining how much money was earned each day from a
Perform check. See Perform on page 79 of the Player's Handbook. At 5th, 7th, 10th, 11th,
13th, 16th, and 17th level, a Dancer is considered to have rolled 1 number higher on each
d10 (for example, a least 3 at 5th level, at least 4 at 7th level, etc.). By extension, a
Dancer is considered to have rolled at least 3 on each d6 at 7th level, at least 4 at 11th
level, and at least 5 at 16th level. At 19th level, a Dancer earns the maximum amount of
money for her performance.
Martial Pose (Ex): A 5th level Dancer retains her Artful Dodge bonus while in any
Martial Stance, even if not Dancing. This feature only functions for Dancers with at least
8 ranks in Perform (Dance)
AC Bonus (Ex): Every 5 levels (5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th), a Dancer gains an extra +1 to
her AC, at any point when Artful Dodge is in effect.
War Dance (Ex): A 6th level Dancer with at least 9 ranks in Perform (Dance) may use a
War Dance, which lasts four rounds. Each enemy affected by the War Dance must make a
Will Save with a DC equal to 10 + the Dancer's Cha modifier + half her class level, or
lose his Dexterity bonus to AC for the round. The enemy must make the saving throw
each round in which he is subject to the War Dance.
Dance of the Wild (Ex): During a Dance of the Wild, a 7th level Dancer and her allies
may ignore penalties to speed, movement, or skill checks associated with movement
(such as Tumble, Jump, and Climb checks) incurred by moving through difficult terrain.
They may even run or charge through it. The Dance of the Wild lasts five rounds, and
requires 10 or more ranks in Perform (Dance).
Martial Art (Ex): At 9th level, a Dancer gains the ability to maintain her Martial Stance
during any of her Dances. Unlike usual, she may retain the benefits of her Stance while
using a Dance. This feature requires 12 ranks in Perform (Dance).
Dance of the Wind (Su): By using a Dance of the Wind, a 11th level Dancer with at least
14 ranks in Perform (Dance) may grant each of her allies (including herself) a 40' Fly
speed with Good Maneuverability. This Dance lasts six rounds.
Wiznaibus (Su): With at least 15 ranks in Perform (Dance), a 12th level Dancer may use
Wiznaibus, a Dance in which her enemies are each subject to the area version of Dispel
Magic. The Caster Level of this effect is equal to the Dancer's Initiator Level, and is
capped at +20. Wiznaibus lasts six rounds, and every creature that can see the Dancer

may be affected each round.

Dance of the New Moon (Su): The Dance of the New Moon, learned by a 13th level
Dancer, lasts seven rounds. At the beginning of the Dancer's turn each round, each of her
allies becomes invisible as by the Invisibility spell. The Dance of the New Moon requires
at least 16 ranks in Perform (Dance).
Charming Dance (Su): A 15th level Dancer may dance the Charming Dance for seven
rounds so long as she has at least 18 ranks in Perform (Dance). Each round, she may
choose any enemy who can see her, and that enemy must make a Will save against 10 +
her Cha modifier + half her class levels, or be Charmed, as with the Charm Monster
spell.
Enemies who fail a single save are Charmed for the duration of the Dance, but may be
subject to additional saves to increase the duration, as listed on the chart below:
Number of Failed Saves

Duration of Charm Effect

Duration of Dance

Seven rounds after the Dance ends

Rounds equal to Dancer level

Rounds equal to twice Dancer level

Minutes equal to Dancer level

Minutes equal to twice Dancer level

1 day

Slow Dance (Su): For the eight round duration of the Slow Dance, all of a 16th level
Dancer's enemies are treated as having an Initiative 10 lower than their actual Initiative.
Those who have already had their turn on the round in which the Dancer begins this
dance do not get a second turn that round, even if the penalty would put them after the
Dancer. Similarly, at the end of the Dance, any enemies who have not gone but would
have gone before the Dancer go immediately after her, in order, and take their next turn
as dictated by their unpenalized Initiative. The Slow Dance requires 19 ranks in Perform
(Dance).
Twin Dance (Ex): An 17th level Dancer with at least 20 ranks in Perform (Dance) may
begin a second Dance while already in the middle of another. Both Dance's effects work
and the Maneuvers associated with both Dances may be used as normal (though the
Dancer may be forced to choose between two Maneuvers if they are planned for the same
action). Each Dance lasts its normal duration, and the second Dance requires three daily
uses of the Dancer's daily use of Bardic Dance. The Last Dance may not be used with any
other Dance, even with Twin Dance.
Dance of the Cosmos (Su): At 18th level, a Dancer may use the Dance of the Cosmos.
This Dance lasts seven rounds, and requires at least 21 ranks in Perform (Dance). On her
turn each round the Dancer may switch the places of her allies as the spell Benign
Transposition, though any ally (including the Dancer herself) may end up in any other
ally's previous position. Further, each ally (including the Dancer herself) may, as a Move
action, teleport up to a distance equal to their land speed on each round in which the

Dance is active.
The Endless Waltz (Ex or Su, depending on the Dance chosen): A 19th level Dancer
with at least 22 ranks in Perform (Dance) may choose one of the following Dances:
Distracting Dance, Heartflame Dance, or Dance of the Wild. The chosen Dance's benefits
always affects the Dancer, or its penalties always affects her enemies, as appropriate, and
does not count as one of her two simultaneous Dances. Further, she may, as a Free
Action, begin the maneuver sequence associated with the Dance as normal, though after
doing so that sequence is effectively Expended, and she cannot begin that sequence again
until she Recovers her Maneuvers by completing a different Dance.
The Last Dance (Su): For the nine round duration of the Last Dance, a 20th level Dancer
causes a Maw of Chaos to appear as if she had cast the spell herself. The caster level of
the spell is equal to her class level.
Using the Last Dance requires seven daily uses of Bardic Dance, however, and only a
Dancer with 23 ranks or more in Perform (Dance) may use it.
Ex-Dancers[edit]
A Dancer who becomes Lawful in alignment cannot progress in levels as a Dancer,
though she retains all her Dancer abilities.