It always annoyed me bard song and rage take an action to activate in NW as opposed to simply being something you activate on your turn. If I'm about to do something foolhardy, the last thing I want to do is add rage, or bard song (Heaven forbid both) to a que of actions. Would it be possible to activate them using a /c command and simply have it deduct a use out of your daily ability? IE, instead of using the rage ability on the quick bar, I use a custom macro already set up, /c rage, and have it cause the rage effect with out me having to stop and throw my hands forward for no apparent reason? The same could obviously be used for bard song and curse song, or even quicken spells, if you talented scripters wanted to show off.

I do believe it's intentional that raging and bard song activation require a full round to start. Making this a /c command would be the exact same as just pressing the activate button, essentially.

Were this achieveable as Dajemib envisioned, it would be awesome.

ExileStrife I do believe it's intentional that raging and bard song activation require a full round to start. Making this a /c command would be the exact same as just pressing the activate button, essentially.

@ first sentense: In PnP, activating rage and songs is a free action. @ second sentense: If you set /c "command" as a macro in a quiskslot bar, it takes no time whatsoever.

Are you sure it isn't simply part of the game mechanic that they take one round? Seems when deep pigs enter rage, it takes them one round.

I would concur with instantaneous rage. For bard song, however, (and one of my char's is a bard,) it would seem that one round is realistic. I wouldn't expect people to get into the music before they even heard 2 notes.

On the other hand, having the option of bard song and curse song to occur simultaneously would be more realistic (assuming it would still deduct 2 "songs" ability-wise), as you could be choosing a song that both inspires courage in your allies and fear in your opponent.

@ first sentense: In PnP, activating rage and songs is a free action. @ second sentense: If you set /c "command" as a macro in a quiskslot bar, it takes no time whatsoever.

Weird, that song is a free action. I know the no timing issue the /c command gives, I intention was to mean that if this were to become a /c command, the round it takes to use would probably be implemented upon it....which makes it not very different from how it is already.

-- I don't personally see a particular need to make these two abilities instantaneous.

It would definitely be a major perk. I'm undecided whether it'd be too powerful.

Are you saying that the Bard song should be instant? If so, I am against it. It is like saying, "Fight for Freedom!" and on the word "Fight" your allies are rallied without having to finish the rest of the song, the entire turn is for your bard to sing his song to inspire his allies.

With rage I believe would make since, but how lonbg does it take for someone to become angry? I think that if you have at least 12 charisma or higher his should be instant. Anything lower would mean your charctor is slow to anger ((I am saying charisma for a barbarian would be different I think)) and the turn is for him to get really mad.

Thomas_Not_very_wise ...... It is like saying, "Fight for Freedom!" and on the word "Fight" your allies are rallied without having to finish the rest of the song......

.... I think that if you have at least 12 charisma or higher his should be instant. Anything lower would mean your charctor is slow to anger ..........

I agree with the bard part However, I wouldn't think that having a CHA score lower than 12 would make someone slow to anger.

I do think that anger can be sparked instantly and thus rage should be a free action.

When you speak, or sing, or whatever, you don't usually have to stop what you're doing, say, fighting. Bard song can be very annoying because it breaks combat and you can be caught flat footed (Extremely annoying when you're fighting a rogue)

Prideaux's point is the most critical one brought to the table thus far, I think. In the end, it's of little importance whether it takes a round or not to activate song/rage if not in combat, but in combat, it definitely should not cause you to stop attack and defending.

I don't understand, Howland, how would this be a "major" perk anyways?

I support this, and would love to see it in game.

It's a major perk because it makes these abilities much stronger, precisely for those reasons mentioned (not having to spend a round singing, not being caught flat-footed, etc.). Whenever we make an ability much stronger than it is in standard NWN it's worth thinking about whether it's imbalancing.

But that depends whether or not Bioware set out to give these abilities actions to 'bring them in level' with other abilities and classes in the game.

I know it's neither a direct nor easy comparison, but what about combat feat abilities like Power Attack, Expertise, and their upgraded forms? Aren't they merely toggled at will?

There is one thing that does worry me about this suggestion, now that I thought about it more, and that is Curse Song. At level 8, it does 8 sonic damage to every hostile in the area of effect. So... since a bard has songs equal to their level, that'd mean 64 sonic damage in the course of a second if you spammed the /c command. With Extra Music, it goes up to 96 instant sonic damage.

Yeah. Either this suggestion doesn't work or Curse Song has to be changed too. Fortunately, this particular feature of Curse Song is the only cumulative effect in song or rage, so if this can be solved, then there shouldn't be any problem with the suggestion.

Curse song's damage does not work until the effect has left the enemy, usually 10 rounds after it is first used.

3.5 Bardic Music Starting a bardic music effect is a standard action.

3.5 Rage Entering a rage takes no time itself, but a barbarian can do it only during his action, not in response to someone else’s action.

9lives I know it's neither a direct nor easy comparison, but what about combat feat abilities like Power Attack, Expertise, and their upgraded forms? Aren't they merely toggled at will?

As a final note, speaking is generally a free action, but anything more than a few sentences shouldn't be considered a free action. Read the description of Bardic Music and tell me you can sing as a free action.

Well there is a feat available in complete warrior that allows the barbarian to rage instantly, i beleive that it's Instantaneous Rage. Also the varient Barbarian from PH2 gets rid of rage and instead gives you the option for Beserker Strength which is based on hitpoints and how much damage you have taken.

I would say that Rage should be a free action but one that would be taken at initiative order if the game mechanics make that possible to do.

Curse Song is not cumulative. You need to wait for it to wear off before you can apply it again.

Power Attack and Combat Expertise are activated on one's turn before making attack rolls for that round.

True, but you can toggle the mode "on", and stand around waiting for an opponent, at which time the feat becomes instantaneous the moment you target someone. Barbarians can't do the same with rage.

The more I think about it, the less it seems to make sense that Barbarian Rage takes a round to engage.