Rockstar: Stylistic Choices
Stylistic Choices
The progression of rockstar’s stylistic choices is now every 2 levels, closer to Rage Powers and other feat-likes for more customization. Stylistic choices are available in persona at first, but become available outside it as the rockstar levels.
Amplifier now applies Songs and Stylistic Choices effects.
Crowd Pleaser requires Rockstar level 6.
Gimmick requires 15 Cha, has a whitelist, and spends rounds of performance persona duration instead.
Intensity requires the Art of Rock feature.
Quick Fingers no longers scales to +4 at 10th level.
Stage Presence requires rockstar level 10.
Wide Range also makes switching between instruments a single move action.
A plethora of stylistic choices have been added! There are also prerequisites/chains.
At the 4th level, the rockstar’s unique and individual talent starts to emerge and influences the way he plays and fights. To represent this, he may select two of the following stylistic choices to be available during his performance persona.
At 6th level and every two levels thereafter, the rockstar selects a new stylistic choice to add to his persona’s repertoire. Additionally, any stylistic choices that don’t specify his persona taken at rockstar level-4 are available even outside his performance persona.
Stylistic Choices marked with an § are unchanged from the Gonzo publication.
Stylistic Choices marked with an Δ are adjusted from the Gonzo publication.
Δ Amplifier
When using the whirlwind attack feat with an instrument, the rockstar may perform a rock-out as a free action that affects only creatures successfully struck by the whirlwind attack.
Any other songs or stylistic choices effect triggers only once for the entire whirlwind attack and once for the rock-out.
§ Background Music
Music played by the rockstar does not impose a penalty to his Stealth checks because the music seems to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once. Guards may be alerted to the presence of music but not of the rockstar’s location.
Blistering Verses (Su)
Prerequisites: Shred (Su) with fire.
When performing a verse rock-out, the rockstar can select a single enemy that failed its Reflex save against rock-out to catch fire for up to 3 rounds. The Reflex save to put out the fire early equals the used rock-out or solo’s DC.
Note, this ability does not require the rockstar to use Shred to change his rock-out’s damage type.
Reminder: If a character’s clothes or hair catch fire, he takes 1d6 points of damage immediately. In each subsequent round, the burning character must make another Reflex saving throw. Failure means he takes another 1d6 points of damage that round. Success means that the fire has gone out—that is, once he succeeds on his saving throw, he’s no longer on fire.
Bridge
Prerequisites: Strumming or quick fingers stylistic choice
Whenever another ally attacks a target within range of the rockstar’s rock-out, the rockstar can perform a verse rock-out as a free action but only apply its effects to one of the ally’s targets. The rockstar must spend an attack of opportunity to use this ability. This ability is only available if the last use of songs was a verse, and this rock-out can only count as a verse or chorus.
Beatdown
Prerequisites: Hardcore or Intensity stylistic choice
All the rockstar’s attacks deal 1d4 sonic damage. If the attack is a critical threat, the attack may also count as a chorus or instrumental rock-out (rockstar’s choice) for his next use of songs. (This does not mean the attack can be used in any way other than as verse, however).
If the rockstar has the Intensity stylistic choice, the damage is doubled on a critical strike. Otherwise, the sonic damage isn’t affected by critical strikes.
If the rockstar has the hardcore stylistic choice, the damage bonus from it goes up by an additional +1.
Breakcore
Prerequisites: Quick fingers stylistic choice
When performing a rock-out or solo, he can consider his previous use of songs as a verse, instrumental, or chorus. However, if he does so, he cannot play a chorus.
The DCs of his rock-out and solo are increased by another +1.
Chilling Verses (Su)
Prerequisites: Shred (Su) with cold.
When performing a verse rock-out, the rockstar can select a enemies that failed its Reflex save against rock-out to be staggered for 1 round. This ability can also be used on targets of verse attacks that hit.
A creature cannot be affected by this ability more than once per day. At 15th level and 20th level, this increases to twice per day and thrice per day, respectively. The duration does not stack if applied multiple times in the same round.
Creatures with cold immunity are immune to this effect.
Note, this ability does not require the rockstar to use Shred to change his rock-out’s damage type.
Δ Crowd Pleaser
Prerequisites: Rockstar level 6
When the rockstar uses his solo class feature, he makes any creature struck by it vulnerable to attacks from allies until the start of his next turn. Allies who attack any such creature gain a +2 morale bonus to hit and a +4 morale bonus on rolls to confirm critical hits against it. The rockstar himself does not benefit from this.
Curtain Call
Prerequisites: Hardcore stylistic choice
The rockstar’s performance persona can choose to double the base damage dice of all his uses of rock-out and solo until the start of his next turn. If he does so, he automatically exits his performance persona at the start of his next turn.
If the rockstar has the hardcore stylistic choice, the damage bonus from it goes up by an additional +1.
Dance
The rockstar incorporates dance and physical movement into his act. This grants him a +10 foot bonus to his move speed and a +2 bonus on Acrobatics checks.
Dazzling Performer
Prerequisites: Dazzling Display feat
When performing an instrumental solo, the rockstar can roll a performance check against DC 20. If successful, he can use Dazzling Display as part of his solo.
Deific Rock
A rockstar who performs in praise of a diety may channel that diety’s power during his performance.
Prerequisites: deific obedience feat and Rockstar level 8th
The rockstar’s persona can cast the 3/day spell-like ability provided by the first boon of a deity for which he has deific obedience as part of a chorus rock-out. He can use this ability a number of times equal to twice his Charisma modifier. He can also cast the 2/day spell-like ability from that deific obedience’s first boon by spending two uses and the 1/day spell-like ability by spending 3 uses.
This ability is lost if the rockstar’s deific obedience is not maintained. The rockstar does not need to have 12HD to use this ability.
Dynamic Opener
During the first round of combat, the rockstar can enter his performance persona as part of a solo. However, if he does so, the solo is randomly determined to count as a verse, chorus, or the usual instrumental for his next use of songs.
The rockstar gains a +2 bonus to initiative checks. This ability can be used outside the rockstar’s performance persona regardless of his rockstar level.
Electric Executioner (Sp)
Prerequisites: Shocking verses stylistic choice
In place of a normal verse-to-instrumental solo, the rockstar may choose to call down a vertical bolt of lightning. It strikes in a 5-foot-radius cylinder up to 60 feet high, ending at a location within the solo’s normal range. The bolt deals 1d6 per 2 rockstar levels damage, and it doubles all stacks of jolted (minimum +2 stack). The bolt’s damage is half electric and half sonic. Creatures caught in the area can save for half damage and reduce the number of jolted stacks received to +2.
The rockstar must choose whether to use this ability before the solo is performed. The rockstar can use this ability a number of times per day equal to his charisma modifier.
Encore, Encore!
Upon reducing an enemy’s hitpoints to 0, the rockstar can enter or re-enter his performance persona as a free action without costing his daily uses. This ability can be used outside his performance persona regardless of his rockstar level.
The enemy must have at least half the Rockstar’s HD to count. Furthermore, he must have already expended at least one daily use of his performance persona to use this ability.
Earworm
The rockstar’s chorus lingers in the ears of those who hear it. When playing a chorus-to-instrumental solo, the rockstar may add both the benefits of playing a verse-to-chorus and instrumental-to-chorus rock-out to his solo. The benefits must be from the Songs class feature and stylistic choices. And the same effect cannot be added to this solo more than once.
Δ Gimmick
Prerequisite: Charisma 15 or higher
The rockstar’s persona has a gimmick. He selects two spells from the list below upon acquiring this stylistic choice. The persona may cast the spell as a spell-like ability by spending 1 round of his performance persona’s current duration. He uses his full rockstar level as his caster level. If would spending the round would require a fortitude check, the check is made immediately with the +2 increase to DC and the spell fails if the rockstar must exit his persona.
Racial or deity limitations still apply to acquiring spells.
TBA: List of Gimmick Spells
Absurdity, air step, adoration, aldori alacrity, alluring light, alter musical instrument, aspect of the nightingale, auditory hallucination, billowing skirt, biting words, blistering invective, cacophanous call, charitable impulse, charm fey, charm person, compassionate ally, compel hostility, contagious zeal, covetous urge, dancing darkness, dancing lantern, dancing lights, darkness, dazzling blade, detect desires, disguise self, disrupt silence, distracting cacophany, distressing tone, dragonvoice, drunkards breath, dust of twilight, eagle’s splendor, ear-piercing scream, echo, levitate (self only)
Giga Blast
Prerequisites: Rockstar level 6
When performing an instrumental-to-chorus rock-out after a solo, he can apply his bonus damage from Vital Strike, Improved Vital Strike, Greater Vital Strike, and Devastating Strike feats he has to his awesome blow target, even at range.
Δ Hardcore
The rockstar adds +1 to all damage dealt with his rock-out and solo class features.
Heavy Metal
Prerequisites: Medium armor proficiency, heavy armor proficiency, and rockstar level 7.
The rockstar gains Armor Training (Ex) using rockstar level-4 as his effective fighter level. However, this alone does not allow the rockstar to gain Advanced Amor Training.
Hyper Hardcore
Prerequisites: Hardcore stylistic choice
After a rock-out, the rockstar can apply the damage of his rock-out to his next attack. After a solo, the rockstar can apply the maximum damage of his solo to his next attack. These effects do not stack. Only the latest rock-out or solo applies.
Like songs, the rock-out or solo must be in the same combat.
If the rockstar has the hardcore stylistic choice, the damage bonus from it goes up by an additional +1.
Infernal Instrumental (Su)
Prerequisites: Blistering Verses stylistic choice
When performing a verse-to-instrumental solo, the solo deals an additional 1d6 fire damage per 4 rockstar levels. Additionally, all enemies that failed their Reflex save against solo catch fire for 3 rounds. The Reflex save to put out the fire equals the used rock-out or solo’s DC.
The rockstar must choose whether to use this ability before the solo is performed. The rockstar can use this ability a number of times per day equal to his charisma modifier.
Δ Intensity
Prerequisites: Art of Rock class feature
When wielding an instrument that the rockstar has chosen for his Art of Rock class feature, he deals an extra 1d6 worth of the same damage type his rock-out class feature does on a critical hit. This extra damage is not multiplied.
Larger Than Life
Prerequisites: Art of Rock class feature
The rockstar can cause himself to grow one size category larger when he transforms into his Performance Persona. This functions as enlarge person and persists for as long as his Performance Persona is being used. He may choose not to add this effect when he transforms and dismiss it as a swift action. If dismissed, the rockstar may only regain this by expending another use of his Performance Persona class feature.
Moving Encore
Prerequisites: Stage Presence stylistic choice and Rockstar level 12
When the rockstar enters his performance persona, all targets previously affected by his message are susceptible to his message once more.
Power Chord
Prerequisites: Hardcore stylistic choice
The rockstar’s persona gains a +2 morale bonus to attack and damage rolls with his Art of Rock weapon each time he plays a chorus. This effect stacks up to 3 times (to +6). All stacks are lost when the rockstar lands an attack (or maneuver), or exits his persona.
If the rockstar has the hardcore stylistic choice, the damage bonus from it goes up by an additional +1.
Psychodelic Trip (Sp)
Prerequisites: Psychodelic Verses
When performing a verse-to-instrumental solo, the rockstar may designate a target under the influence of psychedelic verses. If the target fails its Reflex save against the solo, it must make a Will save. Failure means it is dazed for the current duration of psychedelic verses. Otherwise, it is staggered for the same duration. Extending psychedelic verses does not extend psychedelic trip.
A creature can only be affected by this ability once per day. This is a mind-affecting pattern effect. Otherwise, this can affect any creature capable of hearing the rockstar, including sightless creatures.
The rockstar must choose to use this ability and its intended target before performing the solo. The rockstar can use this ability a number of times per day equal to his charisma modifier.
Psychodelic Verses (Su)
Prerequisites: Shred (Su) with Acid
Creatures that are struck by verse attacks or fail their Reflex save against the rockstar’s verse rock-outs partially enter a melodic trance for 2 rounds. Creatures under the trance have a -2 penalty to CMD and on rolls to resist feints. Additionally, they must make concentration checks (DC 20+Spell Level) to cast spells. Failure means the spell is lost.
If the effect is applied again during its duration, the duration is extended by 1 round, max 3.
This is a mind-affecting pattern effect. Otherwise, this can affect any creature capable of hearing the rockstar, including sightless creatures.
Note, this ability does not require the rockstar to use Shred to change his rock-out’s damage type.
Δ Quick Fingers
The DC to avoid damage from the rockstar’s rock-out and solo class features is increased by +2.
Rap God
Prerequisites: Strumming and spitting bars stylistic choice, rockstar level 12
The rockstar can perform a verse-to-verse rock-out by taking a swift action. When using this stylistic choice, the area affected by all rock-outs and solos until he performs an instrumental is reduced to lines with the same range.
At 18th level, strumming is reduced to a free action available on the rockstar’s turn once per round.
Note: This ability cannot change a rock-out or solo to a line if it affects single target, such as from strumming. It only reduces rock-out or solos that would otherwise affect a radius.
Red Carpet
Prerequisites: Dance stylistic choice
Once per turn, the rockstar can rock-out at the beginning of an overrun maneuver as a free action. Alternatively, the rockstar has the option to rock-out as a free action against one target of his attack at the end of a charge.
Additionally, the rockstar’s persona can initiate and perform a charge despite difficult terrain or allied creatures being in the way. Difficult terrain still costs twice as much movement.
Reverb
When the rockstar successfully blocks an attack with Sonic Shield from a creature he threatens, that creature provokes an attack from the rockstar.
Special: The rockstar may also use a single target rock-out against the attacker in place of an attack of opportunity if he has the strumming stylistic choice.
Shocking Verses (Su)
Prerequisites: Shred (Su) with electricity
Targets that fail their save against the rock-out gain a stack jolted condition. Additionally, the rockstar’s verse attacks apply a stack of jolted on hit.
Stacks of jolted applied this way can stack a number of times up to 1/2 the rockstar’s level.
Note, this ability does not require the rockstar to use Shred to change his rock-out’s damage type.
Spitting Bars
Prerequisites: Strumming stylistic choice and rockstar level 8.
The rockstar can rock-out as a move action when playing a verse-to-verse, chorus-to-verse, or verse-to-chorus rock-out. When using this stylistic choice, the area affected by all rock-outs and solos until he performs an instrumental is reduced to lines with the same range.
Note: This ability cannot change a rock-out or solo to a line if it affects single target, such as from strumming. It only reduces rock-out or solos that would otherwise affect a radius.
Stage Diver
Prerequisites: Gimmick stylistic choice
The rockstar can rock-out a verse or chorus as a free action when taking a deliberate fall 10 ft. or more. This ability can only be used once per round. However, it can be used at any point during the fall.
At 10th level and beyond, he can use this ability to rock-out a verse as a free action, even if the fall is not deliberate.
Δ Stage Presence
Prerequisites: Rockstar level 10
The rockstar gains an aura linked to his genre or message. This either grants all allies within 10 feet of the rockstar a +2 bonus on Will saves or all enemies within 20 feet a -2 penalty on Will saves. Once the choice has been made, it cannot be changed. The nature of the aura is determined by the player, but he should attempt to align it with his message and/or genre.
Standing Ovation
Prerequisites: Rockstar level 6
When the rockstar performs a verse-to-chorus or instrumental-to-chorus rock-out, any creature within range may stand up from prone as a free action. Additionally, the rockstar can choose to remove one of the following conditions from all allies within range: staggered, sickened, or shaken.
Strumming
The rockstar can make a single rock-out as a swift action against a single creature. Unlike his normal rock-out feature, strumming does not add 1/2 the rockstar’s class level to the damage dealt.
Two to Tango
Prerequisites: Rockstar level 8 and Weapon Focus (Mic & Cord)
The rockstar’s reach with Mic & Cord increases by 5 feet for the purposes of dragging. He also gains Balor Whip as a bonus feat, ignoring its prerequisite and treating his Mic & Cord as a whip for using Balor Whip and feats that require it.
If he has Improved Balor Whip, he cannot take the melee attack provided by that feat but can single target rock-out against his drag target instead.
This ability counts as Improved Drag for feat prerequisites.
Δ Wide Range
Prerequisites: Rockstar level 6
The rockstar may select a second weapon type with the instrument special feature and apply his bonus from the Art of Rock class feature to it. Switching between weapons on his person or within 5 ft. of the rockstar with his Art of Rock feature requires only a single move action.