Warrior Bard (OSR)

Warrior Bard (Minstrel, Skald, etc)
Prime Requ: Cha
Exp: As Magic User
HD: 1d6+2
Save: as Thief
Attack: As Fighter
Weapons: Any.
Armor: Leather and shield to use thief abilities.

Thief Abilities.
Climb Walls, Detect Noise, and  Pick Pockets as a thief of equivalent level.

Extra Languages.
The Bard  begins with half again as many extra languages as normal (round up.) For example: if the Bard  would normally get one extra, he would get two (1.5 rounded up). If he would get two extra he would get three, etc.

Read Language.
This is an important ability since words are the meat and drink of Bard s and the Warrior Bard  has no ready access to Read Language spells. He has an  80% chance to read any normal writing or language (including simple codes, dead languages, treasure maps, and so on, but not magical writings). If he tries but fails to read apiece of writing, he must gain at least one experience level before trying to read it again.

Influence Reactions.
When performing before a group that is not attacking (and not intending to attack in just seconds), the Bard  can try to alter the mood of the listeners. He can try to soften their mood or make it uglier. The method can be whatever is most suitable to the situation at the moment -- a fiery speech, collection of jokes, a sad tale, a fine tune played on a fiddle, a haunting lute melody, or a heroic song from the old homeland. Everyone in the group listening must roll a Saving Throw (vs Paralyzation in LL, etc) (if the crowd is large, make saving throws for groups of people using average hit dice). The die roll is modified by -1 for every three experience levels of the Bard  (round fractions down). If the Saving Throw fails the group's reaction can be shifted one level toward either the friendly or hostile end of the scale, at the player's option. Those who make a successful Saving Throw have their reaction shifted one level toward the opposite end of the scale.

Inspire.
The music, poetry, and stories of the Bard can also be inspirational, rallying friends and allies. If the exact nature of an impending threat is known, the Bard  can heroically inspire his companions (immortalizing them in word and song), granting a +1 bonus to attack rolls, or a +1 bonus to Saving Throws, or a +2 bonus to morale (particularly useful in large battles) to those involved in melee. The Bard  must spend at least three full rounds singing or reciting before the battle begins. This affects those within a range of 10 feet per experience level of the Bard .

The effect lasts one round per level. Once the effect wears off it can't be renewed if the recipients are still in battle. However, troops who have withdrawn from combat can be inspired again by the Bard 's words. A troop of soldiers, inspired by Cwell, could charge into battle. After fighting a fierce fight, they retreat and the enemy does not pursue.
Cwell, seeing them crestfallen and dispirited, once again rouses their will to fight. Reinvigorated, they charge back into battle with renewed spirit

Lore.
Finally, Bards learn a little bit of everything in their studies and travels. Bards have a 5% chance per experience level to know local events and history. They also use the same chance to identify the general purpose and function of any magical item. The Bard  need not handle the item but must examine it closely taking 1d10 rounds. Even if successful, the exact function of the item is not revealed, only its general nature. Since Cwell the Fine is 2nd level, he has a 10% chance to know something about a magical sword +1. If he succeeds, he knows whether the sword is cursed and whether it has an alignment ("This sword was used by the evil warrior Lurdas. I wouldn't touch it if I were you!"). This ability does not enable him to identify the sword's exact properties, only its history and background. He has no idea of its bonuses or penalties or any special magical powers, except as can be inferred from the histories.

Level 10: A Bard  can read and cast magic from magic-user (and elf) scrolls with 90% accuracy, just like a thief.

Magical Items:
Bard s may employ any magical weapons not specifically restricted to a single class (of course, the weapon must be of a type Bards can normally use). They may wear magical armor of the type appropriate to their armor restrictions. They may also use all other magic items usable by Fighters and Thieves and may use a Horn of Valhalla.