You are skilled in a type of artistic expression, which may encompass a variety of specific methods, and you know how to put on a show.
Like Craft, Knowledge and Profession, Perform is actually a number of separate skills.
You could have several Perform skills, each with its own ranks, each purchased as a separate skill.
Each of the ten categories of the Perform skill includes a variety of methods, instruments, or techniques, a small list of which is provided for each category below.
Check: You can impress audiences with your talent and skill. In some situations, you can sway an audience’s attitude with your performance, using the same DCs and results as a Diplomacy check (see Influencing NPC Attitudes).
| Perform DC | Performance |
|---|---|
| 10 | Routine performance. Trying to earn money by playing in public is essentially begging. You can earn 1d10 cp/day. |
| 15 | Enjoyable performance. In a prosperous city, you can earn 1d10 sp/day. |
| 20 | Great performance. In a prosperous city, you can earn 3d10 sp/day. In time, you may be invited to join a professional troupe and may develop a regional reputation. |
| 25 | Memorable performance. In a prosperous city, you can earn 1d6 gp/day. In time, you may come to the attention of noble patrons and develop a national reputation. |
| 30 | Extraordinary performance. In a prosperous city, you can earn 3d6 gp/day. In time, you may draw attention from distant potential patrons, or even from extraplanar beings. |
| 40 | Incredible performance. In a prosperous city, you can earn 1d6 platinum/day. Your fame begins to spread; people try to repeat your acts on street-corners, your jokes are told in all the local taverns and inns, and in short time you might begin to draw attention from distant potential patrons or even extra-planar beings. |
| 50 | Legendary performance. In a prosperous city, you can earn 3d6 platinum/day. Your fame spreads; people might stop you in the street and want to be your friend, children sing songs about your act, and other lesser performers attempt inadequate copies. Your performances are bound to attention from potential patrons or extra-planar beings. |
| 75 | Divine performance. You attract attention from extra-planar creatures. Deities (not necessarily good or neutral ones) request you to play for them. |
A masterwork musical instrument gives you a +2 circumstance bonus on Perform checks that involve its use.
Perform (Weapon Drill): This category of the Perform skill covers any sort of weapon display, such as twirling a sword or flipping a dagger from hand to hand. Despite the skill’s name, you can use it when unarmed by demonstrating difficult martial arts techniques or shadow boxing against an imaginary opponent.
Unlike other categories of the Perform skill, your prowess with the weapon (indicated by your base attack bonus) is an important factor in how good your Perform (Weapon Drill) skill is. Apply half your base attack bonus (rounded down) as a circumstance bonus on Perform (Weapon Drill) checks. Your Charisma modifier also applies, as with any Perform check. If you aren’t proficient with the weapon you’re using, you take the -4 nonproficiency penalty on Perform (Weapon Drill) checks.
Action: Varies. Trying to earn money by playing in public requires anywhere from an evening’s work to a full day’s performance. The Bard’s special Perform-based abilities are described in that class’s description.
In the case of Perform (Weapon Drill), if you’re performing to earn money in public, a weapon drill requires at least 4 hours of 20-minute performances, with breaks in between. If you’re demonstrating your skill or trying to impress the crowd at a gladiator match, the performance is a standard action.
Try Again: Yes. Retries are allowed, but they don’t negate previous failures, and an audience that has been unimpressed in the past is likely to be prejudiced against future performances. (Increase the DC by 2 for each previous failure.)
Special: A Bard must have at least 3 ranks in a Perform skill to inspire courage in his allies, or to use his countersong or his fascinate ability. A bard needs 6 ranks in a Perform skill to inspire competence, 9 ranks to use his suggestion ability, 12 ranks to inspire greatness, 15 ranks to use his song of freedom ability, 18 ranks to inspire heroics, and 21 ranks to use his mass suggestion ability. See Bardic Music in the bard class description.
In addition to using the Perform skill, you can entertain people with sleight of hand, tumbling, tightrope walking, and spells (especially illusions).
The following feats each grant a +2 bonus on relevant Perform (Weapon Drill) checks: Combat Expertise, Greater Weapon Focus, Quick Draw, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus and Whirlwind Attack.
A bard cannot use Perform (Weapon Drill) checks to perform his bardic music abilities (inspire courage, fascinate and so on).
Source: Player’s Handbook (Page 79), Epic Level Handbook (Page 42)