Can a Bard cast a Spell while Singing?

[Synthetik Fish]

After participating in a rather large thread about bards, I thoguht of this Question:

If I were playing a bard, and using an ability such as Inspire Courage, and then wanted to cast a spell, could I do this without interrupiting the song? Essentially, I would want to make the casting of the spell a part of the song, so that my song continues un-interrupted, but I am also casting the spell, instead of having to finish my song. Does this sound legit?

 

[Infiniti2000]

After participating in a rather large thread about bards, I thoguht of this Question:

If I were playing a bard, and using an ability such as Inspire Courage, and then wanted to cast a spell, could I do this without interrupiting the song? Essentially, I would want to make the casting of the spell a part of the song, so that my song continues un-interrupted, but I am also casting the spell, instead of having to finish my song. Does this sound legit?

No. From the SRD:
Even while using bardic music that doesn’t require concentration, a bard cannot cast spells, activate magic items by spell completion (such as scrolls), or activate magic items by magic word (such as wands).

 

[Sejs]

Remember, the effects of a Inspire Courage continue for 5 rounds after the bard stops singing. There's a feat (Lingering Notes, I believe) that extends this time to 10 rounds after you stop.

Essentially if a bard wants to cast a spell while singing, he stops singing, casts the spell, and then if he wants to keep the Inspire effect going he has 5 (or 10 with the feat) rounds to spend another standard action and use of bardic music per day to pick up where he left off.

Likewise, that same hang time lets a bard intermingle ('twist' if you prefer) multiple bardic music effects at the same time. Inspire Courage, let it go, Inspire Greatness in the Fighter, let it go, Countersong to help your allies shrug off that Mass Suggestion that was cast on them, let it go, maybe cast a spell or attack something, pick up Inspire Courage again and off you go.

Bards can require a bit of finesse to handle, but they can do quite a lot when they're in their element.

 

[irdeggman]

Bards are also forbidden from casting their spells as Silent Spells.

from the SRD:

SILENT SPELL [METAMAGIC]
Benefit: A silent spell can be cast with no verbal components. Spells without verbal components are not affected. A silent spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell’s actual level.
Special: Bard spells cannot be enhanced by this metamagic feat.

 

[Sejs]

Essentially, I would want to make the casting of the spell a part of the song, so that my song continues un-interrupted, but I am also casting the spell, instead of having to finish my song. Does this sound legit?

Short answer: No. Bardic Music says no spellcasting. It's not a matter of the spell not being part of the flow of the music, it's a matter of you not being able to fully concentrate on two things at the same time.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

there is a feat in compleat adventure that alllows a bard to mix spells into his songs.

 

[Sejs]

there is a feat in compleat adventure that alllows a bard to mix spells into his songs.

If you're thinking of Disguise Spell, it's not the same thing.

Disguise Spell lets you conceal the verbal and somatic components of a spell into a performance such that they're difficult to recognise as spellcasting. It does not let you cast a spell while simultaneously performing Bardic Music abilities.

If it did, it would say so explicitly as well as have a Normal entry for the feat. As it stands, it lacks both.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Likewise, that same hang time lets a bard intermingle ('twist' if you prefer) multiple bardic music effects at the same time. Inspire Courage, let it go, Inspire Greatness in the Fighter, let it go, Countersong to help your allies shrug off that Mass Suggestion that was cast on them, let it go, maybe cast a spell or attack something, pick up Inspire Courage again and off you go.

War Chanters also get the 'Combine Song' class ability that lets them use two bardic music or war chant abilities simultaneously.

-Hyp.

 

[Oates]

while playing a Bard my DM allowed me to cast verbal only spells whilst using bardic music (does it have to be singing?????) while my character could sing, his primary perform was in string: mandolin.

did i abuse the wording of the rule or do I have a lenient DM

 

[Krafen]

while playing a Bard my DM allowed me to cast verbal only spells whilst using bardic music (does it have to be singing?????) while my character could sing, his primary perform was in string: mandolin.

did i abuse the wording of the rule or do I have a lenient DM

Yes.