Combining Bard Abilities with Items Effects

[Mistwell]

I am building a bard, and I have a number of questions about how certain items and abilities combine.

This first post will focus on the Inspire Greatness ability and feats/items that impact that ability.

Some relevant rules, starting with general Bardic Music rule (Player's Handbook pg. 29):

Bardic Music: While these abilities fall under the category of bardic music and the descriptions discuss singing or playing instruments, they can all be activated by reciting poetry, chanting, singing lyrical songs, singing melodies, whistling, playing an instrument, or playing an instrument in combination with some spoken performance.....Starting a bardic music effect is a standard action. Some bardic music abilities require concentration, which means the bard must take a standard action each round to maintain the ability.

Horn of Resilience (Magic Item Compendium pg 208):
Activation: standard (manipulated)...This bone horn is banded with a golden-hued iron allow...If you have the bardic music ability to inspire greatness, you can activate a horn of resilience to grant the target of that ability an extra 50 temporary hit points. These hit points last until depleted or the duration of your inspire greatness ability ends, and they don't stack with any other source of temporary hit points. A horn of resilience functions two times per day.

Inspire Greatness (Su) (Player's Handbook pg. 29):
A bard of 9th level or higher with 12 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use music or poetics to inspire greatness in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet, granting him or her extra fighting capability. For every three levels a bard attains beyond 9th, he can target one additional ally with a single use of this ability (two at 12th level, three at 15th, four at 18th). To inspire greatness, a bard must sing and an ally must hear him sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target's Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells such as sleep. Inspire greatness is a mind-affecting ability.

Question 1: The horn (which appears in the picture to be a musical instrument) uses a standard (manipulation) action to activate. Inspire Greatness uses a standard (musical instrument or other) action to activate. So how do you use both the horn and Inspire Greatness? Is it:

A) You blow the horn as an instrument to activate it with Inspire Greatness at the same time;

B) You use Inspire Greatness in round 1, and manipulate the horn in round 2 while maintaining your Inspire Greatness (through a means other than a musical instrument, since you cannot both play an instrument and manipulate a horn at the same time);

C) Something Else.

Question 2: Inspire Greatness grants a number of benefits (2d10HD, temporary hit points (including Con mod), +2 attack, +1 Fort). The horn "grant(s) the target of that [Inspire Greatness] ability an extra 50 temporary hit points" and those temporary hit points "don't stack with any other source of temporary hit points". So does this result in:

A) Temporary Hit Points from Inspire Greatness (So if target has a Con 14, average of 11 HP + 4 from con for average 15 temporary HP), plus 50 temporary hit points from the horn (so total of 65 temporary hit points in our example);

B) Temporary Hit Points from Inspire Greatness which then get replaced by the unstackable 50 temporary hit points from the horn;

C) Something Else.

Next Sub-Topic: Song of the Heart feat and Inspire Greatness [Edit - First question in this section answered on examination of full Feat text, copied below]. The relevant rules text:

Song of the Heart (Eberron Campaign Setting, pg. 60).
Pre-Req: Bardic Music Class Feature, Inspire Competence ability, Perform 6 ranks.
Benefit: When you use inspire courage, inspire competence, inspire greatness, or inspire heroics, any bonus granted by your music increases by +1. Thus, a 15th-level bard with this feat grants his allies a +4 bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws against fear when he uses inspire courage, rather than the +3 he would normally grant. If he uses inspire greatness, the same bard grants up to three allies 3 bonus Hit Dice, a +3 bonus on attack rolls, and a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves.
Also, when you use fascinate, suggestion, or mass suggestion, the saving throw DC increases by 1.
If you have the Haunting Melody feat, the saving throw C for that effect also increases by 1. If you have the Music of Growth feat, the bonus bestowed by that feat increases to +6. If you have the Music of Making feat, the bonus on Craft checks bestowed by that feat increases to +6. If you have the Soothe the Beast feat, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on your Perform check to improve the attitude of an animal or magical beast.

Question 3: So, what is the "any bonus" in the context of Inspire Greatness? Is it:

A) Gain 3 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target's Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +3 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +2 competence bonus on Fortitude saves;

B) Something Else.

Next sub-topic is the Vest of Legends, Masterwork instruments (Harp and Lute), and Inspire Greatness. Here is the relevant rules text:

Vest of Legends item (DMG II, pg. 272).
+5 comp. bonus on Diplomacy and Perform checks, plus Bard level treated as five higher than it actually is for the purposes of determining the effects of inspire courage, fascinate, inspire greatness, and inspire heroics abilities. This increase in effective level does not grant her any additional bardic music abilities or other class features.

Masterwork Lute (Complete Adventurer, pg. 126).
A bard playing a lute is treated as one level higher for purposes of adjudicating the power of his bardic music effects. For example, a 3rd-level bard using a lute could fascinate two creatures instead of one...

Masterwork Harp (Complete Adventurer, pg. 125).
A bard playing a harp can target one more creature than normal with her fascinate and inspire greatness abilities.

For the purposes of this set of questions assume a 9th level bard wearing a Vest of Legends and triggering his Inspire Greatness bardic music ability.

Question 4. If the bard starts the Inspire Greatness while playing a Masterwork Lute, how many allies can he target with the ability (remembering that the ability says 1 @ 9th level, 2 @ 12th, 3 @ 15th):

A) Three. The lute effect and vest effects stack for a total level increase of +6, making the bard's effective level for this ability 15.

B) Two. The lute effect and vest effects do not stack, for a total level increase of +5 from the vest, making the bard's effective level for this ability 14.

C) One. The lute effect overrides the vest effect, for a total level increase of +1 from the lute, making the bard's effective level for this ability 10. He'd do better using a harp!

D) Something else.

Question 5. If the bard starts the Inspire Greatness in round 1 while playing a Masterwork Lute, and then switches to using a Masterwork Harp in round two while still using his Inspire Greatness ability, does the bard get to add an additional target to his Inspire Greatness?

A) Yes, you can continue the Inspire Greatness into round 2, and add another ally as a target of the ability;

B) No, you have to start the Inspire Greatness with the Harp to get it's benefit;

C) No, you cannot switch instruments mid-performance and still continue the Inspire Greatness;

D) Something else.

I have some more questions, but lets start with those.

 

[Mistwell]

D31373D

 

[DrunkonDuty]

I love bards, but my take on the rules is generally considered, err, somewhat catch-as-catch-can. See my sig.

Still, here goes:

Question 1:
My first thought is toward: the action of blowing the horn is sufficient to meet the criteria of playing music (for the Bardic Music ability) and activating the horn itself. Certainly this would be an acceptable literal interpretation. Also I like the idea of these similar magics being in tune (pun not intended) with one another and working together, coming together to form a whole jazz-funk-fusion of a magical effect. Thus I am inclined towards A) (the bard can activate both effects).

BUT the potential for abuse here is pretty high: it sets a precedent for getting two magical effects for one action. And this makes me immediately wary. GMed too many power gamers in the past. Also, an argument can be made that it goes against the spirit of the rules to get two distinct effects from one action. As further support for this interpretation I would suggest that the bard can do one of two things with their action: activate the magic of the item OR activate their own magic but not both because there are two seperate sources of magic involved here that must be tapped seperately.* It might also be acceptable to suggest that tapping magic is the action and the act of blowing the horn is merely a required part of that action. The fact that the sub-actions required (making music) in both are similar is neither here nor there.

So in the end I'd have to say one action activates the magic item. Another action required to activate the Bardic Music. This is mostly reached due to the potential for abuse at a later time rather than a hard and fast belief in this interpretation.

Question 2 seems pretty clear cut to me.

The description of the horn states the HP it grants do not stack with any other temporary HP. Instead it replaces them. Thus if the character had 11(temp.)HP from Inspire Greatness and then had the magic of the horn applied to them they would instead have 50(temp.)HP.

As I am ruling that the Horn's magic and the Bardic Music are seperate actions there is no question of which one takes precedence in a combined spell effect. Rather there are 2 seperate, yet similar, effects being placed upon the target. This then implies it falls under "Similar Bonuses Not Stacking" rules.** The rule of bonuses from similar sources not stacking then applies. to whit: instead take the larger bonus only, almost certainly the 50.

Question 3:
Ooooooh. OK here we have a classic example of someone writing a splat book and not bothering to be familiar with core rules that they are modifying. Or at least not realising how the way in which they have phrased something is goddamn ambiguous. Bad writing in either case.

It could be either A) Gain 3 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target's Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +3 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +2 competence bonus on Fortitude saves;

or: Gain 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target's Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +3 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +2 competence bonus on Fortitude saves;

or: Gain 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target's Constitution modifier, if any, +1, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +3 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +2 competence bonus on Fortitude saves;

or even: Gain 3 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target's Constitution modifier,if any, +1, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +3 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +2 competence bonus on Fortitude saves;

I'd ask the GM. Personally I'd go for either A) or B)

Question 4:
The question here is are the sources of the bonuses "similar"? Unfortunately the description of the items does not list them as "Luck" or "Divine" or whatever. GMs call. Given the information presented I would say they are not similar.

If NOT similar then A). They stack.
If they ARE similar then they dont stack, take the larger bonus. B)

Option C) is right out. Either they are not similar and thus stack or they don't stack and thus the larger bonus applies.

Question 5:
Ah I see. Trying to have your cake and eat it too? Tsk, tsk.

Generally: a magical effect is defined when it is initiated. Certain spells/feats/etc. may allow these defintions to be changed mid-effect, but if so these are specific exceptions.

Thus if you start Inspiring with a lute the effect is defined then as with the lute (+1 caster level). You cannot then change it later. Yes this is rather inflexible but I'd rather be inflexible then at the mercy of power gamers. If you must insist on an interpretation where the effect can be modified later then be sure to remove the effect of the lute before applying the effect of the harp. After all, either it is changeable in mid-effect or it is not, not both!! In this case I'd also insist on a perform check to allow the Inspire effect to continue, based on the difficulty of accessing the next instrument. Failure means the bard has effectively finished performing and the normal rules then apply. Also, if losing the level effect of the lute takes the bard down low enough level such that s/he is inspiring more people than they can then I'd have the effect end immediately (no 5 rd lingering song!) for one of the inspirees, regardless of the perform check.

hope this helps.



*Of course this requires a particular concept of magic as being compartmentalised with each "compartment" needing to be accessed by the user. I would consider this the base assumption for DnD. Some folk may prefer to have magic as being a universal force that is manipulated by certain actions, do A and B results. Thus blowing the horn causes the Inspiration and the Resilience to function.

**From the Horn's temp.HP being described as "unstackable with any other source of temp.HP" I would rule that the Horn's temp.HP are defacto "similar" to any source of temp.HP. I admit this is a rather liberal interpretation (it is in fact is the "A therefore B = B therefore A" fallacy) but, hey, read my initial caveat.

 

[roguerouge]

I am building a bard, and I have a number of questions about how certain items and abilities combine.

As a DM, my tie-breaker would be whether my perception of you was that you could over-shadow everyone else at the table, leading to unfun for one or two others. But you're playing a bard, so min-maxing that class in this way usually leads to more fun for everybody else, so I'd likely be lenient. In cases where it primarily affected your character, I'd likely be lenient too, especially if there were a druid or wizard in the party.

A) You blow the horn as an instrument to activate it with Inspire Greatness at the same time;

To my mind, you use an instrument to make bardic music, whether it be your voice, body, or a musical instrument. I'd rather things make a lick of sense.

Question 2: those temporary hit points "don't stack with any other source of temporary hit points".

It doesn't stack. Whichever number of temp hit points is bigger.

Question 3: So, what is the "any bonus" in the context of Inspire Greatness?

Is it:

Bonus goes to Fort saves and attack roles. Those are bonuses. Bonus hit dice are not bonuses to a roll. They're extra rolls. And no, you don't get an extra temp hit point.

A) Three. The lute effect and vest effects stack for a total level increase of +6, making the bard's effective level for this ability 15.

Unnamed bonuses stack unless a compelling narrative or game balance reason is provided otherwise.

Question 5. If the bard starts the Inspire Greatness in round 1 while playing a Masterwork Lute, and then switches to using a Masterwork Harp in round two while still using his Inspire Greatness ability, does the bard get to add an additional target to his Inspire Greatness?

Haha... no. You stopped playing and the clock is ticking on the effect's ending.

 

[Mistwell]

I love bards, but my take on the rules is generally considered, err, somewhat catch-as-catch-can. See my sig.

Still, here goes:

Question 1:
My first thought is toward: the action of blowing the horn is sufficient to meet the criteria of playing music (for the Bardic Music ability) and activating the horn itself. Certainly this would be an acceptable literal interpretation. Also I like the idea of these similar magics being in tune (pun not intended) with one another and working together, coming together to form a whole jazz-funk-fusion of a magical effect. Thus I am inclined towards A) (the bard can activate both effects).

BUT the potential for abuse here is pretty high: it sets a precedent for getting two magical effects for one action. And this makes me immediately wary. GMed too many power gamers in the past. Also, an argument can be made that it goes against the spirit of the rules to get two distinct effects from one action. As further support for this interpretation I would suggest that the bard can do one of two things with their action: activate the magic of the item OR activate their own magic but not both because there are two separate sources of magic involved here that must be tapped separately.* It might also be acceptable to suggest that tapping magic is the action and the act of blowing the horn is merely a required part of that action. The fact that the sub-actions required (making music) in both are similar is neither here nor there.

So in the end I'd have to say one action activates the magic item. Another action required to activate the Bardic Music. This is mostly reached due to the potential for abuse at a later time rather than a hard and fast belief in this interpretation.

Fair enough. I don't think two actions is an unreasonable interpretation, though obviously I would prefer one

Question 2 seems pretty clear cut to me.

The description of the horn states the HP it grants do not stack with any other temporary HP. Instead it replaces them.

While I appreciate the response, I disagree.

It does not say in the description that it replaces (or else I never would have had to ask about it). It says specifically "grant the target of that ability an extra 50 temporary hit points". Extra implies to me that it is adding to the base ability it is modifying, not replacing.

If the base ability said "The target of this Inspire Greatness ability gains 1 temporary hit point" and the magic item modifying it said "if you spend an additional standard action to manipulate this horn while you are using your Inspire Greatness ability, the target of that Inspire Greatness ability gets an extra +2 temporary hit point. As usual, temporary hit point do not stack with temporary hit points from other sources." I think nobody would be debating this item (it would be obvious it stacks with the base ability, just not other outside abilities and spells). But really, that is the same case we have here, it's just not +1 bonus modifying a +2 bonus.

The non-stacking part is concerning a different source. But in this case, it's not a different source, but the same base source (the extra temporary hit points cannot exist outside the base source of Inspire Greatness). In my opinion, the nonstackable part of the quote is applying to entirely different sources of temporary hit points like the the Aid spell or False Life spell.

Thus if the character had 11(temp.)HP from Inspire Greatness and then had the magic of the horn applied to them they would instead have 50(temp.)HP.

That is about the same result however. Now you just wait until the initial temporary hit points are almost depleted, and then blow the horn to replace the almost depleted number with 50. That doesn't make sense to me, and doesn't seem to mesh well with the apparent intent of the item.

As I am ruling that the Horn's magic and the Bardic Music are seperate actions there is no question of which one takes precedence in a combined spell effect. Rather there are 2 separate, yet similar, effects being placed upon the target. This then implies it falls under "Similar Bonuses Not Stacking" rules.** The rule of bonuses from similar sources not stacking then applies. to whit: instead take the larger bonus only, almost certainly the 50.

Again, that makes no sense to me. The second cannot exist without the first, since it only adds extra hit points to the first ability, and cannot be activated unless you first use Inspire Greatness. It is EXTRA hit points added to the first, by definition. The way your ruling it, you still get about the full benefit of both, you just have to wait until the first temporary hit points are depleted. Why would that make sense?

Question 3:
Ooooooh. OK here we have a classic example of someone writing a splat book and not bothering to be familiar with core rules that they are modifying. Or at least not realising how the way in which they have phrased something is goddamn ambiguous. Bad writing in either case.

It could be either A) Gain 3 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target's Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +3 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +2 competence bonus on Fortitude saves;

or: Gain 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target's Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +3 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +2 competence bonus on Fortitude saves;

or: Gain 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target's Constitution modifier, if any, +1, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +3 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +2 competence bonus on Fortitude saves;

or even: Gain 3 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target's Constitution modifier,if any, +1, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +3 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +2 competence bonus on Fortitude saves;

I'd ask the GM. Personally I'd go for either A) or B)

Fair enough, though it does say "ALL" benefits, so I do not see how any scenario that only modifies one benefit is possible.

To add a precedent, the Words of Creation feat from Book of Exalted Deeds modifies Inspire Greatness as well by doubling effects of your Bardic Music, and specifically gives the example of doubling the hit dice granted from 2 to 4.

Question 4:
The question here is are the sources of the bonuses "similar"? Unfortunately the description of the items does not list them as "Luck" or "Divine" or whatever. GMs call. Given the information presented I would say they are not similar.

If NOT similar then A). They stack.
If they ARE similar then they dont stack, take the larger bonus. B)

Option C) is right out. Either they are not similar and thus stack or they don't stack and thus the larger bonus applies.

OK

Question 5:
Ah I see. Trying to have your cake and eat it too? Tsk, tsk.

Generally: a magical effect is defined when it is initiated. Certain spells/feats/etc. may allow these defintions to be changed mid-effect, but if so these are specific exceptions.

Thus if you start Inspiring with a lute the effect is defined then as with the lute (+1 caster level). You cannot then change it later. Yes this is rather inflexible but I'd rather be inflexible then at the mercy of power gamers. If you must insist on an interpretation where the effect can be modified later then be sure to remove the effect of the lute before applying the effect of the harp. After all, either it is changeable in mid-effect or it is not, not both!! In this case I'd also insist on a perform check to allow the Inspire effect to continue, based on the difficulty of accessing the next instrument. Failure means the bard has effectively finished performing and the normal rules then apply. Also, if losing the level effect of the lute takes the bard down low enough level such that s/he is inspiring more people than they can then I'd have the effect end immediately (no 5 rd lingering song!) for one of the inspirees, regardless of the perform check.

I agree. I just thought juggling musical instruments during combat might make for an interesting image.

hope this helps.

It does. Thank you for responding. Even if I disagree with some of your interpretations, it will help my DM adjudicate things, and helps me focus better on the issues.

 

[Mistwell]

As a DM, my tie-breaker would be whether my perception of you was that you could over-shadow everyone else at the table, leading to unfun for one or two others. But you're playing a bard, so min-maxing that class in this way usually leads to more fun for everybody else, so I'd likely be lenient. In cases where it primarily affected your character, I'd likely be lenient too, especially if there were a druid or wizard in the party.

Indeed, the entire theme of this character will be to add benefits to all the other players. In fact, I don't intend to ever attack unless I must, and will usually not even have a weapon in my hand or an attack spell prepared. The character will likely do this most rounds:

Round 1. Move to get out of people's way, and Inspire Courage on the party (will last for 11 rounds total with a feat), using a swift action spell or magic item to modify it.

Round 2. Move to get out of people's way, and Inspire Greatness on the party. Some rounds I will blow the horn to add extra hit points to this ability (either in that same round, or a later round, depending on the ruling).

Round 3. Cast a spell to help the party, like Haste.

Round 4. Heal someone with a wand, or Grease someone for a rogue, or Invisibility or Alter Self on self if in trouble.

To my mind, you use an instrument to make bardic music, whether it be your voice, body, or a musical instrument. I'd rather things make a lick of sense.

That is my favored interpretation, though I can also see the other side of it.

It doesn't stack. Whichever number of temp hit points is bigger.

I read the "extra" part as, well, extra, as in added to what you already got. But, I suppose if you can use the horn and the ability in the same action (which is your favored) it makes more sense for them to not stack, since you would not be able to wait until the initial temporary hit points go away, and then add extra hit points again later.

Is it:

Bonus goes to Fort saves and attack roles. Those are bonuses. Bonus hit dice are not bonuses to a roll. They're extra rolls. And no, you don't get an extra temp hit point.

I disagree. See above answer. There is clear precedent for effects adding to the hit dice when they add to the ability (Words of Creation is 2 x the bonus of Inspire greatness, and specifies in it's example 4 instead of 2 hit dice). I also don't see how temporary hit points is not a bonus. I don't know of anywhere in the rules where "bonus" is defined as a bonus to a roll.

Unnamed bonuses stack unless a compelling narrative or game balance reason is provided otherwise.

Fair enough.

Haha... no. You stopped playing and the clock is ticking on the effect's ending.

I am inclined to rule that way as well, though I would not say that you must continue playing an instrument to continue the effect, as long as you continue performing in some fashion (a bard can sing, play an instrument, or do both at the same time to use bardic music, for example). If I am singing while playing a harp, and I stop playing the harp but continue to sing, I do not see how that would stop the bardic music.

Though, this is almost entirely a theoretical discussion, at least for this character. His bardic music lasts 1 min after he stops playing, which is longer than almost all combats, so he will probably stop performing right away regardless.

Thank you for your perspective. It's been useful!

 

[Hypersmurf]

I don't know of anywhere in the rules where "bonus" is defined as a bonus to a roll.

PHB Glossary. Bonus: A positive modifier to a die roll.

If I'm doubling the effects of Inspire Greatness, I'll double the number of hit dice. If I'm increasing the bonuses provided by Inspire Greatness by +1, that's not going to include the hit dice.

I find it simplest to consider the units involved. For example, let's say we have an effect which adds +1 to the bonuses provided by the Haste spell.

Haste adds:
1 extra attack - but let's say for this example that it's phrased as a '1 bonus attack', like in the Whirlwind Attack description.
+1 to AC
+1 to Reflex Saves
30 feet as an enhancement bonus to land speed.

+1 to AC and +1 to Reflex Saves are simple numeric bonuses.
+1 bonus attack might use the word bonus, but it's not adding a simple number; it's not +1, but rather "+1 attack".
The speed increase is an enhancement bonus, but again, it's not +30, but "+30 feet".

By my reading, this hypothetical effect would increase the AC and Reflex from +1 to +2, but it would not increase the speed bonus from +30 feet to +31 feet (it doesn't increase bonuses by +1 feet, only by +1), nor would it increase from +1 bonus attack to +2 bonus attacks (it doesn't increase bonuses by +1 attack, only by +1).

Likewise, I wouldn't consider the horn to increase bonuses by +1 hit dice, only by +1.

-Hyp.

 

[Mistwell]

PHB Glossary. Bonus: A positive modifier to a die roll.

If I'm doubling the effects of Inspire Greatness, I'll double the number of hit dice. If I'm increasing the bonuses provided by Inspire Greatness by +1, that's not going to include the hit dice.

I find it simplest to consider the units involved. For example, let's say we have an effect which adds +1 to the bonuses provided by the Haste spell.

Haste adds:
1 extra attack - but let's say for this example that it's phrased as a '1 bonus attack', like in the Whirlwind Attack description.
+1 to AC
+1 to Reflex Saves
30 feet as an enhancement bonus to land speed.

+1 to AC and +1 to Reflex Saves are simple numeric bonuses.
+1 bonus attack might use the word bonus, but it's not adding a simple number; it's not +1, but rather "+1 attack".
The speed increase is an enhancement bonus, but again, it's not +30, but "+30 feet".

By my reading, this hypothetical effect would increase the AC and Reflex from +1 to +2, but it would not increase the speed bonus from +30 feet to +31 feet (it doesn't increase bonuses by +1 feet, only by +1), nor would it increase from +1 bonus attack to +2 bonus attacks (it doesn't increase bonuses by +1 attack, only by +1).

Likewise, I wouldn't consider the horn to increase bonuses by +1 hit dice, only by +1.

-Hyp.

Hmm. I didn't know about that glossary definition. OK, that seems pretty persuasive to me, thanks. So the feat would make Inspire Greatness into 2HD (d10+Con)(Normal), +3 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +2 competence bonus on Fortitude saves?

 

[Mistwell]

Does anyone have any spell suggestions, other than Inspirational Boost and Haste, that are party buffers? Any WOTC source is fine.

 

[MarkB]

B) You use Inspire Greatness in round 1, and manipulate the horn in round 2 while maintaining your Inspire Greatness (through a means other than a musical instrument, since you cannot both play an instrument and manipulate a horn at the same time);

Just one small thing to point out: The Horn of Resilience is, whatever else it is, still a musical instrument - so if you go with version B, you should quite easily be able to play the horn in round 1 to Inspire Greatness, without activating its magical properties, then keep on playing it in round 2, including activating its magical effect.