General Skills
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Performance (Cha)

Source Core Rulebook pg. 250 4.0
You are skilled at a form of performance, using your talents to impress a crowd or make a living.

Performance Trained Actions

Basic Competence

Some performances require you to be more than just charismatic, and if you don't meet the demands of the art form or the audience, the GM might apply a penalty based on the relevant ability score. For example, if you're dancing and have a negative Dexterity modifier, you might take a penalty to your attempt at dancing. Likewise, if you are orating and have a negative Intelligence modifier, you might have to hope your raw Charisma can overcome the penalties from your intellectual shortcomings—or ask someone to help write your speeches!

Performance Traits

When you use an action that utilizes the Performance skill, it gains one or more traits relevant to the type of performance. The GM might change these depending on the circumstances, but the most common performance-based traits are listed below.

Performance Traits

PerformanceAdditional Traits
Act or perform comedyAuditory, linguistic, and visual
DanceMove and visual
Play an instrumentAuditory and manipulate
Orate or singAuditory and linguistic
Item Bonuses for Performance - Common Items
ItemBonusLevelCategoryConsumable?Note
Musical Instrument (Virtuoso Handheld)+13Adventuring GearNoPerformance checks using that instrument
Musical Instrument (Virtuoso Heavy)+13Adventuring GearNoPerformance checks using that instrument
Maestro's Instrument (Lesser)+13Held ItemsNoPerformance checks while playing music with the instrument
Dancing Scarf+13Other Worn ItemsNoPerformance checks to dance
Persona Mask+13Other Worn ItemsNoPerformance checks while acting, orating, performing comedy, or singing
Drums of War+14CodaNo
Entertainer's Lute+14CodaNo
Trickster's Mandolin+14CodaNo
Bagpipes of Turmoil+14CodaNo
Composer Staff+14StavesNo
Maestro's Chair+17Mobility DevicesNoPerformance checks using the chair
Grit+11DrugsYes
Silvertongue Mutagen (Lesser)+11Alchemical ElixirsYes
Theatrical Mutagen (Lesser)+11Alchemical ElixirsYes
Sprite Apple (Pink)+14Alchemical FoodYes
Dancing Scarf (Greater)+29Other Worn ItemsNoPerformance checks to dance
Persona Mask (Greater)+29Other Worn ItemsNoPerformance checks while acting, orating, performing comedy, or singing
Horn of Blasting+29Held ItemsNoPerformance checks to play the horn of blasting
Taleteller's Ring+29Cursed ItemsNoPerformance checks for storytelling
Maestro's Instrument (Moderate)+210Held ItemsNoPerformance checks while playing music with the instrument
Composer Staff (Major)+212StavesNo
Bagpipes of Turmoil (Major)+212CodaNo
Trickster's Mandolin (Major)+212CodaNo
Entertainer's Lute (Major)+212CodaNo
Drums of War (Major)+212CodaNo
Troubadour's Cap+217Other Worn ItemsNo
Mask of Allure+218Other Worn ItemsNo
Silvertongue Mutagen (Moderate)+23Alchemical ElixirsYes
Theatrical Mutagen (Moderate)+23Alchemical ElixirsYes
Elven Absinthe+25DrugsYes
Maestro's Instrument (Greater)+318Held ItemsNoPerformance checks while playing music with the instrument
Silvertongue Mutagen (Greater)+311Alchemical ElixirsYes
Theatrical Mutagen (Greater)+311Alchemical ElixirsYes
Theatrical Mutagen (Major)+417Alchemical ElixirsYes
Silvertongue Mutagen (Major)+417Alchemical ElixirsYes
Item Bonuses for Performance - Uncommon/Rare/Unique Items
ItemBonusLevelCategoryConsumable?Note
Portable Altar+13Adventuring GearNoPerformance checks to conduct religious rites
Confabulator+13Assistive ItemsNo
Pipes of Compulsion+14CodaNo
Seer's Flute+14CodaNo
Spirit-Singer+15Adventuring GearNoPerformance checks when played in the presence of a significant spiritual disturbance, such as a haunt or incorporeal undead
Spirit-Singer (Handheld)+16Adventuring GearNoPerformance checks when played in the presence of a significant spiritual disturbance, such as a haunt or incorporeal undead
Spirit-Singer (Incredible)+211Adventuring GearNoPerformance checks when played in the presence of a significant spiritual disturbance, such as a haunt or incorporeal undead
Spirit-Singer (Incredible Handheld)+212Adventuring GearNoPerformance checks when played in the presence of a significant spiritual disturbance, such as a haunt or incorporeal undead
Curtain Call Cloak+212Other Worn ItemsNoPerformance checks while acting, orating, or singing
Splendid Floodlight+212Held ItemsNoCharisma-based skill checks while within the red light
Nosoi Charm+212Held ItemsNo
Phantom Piano+212Intelligent ItemsNo
Seer's Flute (Major)+212CodaNo
Seer's Flute (Major)+212CodaNo
Pipes of Compulsion (Major)+212CodaNo
Horn of the Sun Aurochs+213Held ItemsNo
Glaive of the Artist+214Specific Magic WeaponsNo
Busine of Divine Reinforcement+215Held ItemsNoPerformance checks to play the busine as an instrument
Songbird's Brush+215Specific Magic WeaponsNoPerformance checks made to dance or sing as long as the glaive is held in two hands
Fiddle of the Maestro+216CodaNo
Bargainer's Instrument+215Other ConsumablesYes
Nosoi Charm (Greater)+318Held ItemsNo
Drum of Upheaval+320Held ItemsNo

Related Feats

To see a list of Feats related to Performance, click here.

Performance Untrained Actions

Perform

Concentrate 
Source Core Rulebook pg. 250 4.0
When making a brief performance—one song, a quick dance, or a few jokes—you use the Perform action. This action is most useful when you want to prove your capability or impress someone quickly. Performing rarely has an impact on its own, but it might influence the DCs of subsequent Diplomacy checks against the observers—or even change their attitudes—if the GM sees fit.

Critical Success Your performance impresses the observers, and they’re likely to share stories of your ability.
Success You prove yourself, and observers appreciate the quality of your performance.
Failure Your performance falls flat.
Critical Failure You demonstrate only incompetence.

Sample Perform Tasks

Untrained audience of commoners
Trained audience of artisans
Expert audience of merchants or minor nobles
Master audience of high nobility or minor royalty
Legendary audience of major royalty or otherworldly beings