Bard

CROSSROADS    Classes      Bard

Description

Words and music are not just vibrations of air, but vocalizations with power all their own. The bard is a Master of song, speech⁠, and the magic they contain. Bards say that the multiverse was spoken into existence, that the words of the gods gave it shape, and that echoes of these primordial⁠ Words of Creation⁠ still resound throughout the cosmos. Bards become Masters of the talents they set their minds to perfecting. A bard’s life is spent wandering across the land gathering lore, telling stories, and living on the gratitude of audiences, much like any other entertainer⁠. But a depth of knowledge, a level of musical skill, and a touch of magic set bards apart from their fellows. Discovering the magic hidden in music requires hard study and some measure of natural Talent that most troubadours and jongleurs lack.

• Every creature has a starting amount of Spell Points (SP) equal to 4.
• Each attribute point spent during character creation towards a caster's Spellcasting Attribute increases their Spell Points (SP) by another 4.
• Choose between 3 subclasses, each one detailing a different mastery.
• Any race and any land can have one of these wandering minstrels, ever seeking to inspire, inquire, and inundate.
• Bards do not normally settle in one place for too long, prone to wandering the lands in search of stories, both fictional and non. They seek to search for their own causes, and in the glow of taverns, sing what they have witnessed.

Subclasses

College of Lore

College of Glamour

College of Valor

College of Whispers

College of Lore

Bards of the College of Lore know something about most things, collecting bits of knowledge from sources as diverse as scholarly tomes and peasant tales. The loyalty of these bards lies in the pursuit of beauty and truth, not in fealty to a monarch or following the tenets of a deity. The college’s Members gather in libraries and sometimes in actual colleges, to share their lore with one another. They also meet at festivals or affairs of state, where they can expose corruption, unravel lies, and poke fun at self-important figures of authority.

Perks

Spell List

Novice
Burning Hands
Grease
Faerie Fire
Daze

Adept
Gift of Alacrity
Melf's Acid Arrow
Watery Sphere

Expert
Intellect Fortress
Mental Prison
Banishment

Master
Psychic Scream

Rituals

Novice
Find Familiar

Adept
Locate Animals or Plants
Locate Object
Speak With Dead

Expert
Scrying
Zone of Truth

Novice

Library of Lore

Gain +1 to all knowledge skills +8 spell points.

Cutting Words

You learn how to use your wit to distract, confuse, and otherwise sap the confidence and competence of others.
As a bonus action, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to afflict an opponent. They suffer -2 to attack and -1 to all saving throws for 2 rounds.

Adept

Magical Secrets

Your knowledge of storytelling and magic give you boons above others. Gain +3 uses to Bardic Inspiration and +8 spell points.

Peerless Skill

As a reaction and at the cost of 1 bardic inspiration point, you are inspired and add a +2 to all saves and +1 to your Spellcasting DC for 1 round.
Outside of Combat you can use peerless skill to temporarily gain +2 to skill rolls at the cost of 1 Bardic Inspiration when used. Usable twice per short rest.

Expert

Ritual Lore

Gain +1 to all Knowledge skills and your choice of two rituals up to adept level from the Base class lists of Wizard, Druid, or Cleric. You must open a ticket to select these rituals.

Eviscerating Words

Your sharp tongue manifests your wit into not only emotional wounds, but physical. As an action and the cost of 2 Bardic Inspiration points, select a target within 6 tiles to roll a CHA save. On a failed save they take 2d8 Psychic damage and are dazed for 2 turns. On a successful save they take half damage. Usable once per short rest.

Master

Lore Master

Peerless Skill and Eviscerating Words gain a second charge. You also permanently gain +1 INT, and +3 additional uses of Bardic Inspiration.

College of Glamour

The bards of this college are regarded with a mixture of awe and fear. The College of Glamour is the home of bards who mastered their craft in the vibrant realm of the Feywild or under the tutelage of someone who dwelled there. Villainous bards of this college can leech off a community for weeks, misusing their magic to turn their hosts into thralls. Heroic bards of this college instead use this power to gladden the downtrodden and Undermine oppressors.

Perks

Spell List

Novice
Sleep
Lesser Restoration
Faerie Fire

Adept
Thunder Step
Crown of Madness
Mind Spike
Mass Cure Wounds

Expert
Eyebite
Dominate Creature
Heal

Master
Weird
Power Word: Pain

Rituals

Novice
Disguise Self

Expert
Seeming

Novice

Charismatic Caster

Gain +1 to CHA and WIS saves, and an additional +3 spell points.

Mantle of Inspiration

As a bonus action and expenditure of one Bardic Inspiration point, you give yourself a wondrous appearance and choose up to three targets within 4 tiles.
Each of them heals 5+Spellcasting modifier hit points, gains +1 DT and do not provoke attacks of opportunity for 1 round. This ability is vulnerable to Sentinel.

Adept

Mantle of Majesty

Your fey charm passively enhances your voice and disposition among others granting you a permanent +2 Persuade, +2 Deception, and +2 Intimidate (Charisma).

Enthralling Performance

As an action, spend 1 Bardic Inspiration Point and choose up to 3 creatures within 8 tiles who are able to see and hear you. Each target must succeed a WIS saving throw against your spellsave DC or become charmed for 2 turns.
When used outside of combat, the target rolls against your spell save DC. This performance must be fully emoted. If a target succeeds its saving throw, they have no knowledge that you tried to charm them.

Expert

Unbreakable Majesty

Your appearance gains otherworldly traits that makes you look indescribably beautiful and fierce.
As an action and at the cost of 2 Bardic Inspiration Points, you gain +2 AC for 3 turns. While this ability is active, as a reaction you may force an attacker to make a WIS save against your spellcasting. On a failed save, they take 1d8+Spellcasting Modifier psychic damage and are charmed for 2 turns (unless immune), while reflecting that strength back to the caster and healing them for 1d8+Spellcasting Modifier. This may be used once per short rest.

Master

Vision of Glamour

Gain +3 Bardic Inspiration and one additional use of Unbreakable Magesty.

College of Valor

Bards of the College of Valor are daring skalds whose tales keep alive the memory of the great heroes of the past, and thereby inspire a new generation of heroes. These bards gather in mead halls or around great bonfires to sing the deeds of the mighty, both Past and Present. They Travel the land to witness great events firsthand and to ensure that the memory of those events doesn’t pass from the world.

Perks

Spell List

Novice
Aid
Flame Weapon
Catapult
Shield

Adept
Freedom of Movement
Shadow Blade
Ice Storm

Expert
Sunbeam
Chain Lightning
Steel Wind Strike

Master
Power Word: Stun
Mordenkainen's Sword

Rituals

Expert

Novice

Battle Performance

You gain proficiency with medium armor and shields, and gain an additional fighting style.

• Defense: AC +1
• Archery: +2 Physical Accuracy when wielding a ranged weapon
• Dueling: +2 Physical Damage when wielding a single, 1-handed, melee weapon. Versatile weapons count as 1-handed weapons no matter their wielded configuration.
• Great Weapon Fighting: +2 Physical Damage when wielding a 2H melee weapon.
• Two Weapon Fighting: Attacks made with off-hand weapons now add the appropriate (Strength or Dexterity) attribute bonuses to damage rolls made with that weapon.

Combat Inspiration

As a bonus action, expend one use of your bardic inspiration to apply Combat Inspiration to a creature within 4 tiles, granting +3 attack and +1d8 true damage until the end of the target's turn. Combat Inspiration can be used on yourself.

Adept

Hit Bonus

Gain +1 to attack

Rapid Strike

You gain the ability to spend your reaction to make a weapon attack.

Expert

Blade Flourish

You learn to conduct impressive displays of martial prowess and speed. If you succeed in hitting a target with a martial attack, you may spend a bardic inspiration point to use one of the following flourishes as a free action:
Defensive Flourish
You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to flourish your weapon, preparing to parry oncoming attacks. Gain +2 AC and +1 to your DEX saving throw until the end of your next turn.
Thrusting Flourish
You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to throw your target off balance, pushing them one tile away.
Mobile Flourish
You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to flourish your weapon, inspiring your allies into battle. Grant one ally +1 Movement.
You may only cast one per turn.

Master

Battle Bard

Gain a permanent +1 to hit, and an additional 2 Bardic Inspiration Points.

College of Whispers

Most folk are happy to welcome a bard into their midst. Bards of the College of Whispers use this to their advantage. They appear to be like any other bard, sharing news, singing songs, and telling tales to the audiences they gather. In truth, the College of Whispers teaches its students that they are wolves among sheep. These bards use their knowledge and magic to uncover secrets and turn them against others through extortion and threats.
Many other bards hate the College of Whispers, viewing it as a parasite that uses the bards’ reputation to acquire wealth and power. For this reason, these bards rarely reveal their true nature unless they must. They typically claim to follow some other college or keep their true nature secret to better infiltrate and exploit royal courts and other settings of power.

Perks

Spell List

Novice
Ray of Enfeeblement
Ray of Sickness
Shadow Blade

Adept
Evard's Black Tentacles
Tasha’s Mind Whip
Cone of Cold
Magic Weapon

Expert
Eyebite

Master
Psychic Scream

Rituals

Novice
Knock

Adept
Disguise Self
Nystul’s Magic Aura

Expert
Nondetection

Novice

Insult to Injury

+1 to hit and +2 psychic damage to all weapon attacks

Psychic Blades

After successfully landing a weapon attack, Words of Terror, or damaging Cantrip on a target, as a Free Action spend 1 Bardic Inspiration to deal 3d4+Charisma Psychic damage.
This spell is player faith to trigger, abuse of its function will result in a strike.

Adept

Vicious Shadow

+1 to hit, +2 to Stealth and your choice of dueling, two-weapon, or archery fighting styles.

Words of Terror

You are able to seed paranoia in the minds of your targets. As an action, use a Bardic Inspiration point to whisper in the ear of a target within one tile of you and force them to make a WIS save against your Spell DC. On a failed save the target is Frightened for two rounds and the target takes 2d8+Mastery psychic damage. On a successful save, the target takes half damage.
This ability pierces through Fear immunity.

Expert

Mantle of Shadows

You are shrouded in shadow and may move unseen throughout the battlefield. Spend 1 Bardic Inspiration to gain +2 Movement until the end of your turn. Additionally, you are considered to be out of Line of Sight until the end of your next turn and may not take hostile actions for the duration of this effect, but may heal and buff yourself and allies. Usable a number of times equal to your Mastery level per rest.

This ability is not true invisibility, and the bard may be followed while shrouded.

This ability does not trigger Attacks of Opportunity, including those from the Mage Slayer and Sentinel feats, and can be used a number of times equal to your Mastery level.

Master

Shadow Lore

+1 to hit, Words of Terror increases to 3d8+Mastery and frightened for 3 turns.

Combative Perks

Novice

Spellcasting

You have learned to untangle and reshape the fabric of reality in harmony with your wishes and music. Your spells are part of your vast repertoire, magic that you can tune to different situations.
Bardic Inspiration
You have a resource of Bardic Inspiration points which can be used to inspire allies or unsettle enemies. The amount of bardic inspiration you possess is equal to 2 + your charisma modifier.
Spellcasting Ability
Charisma is your Spellcasting modifier for your Bard Spells, since your magic comes from the heart and soul you pour into the Performance of your music or oration.
Spell save DC = 10 + your Charisma modifier

Bardic Inspiration

You can inspire others through stirring words or music. A creature within 4 tiles of you who can hear you, gains a bardic inspiration dice, which lasts for an hour, to spend.
While a creature is under the effect of Bardic Insipiration, they may at any time outside of turn order, expend their Bardic Inspiration die and gain one of the two following effects until the end of their turn.

• Gain +2 to all saving throws for a round
• Gain +2 to their Attack stat for a round

The Bard can target themselves as a target for Bardic Inspiration.
In combat, casting Bardic Inspiration on a target requires a Bonus Action, and consumes a point of Bardic Inspiration.

Hit Dice

You gain +6 HP when you first become a Bard. On each new mastery level, you gain an additional +6 to your Hit Points.

Well Traveled

You may select one additional language. This may not be an exotic language.

Adept

Spell Points I

+4 Spell Points

Expertise

Choose two of your known skills. You gain a +2 to both of them. You must have already have spent points in these skills.

Song of Rest

With a bonus action, you can use soothing music or oration to help revitalize your wounded allies. Heal up to 3 targets within 2 tiles for 1d6+Mastery hit points twice per short rest.

Expert

Spell Points II

+4 Spell Points

Suggestion

Gain +2 to the persuasion skill.

Countercharm

As a Bonus Action you can start a performance to ward against the charms of others. During that time, you and up to 3 targets within 4 tiles of you have +2 Wisdom saving throws for 3 turns and removes the "Dominated", “Charmed”, or “Frightened” condition. This uses one point of Bardic Inspiration.

Upcasting

As a free action and for 1 SP, you are able to Upcast Damaging Cantrips, Novice, and Adept level spells for 40% spell potency.

Master

Spell Points III

+8 Spell Points

Bardic Versatility

Your versatile nature allows you to change focus in your magic. You may add to your spell list one novice or adept level spell, and one cantrip from any other class.

Superior Inspiration

Gain one Bardic Inspiration dice

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Non-Combative Perks

Armor Proficiency

You can use light armor.

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Spell List

Novice

Bane
Charm Creature
Cure Wounds
Dissonant Whispers
Heroism
Tasha's Hideous Laughter
Healing Word
Calm Emotions
Lesser Vigor

Adept

Shatter
Motivational Speech
Knock
Slow
Fear
Dispel Magic

Expert

Mass Cure Wounds
Synaptic Static
Dominate Creature

Master

Power Word: Heal

Cantrips

Booming Blade
Mage Hand
Thunderclap
Vicious Mockery
True Strike

Fluff

Dancing Lights
Light
Mage Hand
Mending
Minor Illusion
Prestidigitation
Plant Growth

Rituals

Novice
Detect Magic
Identify
Illusory Script
Comprehend Languages
Leomund's Tiny Hut
Magic Mouth

Adept
Feather Fall
Sending
Major Image

Expert
Dream
Legend Lore
Geas
Glyph of Warding

Master
Project Image
Skywrite
Hallucinatory Terrain
Master’s Domain