A bard is a charismatic and versatile performer, weaving magic through the artistry of music, storytelling, and charm. Clad in colorful attire and armed with musical instruments, bards are masters of inspiration and manipulation. Their abilities extend beyond the realm of entertainment, allowing them to cast spells that mesmerize, heal, and befuddle. Bards are the heartbeat of a party, infusing allies with courage and confounding adversaries with their captivating performances.
Bard Gameplay
Bards are adept at blending magic and music, creating a unique blend of support and offensive capabilities. They can inspire their allies, providing bonuses to their abilities, and cast spells that manipulate the mind. Bards are not only performers but also skilled diplomats, infiltrators, and socialites. In combat, they can wield weapons with finesse or stay back, using their magical prowess to influence the flow of battle. Bards bring a harmonious balance to the party, offering a diverse set of skills that make them valuable in various situations.
Bard Roleplay
Roleplaying a bard involves embracing the life of an entertainer. Your character might have honed their skills through years of study at prestigious academies, or perhaps they learned their craft through the vibrant culture of street performance. As a bard, your connection to the arts and magic is paramount, shaping your character's personality and worldview.
Class Attributes
Each time you gain a Level in this class, you gain the following benefits.
- Your Maximum Hit Points increase by 5 + your Constitution modifier.
- Your Maximum Mana Points increase by 2 + your Charisma modifier.
- Your Maximum Might increases by 1.
- You gain 2 Proficiency Ranks to distribute among Skills, Equipment, Languages, or Magical Traditions of your choice.
Each time you gain an even numbered Level (2nd, 4th, 6th, etc.) in this class, you gain the following benefits.
- You gain 1 additional Proficiency Rank to distribute among Skills, Equipment, Languages, or Magical Traditions of your choice.
- You gain 1 Proficiency Rank in a Saving Throw of your choice.
- You increase an Ability Score of your choice by 1 | OR | Gain a Talent of your choice.
Class Progression
Class Features
As a bard, you gain the following class features.
Bardic Inspiration
Starting at 1st level, you can inspire others through stirring words or music. To do so, you use a bonus action on your turn to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear you. That creature gains one Bardic Inspiration die, a d6.
Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Bardic Inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Bardic Inspiration die at a time.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Your Bardic Inspiration die changes when you reach certain levels in this class.
Spellcasting
Also at 1st level, 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.
You'll need to familiarlize yourself with the
rules of spellcasting, and you can choose your spells from the
Bard Spell List.
Cantrips
At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the bard spell list. You learn additional bard cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Bard Class Progression table.
Spontaneous Spells of 1st Level and Higher
You can spontaneously cast any bard spell you know. The number of bard spells you know is equal to your Charisma modifier + your bard level. Whenever the number of spells you know increases as a result of your Charisma modifier or level increasing, you can learn an additional bard spell of your choice.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the bard spells you know and replace it with another spell from the bard spell list.
Maximum Spell Level
You cannot cast a spell that has a higher level than your maximum spell level. As a 1st level bard, you can only cast 1st level bard spells. Your maximum spell level increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Class Progression Table.
Spellcasting Ability
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your bard spells. Your magic comes from the heart and soul you pour into the performance of your music or oration. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a bard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
- Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
- Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spellcasting Focus
You can use a musical instrument as a spellcasting focus for Arcane or Occult spells.
Jack of All Trades
Starting at 2nd level, you can add half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check you make that doesn’t already include your proficiency bonus.
Song of Rest
Also at 2nd level, you can use soothing music or oration to help revitalize your wounded allies during a short rest. Make a DC 15 Charisma (Performance) check or Charisma (
Musical Instrument check. You or any friendly creatures who can hear your performance while taking a short rest can regain additional hit points equal to the amount by which your check's total exceeded the DC.
Bard Archetype
At 3rd level, you choose a bard archetype from the following options.
| Archetype | Description |
|---|
| Battle Bard |
A versatile warrior-poet, wielding both weaponry and magic while using their inspiring music to enhance allies and confound enemies in combat. |
| Heckler |
A mischievous and disruptive performer, using mockery, taunts, and humor to distract and hinder opponents in unconventional ways during battles. |
| Lore Seeker |
A knowledge-hungry scholar and storyteller, using their extensive learning and enchanting tales to manipulate reality and unravel mysteries. |
| Sonneteer |
A romantic and eloquent musician, weaving enchanting verses laced with magic to sway hearts, mend wounds, and shape emotions on the battlefield and beyond. |
Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
Maximum Spell Level Increase (2nd-Level Spells)
Also at 3rd level, you gain the ability to cast 2nd-level bard spells.
Expertise
At 4th level, choose two Skill Proficiencies in which you have at least 1 Rank. You gain 4 Ranks in each of the chosen proficiencies, and your Maximum Bonus for those proficiencies increases by 4.
Font of Inspiration
Beginning at 5th level, once per day when you finish a short rest, you regain all of your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration.
Maximum Spell Level Increase (3rd-Level Spells)
At 5th level, you gain the ability to cast 3rd-level bard spells.
Bardic Inspiration Improvement (d8)
Also at 5th level, your Bardic Inspiration die changes to a
d8 .
Bard Archetype Feature
At 6th level, you gain a feature granted by your chosen Bard archetype.
Maximum Spell Level Increase (4th-Level Spells)
At 7th level, you gain the ability to cast 4th-level bard spells.
Additional Expertise
At 8th level, choose another two Skill Proficiencies in which you have at least 1 Rank. You gain 4 Ranks in each of the chosen proficiencies, and your Maximum Bonus for those proficiencies increases by 4.
You cannot choose Proficiencies which have already been improved by this feature.
Magical Secrets (1 Spell)
Also at 8th level, you have plundered magical knowledge from a wide spectrum of disciplines. Choose a spell from any class, including this one. A spell you choose must be of a level you can cast, as shown on the Bard table, or a cantrip.
The chosen spell counts as a bard spell for you but doesn't count against your known spells.
Maximum Spell Level Increase (5th-Level Spells)
At 9th level, you gain the ability to cast 5th-level bard spells.
Bard Archetype Feature
At 10th level, you gain a feature granted by your chosen Bard archetype.
Bardic Inspiration Improvement (d10)
Also at 10th level, your Bardic Inspiration die changes to a
d10 .
Maximum Spell Level Increase (6th-Level Spells)
At 11th level, you gain the ability to cast 6th-level bard spells.
Magical Secrets Improvement (2 Spells)
At 12th level, you learn an additional spell from any class.
Maximum Spell Level Increase (7th-Level Spells)
At 13th level, you gain the ability to cast 7th-level bard spells.
Bard Archetype Feature
At 14th level, you gain a feature granted by your chosen Bard archetype.
Maximum Spell Level Increase (8th-Level Spells)
At 15th level, you gain the ability to cast 8th-level bard spells.
Magical Secrets Improvement (3 Spells)
At 15th level, you learn an additional spell from any class.
Bardic Inspiration Improvement (d12)
Also at 15th level, your Bardic Inspiration die changes to a
d12 .
Magical Secrets Improvement (4 Spells)
At 16th level, you learn two additional spells from any classes.
Maximum Spell Level Increase (9th-Level Spells)
At 17th level, you gain the ability to cast 9th-level bard spells.
Enduring Inspiration
At 18th level, as an action, you can spend 4 mana to regain an expended use of your Bardic Inspiration.
Magical Secrets Improvement (6 Spells)
At 19th level, you learn two additional spells from any classes.
Superior Inspiration
At 20th level, when you use your bonus action to grant a creature Bardic Inspiration, all other allies within 30 feet of you gain a Lesser Inspiration die, a
d4 . This die can be used once within the next 10 minutes, following the sames rules as your Bardic Inspiration.
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