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Bard

Class

Primary Ability Charisma

Hit Die d8 per Bard level

Saving Throws Dexterity, Charisma

Proficiencies Light Armor, Simple Weapons

Skills Choose any 3 skills

Skills Three musical instruments of your choice

Spellcasting Ability Charisma

Starting Equipment (a) Leather Armor, 2 Daggers, Musical Instrument of your choice, Entertainer’s Pack, and 19 GP; or (b) 90 GP

Subclasses College of Lore, College of Masks

Class Features

LVL 1Bardic Inspiration

You can supernaturally inspire others through words, music, or dance. This inspiration is repre- sented by your Bardic Inspiration die, which is a d6. Using Bardic Inspiration. As a Bonus Action, you can inspire another creature within 60 feet of your- self who can see or hear you. That creature gains one of your Bardic Inspiration dice. A creature can have only one Bardic Inspiration die at a time. Once within the next hour when the creature fails a D20 Test, the creature can roll the Bardic Inspira- tion die and add the number rolled to the d20, po- tentially turning the failure into a success. A Bardic Inspiration die is expended when it's rolled. Number of Uses. You can confer a Bardic Inspira- tion die a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all ex- pended uses when you finish a Long Rest. At Higher Levels. Your Bardic Inspiration die changes when you reach certain Bard levels, as shown in the Bardic Die column of the Bard Fea- tures table. The die becomes a d8 at level 5, a d10 at level 10, and a d12 at level 15.

LVL 1Spellcasting

You have learned to cast spells through your bardic arts. See "Spells" for the rules on spellcasting. The information below details how you use those rules with Bard spells, which appear in the Bard spell list later in the class's description. Cantrips. You know two cantrips of your choice from the Bard spell list. and are recommended. Whenever you gain a Bard level, you can replace one of your cantrips with another cantrip of your choice from the Bard spell list. When you reach Bard levels 4 and 10, you learn another cantrip of your choice from the Bard spell list, as shown in the Cantrips column of the Bard Features table. Spell Slots. The Bard Features table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your level 1+ spells. You regain all expended slots when you fin- ish a Long Rest. Prepared Spells of Level 1+. You prepare the list of level 1+ spells that are available for you to cast with this feature. To start, choose four level 1 spells from the Bard spell list. , , Dissonant Whispers, and are recommended. The number of spells on your list increases as you gain Bard levels, as shown in the Prepared Spells column of the Bard Features table. Whenever that number increases, choose additional spells from the Bard spell list until the number of spells on your list matches the number on the table. The chosen spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, if you're a level 3 Bard, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of levels 1 and 2 in any combination. If another Bard feature gives you spells that you always have prepared, those spells don't count against the number of spells you can prepare with this feature, but those spells otherwise count as Bard spells for you. Changing Your Prepared Spells. Whenever you gain a Bard level, you can replace one spell on your list with another Bard spell for which you have spell slots. Spellcasting Ability. Charisma is your spellcast- ing ability for your Bard spells. Spellcasting Focus. You can use a Musical Instru- ment as a Spellcasting Focus for your Bard spells.

LVL 2Expertise

You gain Expertise (see "Rules Glossary") in two of your skill proficiencies of your choice. Performance and Persuasion are recommended if you have profi- ciency in them. At Bard level 9, you gain Expertise in two more of your skill proficiencies of your choice.

LVL 2Jack of All Trades

You can add half your Proficiency Bonus (round down) to any ability check you make that uses a skill proficiency you lack and that doesn't otherwise use your Proficiency Bonus. For example, if you make a Strength (Athletics) check and lack Athletics proficiency, you can add half your Proficiency Bonus to the check.

LVL 3Bard Subclass

You gain a Bard subclass of your choice. A subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Bard levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass's features that are of your Bard level or lower.

LVL 4Ability Score Improvement

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat (see "Feats") or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. You gain this feature again at Bard levels 8, 12, and 16.

LVL 5Font of Inspiration

You now regain all your expended uses of Bardic In- spiration when you finish a Short or Long Rest. In addition, you can expend a spell slot (no action required) to regain one expended use of Bardic Inspiration.

LVL 6Bard Subclass

You gain a Bard subclass of your choice. A subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Bard levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass's features that are of your Bard level or lower.

LVL 7Countercharm

You can use musical notes or words of power to dis- rupt mind-influencing effects. If you or a creature within 30 feet of you fails a saving throw against an effect that applies the Charmed or Frightened con- dition, you can take a Reaction to cause the save to be rerolled, and the new roll has Advantage.

LVL 8Ability Score Improvement

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat (see "Feats") or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. You gain this feature again at Bard levels 8, 12, and 16.

LVL 9Expertise

You gain Expertise (see "Rules Glossary") in two of your skill proficiencies of your choice. Performance and Persuasion are recommended if you have profi- ciency in them. At Bard level 9, you gain Expertise in two more of your skill proficiencies of your choice.

LVL 10Magical Secrets

You've learned secrets from various magical tradi- tions. Whenever you reach a Bard level (including this level) and the Prepared Spells number in the Bard Features table increases, you can choose any of your new prepared spells from the Bard, Cleric, Druid, and Wizard spell lists, and the chosen spells count as Bard spells for you (see a class's section for its spell list). In addition, whenever you replace a spell prepared for this class, you can replace it with a spell from those lists.

LVL 12Ability Score Improvement

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat (see "Feats") or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. You gain this feature again at Bard levels 8, 12, and 16.

LVL 14Bard Subclass

You gain a Bard subclass of your choice. A subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Bard levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass's features that are of your Bard level or lower.

LVL 16Ability Score Improvement

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat (see "Feats") or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. You gain this feature again at Bard levels 8, 12, and 16.

LVL 18Superior Inspiration

When you roll Initiative, you regain expended uses of Bardic Inspiration until you have two if you have fewer than that.

LVL 19Epic Boon

You gain an Epic Boon feat (see "Feats") or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. Boon of Spell Recall is recommended.

LVL 20Words of Creation

You have mastered two of the Words of Creation: the words of life and death. You therefore always have the Power Word Heal and spells prepared. When you cast either spell, you can target a second creature with it if that creature is within 10 feet of the first target.

Subclass: College of Lore

Plumb the Depths of Magical Knowledge

Bards of the College of Lore collect spells and secrets from diverse sources, such as scholarly tomes, mystical rites, and peasant tales. The college's members gather in libraries and universities 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.

LVL 3Bonus Proficiencies

You gain proficiency with three skills of your choice.

LVL 3Cutting Words

You learn to use your wit to supernaturally distract, confuse, and otherwise sap the confidence and competence of others. When a creature that you can see within 60 feet of yourself makes a damage roll or succeeds on an ability check or attack roll, you can take a Reaction to expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration; roll your Bardic Inspiration die, and subtract the number rolled from the creature's roll, reducing the damage or potentially turning the success into a failure.

LVL 6Magical Discoveries

You learn two spells of your choice. These spells can come from the Cleric, Druid, or Wizard spell list or any combination thereof (see a class's section for its spell list). A spell you choose must be a cantrip or a spell for which you have spell slots, as shown in the Bard Features table. You always have the chosen spells prepared, and whenever you gain a Bard level, you can replace one of the spells with another spell that meets these requirements.

LVL 14Peerless Skill

When you make an ability check or attack roll and fail, you can expend one use of Bardic Inspiration; roll the Bardic Inspiration die, and add the number rolled to the d20, potentially turning a failure into a success. On a failure, the Bardic Inspiration isn't expended.

Subclass: College of MasksOriginal

Become Whoever the Story Needs

Bards of the College of Masks learn their craft in travelling theatres and masked festivals, where a face is just another costume. Each carries a set of masks, and each mask is a character with its own voice and manner. On the stage of the world, they slip from one role to the next, and few ever see the face beneath.

LVL 3Player's Kit

You gain proficiency with the Disguise Kit and in one of the following skills of your choice: Deception, Insight, or Performance. You always have the spell prepared, and you can cast it without expending a spell slot once per Long Rest.

LVL 3Mask of the Moment

As a Bonus Action, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to don one of the following masks. It lasts for 1 minute, until you have the Incapacitated condition, or until you don another mask. Mask of the Fool. Creatures have Disadvantage on Opportunity Attacks against you, and you can take the Disengage action as a Bonus Action. Mask of the Hero. When you hit a creature with an attack, you can roll your Bardic Inspiration die and add the number rolled to the damage. You can do so once per turn. Mask of the Villain. When a creature within 30 feet of you that can see you makes an attack roll against one of your allies, you can take a Reaction to roll your Bardic Inspiration die and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll.

LVL 6A Thousand Faces

Your masks hide more than your face. While wearing a mask from Mask of the Moment, you have Advantage on saving throws against being Charmed, and spells and other magic can't read your thoughts, determine whether you are lying, or reveal your true form unless you allow it.

LVL 14Final Act

When you don a mask with Mask of the Moment, you can choose to wear two masks at once, gaining the benefits of both. Once you do so, you can't do so again until you finish a Long Rest, unless you expend a level 5+ spell slot (no action required) to restore your use of it.

Source: System Reference Document 5.2 (CC-BY-4.0). Subclasses marked Original are from The Dragon's Lantern.

Dancing Lights

Evocation cantrip

Casting Time 1 action

Range 120 feet

Components V, S, M (A bit of phosphorus or wychwood, or a glowworm)

Duration Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create up to four torch-sized lights within range, making them appear as torches, lanterns, or glowing orbs that hover in the air for the duration. You can also combine the four lights into one glowing vaguely humanoid form of Medium size. Whichever form you choose, each light sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius.

As a bonus action on your turn, you can move the lights up to 60 feet to a new spot within range. A light must be within 20 feet of another light created by this spell, and a light winks out if it exceeds the spell's range.

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Vicious Mockery

Enchantment cantrip

Casting Time 1 action

Range 60 feet

Components V

Duration Instantaneous

You unleash a string of insults laced with subtle enchantments at a creature you can see within range. If the target can hear you (though it need not understand you), it must succeed on a wisdom saving throw or take 1d4 psychic damage and have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.

This spell's damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4).

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Charm Person

1st-level enchantment

Casting Time 1 action

Range 30 feet

Components V, S

Duration 1 hour

You attempt to charm a humanoid you can see within range. It must make a wisdom saving throw, and does so with advantage if you or your companions are fighting it. If it fails the saving throw, it is charmed by you until the spell ends or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it. The charmed creature regards you as a friendly acquaintance. When the spell ends, the creature knows it was charmed by you.

At Higher Levels

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st. The creatures must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them.

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Color Spray

1st-level illusion

Casting Time 1 action

Range Self

Components V, S, M (A pinch of powder or sand that is colored red, yellow, and blue)

Duration 1 round

A dazzling array of flashing, colored light springs from your hand. Roll 6d10; the total is how many hit points of creatures this spell can effect. Creatures in a 15-foot cone originating from you are affected in ascending order of their current hit points (ignoring unconscious creatures and creatures that can't see).

Starting with the creature that has the lowest current hit points, each creature affected by this spell is blinded until the spell ends. Subtract each creature's hit points from the total before moving on to the creature with the next lowest hit points. A creature's hit points must be equal to or less than the remaining total for that creature to be affected.

At Higher Levels

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, roll an additional 2d10 for each slot level above 1st.

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Healing Word

1st-level evocation

Casting Time 1 bonus action

Range 60 feet

Components V

Duration Instantaneous

A creature of your choice that you can see within range regains hit points equal to 1d4 + your spellcasting ability modifier. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs.

At Higher Levels

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d4 for each slot level above 1st.

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Power Word Kill

9th-level enchantment

Casting Time 1 action

Range 60 feet

Components V

Duration Instantaneous

You utter a word of power that can compel one creature you can see within range to die instantly. If the creature you choose has 100 hit points or fewer, it dies. Otherwise, the spell has no effect.

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Disguise Self

1st-level illusion

Casting Time 1 action

Range Self

Components V, S

Duration 1 hour

You make yourself--including your clothing, armor, weapons, and other belongings on your person--look different until the spell ends or until you use your action to dismiss it. You can seem 1 foot shorter or taller and can appear thin, fat, or in between. You can't change your body type, so you must adopt a form that has the same basic arrangement of limbs. Otherwise, the extent of the illusion is up to you.

The changes wrought by this spell fail to hold up to physical inspection. For example, if you use this spell to add a hat to your outfit, objects pass through the hat, and anyone who touches it would feel nothing or would feel your head and hair. If you use this spell to appear thinner than you are, the hand of someone who reaches out to touch you would bump into you while it was seemingly still in midair.

To discern that you are disguised, a creature can use its action to inspect your appearance and must succeed on an Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC.

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