Bard College: College of Cards

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**Subclasses:** [Bard College: College Dropout](https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-L9Ma1lYN4BLGbNE09Dj), [Bard College: College of Cards](https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-LBNDbgPNRsp-cxDmlMJ), [Druid Circle: Circle of the Warden](https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-Lf6PJpqiQoqOVkD40Gh), [Sacred Oath: Oath of the Hearth](https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-LCBUZ63w2LW3X-Xrtyq)

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### Bard College: College of Cards

The College of Cards deals out bards who are more confident in their shuffling abilities than their lute-playing. These bards, called sharps, are experts at games of chance and skill, and can wield decks of cards as weapons, flinging them like daggers to generate magical effects.

Sharps are often found in casinos and taverns, hustling new players or performing intricate magic tricks for spare change. The less-reputable members of their profession give even the best sharps a bad name.

##### College of Cards Features

| Bard Level | Feature |
|:---:|:---------------|
| 3rd | Bonus Proficiencies, Ante Up, Beginner's Luck |
| 6th | Dealer's Choice, Opening Gambit |
| 14th | All or Nothing, Up Your Sleeve |

#### Bonus Proficiencies

When you join the College of Cards at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Sleight of Hand skill, with playing cards, and with two other types of gaming set.

#### Ante Up

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to transform any normal, nonmagical deck of playing cards (or Three-Dragon Ante set, or any other set of cards) into a special set of playing cards called a Trick Deck. This ceremony takes 1 hour and consists of folding, painting, and shuffling the cards while imbuing them with arcane energy.

The Trick Deck is a ranged weapon with the ammunition, finesse, and thrown (range 20/60) properties, and a weight of 1. It comprises 48 cards in 4 suits. You can use it as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells. When you attack with your Trick Deck, you can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls. Additionally, when you recover your ammunition after a battle, you can recover all of your expended ammunition instead of half, unless it has been otherwise destroyed.

| Playing Card | Trick Card |
|:---:|:---:|
| Ace | 1 |
| 2–10 | 2–10 |
| Jack | Once (11) |
| Queen | Dod (12) |

____
Cards flung from the Trick Deck deal 2d4 damage on a hit. Choose one of the d4s. The number rolled on that die determines the attack's damage type, as shown below. This damage is magical.

| d4 | Suit | Trick Suit | Damage Type |
|:---:|:---|:---|:---|
| 1 | Clubs | Keys | Psychic |
| 2 | Diamonds | Lanterns | Fire |
| 3 | Hearts | Owls | Cold |
| 4 | Spades | Bells | Thunder |

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#### Beginner's Luck

Also at 3rd level, you learn how to use your Trick Deck to conjure powerful magical effects.

Whenever you hit a creature with your Trick Deck on your turn, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the Trick Deck to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. The number rolled on the die also determines the attack's magical effect, as shown below.

| Result | Effect | 
|:---:|:---|
| 1 | You regain hit points equal to the damage dealt by the attack. |
| 2 | The attack ignores resistance and immunity to damage of its type. |
| 3 | The target must make a Dexterity saving throw or drop everything it's holding. |
| 4 | All creatures within 5 feet of the target take 4 damage of the attack's type. |
| 5 | The target must make a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the end of its next turn. |
| 6 | The target has disadvantage on attack rolls it makes against creatures other than you until the end of its next turn. |
| 7 | The target must make a Strength saving throw or fall prone. |
| 8 | All creatures within 5 feet of the target take 8 damage of the attack's type. |
| 9 | The target must make a Constitution saving throw or become blinded until the end of its next turn. |
| 10 | The target's speed is reduced to 0 until the end of its next turn.  |
| 11 | The target must make an Intelligence saving throw or become stunned until the end of its next turn. |
| 12 | All creatures within 5 feet of the target take 12 damage of the attack's type. |

#### Dealer's Choice

At 6th level, you learn to deftly manipulate your Trick Deck and better control the magic it creates. Whenever you use your Beginner's Luck feature, you can roll the Bardic Inspiration die twice and choose which of the dice to use.

#### Opening Gambit

Also at 6th level, you gain the ability to  
alter probability in your favor. Whenever  
a creature within 30 feet of you that you  
can see makes an ability check, attack  
roll, or saving throw, if you aren't  
incapacitated, you can use one of  
the following Opening Gambit  
options of your choice. Once  
you use this feature, you can't  
use it again until you finish  
a short or long rest.

<div class='footnote'><span style="font-variant: small-caps;">By Jonas Tintenseher</span></div>

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> ##### Art Credits
> *Tymora's Luck* by Ryan Pancost. Used in good faith.  
> *Complete Scoundrel* by William O'Connor. Used in good faith.  
> Watercolor stains by [flammableconcrete](https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-L4Yt8ZSxmhwqt--yNRT).

***Evens.*** If the d20 roll is even, you may use your reaction to move up to your speed.

***High Roll.*** If the d20 roll is 11 or higher, you may use your reaction to gain temporary hit points equal to the number rolled on the die.

***Lowball.*** If the d20 roll is 10 or lower, you may use your reaction to regain one expended spell slot. The slot's level may be no more than half the number rolled on the die (minimum 1).

***Odds.*** If the d20 roll is odd, you may use your reaction to cast a cantrip you know.

***Shuffle.*** Make a Dexterity check. If the result is higher than the d20 roll, you may use your reaction to swap places with the creature.

#### All or Nothing

At 14th level, you work out how to maximize the effectiveness of your dealings with fate. Whenever you make an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, you can expend a use of your Bardic Inspiration. You can choose to do so after you roll the die, but before the outcome is determined. Roll the die and choose which of the dice is used for the ability check, attack roll, or saving throw.

#### Up Your Sleeve

Also at 14th level, you learn to trick your own Trick Deck. When you finish a long rest, name three cards from your Trick Deck and record their suits and values. Whenever you make an attack with your Trick Deck, you can choose to use one of these sleeve cards for the attack instead of rolling for the suit and expending a Bardic Inspiration die for the value.

Each sleeve card can be used only once, but you can name the same card multiple times. When you finish a long rest, you lose any unused sleeve cards.

<div class='footnote'><span style="font-variant: small-caps;">By Jonas Tintenseher</span></div>