Fighter Bard
Preface
This class wasn't made for a normal Dungeons & Dragons campaign but to be used in a Monster Hunter setting with the hunting rules Amellwind has established. Be sure to check out his content on Patreon here.
- It should be noted that the basic difference from a bard is that a Fighter Bard does not use any magic at all.
- You can find the original creator of the image below here on Twitter.
Description
A talented person born with the ability to entertain others with his artistic skills. But he is not an ordinary bard at all, because in case of trouble he has no issue when deciding to hit his enemy's head with a musical instrument. His purpose is to crush his foes with his strength and to inspire his companions with his arts.
Balance
Every Fighter Bard knows that a balance between artistic and fighting capabilities shouldn't be neglected. After all, you can't be a Bard if you don't exercise your artistic skills, and you can't be a Fighter if you don't know how to engage an enemy correctly. That's why being a Fighter Bard is hard for most people: If you need ten thousand hours to excel in something, being good at two things at once is even harder.
Creating a Fighter Bard
As you are creating a Fighter Bard, keep in mind the rule of the five Ws regarding your character's background: Who he is, What he can do, When did he learn it, Where did he learn it and Why did he learn it. Most Fighter Bards endured some kind of physical and combat training while exercising on a particular instrument. Always remember that you're not just a Fighter or a Bard, you're both.
Fighter Bard
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Bardic Inspiration (d6), Fighting Style |
| 2nd | +2 | Action Surge (1), Agile |
| 3rd | +2 | Combat Inspiration |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack (+1) |
| 6th | +3 | Bardic Inspiration (d8) |
| 7th | +3 | Remarkable Athlete |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9th | +4 | Indomitable (1/day) |
| 10th | +4 | Font of Inspiration |
| 11th | +4 | Extra Attack (+2) |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement Bardic Inspiration (d10) |
| 13th | +5 | Indomitable (2/day) |
| 14th | +5 | Peerless Skill |
| 15th | +5 | Improved Critical |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | Action Surge (2), Indomitable (3/day) |
| 18th | +6 | Superior Critical Bardic Inspiration (d12) |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | Superior Inspiration, Extra Attack (+3) |
Class Features
As a Fighter Bard, you gain the following class features
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per Fighter Bard level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Fighter Bard level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: All armor, no shields
- Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
- Tools: Three musical instruments of your choice
- Saving Throws: Strength, Charisma
- Skills: Choose three skills between Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Deception, History, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, Performance, and Survival.
Bardic Inspiration
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. The die becomes a d8 at 6th level, a d10 at 12th level, and a d12 at 18th level.
Fighting Style
You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Great Weapon Fighting
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Action Surge
Starting at 2nd level, you can push yourself beyond your normal limits for a moment. On your turn, you can take one additional action.
Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. Starting at 17th level, you can use it twice before a rest, but only once on the same turn.
Agile
When you reach 2nd level, you can choose one Dexterity or Charisma-based skill and gain its proficiency
Combat Inspiration
Also at the 3rd level, you learn to inspire others in battle. A creature that has a Bardic Inspiration die from you can roll that die and add the number rolled to a weapon damage roll it just made. Alternatively, when an attack roll is made against the creature, it can use its reaction to roll the Bardic Inspiration die and add the number rolled to its AC against that attack, after seeing the roll but before knowing whether it hits or misses.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach the 4th level, and again at 8th,12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
The number of attacks increases to three when you reach the 11th level in this class and to four when you reach the 20th level in this class.
Remarkable Athlete
Starting at 7th level, you can add half your proficiency bonus (round up) to any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check you make that doesn’t already use your proficiency bonus.
In addition, when you make a running long jump, the distance you can cover increases by a number of feet equal to your Strength modifier.
Indomitable
Beginning at 9th level, you can reroll a saving throw that you fail. If you do so, you must use the new roll, and you can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
You can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 13th level and three times between long rests starting at 17th level.
Font of Inspiration
Beginning when you reach the 10th level, you regain all of your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you finish a short or long rest.
Peerless Skill
Starting at 14th level, when you make an ability check, you can expend one use of Bardic Inspiration. Roll a Bardic Inspiration die and add the number rolled to your ability check. You can choose to do so after you roll the die for the ability check, but before the DM tells you whether you succeed or fail.
Improved Critical
When you reach 15th level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
Superior Critical
Starting at 18th level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 18–20.
Superior Inspiration
At 20th level, when you roll initiative and have no uses of Bardic Inspiration left, you regain one use.