Alternative Bard Spells
Bard Spell Tables
This document covers the alternative spell tables that can be used with the bard class. There are a core 5 songs that increase in power as the Bard levels up these are Heroism, Sleep, Calm, Insult and Healing word. At each level the Bard gains an extra songs. This idea was a bit of fun for a short campaign I ran, and between level 5 and 6 the bard ended up learning another two songs after visiting the bard college. I haven't included them but the spells per level was pretty flexible for us.
As there are no spell slots or spell points the bard in theory can play all their songs in every combat round. We made it so the bard never really got involved in the fight directly and instead acted almost as the command/moral booster. The bard in our campaign was not a fighter at all but had a tactical mind (due to reading many epics) and normally stayed behind the fighters and direct them to attack. This playstyle worked really well for our party so might help you understand how we used these tables.
The two apprendices have a list of curses for the curse spell and some magic items we put in the game for the bard.
Just to note
When we play dnd we are very fluid with the rules so this idea doesn't really fit within the actual rules. As such it'll probably annoy rules lawyers so just beware of that.
Of course, as always feel free to steal ideas that you like and ignore bits you don't! Most importantly have fun!
NOTES All spells have a RANGE equal to how far the sound can travel. Or how loud the bard is! DM's use your discretion.
COMPONENTS are not needed unless the bard as a character is reliant on their instrument, and cannot sing.
Where you see (Level) this indicates a number equal to your current level
As most songs need concentration to be played if anything happens to break concentration then the spell is broken
Core spells
| - | Song | Song Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Heroism | A Minute per Level | Up to (level) willing creatures are imbued with Bravery. Until the spell ends, the creatures are immune to being frightened and gains temporary hit points equal to your spellcasting ability modifier at the start of each of its turns. When the spell ends, the targets loses any remaining temporary hit points from this spell. |
| - | Sleep | Two Minutes per Level | This spell sends creatures into a magical slumber. Roll 5 + (level) d8; the total is how many hit points of creatures this spell can affect. Creatures within hearing range are affected in ascending order of their current hit points (ignoring unconscious creatures). Starting with the creature that has the lowest current hit points, each creature affected by this spell falls unconscious until the spell ends, the sleeper takes damage, or someone uses an action to shake or slap the sleeper awake. 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. Undead and creatures immune to being charmed aren't affected by this spell. |
| - | Healing Words | 1 Action | You call out words of restoration, up to (Level) creatures of your choice that you can see within range regain hit points equal to 1d4 + your spellcasting ability modifier. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs. |
| - | Insult | 1 Action | You unleash a string of insults 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 (per level) psychic damage and have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn. |
| - | Calm | 1 Minute | You attempt to suppress strong emotions in a group of people. Each humanoid within range must make a Charisma saving throw; a creature can choose to fail this saving throw if it wishes. If a creature fails its saving throw, choose one of the following two effects: You can suppress any effect causing a target to be charmed or frightened. When this spell ends, any suppressed effect resumes, provided that its duration has not expired in the meantime. Alternatively, you can make a target indifferent about creatures of your choice that it is hostile toward. This indifference ends if the target is attacked or harmed by a spell or if it witnesses any of its friends being harmed. When the spell ends, the creature becomes hostile again, unless the GM rules otherwise. |
1st Level Additional Spells
| - | Song | Song Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Deafening Rebuke | 1 Reaction in response to being damaged by a creature within range, whom you can see. | You scream at the creature that damaged you. The creature must make a Dex saving throw, and take 1d10 (per level) psychic damage, or half as much damage on a successful one. |
2nd Level Additional Spells
| - | Song | Song Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Invisibility | Concentration, up to 1 hour | Up to (level) creatures become invisible until the spell ends. Anything the target is wearing or carrying is invisible as long as it is on the target's person. The spell ends for a target that attacks or casts a spell. |
3rd Level Additional Spells
| - | Song | Song Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Karawane | Concentration, up to 1 minute per level | You project a phantasmal image of a creature's worst fears. Each creature within range must take a Wisdom saving throw or drop whatever it is holding and become frightened for the duration. While frightened by this spell, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from you by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. On a successful saving throw the creature becomes confused and has disadvantage on its next action. |
4th Level Additional Spells
| - | Song | Song Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Freedom of Movement | Concentration, up to 1 hour | Up to (level) creatures are able to move without being affected by difficult terrain, and spells and other magical effects can neither reduce the target's speed nor cause the target to be paralyzed or restrained. The target can also spend 5 feet of movement to automatically escape from nonmagical restraints, such as manacles or a creature that has it grappled. Finally, being underwater imposes no penalties on the target's movement or attacks. |
5th Level Additional Spells
| - | Song | Song Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Battle of the Wills | Concentration, up to 1 minute per level | Choose a creature that you can see within range. The target and caster engage in a wisdom contest. If the target fails it is paralysed for the duration. At the end of each of its turns, the target can engage in another wisdom contest. On a success by the target, it is no longer paralysed and the caster is at disadvantage on its next action. THe caster can break concentration unparalysing the target with no adverse effects. |
6th Level Additional Spells
| - | Song | Song Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | See True | Concentration, up to 1 hour | Up to (level) creatures within range gain truesight for the duration of the song. They can notice secret doors hidden by magic and see into the Ethereal plane to a range of 120ft. |
7th Level Additional Spells
| - | Song | Song Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Curse | 1 minute | Up to (level) creatures within range are cursed (see appendix a) until they are able to repeat the tune of the song that cursed them. This passes the curse onto the nearest creature within hearing range unless dispelled. |
8th Level Additional Spells
| - | Song | Song Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Taken aback | 1 action | You speak a word so powerful that it stuns the mind of one creature you see within range, leaving it dumbfounded and stunned for 1d4 (per level) turns.The stunned target may make a consitution saving throw at the end of it's turn. On a successful save, this stunning effect ends, on a fail the stunning effect lasts for another 1d4 turns. |
9th Level Additional Spells
| - | Song | Song Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Dominate Monster | Concentration, up to 1 hour | You attempt to beguile a creature that you can see within range. It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for the duration. If you or creatures that are friendly to you are fighting it, it has advantage on the saving throw. While the creature is charmed, you have a telepathic link with it as long as the two of you are on the same plane of existence. You can use this telepathic link to issue commands to the creature while you are conscious (no action required), which it does its best to obey. You can specify a simple and general course of action, such as "Attack that creature," "Run over there," or "Fetch that object." If the creature completes the order and doesn't receive further direction from you, it defends and preserves itself to the best of its ability. You can use your action to take total and precise control of the target. Until the end of your next turn, the creature takes only the actions you choose, and doesn't do anything that you don't allow it to do. During this time, you can also cause the creature to use a reaction, but this requires you to use your own reaction as well. Each time the target takes damage, it makes a new Wisdom saving throw against the spell. If the saving throw succeeds, the spell ends. |
10th Level Additional Spells
| - | Song | Song Duration | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Death Word | 1 action | 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. If it has more than 100 hit points you may take damage up to the number of excess hit points and the creature will die instantly. |
Appendix A-Curses
| Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | The cursed must get proper permission before entering any domicile, or recive 1d6 fire damage |
| 2 | Any food the cursed attempts to consume instantly rots |
| 3 | The cursed rolls at disadvantage on all saving throws |
| 4 | Healing is only half as effective. |
| 5 | The cursed has an ear infection. It is a mild annoyance until it gets wet or is raining. If this happens the cursed operates at -5 until they are dry again. |
| 6 | The cursed cannot speak |
| 7 | The cursed becomes allergic to metal and must remove any metal objects on thier skin. Any attacks done with a metal item roll an extra 1d4 damage. |
| 8 | The cursed becomes very unlucky and rolls at a disadvantage. |
| 9 | Everyone who meets the cursed seems to recall hearing stories about them. These stories paint the picture of an unreliable, cruel, and evil person. |
| 10 | The cursed suffers horrific nightmares and any long rest only counts as a short rest and any short rest does not count as a rest. |
| 11 | Animals despise the cursed and attack them on sight |
| 12 | The cursed blood boils making them angry and any injury to the cursed that results in bleeding deals and extra 1d6 damage. |
| 13 | The cursed's existence is an afront to most living things and will be attacked first in combat |
| 14 | The cursed looses a finger. The finger rots and grows into a small plant. Any damage to the plant causes damage to the cursed. |
| 15 | The cursed is marked for death and cannot naturally heal |
| 16 | The cursed sleeps for 16 hours each day, instead of 8, and if awoken the rest does not count as a long rest. |
| 17 | The cursed cannot benefit from critical hits and a roll of 1-3 is counted as a critical miss. |
| 18 | There will never be any lodging available in any town the cursed visits. |
| 19 | When sleeping the cursed body is paralysed and the cursed has a corporeal presence. It does not count as a rest.. |
| 20 | The cursed gains a crippling weakness against common dogs. A dog’s bite is so poison to them, that they must make a save versus poison or die. |
Appendix B-Useful Magical Items
| Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | A music box that can record a single song (spell) Once played the song loses power and must be recharged. |
| 2 | Dust of false image, dust that creates an illusion of the bard where it is thrown, lasts until it is is blown away |
| 3 | Luckstone, a stone that can be added to a ring or necklace that adds a +1 bonsu to ability checks and saving throws. |
| 4 | Instrument of great sound. Any spells the bard casts whilst using this instrument are louder and double the range. |
| 5 | Thinking cap, a cap that grants advantage to skills such as Arcana and history |
| 6 | Robes of performance, robes that give advantage to performance skil rolls. |
| 7 | Flute of the bird, a flute that mimics the call of birds and can be used to communicate in a limited way with birds |
| 8 | Strength stone, a stone that when worn can increase the creatures strength by 1 or can be added to an object to prevent it from breaking. |
| 9 | Backup golem, a tiny object that comes to life when the bard is performing, gives advantage on performance checks. |
| 10 | Everychanging map, an enchanted parchment that reveals the nearby area (think minimap) |