The Bard Revised

The Bard Spell Slots per Spell Level

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	+2	Spellcasting, Bardic Inspiration (d4)	2	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+2	Magical Inspiration, Jack of All Trades, Song of Rest,	2	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	Bard College, Expertise	3	6	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement, Bardic Versatility	3	7	4	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	Bardic Inspiration (d6), Font of Inspiration, Song of Rest Improvement	3	8	4	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	+3	Bard College	3	9	4	3	3	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	+3	Morale Boost	4	10	4	3	3	1	—	—	—	—	—
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement, Bardic Versatility	4	11	4	3	3	2	—	—	—	—	—
9th	+4	Bardic Inspiration (d8)	4	12	4	3	3	3	1	—	—	—	—
10th	+4	Bard College, Expertise	4	13	4	3	3	3	2	—	—	—	—
11th	+4	Magical Secrets	4	14	4	3	3	3	2	1	—	—	—
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement, Bardic Versatility	4	14	4	3	3	3	2	1	—	—	—
13th	+5	Bardic Inspiration (d10)	5	15	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	—	—
14th	+5	Bard College	5	15	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	—	—
15th	+5	Magical Secrets	5	16	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	—
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement, Bardic Versatility	5	16	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	—
17th	+6	Bardic Inspiration (d12)	5	17	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	1
18th	+6	Bard College	5	17	4	3	3	3	3	1	1	1	1
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement, Bardic Versatility, Magical Secrets	5	18	4	3	3	3	3	2	1	1	1
20th	+6	Master of None	5	18	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	1	1

Original Source: Player's Handbook

Class Features

As a Bard, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Bard level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your
Constitution modifier per Bard level after 1st.

Proficiencies

Armor: Light Armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows,
longswords, rapiers, shortswords
Tools: Three musical instruments of your choice
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Choose any three

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the
equipment granted by your background:

(a) a rapier, (b) a longsword, or (c) any simple weapon
(a) a diplomat's pack or (b) an entertainer's pack
(a) a lute or (b) any other musical instrument ⁠
Leather armor and a dagger

Spellcasting

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.

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 table.

Spell Slots

The Bard table shows how many spell slots you have
to cast your Bard spells of 1st level and higher. To cast
one of these Bard spells, you must expend a slot of
the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell
slots when you finish a long rest.

For example, if you know the 1st-level spell Cure
Wounds and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot
available, you can cast Cure Wounds using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the
Bard spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Bard table shows
when you learn more Bard spells of your choice. Each
of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell
slots. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class,
you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

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, which also
must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your Bard
spells, since the power of your magic relies on your ability
to project your will into the world. 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

Spell attack modifier

Ritual Casting

You can cast any bard spell you know as a ritual if that
spell has the ritual tag.

Spellcasting Arcane Focus

You can use a musical instrument (found in chapter 5) as
a spellcasting focus for your bard spells.

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
d4.

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 twice
your proficiency bonus. 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 d6 at 5th
level, a d8 at 9th level, a d10 at 13th level and a d12 at
17th level.

Magical Inspiration

At 2nd level, while a creature has a Bardic Inspiration die
from you and casts a spell that heal with dice or deals
damage with dice, the creature can expend that Bardic
Inspiration die and gain additional healing or damage per
die when you reach certain levels in this class. At bard
level 2, the caster adds 1 to each die, at bard level 9 the
caster adds 2 to each die, at bard level 17 the caster adds
3 to each die, and at bard level 20 the caster adds 4 to
each die.

In addition, when the bard expends a use of Bardic
Inspiration, the bard gain temporary hit points equal to
half its Bard level (rounded down) + Charisma
modifier. If the Bard uses a Bard ability or Bard College
ability that provides itself with temporary hit points with
uses of Bardic Inspiration, increase those temporary hit
points by the amount they would have gotten from this
feature.

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

Beginning at 2nd level, you can use soothing music or
oration to help revitalize your wounded allies during a
short rest. If you or any friendly creatures who can hear
your performance regain hit points at the end of the short
rest by spending Hit Dice, each of those creatures regains
additional hit points per Hit Dice spent when you reach
certain levels in this class. At level 2, the creature rolling
Hit Dice adds 1 to each die, at level 9 adds 2 to each die, at
level 17 adds 3 to each die, and at level 20 adds 4 to each
die.

In addition, at 5th level, when the bard uses the above
Song of Rest feature, when you finish the short rest,
choose a number of other creatures of your choice equal
to your proficiency bonus and make a Charisma
(Performance) check to help the chosen creatures relax
and rest. The chosen creatures recover 1 level of
exhaustion, depending on their level of exhaustion, and
the result of the Performance check. The higher the level
of exhaustion, the higher the DC of the Performance
check required to succeed.

Song of Rest Performance Table

Exhaustion level	Performance Check DC
0*	5
1	10
2	15
3	20
4	25
5	30
* Applies to Berserkers

Bard Colleges

At 3rd level, you delve into the advanced techniques of a
bard college of your choice. Your choice grants you
features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, 14th and 18th
level. You pick from Creation, Eloquence, Glamour, Lore,
Spirits, Swords, Valor, and Whispers Colleges.

Expertise

At 3rd level, choose two of your skill proficiencies. Your
proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you
make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.

At 10th level, you can choose another two skill
proficiencies to gain this benefit.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 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.

Bardic Versatility

Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the
Ability Score Improvement feature, you can do one of the
following, representing a change in focus as you use your
skills and magic:

Replace one of the skills you chose for the Expertise
feature with one of your other skill proficiencies that isn't
benefiting from Expertise.

Replace one cantrip you learned from this class's
Spellcasting feature with another cantrip from the bard
spell list.

Font of Inspiration

Beginning when you reach 5th level, you gain a number of
additional Bardic Inspiration uses equal to your Charisma
modifier.

When you take a short rest, you regain a number of
Bardic inspirations uses equal to your Charisma Modifier,
up to a maximum of twice your Proficiency bonus + your
Charisma modifier.

In addition, creature now hold onto your Bardic
Inspiration for up to an hour instead of 10 minutes.

Morale Boost

At 7th level, while other creatures have Bardic inspiration,
they have advantage on saving throws against being
Frightened, Charmed, Paralyzed, and Stunned conditions
as well as Death saving throws.

If an ally spends the Bardic Inspiration Die to save against
one of these condition or death saving throw (Still gaining
advantage for that particular roll), add the Bard's
Charisma modifier to the result.

Magical Secrets

By 11th level, you have plundered magical knowledge
from a wide spectrum of disciplines. Choose three spells
from any classes, 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 spells count as bard spells
for you.

You learn three additional spells from any classes at 15th
level and again at 19th level.

Master of None

At 20th level, your talent knows no bounds. Your
proficiency bonus increases by 2, to a +8.

In addition, you regain all your Bardic Inspiration uses on
a short rest instead of just your Charisma modifier.

Furthermore, when you finish a long rest, you may swap
out a skill you chose for your Expertise feature with one of
your other skill proficiencies that isn't benefiting from
Expertise.

Bard Colleges

Bard College Table

Bard College	Original Source
Creation	Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
Eloquence	Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
Glamour	Xanathar's Guide to Everything
Lore	Player's Handbook
Spirits	Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft
Swords	Xanathar's Guide of Everything
Valor	Player's Handbook
Whispers	Xanathar's Guide to Everything

College of Creation

Bards believe the cosmos is a work of art - the creation of
the first dragons and gods. That creative work included
harmonies that continue to resound through existence
today, a power known as the Song of Creation. The bards
of the College of Creation draw on that primeval song
through dance, music, and poetry, and their teachers
share this lesson: "Before the sun and the moon, there
was the Song, and its music awoke the first dawn. Its
melodies so delighted the stones and trees that some of
them gained a voice of their own. And now they sing too.
Learn the Song, students, and you too can teach the
mountains to sing and dance."

Dwarves and gnomes often encourage their bards to
become students of the Song of Creation. And among
dragonborn, the Song of Creation is revered, for legends
portray Bahamut and Tiamat-the greatest of dragons -as
two of the song's first singers.

Original Source: Tasha's Cauldron of Everything

Mote of Potential

When you join the College of Creation at 3rd level,
whenever you give a creature a Bardic Inspiration die, you
can utter a note from the Song of Creation to create a
Tiny mote of potential, which orbits within 5 feet of that
creature. The mote is intangible and invulnerable, and it
lasts until the Bardic Inspiration die is lost. The mote looks
like a musical note, a star, a flower, or another symbol of
art or life that you choose.

When the creature uses the Bardic Inspiration die, the
mote provides an additional effect based on whether the
die benefits an ability check, an attack roll, or a saving
throw, as detailed below:

Ability Check: When the creature rolls the Bardic Inspiration die to add it to an ability check, the creature can roll the Bardic Inspiration die again and choose which roll to use, as the mote pops and emits colorful, harmless sparks for a moment.
Attack Roll: Immediately after the creature rolls the Bardic Inspiration die to add it to an attack roll against a target, the mote thunderously shatters. The target and each creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or take thunder damage equal to the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die plus your Charisma modifier.
Saving Throw: Immediately after the creature rolls the Bardic Inspiration die and adds it to a saving throw, the mote vanishes with the sound of soft music, causing the creature to gain temporary hit points equal to the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die plus your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1 temporary hit point).

Performance of Creation

Also at 3rd level, as an action, you can channel the magic
of the Song of Creation to create one nonmagical object
of your choice in an unoccupied space within 10 feet of
you. The object must appear on a surface or in a liquid
that can support it. The gp value of the object can't be
more than 20 times your bard level, and the object must
be Medium or smaller. The object glimmers softly, and a
creature can faintly hear music when touching it. The
created object disappears after a number of hours equal
to your proficiency bonus. For examples of objects you
can create, see the equipment chapter of the Player's
Handbook.

Once you create an objects with this feature, you can't do
so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a
spell slot of 2nd level or higher to use this feature again.
You can have only one object created by this feature at a
time; if you use this action and already have an object
from this feature, the first one immediately vanishes.

The size of the object you can create with this feature
increases by one size category when you reach 6th level
(Large) and 14th level (Huge).

Constructive Recital

By 6th level, as an action, you can target a Large or
smaller nonmagical object you can see within 30 feet of
you and animate it. The animate object uses the Dancing
Object stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB),
The object is friendly to you and your companions and
obeys your commands. It lives for 1 hour, until it is
reduced to 0 hit points, or until you die.

In combat, the object shares your initiative count, but it
takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and
use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on
its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus
action on your turn to command it to take another action.
That action can be one in its stat block or some other
action. If you are incapacitated, the object can take any
action of its choice, not just Dodge.

When you use your Bardic Inspiration feature, you can
command the object as part of the same bonus action
you use for Bardic Inspiration.

Once you animate an object with this feature, you can't do
so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a
spell slot of 3rd level or higher to use this feature again.
You can have only one object animated by this feature at
a time; if you use this action and already have a dancing
object from this feature, the first one immediately
becomes inanimate.

Mote of Inspiration

At 10th level, your Mote of Potential feature improves in
the following ways:

Ability Check: In addition, add the bard's Charisma modifier to any use of Bardic Inspiration on Ability Checks.
Attack Roll: In addition, add the bard's level to the thunder damage done to the initial target.
Saving Throws: In addition, add half the bard's level to the temporary hit points gained.

Animating Performance

At 14th level, you learn the Animate Objects spell, this
does not count against the number of Bard spells known.

Also, as an action, you can target a Huge nonmagical
object you can see within 60 feet of you and animate it.
The animate object uses the Greater Dancing Object stat
block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB), The object
is friendly to you and your companions and obeys your
commands. It lives for 1 hour, until it is reduced to 0 hit
points, or until you die.

In combat, the object shares your initiative count, but it
takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and
use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on
its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus
action on your turn to command it to take another action.
That action can be one in its stat block or some other
action. If you are incapacitated, the object can take any
action of its choice, not just Dodge.

When you use your Bardic Inspiration feature, you can
command the object as part of the same bonus action
you use for Bardic Inspiration.

Once you animate an Greater Dancing Object with this
feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest,
unless you expend a spell slot of 4th level or higher to use
this feature again. You can have only one object animated
by this feature or Constructive Recital feature at a time; if
you use this action or the action from Constructive Recital
and already have a dancing object from this feature or
Constructive Recital, the first one immediately becomes
inanimate.

Dancing Object

Large or smaller construct

Armor Class: 12 + PB (natural armor)

Hit Points: 6 + 6 times Bard level

Speed: 30 ft, fly 30 ft (hover)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

Str 18 (+4) Dex 14 (+2) Con 16 (+3) Int 4 (-3) Wis 10 (+0) Cha 6 (-2)

Damage Immunities: Poison, Psychic

Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion,

Poisoned, Frightened

Senses Darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 10

Languages understands languages you speak

Proficiency Bonus (PB): equals your bonus

Traits

Immutable Form: The object is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Irrepressible Dance: When any creature starts its turn within 10 feet of the Dancing object, the Dancing Object can increase or decrease (your choice) the walking speed of that creature by 10 feet until the end of the turn, provided the Dancing object isn't incapacitated

Actions

Force-Empowered Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 10 ft., one target you can see. Hit: 1d10 + PB force damage.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
Str 18 (+4)	Dex 14 (+2)	Con 16 (+3)	Int 4 (-3)	Wis 10 (+0)	Cha 6 (-2)

Greater Dancing Object

Huge construct

Armor Class: 12 + PB (natural armor)

Hit Points: 10 + 10 times Bard level

Speed: 40 ft, fly 40 ft (hover)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

Str 22 (+6) Dex 12 (+1) Con 20 (+5) Int 4 (-3) Wis 12 (+1) Cha 8 (-1)

Damage Immunities: Poison, Psychic

Damage Resistances: Bludegoning, Piercing, or

Slashing damage from non-magical sources.

Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion,

Poisoned, Frightened

Senses Darkvision 120 ft, passive Perception 11

Languages understands languages you speak

Proficiency Bonus (PB): equals your bonus

Traits

Immutable Form: The object is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Irrepressible Dance: When any creature starts its turn within 15 feet of the Greater Dancing object, the Greater Dancing Object can increase or decrease (your choice) the walking speed of that creature by 15 feet until the end of the turn, provided the Greater Dancing Object isn't incapacitated

Actions

Multiattack: The Greater Dancing object can make 2 Force-Empowered Slam attacks with a single Action.

Force-Empowered Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 15 ft., one target you can see. Hit: 2d10 + PB force damage.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
Str 22 (+6)	Dex 12 (+1)	Con 20 (+5)	Int 4 (-3)	Wis 12 (+1)	Cha 8 (-1)

Creative Crescendo

At 18th level, when you use your Performance of Creation
feature, you can create more than one item at once. The
number of items equals your Proficiency bonus. If you
create an item that would exceed that number, you
choose which of the previously created items disappears.
Only one of these items can be of the maximum size you
can create; the rest must be Small or Tiny.

You are no longer limited by gp value when creating items
with Performance of Creation.

College of Eloquence

Adherents of the College of Eloquence master the art of
oratory. Persuasion is regarded as a high art, and a well-
reasoned, well-spoken argument often proves more
powerful than objective truth. These bards wield a blend
of logic and theatrical wordplay, winning over skeptics
and detractors with logical arguments, and plucking at
heartstrings to appeal to the emotions of entire
audiences.

Original Sources: Mythic Odysseys of Theros, Tasha's
Cauldron of Everything

Silver Tongue

Starting at 3rd level, you are a master at saying the right
thing at the right time. When you make a Charisma
(Persuasion) or Charisma (Deception) check, you can treat
a d20 roll of 7 or lower as an 8.

Unsettling Words

Also at 3rd level, you can spin words laced with magic that
unsettle a creature and cause it to doubt itself. As a bonus
action, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration
and choose one creature you can see within 60 feet of
you. Roll the Bardic Inspiration die. The creature must
subtract the number rolled from the next saving throw it
makes before the start of your next turn.

Magical Speech

Also at 6th level, you have gained the ability to make your
speech intelligible to any creature. As an action, choose
one or more creatures within 60 feet of you, up to a
number equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of
one creature). The chosen creatures can magically
understand you, regardless of the language you speak, for
1 hour.

Once you use this portion of this feature, you can't use it
again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a
spell slot to use it again.

Furthermore, you can throw your voice even through your
more difficult verbal activities. When you are casting bard
spells, you may ignore verbal and somatic components.
Casting a spell with casting time of a bonus action with
this feature may be used with the same bonus actions
that utilize your Bardic Inspiration. You may cast spells
without verbal and somatic components a number of
times per long rest equal to your Proficiency Bonus.

Reliable Inspiration

At 10th level, your inspiring words are so persuasive that
others feel driven to succeed. When a creature adds one
of your Bardic Inspiration dice to its ability checks, attack
roll, or saving throw, if the roll is below your Charisma
modifier, it becomes your Charisma modifier instead.
When a creature adds one of your Bardic Inspiration dice
to its ability check, attack roll, or saving throw and the roll
still fails, the creature can keep the Bardic Inspiration die.

In addition, when you use your Unsettling Words, when
you roll the Bardic Inspiration die, if the result rolled is
below your Charisma modifier, it becomes your Charisma
modifier instead.

Infectious Inspiration

At 14th level, when you successfully inspire someone, the
power of your eloquence can now spread to someone
else. When a creature within 60 feet of you adds one of
your Bardic Inspiration dice to its ability check, attack roll,
or saving throw and the roll succeeds, you can use your
reaction to encourage a different creature (other than
yourself) that can hear you within 60 feet of you, giving it
a Bardic Inspiration die without expending any of your
Bardic Inspiration uses.

You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your
Charisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all
expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Charming Magic

At 18th level, your charm is unrelenting. Any bard spell
you cast affecting creatures of your choice, must make a
Wisdom saving throw versus Bard spell save DC or be
Charmed by you for 1 minute. Creatures Immune to
Charmed condition do not gain any benefit from their
Immunity against your Charming magic or spells, but
gain advantage against the saving throw instead. If the
spell affecting the creatures applies the Charmed
condition on it's own, this feature instead applies
Disadvantage on the saving throw.

In addition, you become immune to the Charmed
Condition.

College of Glamour

The College of Glamour is the home of bards who
mastered their craft in the vibrant realm of the Feywild or
under the tutelage of someone who dwelled there.
Tutored by satyrs, eladrin, and other fey, these bards
learn to use their magic to delight and captivate others.

The bards of this college are regarded with a mixture of
awe and fear. Their performances are the stuff of legend.
These bards are so eloquent that a speech or song that
one of them performs can cause captors to release the
bard unharmed and can lull a furious dragon into
complacency. The same magic that allows them to quell
beasts can also bend minds. Villainous bards of this
college can leech off a community for weeks, abusing
their magic to turn their hosts into thralls. Heroic bards of
this college instead use this power to gladden the
downtrodden and undermine oppressors.

Original Source: Xanathar's Guide to Everything

Mantle of Inspiration

When you join the College of Glamour at 3rd level, you
gain the ability to weave a song of fey magic that imbues
your allies with vigor and speed.

As a bonus action, you can expend one use of your Bardic
Inspiration to grant yourself a wondrous appearance.
When you do so, choose a number of creatures you can
see and who can see you within 60 feet of you, up to a
number equal to your your Proficiency bonus. Each of
them gain your bard level + your Charisma Modifier in
temporary hit points. When a creature gains these

temporary hit points, it can immediately use its reaction
to move up to its speed, without provoking opportunity
attacks.

Enthralling Persona

Starting at 3rd level, you can charge your performance
with seductive, fey magic.

You learn the Friend's cantrip. If you already know this
cantrip, choose another from the bard list. You also learn
the Charm Person spell and can cast it once per long rest
without using a spell slot. If you already know this spell,
choose another enchantment spell from the 1st level bard
list. When you cast Friends, if you expend use of Bardic
Inspiration, it now can have new functionality.

You may cast Friends cantrip as a bonus action. You may also cast this as a bonus action with the same bonus action with other Bard abilities such as Bardic inspiration, or even your other Glamour feature from this College.
Casting Friends as a bonus action does not restrict which type of spells you may cast with your action.
You cast the spell without Verbal or Material Components
Friends no longer requires you to concentrate, but you may only have as many active Friend spells as your Charisma modifier.
You may attempt to use the spell on a hostile creature with a Charisma (Persuasion) check, DC 15 + the CR of the creature, or the level of the character you are casting it on..
At 5th level bard, when you cast the Friends spell and the spell ends, the creature is not automatically hostile towards you, and doesn't know you used magic to influence it's mood.
While creatures are affected by your Friends cantrip, those creatures have Disadvantage on saving throws against your bard spells and bard abiltiies that cause the Charmed condition

Your Friends Cantrip improves as you level up in the bard
class, regardless if you expend Bardic Inspiration. At 5th
level, the duration becomes 10 minutes. At 11th level the
Duration becomes an hour. And at 17th level, the
duration becomes 8 hours.

In addition, any creature that is affected by any spell or
effect you create that causes the Charmed condition no
long have any hint that you tried to affect them with
magic, regardless what the spell or ability says otherwise.

Mantle of Majesty

At 6th level, you gain the ability to cloak yourself in a fey
magic that makes others want to serve you. As a bonus
action, you may expend 2 uses of Bardic Inspiration and
you take on an appearance of unearthly beauty for
1 minute or until your concentration ends (as if you were
concentrating on a spell). With the same bonus action,
you may cast Command, without expending a spell slot,
and during this time, you can cast Command as a bonus
action on each of your turns, without expending a spell
slot.

Any creature charmed by you automatically fails its saving
throw against the Command you cast with this feature.

Dominating Persona

At 10th level, you learn the Dominate Person spell, not
counting towards your bard spells known, and
can cast it once per long rest without using a spell slot.
While a creature is affected by your Dominate Person
spell and also has your Bardic Inspiration, the dominating
creature keeps the Bardic Inspiration after using, so long
as they are still affected by Dominate Person. In addition,
while the creature affected by Dominate Person has
Bardic Inspiration, it adds half your bard level to all its
weapon damage.

Unbreakable Majesty

At 14th level, your appearance permanently gains an
otherworldly aspect that makes you look more lovely and
fierce.

In addition, as a bonus action, you expend 2 uses of
Bardic Inspiration and you can assume a magically
majestic presence for 1 minute or until you are
incapacitated. For the duration, whenever any creature
tries to attack you for the first time on a turn, the attacker
must make a Charisma saving throw against your spell
save DC. On a failed save, it can't attack you on this turn,
and it must choose a new target for its attack or the attack
is wasted. On a successful save, it can attack you on this
turn, but it has disadvantage on any saving throw it makes
against your spells on your next turn.

Monsterous Domination

At 18th level, even non-humanoid can't resist your allure.
You learn the Dominate Monster spell, not counting
towards your bard spells known, and can cast it once per
long rest without using a spell slot.- While a creature is
affected by your Dominate Monster spell and also has
your Bardic Inspiration, the dominating creature keeps
the Bardic Inspiration after using, so long as they are still
affected by Dominate Person. In addition, while the
creature affected by Dominate Person has Bardic
Inspiration, it adds your bard level to all its weapon
damage.

In addition, your Dominating Persona feature now add
your bard level instead of half your bard level to all its
weapon damage.

Furthermore, your Mantle of Majesty feature no longer
requires Concentration.

College of Lore

Bards of the College of Lore know something about most
things, collecting bits of knowledge from sources as
diverse as scholarly tomes and peasant tales. Whether
singing folk ballads in taverns or elaborate compositions
in royal courts, these bards use their gifts to hold
audiences spellbound. When the applause dies down, the
audience members might find themselves questioning
everything they held to be true, from their faith in the
priesthood of the local temple to their loyalty to the king.

The loyalty of these bards lies in the pursuit of beauty and
truth, not in fealty to a monarch or following the tenets of
a deity. A noble who keeps such a bard as a herald or
advisor knows that the bard would rather be honest than
politic.

The college's members gather in libraries and sometimes
in actual colleges, complete with classrooms and
dormitories, 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.

Original Source: Player's Handbook

Collection of Knowledge

When you join the College of Lore at 3rd level, you gain
proficiency with three skills of your choice. You also learn
3 of either Tool Proficiencies or Language Proficiencies, in
any combination of the 3 that you choose.

Cutting Words

Also at 3rd level, you learn how to use your wit to distract,
confuse, and otherwise sap the confidence and
competence of others. Once per turn, when a creature
that you can see within 60 feet of you makes an attack
roll, an ability check, or a damage roll, you can expend
one of your uses of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic
Inspiration die and subtracting the number rolled from
the creature's roll. You can choose to use this feature
after the creature makes its roll, but before the DM
determines whether the attack roll or ability check
succeeds or fails, or before the creature deals its damage.
The creature is immune if it can't hear you.

Cunning Magical Secrets

At 6th level, you learn three spells of your choice from any
class spell list. A spell you choose must be of a level you
can cast, as shown on the Bard table. The chosen spells
count as bard spells for you but don't count against the
number of bard spells you know.

In addition, you learn Vicious Mockery cantrip, or if you
already know that cantrip, another one of your choice
from any spell list. When you cast Vicious Mockery on a
creature and they fail their saving throw, they have
disadvantage on all attacks made, instead of the next
attack made, by the end of its next turn.

Furthermore, you may cast Vicious Mockery cantrip as a
Bonus action a number of times per day equal to your
Proficiency bonus. Casting Vicious Mockery with this
feature doesn't limit what type of spells you can cast with
your action. You may also still use Bardic Inspiration when
casting Vicious Mockery cantrip with the same bonus
action.

Legendary Knowledge

At 10th level, you learn the Legend Lore spell, and the
spell doesn't count against the number of bard spells you
know. In addition, you may cast Legend Lore at will,
provided you have the Material components necessary.

Furthermore, when you cast the Legend Lore spell, if the
thing isn't of legendary importance, you still learn some
obscure facts or trivia about it regardless. Repeated
castings of the spell targeting same person, place, or
object doesn't ever give you the same information twice,
but it will let you know if there isn't any additional
relevant information to ascertain.

Also with repeated castings, if the answers were shrouded
in riddles, you may make a Wisdom (Insight) check to gain
meaning behind the information given. You make 1
Insight check per casting and the DC is 30, but the DC
drops by 5 each times you cast Legend Lore on the same
topic.

Finally, you add your Charisma modifier to all
Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Nature,
Religion, and Survival ability checks you make.

Peerless Inspiration

Starting at 14th level, whenever a creature you can see
or hear uses your Bardic Inspiration on an ability check,
attack roll or saving throw, you may as a reaction
gain Bardic Inspiration for them doing so.

Conduit of Knowledge

At 18th level, you gain insight that other only dream of
knowing, choose one of the following benefits:

Beyond Foresight: Gain the Foresight spell and can cast it once per day without using a spell slot.
Forgotten Knowledge Your Jack of all Trades now adds half your proficiency to all skill and tools regardless if you already add proficiency to the skill or tool. In addition you learn all languages. Furthermore, you are under the effect of a Tongue's spell at all times.
Forbidden Fortitude Gain 30 current and maximum health. You also gain proficiency in Constitution saving throws. If you already proficient in Constitution saving throws, choose any other saving throw instead.
Heavenly Speed:
Divine Sight: You gain Blindsight out to 30 feet, Truesight out to 60 feet, and Darkvision out to 30 feet or increases by 30 feet. In addition, you may as an action also see into the Ethereal plane out to 30 feet, but your other senses are not available to you. You can turn this off whenever you want, no action required.

College of Spirits

Bards of the College of Spirits seek tales with inherent
power-be they legends, histories, or fictions-and bring
their subjects to life. Using occult trappings, these bards
conjure spiritual embodiments of powerful forces to
change the world once more. Such spirits are capricious,
though, and what a bard summons isn't always entirely
under their control.

Original Source: Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft

Deathly Inspiration

Starting at 3rd level, when you use Bardic Inspiration, you
may target a creature within 60 feet of you at 0 hit points.
That target creature remains at 0 hits points but is
stabilized. If you use your Bardic Inspiration on a creature
with 0 hit points, you may instead stabilize them and they
are healed for an amount equal to your Bardic Inspiration
Die + your Charisma modifier.

In addition, when a creature is dropped to 0 hit points
within 60 feet of you, you may use a reaction to inspire
a creature of your choice other than you within 30 feet of
the creature with 0 hit points that you can see or that can
hear you to give them Deathly Inspiration. They may gain
temporary hit points equal to half your bard level + your
Charisma modifier and these temporary hit points expire
after a minute. This inspiration works just like Bardic
Inspiration, but only lasts for 1 minute. A creature may
have Death's Inspiration and Bardic Inspiration at the
same time, but may only use one on any given d20 roll.

Furthermore, the dead can become conduits of your
strength, helping you channeling your abilities. When you
cast a spell, use bardic inspiration, or make a melee
weapon attack, you may do so from the space of a
creature that has been reduced to 0 hit points within 60
feet of you as if you were in that space. You can do this on
0 hit point creatures for an amount of time equal to 10
minutes times your Proficiency bonus.

Seance

Also at 3rd level, you contact spirits and they provide you
with supernatural insights. You can conduct a ritual when
you finish a long rest taking 10 minutes long. Until you
complete another long rest, or complete another Seance,
Seance gives you the following benefits

You learn additional insight into skills or tools you are proficient in. Choose a skill or Tool proficiency, and gain Expertise. In addition, if you roll a 1 on an ability check with said Tool or Skill proficiency, you may reroll it, using the rerolled result instead.
You temporarily learn spells of your choice from any spell list, which count as bard spells for you but don't count against the bard spells you know. You may learn a number of spells whose spell's level add up to your less than your equal to your proficiency bonus.
You learn much from the dead, that give you insight in how to avoid death. When you would be reduced to 0 hit points, you may instead choose to have 1 hit point instead. Once you use this feature you can't use it again until your finish a long rest.

In addition, while you are benefiting from a Seance, if you
give a creature a Death's Inspiration, you may change the
1 skill or tool proficiency you gained expertise with this
feature to a different skill you have proficiency with, and
you may change 1 spell you learned from the Seance with
a spell from any spell list equal to the same level as the
one you are swapping out.

Tales From Beyond

At 6th level, you reach out to spirits who tell their tales
through you. When you complete a Seance or when you
utilize your Deathly Inspiration feature, roll your Bardic
Inspiration die and consult the tale that corresponds to
the number below. One of the Spirits tells you this tale,
that live through you and allies who use your Bardic
Inspiration. Until you perform another Seance, or perform
a Deathly Inspiration feature, you hold onto this one Tale.
A creature may utilize your tale by expending your Bardic
Inspiration.

When you use your Deathly Inspiration feature, your tale
changes, immediately roll your Bardic Inspiration die,
rerolling any results if it doesn't change the tale. This
new tale is now the one which your allies with Bardic
Inspiration can utilize.. You and creature you inspired
with Bardic Inspiration immediately know which option or
options it has available to use. A creature may not
utilize a Deathly Inspiration to activate this feature.

If the tale requires a saving throw, the DC equals your
bard spell save DC.

Tale of the Clever Animal: A creature with your Bardic inspiration may use a reaction in response to making an Ability Check and use their bardic inspiration, they may add two rolls of your Bardic Inspiration roll instead of one to the Ability check.
Tale of the Renowned Duelist: When a creature uses your Bardic inspiration on an attack and hits, the attacked creature takes additional force damage equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die + your bard level.
Tale of the Beloved Friends: A creature may use a Bonus action to use your Bardic Inspiration to give themselves and you temporary hit points equal to your Bardic Inspiration die + your Charisma modifier. These temporary hit points are lost if this tale is no longer active.
Tale of the Runaway: A creature can use its bonus action and use your Bardic Inspiration to teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
Tale of the Avenger: If any creature that hits the inspired creature with a melee attack, they may expend the Bardic Inspiration to cause the attack to take force damage equal to 3 rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die + your Charisma modifier.
Tale of the Traveler: The creature uses a bonus action and expends your Bardic Inspiration to gains temporary hit points equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die + your bard level. While it has these temporary hit points, the target’s walking speed increases by 10 feet and it gains a +1 bonus to its AC. These temporary hit points are lost if this tale is no longer active.
Tale of the Beguiler: The creature may use their bonus action and expend your Bardic Inspiration to cause another creature within 30 feet of it to make a Wisdom saving throw or take psychic damage equal to two rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die + your Charisma modifier, and the target is incapacitated until the end of its next turn. Target creature takes half damage and no incapacitation on a success.

Tale of the Phantom: A creature may use their bonus action and expend your Bardic Inspiration to become invisible until the end of its next turn or until it hits a creature with an attack. If it hits a creature with an attack during this invisibility, the creature it hits takes necrotic damage equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die + Charisma Modifier and is frightened of the attacking creatures until the end of the frightened creature's next turn.
Tale of the Brute: A creature may use their bonus action and expend your Bardic Inspiration to cause each creature of the target’s choice it can see within 15 feet of it to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes thunder damage equal to two rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die + your Charisma Modifier and is knocked prone. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw takes half as much damage and isn’t knocked prone.
Tale of the Dragon: A creature may use their bonus action and expend your Bardic Inspiration to spew fire, acid, lightning, poison, or cold (the bard's choice, when the ability is utilized) from the mouth in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking the chosen damage equal to four rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die + your bard level on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Tale of the Angel: A creature may use their bonus action and expend your Bardic Inspiration to touch a creature within 5 feet of it and that touched creature regains hit points equal to two rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die + your Charisma modifier, and you end one condition from the following list affecting the target: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, petrified, or poisoned.
Tale of the Mind-Bender: A Creature may use their bonus action and expend your Bardic Inspiration to cause a creature within 30 feet of it to make an Intelligence saving throw or take psychic damage equal to two rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die + your Charisma modifier and be stunned until the end of its next turn.

Channeling the Dead

At 10th level, talking to the dead becomes second nature
to you. For up to 1 hour after a creature is reduced to 0
hit points, you may go within 10 feet of their body and talk
with the lingering spirit if they haven't been raised as
undead or have moved on. This feature functions as a
Speak with the Dead spell without requiring any
components or actions to perform, and you may ask a
dead creature you are talking to up to a number of
questions equal to your proficiency bonus. You have
advantage on any Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma
(Intimidation) checks you make while interacting with
them.

In addition, the undead recognize you as a conduit of the
dead and think twice before attempting to hurt you. If an
Undead creature would attempt to target you with a spell
or target you with an attack, they must make a Wisdom
Saving throw vs your Bard spell save DC or choose
another target. If no legal other targets exist, the action is
wasted, but the resource, if any it would use, is preserved.
A creature that makes it save versus this ability is immune
to it for 24 hours.

Mystical Connection

At 14th level, you now have the ability to nudge the spirits
of Tales from Beyond toward certain tales. When you
perform a Seance you know 2 tales of your choice and can
perform either tales when expending the Bardic
Inspiration die. When reroll the Tales from Deathly
Inspiration, you may choose which tale to replace when
rerolling.

In addition, for 1 minute after giving your Deathly
Inspiration to another creature, you may subtract your
bard level from the effective damage taken when
determining your Concentration check's DC. You do not
actually reduce the damage taken however.

Walking Amongst the Dead

At 18th, you gain resistance to necrotic damage, as well as
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

In addition, your connect to the dead is even stronger,
Your Seance feature improves in the following ways:

You can be reduced to 1 hit points instead of 0 hit points twice per long rest instead of once per long rest.
You gain twice as many temporary spells known (spell's levels equal to up to twice your proficiency bonus)
You may choose 2 skills to gain Expertise in.
Your Maximum points are increased by a number equal to your Bard level. These last until you finish a long rest.

Furthermore, you may as a bonus action expend a Bardic
Inspiration die to attempt to turn undead as a cleric,
and destroying undead of CR 1 or lower on a failed save. If
you choose to, you may expend additional Bardic
Inspiration equal to your proficiency bonus, each
additional Bardic inspiration die expended will destroy
undead of CR 1 + the additional Bardic Inspiration die
expended.

Once you use attempt to turn undead with with feature
you can't use it against until your finish a short or long
rest.

College of Swords

Bards of the College of Swords are called blades, and they
entertain through daring feats of weapon prowess. Blades
perform stunts such as sword swallowing, knife throwing
and juggling, and mock combats. Though they use their
weapons to entertain, they are also highly trained and
skilled warriors in their own right.

Their talent with weapons inspires many blades to lead
double lives. One blade might use a circus troupe as cover
for nefarious deeds such as assassination, robbery, and
blackmail. Other blades strike at the wicked, bringing
justice to bear against the cruel and powerful. Most
troupes are happy to accept a blade’s talent for the
excitement it adds to a performance, but few entertainers
fully trust a blade in their ranks.

Blades who abandon their lives as entertainers have often
run into trouble that makes maintaining their secret
activities impossible. A blade caught stealing or
engaging in vigilante justice is too great a liability for
most troupes. With their weapon skills and magic, these
blades either take up work as enforcers for thieves’ guilds
or strike out on their own as adventurers.

Original Source: Xanathar's Guide to Everything

Combat Prowess

When you join the College of Swords at 3rd, you gain
proficiency in medium armor and the scimitar. If you are
proficient with a simple or Martial melee weapon, you can
use it as an arcane spellcasting focus and somatic
components for your bard spells.

In addition, you also gain a fighting style, but you can't
choose an option more than once, even if you later get to
choose another from the following list:

Defense: While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dueling: When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.
Intersection: When a creature you can see hits a target that is within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a shield or a simple or martial weapon to use this reaction.
Two-Weapon Fighting: When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of any bonus action attacks.

Blade Flourish

At 3rd level, you learn to conduct impressive displays of
martial prowess and speed.

Whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, your
walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the
turn, and if a weapon attack that you make as part of this
action hits a creature, you can use one of the following
Blade Flourish options of your choice. You can use only
one Blade Flourish option per turn.

Defensive Flourish: You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You also add the number rolled to your AC until the start of your next turn.
Slashing Flourish: You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit and to any other creatures of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you. The damage equals twice the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die + your Charisma Modifier.
Mobile Flourish: You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die + your Charisma Modifier. You can also push the target away from you, up to a number of feet equal to the number you roll on that die times 5. You can then immediately use your reaction to move up to twice your walking speed to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the target. This movement doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity.

Inspiring Attacks

Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once,
whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

When you use your Bardic inspiration, you may make an
additional weapon attack with the same action.

Versatile Combatant

At 10th level, you are no long restricted to 1 Blade
Flourish option per turn, so long as you use the Bardic
Inspiration die to use it.

In addition, if you make any attack, you may now add a
Blade Flourish to the attack, not just ones from the
Attack action.

Furthermore, you can choose either Strength or
Constitution saving throws. You become proficient in the
chosen saving throw.

Reliable Flourish

Starting at 14th level, whenever you use a blade flourish
option, you can roll a d6 and use it instead of expending
a Bardic Inspiration die.

In addition, your movement after you take the Attack
action can go through enemy spaces as well as allied
spaces, and doesn't require additional feet of
movement to do so.

Master's Flourish

Starting at 18th level, your Blade Flourish is even stronger.
When you take the Attack action, your movement speed is
improved by an additional 10 feet, for a total of 20 feet of
movement. This movement can be along vertical edges or
even liquids, and you are considered to having a climbing
speed equal to your walking speed until the end of the
turn, but must end your movement on solid flat ground.
Also, your movement for the round doesn't provoke
Opportunity Attacks.

In addition, when you choose to use a Bardic Inspiration
die to activate Blade Flourish, if the Bardic Inspiration
die roll is below your Charisma modifier, it becomes your
Charisma modifier instead.

College of Valor

Bards of the College of Valor are daring skalds whose
tales keep alive the memory of the great heroes of the
past, and thereby inspire a new generation of heroes.
These bards gather in mead halls or around great
bonfires to sing the deeds of the mighty, both past and
present. They travel the land to witness great events
firsthand and to ensure that the memory of those events
doesn't pass from the world. With their songs, they
inspire others to reach the same heights of
accomplishment as the heroes of old.

Original Source: Player's Handbook

Battleborn

When you join the College of Valor at 3rd level, you gain
proficiency with medium armor, shields, heavy armor and
martial weapons. You may use a shield or simple, or
martial weapons for your arcane spell focus and your
somatic components of your bard spells.

In addition, you may use your Charisma modifier instead
of your Strength modifier for wearing armor
requirements and for attack and damage rolls with melee
weapons with which you are proficient.

Furthermore, choose one of the following Cantrips: Word
of Radiance, Green Flame Blade, Booming Blade or Sword
Burst. This additional cantrip is a bard spell for you, but
doesn't count against your bard cantrips known. In the
future when you get more cantrips, you may pick from
your bard list or this list as well.

Combat Inspiration

Also at 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 twice 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 +
your Charisma modifier to its AC against that attacker
until the end of the current turn, after seeing the roll but
before knowing whether it hits or misses.

In addition, when you use your Bardic Inspiration, you
gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Charisma modifier
until the end of your next turn.

Furthermore, when you use your Bardic Inspiration, you
may make 1 melee weapon attack with the same action.

Extra Attack

Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once,
whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Moreover, you can cast one of your cantrips in place of
one of those attacks.

Battle Magic

At 10th level, you have mastered the art of weaving
spellcasting and weapon use into a single harmonious act.
When you use your action to cast a bard spell, you can
make one weapon attack as part of the same action.

Spell Channeling Strikes

At 14th level, when you hit with a melee weapon attack,
you may expend one spell slot to deal extra force damage
to the target. The extra damage is 2d8 for a 1st level slot,
plus 1d8 for each spell level higher than 1st, up to a
maximum of 5d8. If you have used your Bardic Inspiration
on the same turn, the damage die becomes 2 times your
Bardic Inspiration die, plus 1 times your Bardic Inspiration
die for each spell level higher than 1st, up to a maximum
of 5 times your Bardic Inspiration die.

Victory Rush

Starting at 18th level, you gain the following features:

Your Extra attacks feature now allows you to make 3 attacks with the Attack action, and can still make 1 of those attacks a cantrip in place of one of those attacks.
Once per short rest or long rest, you may use the Action Surge Fighter feature.
When you use your Bardic Inspiration, you may choose to give Combat Inspiration instead up to a number of creatures equal to your Proficiency bonus. A creature can have both Bardic Inspiration and Combat Inspiration, but may only use one or the other on any 1 roll. Creatures with "Combat Inspiration" may only use it to perform your Combat Inspiration feature, to add damage to the attack, or to gain AC against an attacker.
Now when a creature uses Combat Inspiration, they add 3 times your Bardic Inspiration die to the damage roll and when they use it to improve your AC against attacks, if the attacks hits, you may reduce each attacks damage by the same amount rolled on your Bardic Inspiration die + your Charisma modifier.

College of Whispers

Most folk are happy to welcome a bard into their midst.
Bards of the College of Whispers use this to their
advantage. They appear to be like any other bard, sharing
news, singing songs, and telling tales to the audiences
they gather. In truth, the College of Whispers teaches its
students that they are wolves among sheep. These bards
use their knowledge and magic to uncover secrets and
turn them against others through extortion and threats.

Many other bards hate the College of Whispers, viewing it
as a parasite that uses the bards’ reputation to acquire
wealth and power. For this reason, these bards rarely
reveal their true nature unless they must. They typically
claim to follow some other college, or keep their true
nature secret in order to better infiltrate and exploit
royal courts and other settings of power.

Original Source: Xanathar's Guide to Everything

Psychic Psyche

When you join the College of Whispers at 3rd level, you
gain the ability to make your weapon attacks magically
toxic to a creature's mind.

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, or deal
damage with a cantrip you can expend one use of your
Bardic Inspiration to deal an additional 2d6 psychic
damage to that target. You can do so only once per turn.
All weapon and cantrip damage is psychic damage when
using this feature.

In addition, you can use this once per short or long rest
without using your Bardic Inspiration

The psychic damage increases when you reach certain
levels in this class, increasing to 3d6 at 5th level, 5d6 at
9th level, 7d6 at 13th level and 9d6 at 17th level.

Unspoken Terror

At 3rd level, you learn to infuse innocent-seeming words
with an insidious magic that can inspire terror.

If you deal psychic damage to target creature, drop a
creature to 0 hit points within 30 feet of target creature,
or if you speak to a target creature for at least 1 minute,
you can attempt to seed paranoia and fear into its mind,
the target creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving
throw against your spell save DC or be frightened of you
or another creature of your choice. The target is
frightened in this way for 1 hour. If the creature takes
damage other than psychic damage, they can make an
additional save at the end of their next turn.

While frightened with this feature, the target creature has
disadvantage on Intelligence, Charisma and other Wisdom
saving throws and ability checks.

If the target succeeds on its saving throw versus this
feature, the target has no hint that you tried to frighten it.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you
finish a short rest or long rest unless you expend a spell
slot to do so again.

Mantle of Whispers

At 6th level, you gain the ability to adopt a medium
creatures persona. When a medium creature or smaller
dies within 30 feet of you, you can magically capture its
shadow using your reaction. You retain this shadow until
you use it.

You can use the shadow as an action. When you do so, it
vanishes, magically transforming into a disguise that
appears on you. You now look like the dead creature, but
healthy and alive. This disguise lasts for 1 hour times your
proficiency bonus or until you end it as a bonus action.

While you're in the disguise, you gain access to all
information that the creature would freely share with a
casual acquaintance. Such information includes general
details on its background and personal life, but doesn't
include secrets. The information is enough that you can
pass yourself off as the creature by drawing on its
memories.

Another creature can see through this disguise by
succeeding on a Wisdom (Insight) check contested by your
Charisma (Deception) check. You gain a +5 bonus to your
check.

Once you capture a shadow with this feature, you can't
capture another one with it until you finish a short or long
rest. You may only have as many captured shadows at
one time as your proficiency bonus. Capturing one above
this maximum, choose one shadow you have stored, and
it is then released to make room for the new one.

Shadow Possession

At 10th level, you can utilize your Mantle of Whispers for
more than just disguises. You can contaminate a future
target or a hit combatant. As a bonus action you may
attempt to possess the creature with a stored shadow
within 10 feet of you. Roll a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand)
ability check, DC is the targets Passive Perception. This
uses the stored shadow from Mantle of Whispers feature.

Additionally, if you deal psychic damage with your Psychic
Psyche feature they must make a contested Ability check
of a Wisdom (Insight) vs either your Charisma
(Persuasion) or Charisma (Intimidation) check. If you win
the check, you use the stored shadow from Mantle of
Whispers feature and the creature is possessed.

Possessed creatures take your Bardic Inspiration die in
psychic damage each time they take any damage, and
they automatically fail their saving throws versus your
Unspoken Terror and Sinister Secrets features. Also while
a creature is possessed, future Psychic Psyche damage die
matches your Bardic inspiration die instead of d6's.

In addition, when a possessed creature attempts to attack
you, they do so at disadvantage.

Creatures possess stay possess for up to 24 hours, or if
they complete a long rest, whichever happens first.

Sinister Secrets

At 14th level, you gain the ability to weave dark magic into
your words and tap into a creature’s deepest fears.

As an action, you magically whisper a phrase that only
one creature of your choice within 30 feet of you can
hear. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw
against your spell save DC. On a successful saving throw,
your whisper sounds like unintelligible mumbling and has
no effect.

If the target fails its saving throw, it is charmed by you for
the next 8 hours or it takes damage other than psychic.
It interprets the whispers as a description of its
most mortifying secret.

While you gain no knowledge of this secret, the target is
convinced you know it. While charmed in this way, the
creature obeys your commands for fear that you will
reveal its secret. It grants you favors and gifts it would
offer to a close friend.

When the effect ends, the creature has no understanding
of why it held you in such fear.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you
finish a short or long rest unless you expend a spell slot
of 4th level or higher.

Living Possession

AT 18th level, you can further envelop a target, essentially
swapping bodies. When you successfully possess a
creature with your Shadow possession feature, you may
make it a special Living Possession now swap bodies with
the creature. You swap racial traits and hit points of the
target. This possession last for 10 minutes, and they are
now in your body with your racial traits and hit points. If
your original body dies before this possession's duration
is finished, you permanently possess the new body,
reclaim the original Mantle of Whispers shadow in the
process. While for the 10 minute duration of this
possession is in effect, you and the possessed target have
resistance to all damage. If you permanently swap bodies,
any excess hit points maximum above your original Bard's
maximum health instead becomes temporary hit points
each time you finish a long rest.

Once you use this feature you can't use it again unless
you take a long rest or expend a 6th level spell slot or
higher to do so again.

Changelog

Base Bard

Changed Cantrip progression, still start with 2, can get up to 5 at higher levels (level 13)
Changed number of spells known to never include the spell gained from Magical secret, increases spells known by 2 by level 20.
Changed Bardic Inspiration

Reduced Starting Size to 1d4.
Changed level that die improves from 1,5,10,15 to 1,5,9,13,17. Still get up to 1d12.
Changed number of Uses to be twice your Proficiency bonus per long rest instead of Charisma Modifier

Changed Magical Inspiration baseline, but changed functionality

Removed Original Functionality
Added functionality: While a creature has a Bardic Inspiration from you and casts a spell that deals damage dice or healing dice, creature can expend the Bardic Inspiration die to add a static bonus, which scales with bard level (the static bonus basically equals half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, and scales at that rate)
Added functionality, now when the bard expends a use of Bardic inspiration, they gain temporary when expending a use of bardic inspiration equal to half his bard level + Charisma modifier.
Added if another feature that uses your bardic inspiration grant you temporary hit points, increase those temporary hit points by an amount equal to these temporary hit points.

Changed Song of Rest functionality

Similarly to Magical Inspiration, this now add a static bonus to each Hit dice used to heal, scaling with Bard level, but essentially being the same as half your proficiency bonus, rounded down.
In addition, at 5th level, when the bard finishes a short rest, they may choose a number of other creatures equal to their PB and make a performance check. On a success the bard helps the chosen creatures recover from 1 level of exhaustion. See Chart of for information

Changed Bard College: Now gains features at 3, 6, 10, 14, and 18th levels instead of 3, 6 and 14. I may revert back the 18th level ability, but definitely keeping the 10th, as going 8 levels between subclass features doesn't feel good.
Addeed Bardic Versatility baseline.
Changed functionality to Font of Inspiration:

You gain a number of additional uses of Bardic Inspiration equal to your Charisma modifier.
When you take a Short rest, you now gain back uses of Bardic Inspiration equal to your Charisma modifier, up to your maximum of Twice your PB + Charisma modifier.
In addition, your Bardic Inspiration now last an hour instead of 10 minutes.

Removed Countercharm feature at 6th level, Added Morale Boost feature at 7th level. Functionality:

While other creatures have Bardic Inspiration, they have Advantage on Saving throws against being Frightened, Charmed, Paralyzed and Stunned Conditions, or removing said conditions, as well as Death Saving throws.
If an Ally uses Bardic Inspiration to remove or to attempt to prevent one of the above conditions or to make a Death Saving throw, add the Bard's Charisma modifier to the result.

Changed Magical Secrets to give 3 spells instead of 2 spells of your choice at those levels, with all the other casters for the most part getting more versatility/ more spells known thought it only made sense. Spells Known no longer includes these spells in the Bard table.
Changed Magic Secrets levels attained to be 11th, 15th, 19th instead of 10th, 14th, 18th.
Removed 20th level Superior Inspiration feature, Added Master of None feature:

Your Proficiency becomes an +8 instead of a +6. Boosts Expertise a bunch, Boosts Jack of all trades, Magical Inspiration, Song of Rest, Probably subclass features, improves numbers of Bardic Inspirations, Etc... Easy to the point, and thematic.
You now regain all your Bardic Inspiration on a Short rest instead of just your Charisma Modifier.
Furthermore, You may utilize part of Bardic Versatility with a long rest now, instead of reaching a level with an ASI. So can still swap out skill proficiencies.

College of Creation

Changed Name of Note of Potential to "Mote of Potential", the description of the spell refers to motes, this only made sense as it could be confusing.
Added Functionality of "Mote of Potential":

Added Charisma modifier to the thunder damage done on Attack rolls

Changed verbage used in Performance of Creation:
- All references to "items" have been replaced with references to "objects" as they are more well defined within dnd 5e. Anything not a "creature" is an object...
- Overall functionality should remain the same however (at least as intended...)
Changed Name of Animating Performance to "Constructive Recital"
Added functionality to "Constructive Recital"

Changed AC to be 12 + PB instead of Flat 16 AC
Changed hit points to be 6 + 6 times Bard level, instead of 5 + 5 times bard level.
Increased the Range of "Force-Empowered Slam" to 10 feet instead of 5 feet.

Added Mote of Inspiration feature at 10th level:

Improves all options of Mote of Potential.
Ability checks now add Charisma Modifier of the bard to them.
Attack rolls now add the Bard's level to the thunder damage to the initial target.
Saving throws add half bard level more temporary hit points than before.

Moved Creative Crescendo to 18th level
Added new feature "Animating Performance" at 14th level:

Added spell "Animate Objects" to known spells.
Creates a better version of "Constructive Recital" Construct with the following changes:
Size is Fixed at Huge.
Hit points are 10 + 10 times bard level.
Speed and fly speed improves to 40 ft.
Strength becomes 22 instead of 18, Dexterity becomes 12 instead of 14, Constitution becomes 20 instead of 16. Wisdom becomes 12 instead of 10, Cha becomes 8 instead of 6.
Gains Damage Resistance to non-magical Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing damage.
Darkvision increases to 120 ft from 60 ft, passive perception improves to 11 due to increase in Wisdom
Irrepressible Dance range increases to 15 feet away, and decreases/increases movement by 15 instead of 10 ft.
Gain multiattack with 2 "Force-Empowered Slam" attack with 1 Attack action.
Force-Empowered Slam damage increases to 2d10 + PB from 1d10 + PB, Reach increased to 15 instead of 10 feet.
Can use feature once per long rest or by using 4th level spell slot to use again. Can only have one of either this creature or your "Constructive Recital" Creature summoned at 1 time. Added wording that Constructive Recital also cannot be summoned if this creature is already summoned, or the 1st construct becomes inanimate.

Changed Functionality of Creative Crescendo:

Changed number of Object to be Proficiency bonus from Charisma modifier.

College of Eloquence

Changed Silver Tongue: Reduced roll from below 9 becomes a 10, to below a 7 and becomes an 8. This is already good, and having autosuccess too early is already a problem.
Changed Name of Universal Speed to "Magical Speech"
Added functionality to Magical Speech:

May a number of times per long rest cast bard spells without somatic or verbal components, and spells with casting times of bonus actions used in this manner, you may also use bonus actions that expend Bardic inspiration with the same bonus action.

Changed Name of Unfailing Inspiration to "Reliable Inspiration".
Moved Reliable Inspiration to 10th level from 6th level. Added Functionality.

When creatures roll your Bardic Inspiration, if the Die rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die is less than the bard's Charisma, it becomes the bard's Charisma modifier instead.
In addition, when using your Unsettling Words feature, if the Bardic Inspiration die result is lower than your Charisma modifier, it becomes your Charisma modifier instead.

Added feature "Charming Magic" at 18th level:

All your spells affecting creatures of your choice must make a Wisdom Saving throw or be charmed by you for 1 minute.
Creatures you affect with your spells lose Immunity to the Charmed condition to your bard spells, but gain advantage on the saving throw.
Spells that cause the Charmed condition already instead applies Disadvantage on the Saving throw.
In addition, you become Immune to the Charmed condition.

College of Glamour

Changed Mantle of Inspiration at 3rd level:

Amount of temporary hit points changed to be your bard level + your Charisma modifier, instead of a flat bonus that improves at certain levels.
Removed scaling at certain levels, as this naturally increases at you gain bard levels.
Overall this is a boost of about 5-11 temporary hit points depending on the level of the bard from what it was, with it being either the same at level 3 when you get the feature.

Removed Enthralling Performance at 3rd level:
Added Enthralling Persona at 3rd level:

Gain the Friends Cantrip, and can use Bardic Inspiration to gain new functionality to that cantrip. There is alot of changes when you use a Bardic Inspiration, so worth looking at.
Gain the Charm Person spell, and can cast it once per long rest without using a spell slot.
Regardless, your Friends cantrip improves as you level up in bard, increasing in duration at 5th, 11th, and 17th bard level.
Additionally when any creature affected by any spell or Bard ability that causes the Charmed condition, they no longer suspect you of using magic to influence them.

Changed Mantle of Majesty at 6th level

Changed overall wording, as the original I felt created some ambiguity.
Now requires you to expend 2 uses of Bardic Inspiration to use, but doesn't have a limit how many times can use per day.

Added "Dominating Persona" feature at 10th level

Gain the Dominate Person spell, can cast once per long rest without using a spell slot.
Creatures dominated and having your Bardic Inspiration do not expend the Bardic inspiration die when they use it.
Creature dominated and who have Bardic Inspiration add half your bard levels to weapon damage.

Changed Unbreakable Majesty at 14th level:

Now requires you to use 2 uses of Bardic Inspiration to use, but doesn't limit how many times you can use per day.

Added "Monstrous Domination" at 18th level:
- Learn the Dominate Monster spell, can cast once per long rest without using a spell slot.
- Creatures dominated and having your Bardic INspiration do not expend the Bardic Inspiration die when they use it.
- Creatures domainted and who have Bardic Inspiration add your bard levels to weapon damage.
- Upgrade Dominating Persona to now also do bard level instead of half your bard level to weapon damage done
- Upgrade to Mantle of Majesty to no longer require concentration.

College of Lore

Changed Name of "Bonus Proficiencies" to "Collection of Knowledge":
Added functionality to "Collection of Knowledge":

Added 3 tool or langue proficiencies to this feature. The fact that skill feat exists makes this feature slightly less special, and wanted to add a little more to it.

Changed Cutting Words at 3rd:

Changed to taking a reaction to Once per turn to use the feature.
Removed that it can't be used on creatures that are immune to being charmed.

Changed name of "Magical Secrets" to "Cunning Magical Secrets"
Cunning Magical secrets functionality at lvl 6:

Added gain Vicious Mockery Cantrip or Cantrip of your choice from any spell list.
Added functionality to Vicious Mockery cantrip to causing disadvantage on all attack before the end of its next turn instead of just the next attack
Added functionality to PB times per long rest, can cast Vicious mockery as a bonus action, doesn't limit action spell casting on the same turn, and can use Bardic inspiration with the same bonus action when used.

Added Feature at 10th level "Legendary Knowledge"

Gain Legend Lore spell and can cast it at will, provided you have the Material components necessary.
Gain information on non-legendary stuff when using Legend Lore.
Gain benefits for Repeated castings, including if no additional useful information can be gathered.
Gain insight checks to deciphering riddles from Legend lore, difficulty is lowered each time the spell is cast.
Finally Gain ability to Add your Charisma modifier to several Intelligence and Wisdom based skills including :Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Religion, and Survival Ability checks.

Redesigned Peerless Skill at 14th, renamed to "Peerless Inspiration".

Now when a creature you can see or hear uses your Bardic Inspiration, you may use your reaction to gain Bardic inspiration for yourself.

Added Feature at 18th level called Conduit of Knowledge

Choose between 5 different options and gain those benefits.

College of Spirits

Removed Guiding Whispers at level 3
Removed Spiritual Focus at level 3
Moved Tales from beyond to level 6 and changed part of it functionality.<
Added "Deathly Inspiration" at level 3

When using Bardic Inspiration, may stabilize a creature within 60 feet with the same action.
If you use the Bardic Inspiration on a creature with 0 hit points that isn't Stabilized, Stabilize them and they heal for an amount equal to the Bardic Inspiration die + your Charisma modifier.
In addition, when a creature is dropped to 0 hit points 60 feet of you, you may use your reaction to grant "Deathly Inspiration" to a creature within 30 feet of the creature. The creature gets temporary hit points for 1 minute equal to your bard level + your Charisma modifier, and the Deathly Inspiration works like normal Bardic Inspiration.
Furthermore, you may use creatures who are at 0 hit points for less than your equal to 10 minutes times your proficiency bonus as if the dead bodies were your location for the purposes of spells, Bardic Inspiration, or making a melee weapon attack.

Added "Seance" at level 3.

Spend 10 minutes performing a ritual when completing a long rest to gain a skill or tool expertise, spells known equal to the spells levels added must be less than or equal to your proficiency bonus and once per long rest you can go to 1 hit point instead of 0.
You may change spell 1 spell known if same level if you give Deathly Inspiration, and you may change your Skill expertise also when you give Deathly Inspiration.

Changed Functionality to Tales from Beyond at 6th

Roll your Bardic inspiration die at the end of a Seance to find out which Tale you have.
Now gain Tales from Beyond when performing your Seance at the end of a long rest.
You keep the Tale until you complete another long rest, perform another Seance, or you must swap out a tale when using Deathly Inspiration
To use a Tale, a creature may expend a Bardic inspiration and may require a bonus action or reaction to utilize.
Changed Tale of the Clever Animal to be a reaction to use when making an ability check instead of a duration of 10 minutes.
Changed Tale of the Renowned Duelist to now be used as part of an attack that hits, added force damage to the target hit.
Changed Tale of the Beloved Friends to cost the creature a bonus action and bardic inspiration to use. The bard and that creature gain temporary hit points and these temporary hit points last as long as this tale remains active
Changed Tale of the Runaway to cost a bonus action and bardic inspiration to use, no longer have other creatures use their reaction to also teleport.
Changed Tale of the Avenger to use when hit by an attack, upped the damage to 3 rolls of your bardic inspiration die + Charisma modifier in force damage.
Changed Tale of the Traveler to use a bonus action and the temporary hit points last for as long as this tale remains active.
Changed Tale of the Beguiler to spell out creature within 30 feet, upped the damage to 2 rolls of Bardic inspiration die + Charisma modifier. Target now takes half damage on a success.
Changed Tale of the Phantom to cost a bonus action. Upped the necrotic damage to Bardic inspiration die roll + Charisma modifier.
Changed Tale of the Brute, now affects each creature of choice within 15 feet of the user, requires a bonus action to use and expends the Bardic Inspiration die. Changed damage to be 2 rolls of Bardic inspiration die + Charisma modifier instead of 3 rolls.
Changed Tale of the Dragon, Changed to Bonus action to use and now can choose between multiple damage types instead of just fire, chosen when the breath weapon is used. Changed damage to be 4 rolls of your Bardic inspiration + your bard level. Half damage on a success.
Changed Tale of the Angel, to use a bonus action to heal a creature within 5 feet of you for 2 rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die + Charisma modifier and the target also is cleanse of either Blinded, Deafened Paralyzed, Petrified, or Poisoned Conditions
Changed Tale of the Mind bender to use a bonus action and changed the damage to be 2 rolls of Bardic inspiration + Charisma modifier instead of 3 rolls.

Removed Spirit Session at level 6
Added "Channeling the Dead" at level 10

Can talk to dead creature for 1 hour after a creature is reduced to 0 hit points as if with a Speak of the Dead spell, but can ask as many questions equal to your Proficiency bonus.
Gain Advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) and Charisma (Intimidation) checks made with dead creatures you are talking with
In addition, against undead creatures, undead must make a Wisdom saving throw to target you with spells or attacks otherwise they must target someone else
If they make their save, they are immune to this feature for 24 hours.

Changed Functionality of Mystical Connection

Can now have up to 2 tales active at a time, when swapping you choose which one to swap out.
For 1 minue after giving Deathly inspiration to a creature, you subtract your bard level from the effective damage taken when determining your Concentration check DC, but you still take the full damage.

Added Feature "Walking Amongst the Dead"

Gain resistance to necrotic damage as well as bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage.
Gain twice as many goodies from Seance (twice per long rest can go to 1 hit point, 2 Expertise, twice as many spells known)
Gain Maximum hit poitn boost equal to your Bard level when performing a Seance. Lost after finishing a long rest.
Once per long rest, gain the feature to use Bardic inspiration to turn undead as a bonus action, destroying CR 1 undead or lower on a failed saving throw. You may spend additional Bardic Inspiration up to your proficiency bonus to destroy stronger CR undead creatures.

College of Swords

Condensed "Bonus Proficiencies" and "Fighting Styles" into new feature "Combat Prowess"

Added 2 more additional fighting styles (Intersection, and Defense) that thought were appropriately themed.
Added Somatic components to the components you can use your weapons with.

Changed Functionality of Blade Flourish

Improved Slashing Flourish to be more damage (2 rolls of Bardic Inspiration die + Charisma modifier) in the same area.
Changed Mobile Flourish-- Improved damage to 1 roll of Bardic Inspiration + Charisma Modifier
Changed Mobile Flourish to push the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die times 5 instead of 5 feet + the Bardic inspiration die (keeping movement in 5 ft increments...)
Added to Mobile Flourish you may move up to twice your walking speed to within 5 feet of the target and that this movement doesn't provoke attacks of opportunities.

Changed name of Extra Attacks to "Inspiring Attacks"

Now allows to make 1 additional weapon attack with the same action used to use Bardic Inspiration

Added "Versatile Combatant" feature at 10th level.

No longer limit to Blade Flourish being 1 Flourish per turn, so long as you use Bardic Inspiration die when you use it.
Now when you make any attack, you may now add a Blade Flourish to the attack, not just ones used with the Attack action.
Furthermore, you choose between Strength and Constitution saving throws and gain proficiency.

Changed Name and Added functionality of "Master's Flourish" is now "Reliable Flourish"

Added can now move through enemy spaces when you take the attack action and it doesn't require additional movement to do so.

Added "Master's Flourish" at 18th level

Blade Flourish gains additional 10 feet of movement, can move across liquids and vertical surfaces and is considered having a climbing speed equal to you walking speed until the end of your turn.
Now all movement after taking the Attack action doesn't provoke Opportunity Attacks.
In addition, when using your Bardic Inspiration die on a Blade Flourish, is the result of the die is less than your Charisma modifier, it becomes your Charisma modifier instead.

College of Valor

Changed Name of "Bonus Proficiencies" to "Battle Born"

Added heavy armor proficiency
Added Somatic and Arcane spell casting focus with Shields, and simple or martial weapons
In addition, added can now use Charisma modifier instead of your Strength modifier for wearing armor requirements and for attack and damage rolls with melee weapon with which you are proficient.
Furthermore, Choose a learn free cantrip from the following list: Word of Radiance, Green Flame Blade, Booming Blade, or Sword Burst. When you learn more cantrips, can choose another from this list or normal bard list.

Changed Combat Inspiration
- When adding your Bardic Inspiration die to damage, damage is now twice the Bardic inspiration die rolled instead of once.
- When adding your Bardic Inspiration die to AC, it adds to your AC from that specific attacker until the end of the current turn, not just this specific attack. It also added Bardic Inspiration die + your Charisma modifier to AC.
- In addition, when you use your Bardic Inspiration, the bard gain a bonus to AC equal to their Charisma modifier until the end of the bards next turn
- Furthermore, when you give your Bardic Inspiration, you may make 1 additional melee weapon attack with the same action
Changed Extra attack to read exactly like Bladesinger Extra Attack
Moved Battle Magic to level 10 and changed key words
- Now when you cast a bard spell with your action, you may make one weapon attack as part of the same action.
Added "Spell Channeling Strikes"
- Essentially gives Bards Smites, although Force damage instead of radiant, and no creature types to do extra damage. With the same damage cap of dice.
- On the same turn you give Bardic Inspiration, the damage dice become the same as your Bardic Inspiration die instead of d8's
Added "Victory Rush" feature at 18th level
- Extra attack now attacks 3 times instead of 2 times
- Once per short or long rest, you gain the Action Surge Fighter features
- When you give Bardic Inspiration, you may instead give multiple creatures "Combat Inspiration" but it can only be used for your Combat Inspiration features. Number of creatures you can affect is equal to your proficiency bonus. Can only still use 1 Inspiration, whether Combat or Bardic on any given damage or AC roll.
- Now when a creature uses Combat Inspiration for damage, they add 3 times your Bardic Inspiration die to the damage roll.
- Now when a creature uses Combat Inspiration for AC, if the attack still hits, reduce the damage of each attack from that attacker that hits by the same value on the Bardic Inspiration die + your Charisma modifier.

College of Whispers

Changed Name of "Psychic Blades" to "Psychic Psyche" at 3rd

Now affects weapon attacks or damage done from a cantrip to trigger this additional damage
Damage now scales as followed: 2d6 at 3rd, 3d6 at 5th, 5d6 at 9th, 7d6 at 13th and 9d6 at 17th level.
Can now use once per short or long rest without using a Bardic Inspiration die.
Can convert all weapon and cantrip damage into psychic damage when using this feature.

Completely reworked "Words of Terror", changed Name to "Unspoke Terror" at 3rd

Can now affect creature that take Psychic damage, or if you drop a creature to 0 hit points within 30 feet of it, or if you speak with it for 1 minute.
Target is frightened for 1 hour. If they take any damage other than psychic damage, they get to remake a saving throw at the end of their next turn.
While creatures are Frightened by this feature, they have Disadvantage on Intelligence, Charisma, and other Wisdom saving throws (but not the Wisdom saving throw for this feature) and those same Ability checks.
Added can use it again if you expend a spell slot to do so again.

Changed Functionality of "Mantle of Whispers" at 6th

Changes from "Humanoid" to medium or smaller creature
Changed that you can now keep shadows indefinitely. Can have a number of Shadows equal to your proficiency bonus at one time.
Changed duration of the disguise is 1 hour times your proficiency bonus

Added "Shadow Possession" at 10th level.

Can infect a creature with one use of your Mantle of Whispers shadows with either a Sleight of Hand check versus creature passive perception, or when you deal psychic damage from your Psychic Psyche feature, make contested Wisdom Insight vs your Charisma Persuasion or Intimation check.
Creatures possessed take your Bardic Inspiration die in damage each time it takes any damage, and they automatically fail their saving throws versus your Unspoken Terror and Sinister Secrets features while possessed.
Possessed creatures make attack against you with disadvantage
Possession last for 24 hours, or if they complete a long rest, whichever happens first

Changed Name and functionality of "Shadow Lore" to "Sinister Secrets" at 14th

Removed Limitation that they need to understand a language or be able to hear you
Duration is 8 hours unless it takes any damage other than psychic damage
Changed can use Once per short or long rest, unless you spend a 4th level spell slot or higher to use again.

Added Living Possession at 18th level

Once per long rest unless you expend a 6th level spell slot or higher to do so again to use this feature.
When using your Shadow Possession feature, you may make it a Special "Living Possession", swapping bodies.
Swap Racial traits and hit points.
This possession last 10 minutes, unless your Original body dies during the possession, then it is permanent.
During this possession both you and the possessed creature have resistance to all damage.
If you permanently swap bodies with possessed creature, any hit points the creature has over your Bard's Maximum hit points becomes temporary hit points instead when you finish a long rest.
If you permanently swap bodies, you may reclaim the original shadow used from Mantle of Whispers back

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Revised Bard

The Bard Revised

The Bard Spell Slots per Spell Level

Original Source: Player's Handbook

Class Features

Hit Points

Proficiencies

Equipment

Spellcasting

Cantrips

Spell Slots

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

Spellcasting Ability

Ritual Casting

Spellcasting Arcane Focus

Bardic Inspiration

Magical Inspiration

Jack of All Trades

Song of Rest

Song of Rest Performance Table

Bard Colleges

Expertise

Ability Score Improvement

Bardic Versatility

Font of Inspiration

Morale Boost

Magical Secrets

Master of None

Bard Colleges

Bard College Table

College of Creation

Mote of Potential

Performance of Creation

Constructive Recital

Mote of Inspiration

Animating Performance

Dancing Object

Traits

Actions

Greater Dancing Object

Traits

Actions

Creative Crescendo

College of Eloquence

Silver Tongue

Unsettling Words

Magical Speech

Reliable Inspiration

Infectious Inspiration

Charming Magic

College of Glamour

Mantle of Inspiration

Enthralling Persona

Mantle of Majesty

Dominating Persona

Unbreakable Majesty

Monsterous Domination

College of Lore

Collection of Knowledge

Cutting Words

Cunning Magical Secrets

Legendary Knowledge

Peerless Inspiration

Conduit of Knowledge

College of Spirits

Deathly Inspiration

Seance

Tales From Beyond

Channeling the Dead

Mystical Connection

Walking Amongst the Dead

College of Swords

Combat Prowess

Blade Flourish

Inspiring Attacks

Versatile Combatant

Reliable Flourish

Master's Flourish

College of Valor

Battleborn