Bard

Invoking magic through music, dance, and verse, Bards are expert at inspiring others, soothing hurts, disheartening foes, and creating illusions. Bards believe the multiverse was spoken into existence and that remnants of its Words of Creation still resound and glimmer on every plane of existence. Bardic magic attempts to harness those words, which transcend any language.

Anything can inspire a new song or tale, so Bards are fascinated by almost everything. They become masters of many things, including performing music, working magic, and making jests.

A Bard's life is spent traveling, gathering lore, telling stories, and living on the gratitude of audiences, much like any other entertainer. But Bards' depth of knowledge and mastery of magic sets them apart.

Quick Build

You can make a bard quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity. Second, choose the entertainer background. Third, choose the dancing lights and vicious mockery cantrips, along with the following 1st-level spells: charm person, detect magic, healing word, and thunderwave.

Proficiencies

Armor: light armor
Weapons: simple weapons
Tools: Any combination of three from the following list: musical instruments, painter's supplies, calligrapher's supplies.
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Choose any 3.

Equipment

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

• (a) Leather Armor, 2 Daggers, An instrument of your choice OR painter's supplies OR calligrapher's supplies, an Entertainer's Pack, and 19 GP.
• (b) 90 GP

Dazzling Footwork

At 3rd level, While you aren't wearing armor or wielding a Shield, you gain the following benefits.

Dance Virtuoso. You have Advantage on any Charisma (Performance) check you make that involves you dancing.

Unarmored Defense. Your base Armor Class equals 10 plus your Dexterity and Charisma modifiers.

Agile Strikes. When you expend a use of your Bardic Inspiration as part of an action, a Bonus Action, or a Reaction, you can make one Unarmed Strike as part of that action, Bonus Action, or Reaction.

Bardic Damage. You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack rolls of your Unarmed Strikes. When you deal damage with an Unarmed Strike, you can deal Bludgeoning damage equal a roll of your Bardic Inspiration Die plus your Dexterity Modifier. This roll doesn't expend the die.

Inspiring Movement

At 6th level, when an enemy you can see ends its turn within 5 feet of you, you can take a Reaction and expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to move up to half your Speed. Then one ally of your choice within 30 feet of you can also move up to half their Speed using their Reaction.

None of this feature's movement provokes Opportunity Attacks.

Tandem Footwork

At 6th level, hen you roll Initiative, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration if you don't have the Incapacitated condition. When you do so, roll your Bardic Inspiration die; you and each ally within 30 feet of you who can see or hear you gains a bonus to Initiative equal to the number rolled.

Leading Evasion

At 14th level, when you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw and only half damage if you fail. If any creatures within 5 feet of you are making the same Dexterity saving throw, you can share this benefit with them for that save.

You can't use this feature if you have the Incapacitated condition.

Beguiling Magic

At 3rd level, you always have the Charm Person and Mirror Image spells prepared.

In addition, immediately after you cast an Enchantment or Illusion spell using a spell slot, you can cause a creature you can see within 60 feet of yourself to make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the target has the Charmed or Frightened condition (your choice) for 1 minute. The target repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Once you use this benefit, you can't use it again until you finish a Long Rest. You can also restore your use of it by expending one use of your Bardic Inspiration (no action required).

Mantle of Inspiration

Starting at 3rd level, You can weave fey magic into a song or dance to fill others with vigor. As a Bonus Action, you can expend a use of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic Inspiration die. When you do so, choose a number of other creatures within 60 feet of yourself, up to a number equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one creature). Each of those creatures gains a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to two times the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die, and then each can use its Reaction to move up to its Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks.

Mantle of Majesty

At 6th level, you always have the Command spell prepared.

As a Bonus Action, you cast Command without expending a spell slot, and you take on an unearthly appearance for 1 minute or until your Concentration ends. During this time, you can cast Command as a Bonus Action without expending a spell slot.

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

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a Long Rest. You can also restore your use of it by expending a level 3+ spell slot (no action required).

Unbreakable Majesty

At 14th level, as a Bonus Action, you can assume a magically majestic presence for 1 minute or until you have the Incapacitated condition. For the duration, whenever any creature hits you with an attack roll for the first time on a turn, the attacker must succeed on a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC, or the attack misses instead, as the creature recoils from your majesty.

Once you assume this majestic presence, you can't do so again until you finish a Short or Long Rest.

Bonus Proficiencies

At 3rd Level, You gain proficiency with three skills of your choice.

Cutting Words

Also at 3rd level, you learn to use your wit to supernaturally distract, confuse, and otherwise sap the confidence and competence of others. When a creature that you can see within 60 feet of yourself makes a damage roll or succeeds on an ability check or attack roll, you can take a Reaction to expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration; roll your Bardic Inspiration die, and subtract the number rolled from the creature's roll, reducing the damage or potentially turning the success into a failure.

Magical Discoveries

At 6th level, You learn two spells of your choice. These spells can come from the Cleric, Druid, or Wizard spell list or any combination thereof (see a class's section for its spell list). A spell you choose must be a cantrip or a spell for which you have spell slots, as shown in the Revised Bard Features Table.

You always have the chosen spells prepared, and whenever you gain a Bard level, you can replace one of the spells with another spell that meets these requirements.

Peerless Skill

Starting at 14th level, When you make an ability check or attack roll and fail, you can expend one use of Bardic Inspiration; roll the Bardic Inspiration die, and add the number rolled to the d20, potentially turning a failure into a success. On a failure, the Bardic Inspiration isn't expended.

Moonshae Folktales

At 3rd level, As a Magic action, you can invoke the power of a folktale, imbuing yourself with primal magic until you use this feature again. When you use this feature, choose which of the following folktales you invoke; your choice gives you certain benefits while this magic is active.

Tale of Life. You invoke a tale of vitality and thriving earth. When you restore Hit Points to a creature with a spell, you can expend a Bardic Inspiration die and increase the amount of Hit Points restored by a number equal to a roll of the Bardic Inspiration die. You can do this only once per turn.

Tale of Gloam. You invoke a tale of mystery and secrets. When you use a Bonus Action to give a creature a Bardic Inspiration die, you can take the Disengage or Hide action as part of that Bonus Action.

Tale of Mirth. You invoke a tale of merriment and fey guile. When a creature you can see within 60 feet of yourself fails a saving throw, you can take a Reaction to expend a Bardic Inspiration die. The creature then must roll the Bardic Inspiration die and add the number rolled from the save’s total, possibly causing the save to succeed.

Primal Lorist

At 3rd level, You learn Druidic and one cantrip from the Druid spell list. It counts as a Bard spell for you but doesn’t count against the number of cantrips you know.

Additionally, gain proficiency in one Skill of your choice.

Blessing of the Moonwells

At 6th level, You always have the Moonbeam spell prepared and it counts as a Bard Spell for you, but doesn't count against the number of Spells you have prepared.

As a Bonus Action, you can cast Moonbeam without expending a spell slot. When you cast it using this feature, you glow faintly while you maintain Concentration on the spell. While glowing, you shed Dim Light out to 5 feet, and whenever a creature fails its saving throw against the effects of this Moonbeam, another creature of your choice that you can see within 60 feet of you regains 2d4 Hit Points.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a Long Rest. You can also restore your use of it by expending a level 3+ spell slot (no action required).

Bolstered Folktales

At 14th level, The power of your Moonshae Folktales improves.

Tale of Life. You can roll 1d6 instead of expending a Bardic Inspiration Die when you use this Feature. Additionally, you add your Charisma Modifier (minimum 1) to the amount rolled.

Tale of Gloam. Instead of taking the Disengage or Hide Action as part of the Bonus Action with this feature, you can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see with this Feature. Additionally, when you use this feature, you roll 1d6 and add your Charisma Modifier (minimum 1) and gain that many Temporary Hit Points. These Temporary Hit Points do not stack with other sources of Temporary Hit Points, replacing them instead.

Tale of Mirth. You can roll 1d6 instead of expending a Bardic Inspiration Die when you use this Feature. Additionally, if you choose to use a Bardic Inspiration Die and the creature still fails its save, that Bardic Inspiration Die is not expended.

Channeler

At 3rd level, You learn how to contact spirits beyond the grave, letting their power and knowledge flow through you. You gain the following benefits.

Guiding Whispers. You know the Guidance cantrip. It has a range of 60 feet when you cast it.

Spiritual Focus. You employ tools that aid you in channeling spirits. You gain a Gaming Set (Playing Cards). You have proficiency with this Gaming Set, and you can use the cards or one of the following items as a Spellcasting Focus for your Bard spells: Arcane Focus (Crystal or Orb), Candle, or Ink Pen.

Spirits From Beyond

At 3rd Level, While holding a Spellcasting Focus, you can take a Bonus Action to expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration and call forth the powers of a spirit. Roll the Bardic Inspiration die and refer to the Spirits from Beyond table to determine the spirit you channel, then choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of yourself as the spirit’s target. The spirit immediately takes effect; if a spirit’s effect requires a saving throw, the DC equals your Bard spell save DC.

Empowered Channeling

At 6th level, your ability to channel spirits improves. You gain the following benefits.

Power from Beyond. Once per turn, when you cast a Bard spell that deals damage or restores Hit Points, roll a d6. You gain a bonus to one of the spell’s damage rolls or to the total Hit Points the spell restores equal to the number rolled.

Spiritual Manifestation. You always have the Spirit Guardians spell prepared. You can cast the spell once without a spell slot, and you regain the ability to cast it in this way when you finish a Long Rest. Whenever you start casting the spell, you can modify it so the spirits also guard against worldly threats. When cast in this way, you and allies within the spell’s Emanation have Half Cover. Once you modify the spell in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a Short or Long Rest.

Mystical Connection

At 14th level, you gain mastery over the spirits you call forth. Whenever you roll on the Spirits from Beyond table, you can roll the die twice and choose which of the two effects to bestow.

Combat Inspiration

At 3rd level, you can use your wit to turn the tide of battle. A creature that has a Bardic Inspiration die from you can use it for one of the following effects.

Defense. When the creature is hit by an attack roll, that creature can use its Reaction to roll the Bardic Inspiration die and add the number rolled to its AC against that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss.

Offense. Immediately after the creature hits a target with an attack roll, the creature can roll the Bardic Inspiration die and add the number rolled to the attack's damage against the target.

Martial Training

At 3rd Level, you gain proficiency with Martial weapons and training with Medium armor and Shields.

In addition, you can use a Simple or Martial weapon as a Spellcasting Focus to cast spells from your Bard spell list.

Extra Attack

You can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

In addition, you can cast one of your cantrips that has a casting time of an action in place of one of those attacks.

Battle Magic

At 14th level, after you cast a spell that has a casting time of an action, you can make one attack with a weapon as a Bonus Action.

Art (In Order)

• demich
• coreytaiyo
• bbo sy
• 椒@彦
• esaka
• emuson

1.0

• Created the document.
• Rescaled Prepared Spells. All levels now evenly gain +1 prepared Spell except 20, which stops at 22 prepared spells.
• Removed Jack of All Trades. it will be a Rogue ability.
• Expertise can be swapped when you gain a Bard Level.

1.1

• Added College of the Moon as a Subclass.
• Tale of Mirth is no longer Silvery Barbs but better. instead, it is a supportive ability, allowing an ally to bolster a failed save instead of penalizing a foe's successful one.
• Tweaked the 14th Level feature of College of the Moon. Now, all the features improve and are slightly more interesting or powerful for a capstone feature.
• Primal Lorist functions as other "you gain a skill proficiency" Features from my Revised Classes and Subclasses.
• Blessing of the Moonwells properly counts Moonbeam as Bard Spell.

1.2

• Added the College of Spirits from the new UA and tweaked it a bit, giving most options a Level 14 buff, or nerfing the more powerful options by splitting them between their level and Level 14.