Bard

From the shadowy corners of Athas’ most disreputable places hails the bard. Like their counterparts in other fantasy worlds, Athasian bards are the unquestioned masters of oral tradition and forgotten lore, but rather than sharing their lore with whoever will listen, Athasian bards guard their secrets as jealously as the sorcerer‐kings harbor their water and iron. Athasian bards may sell information to the highest bidder; they peddle their services and the fruits of their knowledge, but trade secrets are what give bards an edge on the uninitiated. Bards would rather die than reveal these secrets.

Meeting a bard can be an uneasy encounter, since one never knows how the bard has chosen to devote his multiple talents. Some bards master the art of making poisons, and survive by selling these poisons and their antidotes for those who have coin to pay. Some bards master the art of entertainment, using their performances to amuse nobles and templars and gain wealth. Some become assassins, mixing their knowledge of poison and stealth to become hired
hands. Bards’ unique position in the Athasian society means they often overhear conversations between high‐ranking templars or nobles, or they may have treated an injured person that prefers to remain anonymous. Respectable folk despise them; the powerful fear them; but in the Athasian cities, everyone eventually comes to need their services.

### Bards on Athas

Bards are first and foremost entertainers. Each has some skill as a singer, actor, poet, musician, and juggler. Every bard character specializes in one particular mode of performance. Among the nobility of the cities, bards are tools. They are commonly hired by one house of nobles and sent to another as a gift. The bards are sent to entertain, and usually to perform some other subtle task (such as robbery, assassination, espionage, etc.), as well. It is considered rude to turn down the gift of a bard or bard company. Most seasoned travelers have heard stories of Bardic secrets, but any bard will insist the rumors are just hearsay and not to be taken seriously.

### Making a Bard

Bards receive numerous abilities they can use to survive. Many become masters of poisons, selling their illegal substances to anyone. Alone of the classes, bards hold the secrets of alchemy, creating fiery concoctions and mysterious mixes. Bards are master smugglers, selling spell components and other illegal items in the Bard’s Quarters of the city‐states. All bards, however, have some degree of entertainment skill. The songs of most bards can dazzle a crowd, or incite them to riot. Bards tend to learn to play a variety of instruments, or recite poetry or old legends by campfire. They can be acrobats, performing dazzling displays of physical prowess. They are often called upon as sources of information.

### Races

All humanoid races of Athas can become bards. The social stigma in certain regions may be higher than others, however. For example, the loremasters of the halflings of the Jagged Cliffs are highly regarded because of the ancient secrets and histories they preserve. But in the city‐states, where the Bard’s Quarters are notorious, being a bard is not usually a good thing. Elven tribes often have a bard, who keeps the history of the tribe alive, its conquests and defeats. Humans are often bards, becoming performers of great talent, or assassins of deadly skill and precision. Half‐elves, because of their lonely existence, often take to being bards. The prejudice they face at every stage in life can move some to become great poets or singers. Muls and half‐giants make poor bards; their talents are usually better served elsewhere than the stage or the shadows of alleys. As well, thri‐kreen are rarely seen as bards, relying instead upon their racial memory.

### Alignment

Most bards are chaotic, and operate alone, brokering information, arranging deals, smuggling illegal wares such as poisons, drugs, spell components and other things. Neutral bards are the ones most likely to operate in fellowships with adventurers, or entertain in troupes with other bards. The rare lawful bards can easily secure positions as councilors or agents for templars, and noble and merchant houses. Good bards are often entertainers or lorekeepers, putting their talents to benevolent use, sometimes diagnosing poisonings and selling the proper antidotes. Evil bards are often masters of poisons and alchemy, selling their wares to anyone with the ceramic to pay.

### Religion

No central bardic organization exists, and more often than not bards have no particular penchant for religion. Some may worship the elements, fearing the power of the elemental forces, and most bards tend to relate to the Air ever‐changing nature, but bards that worship sorcerer‐ kings are rare. A lifestyle of breaking the rules of the city‐states does not lend one to worship the lawgivers.

### Other Classes

Bards face life as it comes, and usually hold no special grudge or awe for any one class. They usually approach other’s profession on the basis of how it can help them at the moment. Clerics and druids are respected for their devotion to a divine force, but usually not held in awe. Fighters, gladiators and rangers can be useful as sword–arms but are otherwise useless to the bard. Bards do not view wizards with the same aversion as others might view them, since bards sell them their components.

### Combat

A bard rarely seeks to initiate combat―instead he skulks about, looking for an opportunity to strike swiftly, using his poisons to their greatest advantage. You work best with teammates, maneuvering to get flanks and help bring down opponents with your various poisons. Use your bardic music to bolster your allies and distract your opponents while the real heavy hitters in your group mop them up.

# Bard Class Features

As a bard, you gain the following class features.

### HitPoints

* *Hit Dice*: 1d8 per barbarian level

* *Hit Points at 1st Level*: 8 + your Constitution modifier

* *Hit Points at Higher Levels*: 1d8 + your Constitution modifier per barbarian level after 1st

### Proficiencies

* *Armor*: Light armor.
* *Weapons*: Simple weapons, shortsword, bard’s friend, crossbow (any), garrote, greater blowgun, whip, widow’s knife
* *Tools*: Three from the following list: Any musical instrument, Alchemist’s supplies, Herbalism kit, Poisoner’s kit, Thieves’ tools
* *Saving Throws*: Intelligence, Constitution
* *Skills*: Choose any three

### Path Of The Brute

The Brute is a standing fortress in a rage, rumored to be neigh un-killable, and capable of withstanding a unnerving amount of pain and punishment before succumbing to wounds. Typically brutes are a result of years of slavery, abuse, and punishment. Some brutes have simply been forced to endure the most unimaginable conditions of the elements, causing them to have a relentless amount of toughness and resistance to pain.

Upon taking this path at 3rd Level, you are becoming a creature pain of endurance. You gain +3 to your maximum hit-points. Also, every level after your 3rd level, you add your half of your Proficiency Bonus, rounding down, to your hit-points gained upon leveling up.

At 6th Level, you gain a intimidating presence in battle, you control your battle space with deadly ferocity and live to be the center point for any battle, you gain one extra reaction in order to make an Attack Of Opportunity during your turn.

At 10th Level, your body has become highly resilient to the elements, you gain Damage Resistance to Fire, and Cold damage.your body is now a fountain of pain and anguish, and yet you can still endure more, much more. You gain +5 to your max hit-points, and every level after the tenth, you may add your Proficiency mod to your hit-points gained upon leveling up.

At 14th Level, you have reach a point in which pain is a foreign concept to you. You bleed, yet you do not comprehend what it means to feel that which others who do not walk your path feel. When you are reduced to 0 hit-points, and make a successful roll on your Relentless Rage, you rally into a rage. You gain 1d4+Constitution Mod Hit-points, instead of dropping to 1. You then immediately enter a rage, even if you do not have any uses available. If this rage is ended early, even by your own action you immediate drop to 1 hit-point, and suffer one level of exhaustion.

### Path Of The Feral

Stories are told of those who have spent to much time alone in the wastes, they become so attune to the nature of survival in the wilds that they start to become apart of the cycle of life that exist there. These feral warriors live between a thin line between intelligent demi-human and feral beast. a nature that confuses and frightens most others.

Upon taking this path at 3rd Level, your mind has started to shift away from sanity and towards that of a beast like nature. You are still yourself, but in many ways, you are something different. Maybe it's a increase in paranoia, or a shift in sleeping habits, maybe you have developed a odd hunger for raw meat, or perhaps you simply dislike the pleasantries of civil life to a discomforting extent. While raging, these traits really take over, and others can see the creature within you coming to surface. Once during a rage, you may as a turn action, let out a savage beast like roar, affecting everyone within 30 feet of the you. All who hear the roar must make a Will save (DC 10) + your Charisma Mod + your Proficiency Bonus or be frightened for 1 + Proficiency Bonus rounds. You may not frighten creatures who have 1 or more Hit Dice than you.

At 6th Level, you become a whirlwind of aggression in battle, wild sometimes inaccurate swings force enemies into a constant state of defense. While raging, you may chose to enter a Feral Trance, if you do so, for the duration of your rage you can make a single melee weapon attack as a bonus action on each of your turns after this one. Also, if you attack a enemy that is already wounded, you gain +1d4 to damage against them. When your rage ends, you take one level of exhaustion.

At 10th Level, during battle, your mind is often consumed with feral thoughts of destruction and death, you can’t be charmed or frightened while raging. If you are charmed or frightened when you enter your rage, the effect is suspended for the duration of the rage.

At 14th Level, you are always looking for ways to gain the advantage in combat. While you’re raging, you can use a bonus action on your turn to knock a Large or smaller creature prone when you hit it with melee weapon attack.