Bard

### Subclasses

College of Lore, College of Valor, College of Glamour, College of Swords, College of Whispers

## Overview

Bards are versatile arcane spellcasters, capable in combat, art, and magic alike. Bards practice magic as they would art or song, using their artistic talents to induce magical effects that either bolstered their allies or hindered their enemies, typically through charms and illusions. In addition to their magical skills, bards are artistically talented and extraordinarily well-learned, possessing knowledge in a wide range of fields. Bards are among the most versatile of adventurers, capable of learning from practically any trade.

The Bard's primary ability is *Charisma*, followed by *Dexterity*.

## Class Stats

**Hit/Hp Dice:** d8

**Saving Throws:** Dexterity, Charisma

### Proficiencies

**Armor:** Light

**Weapons:** Simple Weapons, Hand Crossbows, Longswords, Shortshords and Rapiers

**Tools:** Any 3 Musical Instruments

**Skills:** Any 3 Skills

## Key Abilities

Bards are able to make use of the following skills

* *Bardic Inspiration*, allowing bards to spur allies on to greater feats by adding to their dice rolls
* *Jack of All Trades*, allowing bard to act with limited proficiency in all things
* *Song of Rest*, giving the Bard the ability to heal extra Hp during rests through soothing music or speach
* *Counter Charm*, which allows the Bard to inspire resistance to harmful effects in their allies.
* *Magical Secrets*, a special skill allowing Bards to mimic and cast a limited number of spells from other classes

## Bardic College (Subclasses)

A Bard can belong to and study within a particular college or loosely bound fellowship

### College of Lore

Bards belong to the College of Lore, also known as cunning bards, collected bits of knowledge from every place they can find, be it academic writings or folk tales, gathering in universities and local festivals alike in their pursuit of lore. Bards of this tradition weaved what tales and trivia they found into their stories and songs to entertain, as well as to illuminate that which they hold to be important. Uncompromising in their views, College of Lore bards' first loyalty was to the truth, which made them valuable (if occasionally brazen) advisers

Cunning bards preferred a path of trickery and cunning, using charm and intellect together to overcome obstacles. Witty with insults and distracting barbs, bards from the College of Lore were capable of whittling the confidence of their opponents, reducing their effectiveness in various acts of skill or combat. Proficient in a greater number of skills than most bards, College of Lore bards were also uncommonly capable in those same skills and experienced bards of the tradition were rarely completely ineffectual at any given task.

### College of Valor

College of Valor bards, also known as 'Skalds', or valorous bards, were daring adventurers, who preferred to emulate the heroes they heard and learned of than to merely sing of them. Frequently found in mead halls or other gatherings of warriors, skalds hoped to witness heroic deeds firsthand so they may inspire future generations to similar heights. Believing that the heart should come before the mind, valorous bards were often great leaders, inspiring others to acts of heroism as legends inspired them.

Proficient in a greater number of weapons and armor than typical bards, bards from the College of Valor were also exceptionally skilled as warriors, capable of attacking more frequently and casting spells at the same time.

### College of Glamour

Bards of the Glamour college are all about grand performance, inspiration and dazzling others. They usually have some connection to the Feywild and call upon it's powerful magic to charm those around them through eloquent speech or song. They can as easily inspire fear as well as awe, through their use of imagery and movement in their performances. Depending on their own goals or wishes, they can seek out fame, fortune, a following of loyal fans or to move king and country alike to their way of thinking.

College of Glamour bards have unparalleled skill in making themselves appear beautiful, heroic, dangerous or any other wondrous appearance they choose. This can be achieved through magical means but after enough exposure the effects can become permanent. These guises can inspire others to do their bidding, be they friend or foe, and can also force enemies into submission, unable to attack the wonder before them.

### College of Swords

College of Swords bards, otherwise known as 'Blades', are entertainers who employ techniques such as sword swallowing, knife throwing and even mock combat. But that is not all they are. Many believe Blades to be assassins and vigilantes living double lives and hence so very few Blades are ever trusted. They are deadly combatants for sure, who can infuse their weapons with magic or kill with a daring strike.

They gain proficiency with more armors and weapons than the regular bard, and can ever use their weapons as spell casting focuses. They can mover faster than most others when in combat and have a variety of flourishing strikes at their disposal to steer combat in the direction they face.

### College of Whispers

Whisper Bards are wolf among sheep, who dance, sing and entertain to cover their true goals. They are spymasters and traffickers of secrets. Even other Bards hate the College of Whispers, seeing them as a parasite on the profession, only out to garner power and fortune, and so few Whispers reveal their true nature. However, it is undeniable to pull these Bards have and can even bend others minds to their will.

These Bards can inflict psychic damage along with their weapons attacks, so paranoia in the minds of others and even capture the shadows of the recently deceased which magically disguises them temporarily as the owner. They can also bluff their way into it seeming like they know any target's deepest secrets, even when they don't, causing the target to do anything they say for fear of their hidden side being revealed.