Bard (Tales from Thedas)

*"A bard must know history so she does not repeat it. She tells the tales but is never part of them. She watches but remains above what she sees. She inspires passions in others and rules her own."*

— Marjolaine du Orlais

Every land has minstrels and tale-tellers, but those who follow the bardic tradition of Orlais are a breed apart, serving as spies, agents, and assassins. The utility of bards reaches as far as Orlais’ influence does--every city of note and every court of repute is rife with bards in the service this or that ambitious noble, and Tantervale is no different. Having taken the minstrel's art to new levels, bards are skilled performers and master manipulators; bards can inspire their allies or dishearten their foes through song and tale.

Note: Bard abilities are in-universe explicitly nonmagical. Kindly ignore the fact that all the Bardic Talents are just re-flavored spells.

Adapted from the base D&D 5E Bard, College of Swords subclass, and Monk.

(back to Character Creation)

* **Hit Dice:** 1d8
* **Saving Throws**: Dexterity, Charisma
* **Proficiencies:** Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords, three musical instruments of your choice, disguise kit
* **Skills:** Choose any three

### **Equipment**

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

* (a) a rapier or (b) a longsword
* (a) a shortbow and 20 arrows or (b) a set of 3 throwing knives
* (a) a diplomat's pack or (b) an entertainer's pack
* (a) a lute or (b) any other musical instrument
* Leather armor, a dagger, a disguise kit, a vial of 2d8 contact poison good for one use

## **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 d6.

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 your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). 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 d8 at 5th level, a d10 at 10th level, and a d12 at 15th level.

## **Bardic Talents**

Your training enables you to apply your skills as Bardic Talents. Your ability to use these talents is determined by your supply of talent points. Your Bard level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Talent Points column of the Bard table.

You can spend these points to fuel various bardic talents. You start knowing four such talents: Ridicule, Beguiling Smile, Hilarity, and Encouragement. You learn more talents as you gain levels in this class.

When you spend a talent point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest. Some of your talents require your target to make a saving throw to resist the talent's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

**Talent save DC** = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

## **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 spend one or more Hit Dice to regain hit points at the end of the short rest, each of those creatures regains an extra 1d6 hit points. This is upgraded to a d8 at 9th level, to a d10 at 13th level, and to a d12 at 17th level.

## **Features**

### **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.

### **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 creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die.

***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. You can also push the target up to 5 feet away from you, plus a number of feet equal to the number you roll on that die. You can then immediately use your reaction to move up to your walking speed to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the target.

### **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.

### **Font of Inspiration**

Beginning when you reach 5th level, you regain all of your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you finish a short or long rest.

### **Countercharm**

At 6th level, you gain the ability to use musical notes or words of power to disrupt mind-influencing effects. As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet of you have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed. A creature must be able to hear you to gain this benefit. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily, end it (no action required).

### **Extra Attack**

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

### **Fortune's Favor**

Starting at 10th level, You regain one Bardic Inspiration whenever you land a critical on an attack, skill check, or saving throw.

### **Master's 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.

### **Superior Inspiration**

At 20th level, when you roll initiative and have no uses of Bardic Inspiration left, you regain one use.