Bard

The Bard
Proficiency Cantrips Spells
Level Bonus Features Known Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
1st +2 Spellcasting, Bardic Inspiration (d6) 2 4 2 - - - - - - - -
2nd +2 Jack of All Trades, Song of Rest (d6) 2 5 3 - - - - - - - -
3rd +2 Bard College, Bardic Lore, Expertise 2 6 4 2 - - - - - - -
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 3 7 4 3 - - - - - - -
Bardic Inspiration (d8), Font of
5th +3 3 8 4 3 2 - - - - - -
Inspiration
6th +3 Countercharm, Bard College Feature 3 9 4 3 3 - - - - - -
7th +3 Bardic Lore 3 10 4 3 3 1 - - - - -
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 3 11 4 3 3 2 - - - - -
9th +4 Song of Rest (d8) 3 12 4 3 3 3 1 - - - -
Bardic Inspiration (d10), Expertise,
10th +4 4 14 4 3 3 3 2 - - - -
Magical Secrets
11th +4 Bardic Lore 4 15 4 3 3 3 2 1 - - -
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 4 15 4 3 3 3 2 1 - - -
13th +5 Song of Rest (d10) 4 16 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 - -
14th +5 Magical Secrets, Bard College Feature 4 18 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 - -
15th +5 Bardic Inspiration (d12), Bardic Lore 4 19 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 -
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 4 19 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 -
17th +6 Song of Rest (d12) 4 20 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1
18th +6 Magical Secrets 4 22 4 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement, Bardic Lore 4 22 4 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 1
20th +6 Superior Inspiration 4 22 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1

Equipment
Class Features You start with the following equipment, in addition to the
As a bard, you gain the following class features. equipment granted by your background:
Hit Points (a) a rapier, (b) a longsword, or (c) any simple weapon
(a) a diplomat’s pack or (b) an entertainer’s pack
Hit Dice: 1d8 per bard level (a) a lute or (b) any other musical instrument
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier Leather armor and a dagger
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

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 Spellcasting Bardic Inspiration
You have learned to untangle and reshape the fabric of reality You can inspire others through stirring words or music. To do
in harmony with your wishes and music. so, you use a bonus action on your turn to choose one
Your spells are part of your vast repertoire, magic that you creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can
can tune to different situations. hear you. That creature gains one Bardic Inspiration die, a d6.
Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the
Cantrips die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll,
You know two cantrips of your choice from the bard spell list. or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it
You learn additional bard cantrips of your choice at higher rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die,
levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Bard but must decide before the GM says whether the roll succeeds
table. or fails. Once the Bardic Inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A
creature can have only one Bardic Inspiration die at a time.
Spell Slots You can use this feature a number of times equal to your
The Bard table shows how many spell slots you have to cast Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any
your bard spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these expended uses when you finish a long rest.
spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You Your Bardic Inspiration die changes when you reach certain
regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. levels in this class. The die becomes a d8 at 5th level, a d10 at
For example, if you know the 1st-level spell cure wounds 10th level, and a d12 at 15th level.
and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you
can cast cure wounds using either slot. Jack of All Trades
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher Starting at 2nd level, you can add half your proficiency bonus,
You know four 1st-level spells of your choice from the bard rounded down, to any ability check you make that doesn’t
spell list. already include your proficiency bonus.
The Spells Known column of the Bard table shows when
you learn more bard spells of your choice. Each of these spells Song of Rest
must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on Beginning at 2nd level, you can use soothing music or oration
the table. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, to help revitalize your wounded allies during a short rest. If
you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level. you or any friendly creatures who can hear your performance
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can regain hit points at the end of the short rest by spending one
choose one of the bard spells you know and replace it with or more Hit Dice, each of those creatures regains an extra
another spell from the bard spell list, which also must be of a 1d6 hit points.
level for which you have spell slots. The extra hit points increase when you reach certain levels
in this class: to 1d8 at 9th level, to 1d10 at 13th level, and to
Spellcasting Ability 1d12 at 17th level.
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your bard spells. Your
magic comes from the heart and soul you pour into the Bard College
performance of your music or oration. You use your Charisma
whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, At 3rd level, you delve into the advanced techniques of a bard
you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving college of your choice: the College of Lore or the College of
throw DC for a bard spell you cast and when making an attack Valor, both detailed at the end of
roll with one. the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd
level and again at 6th and 14th level.
Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + Bardic Lore
your Charisma modifier
Starting at 3rd level you select two Bardic Lore abilities. You
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + learn additional Bardic Lore at 7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th level.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can
your Charisma modifier choose one of the Bardic Lore you know and replace it with
Ritual Casting another Bardic Lore that you could learn at that level.
You can cast any bard spell you know as a ritual if that spell
has the ritual tag. Expertise
At 3rd level, choose two of your skill proficiencies. Your
Spellcasting Focus proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make
You can use a musical instrument (see chapter 5, “Equip- that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.
ment”) as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells. At 10th level, you can choose another two skill proficiencies
to gain this benefit.

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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).
Magical Secrets
By 10th level, you have plundered magical knowledge from a
wide spectrum of disciplines. Choose two 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 and are
included in the number in the Spells Known column of the
Bard table.
You learn two additional spells from any classes at 14th
level and again at 18th level.
Superior Inspiration
At 20th level, when you roll initiative and have no uses of
Bardic Inspiration left, you regain one use.

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 Bardic Lore Distraction
Bards pick up all sorts of abilities and lore among their Whether by song, oratory, or telling jokes, you are skilled at
travels. the art of distracting others.
You can target any number of
Many of these abilities require the use of your bardic creatures within 60 feet of you. Make a Charisma
performance. While this is commonly a song, it could be a (Performance) check opposed by your targets’ Wisdom
poem or a dramatic story or oratory. (Insight) checks. Your allies have advantage on attack rolls
and skill checks (such as Dexterity (Stealth) checks against
those that failed the contest against you.
Agonizing Mockery
Prerequisite: vicious mockery cantrip Essence of Purity
When you cast vicious mockery, add your Charisma Your flair for the dramatic and will to live promises a dramatic
modifier to the damage it deals. end when your time should come.
Unless an attack is specifically to knock you out, you do not
Bluff fall unconscious after your first failed death saving throw
Your performance is such that your opponents fear your skill. when dying.
This can be a masterly spinning display of weapons, or a calm, When you fail your third death saving throw, you don’t die
subtle approach. immediately. Instead, you give a final performance, uttering a
You can make a Charisma (Deception) check contested by dying poem or dramatic oratory before expiring. If for some
the target’s Wisdom (Insight) to convince them that you are reason you were knocked unconscious, then you gasp back to
more skilled at combat or spellcasting than you are. consciousness in time to recite your dying words.
If they fail their check, they will act accordingly. In some Furthermore, if you are fighting to defend the honor of
cases, they may attack you in preference to others, in other another for love, beauty, or innocence, and you are reduced to
cases they might avoid direct confrontation with you. 0 hit points, you make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. If
Regardless, you have advantage on your first weapon or successful, you are reduced to 1 hit point instead. As soon as
spell attack against that target, and they have disadvantage on you fail this saving throw you are dying, with one failed death
their first attack against you. saving throw against dying for each of the times you
Future attempts against the same target are dependent succeeded with this ability. If you had three or more
upon the outcome. If nothing in the rest of the encounter successful saving throws, then you recite your last words and
would change their perception of you, then the charade die.
continues. If they are successful in seeing through your bluff, If you receive any healing in this state, while you are still
then future attempts against them are made with conscious, your death saving throw count is reset.
disadvantage. You may or may not know whether they Due to the call of the dramatic, you will not respond to
discovered your secret. resurrection attempts, unless it is to be with your true love.
If you were fighting to defend the honor of another and
Break the Silence were unable to recite your dying words, there is a chance that
Your oratory or song can shatter magical silence. As a bonus you will return as a revenant (as determined by the DM).
action, you can attempt to break magical silence. Make a Etiquette
Charisma (Performance) check against the spell save DC
(even if the spell doesn’t normally allow a saving throw). If You have picked up the subtleties of ways that people
successful, the silence is broken. communicate and interact, particularly nobility and the well-
to-do.
Command You have advantage on Charisma (Deception), Charisma
Once per day you can use the command spell at your spell slot (Performance), Charisma (Persuasion), and Wisdom (Insight)
level without using a spell slot, and only using verbal checks regarding the proper etiquette required in each
components. situation, or when attempting to pass as somebody who fits
into a specific cultural situation.
Countersong Fascinate
You can attempt to prevent or disrupt magical attacks that use Creature is fascinated with your performance, spending its
words or songs, such as vicious mockery, cutting words, a actions listening to the you. They have disadvantage on
harpy’s song, a banshee’s wail, thunderwave, etc. Perception checks, but can still use their reaction to defend
As a reaction, make a Charisma (Performance) check themselves if necessary. Any attack against a target breaks the
against the save DC (even if it doesn’t normally allow a saving fascination.
throw). If successful, it counters the effect, granting everybody
that can hear you advantage on their saving throw against the
attack. If the effect doesn’t normally allow a saving throw, they
gain one instead.
If against a spell, you have disadvantage if the spell is of a
higher level than you can cast.
You can maintain this effect for
up to 1 minute with concentration.

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Fortune Telling Poetic Charm
You are skilled at the non-magical art of fortune-telling. You are a romantic at heart.
You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) and Charisma You have advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks to
(Persuasion) checks when attempting to determine another alter the position of another person (hostile to indifferent, etc.)
individual’s fortune. towards you, particularly regarding romantic situations.
This ability, when successfully used, gives the impression You can only alter them one category (hostile to indifferent,
that you are utilizing real divination magic. indifferent to friendly). If you continue to attempt to change
their position, they become hostile towards you.
Juggle This is not a magical effect, and future interactions can
In addition to performances, your juggling skill can come in alter their position.
handy in other ways. You are adept at catching small flying Rally
items, and can attempt to catch weapons thrown at you.
As a reaction, you can make a Dexterity saving throw. The During a battle that is not going well (at least half of your
DC is 8 + the attack modifier of the attacker. If successful, you allies have 50% of hit points or less of their maximum hit
catch the missile and take no damage. Failure means the points), you can use your Action to bolster their resolve. Your
attack automatically hits. allies within 120 feet of you gain advantage on morale checks
This ability does not work against arrows, bolts, sling and a +1 bonus to their next attack.
bullets, or darts thrown by an atlatl. In addition, if they succeed at their morale check, they can
use their reaction to reduce the damage of the next attack they
Loremaster suffer by half.
Your love of history and arcana is reflected in your knowledge They also temporarily overcome the effects of fatigue or
of enchanted items and weapons. You have advantage on exhaustion for the remainder of the battle. If they survive, they
Intelligence (Arcana) or Intelligence (History) checks to suffer 1 additional level of fatigue or exhaustion.
identify magic items or weapons. Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you
complete a long rest.
Lullaby Riddlemaster
Your performance makes those around you drowsy while you While you can make a living with your performances that are
perform. Creatures within 60 feet must make a Constitution filled with riddles and puzzles, your mind naturally picks up
saving throw or suffer 1 level of fatigue. You can only impose 1 on patterns and clues in puzzles.
level of fatigue on a creature in a 24-hour period.
You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks when
Magician making decisions like determining which way leads to a
certain destination, solving puzzles, disarming traps and other
You are skilled in the art of non-magical illusion. You can such situations.
make a Charisma (Deception) check contested by the target’s While it doesn’t provide a bonus when tracking something,
Wisdom (Insight) check. If successful, you gain advantage on it does grant the bonus in situations like a chase where you
Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks against that target. are determining which way somebody went within the last 15
minutes or so.
Masquerade
Your acting skills allow you to take on the manner of another Rumormonger
role. This doesn’t change your physical appearance, although You are skilled at picking up the intrigue and rumors in a
you can use a disguise kit. locale. You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) and
You can add your Charisma (Performance) modifier to Intelligence (Investigation) checks to learn about current
Charisma (Deception) checks to play a part, or pretend to be events in a given location. This success makes it easier to
something or somebody you’re not. learn the details of such gossip, not just what is common
If you have proficiency in a Disguise Kit and you are knowledge.
successful in creating a disguise, or you have a magical This skill is also very useful during downtime.
disguise, you also have advantage on your Charisma
(Deception) check. Sanctuary
Mass mockery Once per day you can cast the sanctuary spell without using a
spell slot and with only verbal components.
Prerequisite: 5th level, vicious mockery cantrip
When you successfully use vicious mockery against a target,
that target’s allies within 60 feet (or 120 feet if you have the
Vicious Shout lore) must make a saving throw or take the
same amount of psychic damage as the target.

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 Song of Influence
Your performance can be used to influence the position of
others. You can target any number of creatures within 120
feet that can hear you. Make a Charisma (Persuasion) check
opposed by the target’s Wisdom (Insight) check.
If you succeed, you can influence them one step towards or
away from friendly. If you fail, then they move one step
towards hostile.
Once targets have heard your song, they
cannot be affected by it for 24 hours.
Soothing Song
You voice or song sooths animals. You have advantage on
Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks to calm or change the
disposition of animals (beasts) that can hear you one step
towards friendly.
As long as you maintain concentration and continue your
performance (for up to 1 minute), any creatures that are
friendly to you, are hostile to your enemies.
Spellsong
You have learned to cast a spell with a song, poem or dramatic
oratory. If the spell requires concentration, you must continue
to perform for the duration. Select one of the following spells.
You can cast this spell at will as a 1st-level spell, without
expending a spell slot, and only requiring verbal components
(the performance).
Spellsong Spells:
Alarm, detect magic, disguise self, false
life, heroism, mage armor, or speak with animals.
Swindler
You are a master of the art of deception. You have proficiency
in one Gaming Set of your choice.
You can add your Charisma (Deception) modifier when
making a Gaming Set ability check.
Use Written Magic Items
You can use any written magic item, such as spell scrolls,
whether you meet the class prerequisites or not.
Note that spellbooks are not a magic item.
Vicious Shout
Prerequisite: vicious mockery cantrip
When you cast vicious mockery, its range is 120 feet.
War Chant
Before heading into a battle, you can spend 10 minutes
building up your forces’ morale. You can grant an Inspiration
die to all allies within 120 feet as temporary hit points.

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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.
Bonus Proficiencies
When you join the College of Lore at 3rd level, you gain
proficiency with three skills of your choice.
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. 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 use your reaction to 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
GM 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 or if it’s immune to
being charmed.
Additional Magical Secrets
At 6th level, you learn two spells of your choice from any class.
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 but don’t count against the number of bard
spells you know.
Peerless Skill
Starting at 14th level, when you make an ability check, you
can expend one use of Bardic Inspiration. Roll a Bardic
Inspiration die and add the number rolled to your ability
check. You can choose to do so after you roll the die for the
ability check, but before the GM tells you whether you
succeed or fail.

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