Bard College
At 3rd level, a Bard gains the Bard College feature. The following Colleges can be made available to Bards, alongside those in the Player's Handbook and other official options:
| Chance | Drama | Glory |
| Chaos | Eulogies | Radiance |
| Command | Fine Art | Revelry |
| Crossroads | Fools | The Wilds |
College of Chance
Gamblers, risk-takers, and daredevils alike all find a home in the College of Chance. Bards that dedicate themselves to this way of life live for the adrenaline that comes with great risks. These whimsical wanderers wield songs that draw upon the ambient wild magic in the world, channeling its risky power.
| Bard Level | College Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Risk-Taker, Wild Inspiration |
| 6th | Whimsical Song |
| 14th | Master of Chance |
Risk-Taker
3rd-level College of Chance feature
When you fall short you can enhance your abilities with wild magic, possibly turning a failure into a success or a success into a failure. When you make an ability check, but before you know if you succeed or fail, you can grant yourself a bonus to your roll equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die.
If you roll an even number on this bonus die, you add the result to your ability check. If you roll an odd number on this bonus die you subtract the result from your ability check.
This feature improves when you reach certain levels in this class. At 6th level, you can use this feature when you make a weapon or spell attack roll. Finally, at 14th level, you can use
the feature whenever you make a saving throw.
Wild Inspiration
3rd-level College of Chance feature
The nature of your magic bleeds into your other abilities. When a creature that can hear you within 30 feet makes an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can use your reaction to expend a use of Bardic Inspiration, roll the Bardic Inspiration die, and add the result to the creature's roll.
Whimsical Song
6th-level College of Chance feature
You enhance your bardic song with the power of wild magic. When a creature under the effect of your Countercharm uses one of your Bardic Inspiration dice, it can choose to use the maximum possible result for that die in place of rolling.
However, if it uses Bardic Inspiration in this way and still misses its attack roll or fails its ability check or saving throw, it must immediately roll on the Wild Magic table found in the Sorcerer class on page 104 of the Player's Handbook.
Master of Chance
14th-level College of Chance feature
The forces of chance favor your wild lifestyle. Whenever you or another creature uses one of your Bardic Inspiration dice and rolls the maximum possible result, it gains an additional bonus to the roll equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die.
College of Chaos
While most Bards use their skill with words to entertain and support, some choose to spread confusion, misinformation, and distrust. Though they reject the idea of formal leaders, some discordant Bards join the College of Chaos, a loose association of misanthropes that study discordant magics.
| Bard Level | College Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Bewildering Whisper, Sower of Discord |
| 6th | Pandemonium |
| 14th | Reign of Chaos |
Bewildering Whisper
3rd-level College of Chaos feature
You use your magic to sow chaos in the midst of battle. When a creature within 60 feet that can hear you makes an attack roll, you can use your reaction to expend a Bardic Inspiration die and force it to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature must use the same attack against another creature of your choice within the range of its attack.
Sower of Discord
3rd-level College of Chaos feature
You gain the skills to sow strife amongst your foes. You gain proficiency with disguise kits, forgery kits, and theives' tools.
Pandemonium
6th-level College of Chaos feature
You infuse your bardic songs with chaotic magic. When you use Countercharm, you can force a creature within range of the effect to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, roll a d8 and the creature suffers the corresponding effect from the table below until the end of your Countercharm.
| d8 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | It retreats into its mind and is Paralyzed. The effect ends early if it takes damage. |
| 2 | It is Incapacitated and convinced that its allies are secretly plotting against it. |
| 3 | It is Frightened of the closest creature and uses its turn to flee from it. |
| 4 | It cannot speak or cast spells and it feels if it opens its mouth its voice will escape. |
| 5 | It experiences vivid hallucinations and has disadvantage on all attack rolls. |
| 6 | It is highly suggestible and will do anything it is told to do that isn't self-destructive. |
| 7 | It experiences insatiable hunger and uses its action to eat anything it can. |
| 8 | It uses its turn to repeat its previous turn or action to the best of its ability. |
A creature suffering from this effect can make a Wisdom saving throw at the start of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. Once a creature succeeds on its saving throw it is immune to this feature for the next 24 hours.
Reign of Chaos
14th-level College of Chaos feature
You have mastered the chaotic magic that is the source of your power. You learn confusion, but it doesn't count against your total number of Spells Known. If you already know this spell you instead learn another enchantment spell of your choice from the Bard spell list.
As a bonus action, you can expend a use of your Bardic Inspiration to cast confusion with the following changes:
- You can only target one creature.
- It does not require your concentration, but you can't
have more than one instance of the spell active. - When a creature makes a saving throw to resist the
effects of this spell you can expend a use of your Bardic Inspiration to impose disadvantage on its saving throw.
College of Command
Bards of the College of Command infuse their voice with the magic to inspire others to feats of heroism in battle. Rather than use their abilities to empower themselves, they bring out the best in their allies. For some Bards of this College, their days of gallantry are long behind them. For others, they lead allies from the front, issuing orders and drawing swords.
| Bard Level | College Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Commander's Training, Inspiring Orders |
| 6th | Gallant Leader |
| 14th | Masterful Commander |
Commander's Training
3rd-level College of Command feature
You have honed both your body and mind for battle. You gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons that lack the heavy or two-handed properties.
In addition, you gain proficiency with two gaming sets of your choice, and you can add double your proficiency bonus
to any ability check that uses these gaming sets.
Inspiring Orders
3rd-level College of Command feature
As an action, you can expend a use of Bardic Inspiration to issue one of the Orders detailed below, targeting a willing creature within 60 feet that can either see or hear you:
Attack Order
The next time the target takes the Attack action before the start of your next turn, it can make one additional weapon attack as part of its Attack action.
Defensive Order
The target gains a bonus to its Armor Class equal to one roll of your Bardic Inspiration until the start of your next turn.
Maneuvering Order
The target can immediately move up to its full speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Steadfast Order
Whenever the target makes an ability check or saving throw that uses its Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution before the start of your next turn, it gains a bonus to the result of its roll equal to one roll of your Bardic Inspiration.
Support Order
The target can immediately take the Help, Hide, Search, or Use an Object action. If it makes an ability check as part of this action it adds one roll of Bardic Inspiration to the result.
Gallant Leader
6th-level College of Command feature
You can seamlessly fight and issue
Orders to your allies. Whenever
you use your action to issue an
Order, you can make a single
weapon attack or cast one Bard
cantrip you know as a bonus action.
In addition, when you are forced to
make a saving throw to resist being
charmed or frightened you can add your
Bardic Inspiration bonus to your roll.
Masterful Commander
14th-level College of Command feature
Your confident Orders embolden your allies. You can issue your Orders without expending Bardic Inspiration, rolling a d6 in place of your Bardic Inspiration die for that Order.
If you do expend a use of Bardic Inspiration to issue an Order, the target of the Order gains temporary hit points equal to one roll of your Bardic Inspiration in addition to the normal benefits of the Order.
College of Crossroads
While most Bards are naturally skilled musicians, singers, or storytellers, some gained their talent through more nefarious means. Known informally as the College of Crossroads, this organization is named for the traditional location where such mortal bargains are made. An agreement with a devil, demon, or other denizen of the lower planes is the start of such an infernal Bard's quest for personal power, fame, and fortune.
| Bard Level | College Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Infernal Musician, Forbidden Arcana |
| 6th | Eldritch Recovery, Sinister Song |
| 14th | Otherworldly Virtuoso |
Infernal Musician
3rd-level College of Crossroads feature
You have gained strange and sinister skills from an infernal deal at a Crossroads. You gain the following benefits:
- You gain proficiency in Performance, and whenever you make a Charisma (Performance) check you can treat a d20 roll of 7 or lower as an 8.
- You gain proficiency with one musical instrument.
- You learn to speak, read, write, and sing in Infernal.
In addition, whenever you make a Charisma check
that includes Infernal speech or lyrics, you gain a
bonus to the roll equal to your Bardic Inspiration roll.
Forbidden Arcana
3rd-level College of Crossroads feature
Your nefarious dealings with the lower planes have granted you access to dark magics. When you learn a new Bard spell you can choose the spell from the Bard or the Warlock spell list. It then becomes a Bard spell for you.
Eldritch Recovery
6th-level College of Crossroads feature
You can draw upon the dark arts to regenerate your magic, much as a Warlock does. When you finish a short rest, you can regain one expended Bard spell slot of a level equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1st-level) or lower.
However, if you choose to use this feature during a short rest then you cannot use Song of Rest.
Sinister Song
6th-level College of Crossroads feature
Your bardic magic is infused with the power of the lower planes. When a creature under the effect of Countercharm succeeds on a saving throw to resist being charmed or frightened, you can use a reaction to expend a use of Bardic Inspiration and force a creature of your choice within range of your Countercharm to make a Wisdom saving throw.
On a failed save, it is charmed or frightened (your choice) for the duration of Countercharm. The creature can repeat its saving at the end of each turn, and each time it takes damage,
ending the charm or frighten effect on a success.
Otherworldly Virtuoso
14th-level College of Crossroads feature
You have mastered the Infernal musical
power imparted to you. When you cast
a Bard spell with a verbal component you
can expend a Bardic Inspiration to enhance
the spell in one of the following ways:
Emboldening Melody
If the Bard spell restores hit points, one target of the spell regains additional hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). All targets of the spell have advantage on the
next attack roll, ability check, or saving throw they make.
Infectious Tune
If the Bard spell requires your concentration, the first
time you are forced to make a Constitution saving throw
to maintain concentration on that spell you gain a bonus
to your roll equal to one roll of your Bardic Inspiration.
Resounding Note
If the Bard spell deals damage, you can cause it to deal
thunder damage in place of its normal damage. Large or
smaller creatures affected by the spell must succeed on
an (additional) Strength saving throw or fall prone.
College of Drama
Long have the performing arts been a favorite pastime for people of all walks of life. Performers and thespians use the stage to tell stories that while fictional, can reveal great truths about life, death, and the struggles in between. The Muse, the ancient spirit of inspiration, moves the hearts of these actors, both great and small, to give their all in every performance.
| Bard Level | College Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Channel the Muse, Thespian's Craft |
| 6th | Soliloquy |
| 14th | Final Curtain |
Channel the Muse
3rd-level College of Drama feature
You have learned to channel songs of The Muse to magically manifest two masks. One, a laughing Mask of Comedy, the other, a weeping Mask of Tragedy. At the end of a long rest, you choose which Mask manifests, which lasts until the end of your next long rest, and grants you the abilities below:
Mask of Comedy
You use your talent for the dramatic to inspire your allies in combat. When a friendly creature that can see or hear you within 30 feet fails an ability check or saving throw, or misses with an attack roll, you can use your reaction to expend a use of Bardic Inspiration, roll it, and the result to the creature's roll, possibly turning its failure into a success.
Mask of Tragedy
Your flair for tragedy allows you to inflict sorrow upon your foes. When a hostile creature that can see or hear you within 30 feet succeeds on an ability check or saving throw, or hits with an attack roll, you can use your reaction to expend a use of Bardic Inspiration, roll it, and subtract the result from its roll, possibly turning its success into a failure.
Thespian's Craft
3rd-level College of Drama feature
The Muse has granted the skills of a master stage performer. You gain proficiency in Performance and with disguise kits, and whenever you make an ability check with either of these proficiencies you can treat a d20 roll of 7 or lower as an 8.
Soliloquy
6th-level College of Drama feature
Your bardic magic and song is infused with the performative power of The Muse. When you use Countercharm it gains the effects below based on the Mask you are currently wearing:
Mask of Comedy
The sound of your music inspires great deeds. Creatures of your choice that can hear you within range of Countercharm gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) at the start of each of their turns.
Mask of Tragedy
Your bardic magic and song undermine the resolve of your enemies. Creatures of your choice that can hear you within range of Countercharm have disadvantage on saving throws to resist any spell that includes a verbal component.
Final Curtain
14th-level College of Drama feature
The Muse grants you the ability to enthrall Death itself, if
only for a short while. Your Masks grant the benefits below:
Mask of Comedy
You can bring allies back from the brink of death. When a creature you can see within 30 feet makes a death saving throw, you can use your reaction to expend a use of Bardic Inspiration and make a Charisma (Performance) check. The creature can choose to use the result of your check in place
of making a normal death saving throw roll.
Mask of Tragedy
You can bargain with death itself for more time. When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can expend a use of Bardic Inspiration die to immediately make
a Charisma (Performance) check. If the result of your check
is a 20 or greater, you fall to 1 hit point instead of 0.
College of Eulogies
Bards are masters of eliciting all types of emotions with their music. They use their magic to make audiences feel a longing for places they have never been and love for people long dead. Those who join the College of Eulogies have a fondness for the more negative emotions; grief, sorrow, and fear. They take their name from the speeches typically delivered in memory of the deceased, for they see themselves as bringers of death.
| Bard Level | College Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Bardic Dirge, Lament for the Dead |
| 6th | Restless Spirit |
| 14th | Infectious Despair |
Bardic Dirge
3rd-level College of Eulogies feature
You wield the melancholic magic of negative emotions and can use it to inflict minor curses. When a creature that can hear you within 60 feet, makes an attack roll, ability check,
or saving throw, you can use your reaction to expend a use
of Bardic Inspiration to impose disadvantage on its roll.
Lament for the Dead
3rd-level College of Eulogies feature
You have steeped yourself in strange magic and ancient lore associated with death. Whenever you make an Intelligence check to recall knowledge pertaining to rituals or lore related
to death, the undead, or the magic of necromancy, you can add double your proficiency bonus to your roll.
Also, whenever you learn a new Bard spell, you can choose to learn a necromancy spell of your choice from any spell list.
Thematic Spellcasting Foci
Not every Bard is a musician. Some Bards of the Colleges of Drama and Eulogies use skulls as foci, while other Bards may use gaming sets or tools.
Talk to your DM about using a focus that better fits the concept of your Bard. As long as you must hold it in hand, there is no mechanical difference.
Restless Spirit
6th-level College of Eulogies feature
You can conjure and bind Restless Spirits that died with unfinished business. At the end of each long rest, you can perform a short ritual that summons such a Spirit. It is friendly to both you and your allies, obeys your
commands, and uses the Restless Spirit stat block, which uses your Spell Save DC, and proficiency bonus (PB).
In combat, the Spirit acts during your turn. It can move
and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes
is the Dodge action, unless you used your bonus action to command it to take one of the actions in its stat block, or another action. If you are incapacitated, the Restless Spirit
can take any action it chooses.
If your Spirit was destroyed within the last hour, you can expend a spell slot of 1st-level or higher. After 1 minute, it returns from beyond the veil with all its hit points restored.
Infectious Despair
14th-level College of Eulogies feature
The sadness and despair that you inflict upon your foes cloys to them until it exacts its toll. When you use Bardic Dirge on a creature, and that creature succeeds on its roll despite the disadvantage, it also has disadvantage on its next attack roll, ability check, or saving throw it makes as well.
Regardless of the outcome of the second roll, this feature ends after its next attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.
Restless Spirit
Medium Undead, Unaligned
- Armor Class 13 + PB (natural armor)
- Hit Points 5 + five times your Bard level
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 11 (+0)
- Damage Resistances necrotic
- Conditioned Immunities frightened, grappled
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
- Languages the Spirit understands the languages
you speak, but it cannot speak itself
Misery's Company The Spirit has advantage on attack rolls against creatures that are frightened of it.
Spirit Bond. When the Spirit makes an ability check
or saving throw you can use your reaction to expend a use of Bardic Inspiration and add it to its roll.Actions
Mournful Wail. One creature of your choice within
30 feet of the Spirit that can hear it must succeed
on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of it for
1 minute. It can repeat the saving throw at the end
of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.Spectral Claw. Melee Spell Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 + your Charisma modifier necrotic damage.
College
of Fine Art
While most Bards unlock their signature magic with song, some learn to channel magic through visual mediums. Most often using ink or paint, these whimsical artists animate wondrous images to both entertain and adventure with. They can channel bardic illusion magic through art and bring the strange and wonderful figments of their imagination to life.
| Bard Level | College Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Classical Artist, Living Art |
| 6th | Illusory Artwork |
| 14th | Bardic Masterpiece |
Classical Artist
3rd-level College of Fine Art feature
You have mastered the use of visual art forms for your bardic magic. You gain proficiency with calligrapher's and painter's supplies, and whenever you make an ability check with either tool you can add double your proficiency bonus to your roll.
Moreover, you can use calligrapher's supplies or painter's supplies as a spellcasting focus for any Bard spell you know.
Finally, whenever you learn a Bard spell, you can choose to learn an illusion spell of your choice from any spell list.
Living Art
3rd-level College of Fine Art feature
Your signature bardic magic can bring your artwork to life. You learn the find familiar spell, but it doesn't count against your total number of Spells Known. Though, you can only cast find familiar using calligrapher's supplies or painter's supplies as your spellcasting focus.
When you cast find familiar in this way, your familiar resembles a living two-dimensional piece of artwork. As an action, your familiar can flatten itself against any surface to appear as mundane art or graffiti. If a creature succeeds on an Intelligence (Investigation) check against your Spell Save DC it realizes that the artwork is a living familiar.
Illusory Artwork
6th-level College of Fine Art feature
If you cast an illusion spell and use calligrapher's supplies or painter's supplies as your spellcasting focus you can expend a use of Bardic Inspiration to cast the spell with a spell slot one level lower than you normally would (minimum of 1st-level).
Bardic Masterpiece
14th-level College of Fine Art feature
As an action you can use calligrapher's or painter's supplies to paint a picture of a beast of CR 4 or lower that you have seen before in an unoccupied space adjacent to you, bringing the artistic depiction on the beast to life for 1 minute.
While it is animated, the artwork beast is completely under your control, is friendly toward you and your allies, and it uses the stat block of the beast you depicted. In combat, the beast shares your initiative, but it can only take the Dodge action unless you use your bonus action to command it to take an action from its stat block or another action.
If the artwork beast is reduced to zero hit points it is
dispelled and melts into a puddle of ink or paint.
Once you use this feature you must finish a long
rest before you can use it again. When you have no
uses of this feature remaining, you can expend a
spell slot of 5th-level or higher to use it again.
College of Fools
Bards who join the College of Fools use crude stories, daring acrobatics, and cutting jokes to entertain audiences, ranging from tavern crowds to royal courts. Where other Bards seek out forgotten lore or tales of bravery, Fools tell embarrassing and hilarious stories of all kinds. Fools undermine the plans of the powerful, and their acrobatic ability to tumble, dodge, leap, and climb makes them slippery opponents in battle.
| Bard Level | College Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Satirical Theatrics, Tumbling Fool |
| 6th | Sharp Tongue, Sharper Wit |
| 14th | Fool's Luck |
Satirical Theatrics
3rd-level College of Fools feature
You gain the skills to pass as a bumbling nincompoop. You gain proficiency in Acrobatics and Sleight of Hand, and when you make an ability check with either of these skills, you can treat a d20 roll of 7 or lower as an 8.
Tumbling Fool
3rd-level College of Fools feature
Your training allows you to move about in strange and bizarrely entertaining ways. You can take the Dash action as a bonus action. When you take the Dash action, you gain the following benefits, which last until the end of your turn:
- Opportunity attacks against you have disadvantage.
- You gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed.
- You can reduce any falling damage you take by an amount
equal to your Bard level + your
Charisma modifier.
Sharp Tongue
6th-level College of Fools feature
You learn vicious mockery, but it doesn't count against your total number of Cantrips Known, and when you use vicious mockery you add your Charisma modifier to the damage roll.
If you already know vicious mockery you learn another cantrip of your choice from the Bard spell list.
Sharper Wit
6th-level College of Fools feature
When a creature that you can see targets you with an attack, you can use your reaction to cast vicious mockery targeting the attacker. If it fails its saving throw, it must choose another target within range of its attack. If there are no other targets in range then its attack misses.
You can cast vicious mockery as a reaction a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Fool's Luck
14th-level College of Fools feature
You combine bardic magic with foolish antics to manipulate luck. When you make an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw with advantage, you can choose to automatically fail in comical fashion and gain one point of Fool's Luck
When a creature within 30 feet that can see or hear you, makes an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can use your reaction to expend a point of Fool's Luck to impose advantage or disadvantage (your choice) on its roll.
You can have a total number of points of Fool's Luck equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). Unused Fool's
Luck fades at the end of your next long rest.
College of Glory
Bards are known for telling the tale and ballads that laud the heroic action of others. While most are satisfied by this role, others strive to be the hero themselves. Many a brave Bard has joined the ranks of the College of Glory for this reason.
Valuing bravery and decisive action above all, Glory Bards emulate heroes of legend. Augmented by magic, they cultivate larger-than-life personas and hone physical abilities to match.
| Bard Level | College Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Heroic Stature, Glorious Purpose |
| 6th | Extra Attack |
| 14th | Hero of Legend, Paragon of Glory |
Heroic Stature
3rd-level College of Glory feature
You have decided to become the hero that other Bards
will sing of. You gain the following benefits so long as
you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield:
• Your Armor Class is equal to 10 + your Strength
modifier + your Charisma modifier.
• Your unarmed strikes deal bludgeoning damage
equal to one roll of your Bardic Inspiration die +
your Strength modifier on hit.
• Whenever you make a Strength (Athletics)
check or roll damage for an unarmed strike,
you can expend a use of Bardic Inspiration
and add it to the result of your roll.
Glorious Purpose
3rd-level College of Glory feature
You have trained to overcome any obstacle that may stand in the path of your legend. You gain proficiency in Athletics and have advantage on saving throws to resist being frightened.
Extra Attack
6th-level College of Glory feature
You can attack twice, instead of once, when you take the Attack action on your turn. Moreover, you can cast one of your Bard cantrips in place of one of those attacks.
Hero of Legend
14th-level College of Glory feature
You take up the mantle of a legendary hero, transforming to match the legend. You can use a bonus action to transform into your Heroic Form, gaining the following benefits:
- You gain temporary hit points equal to your Bard level.
- You can take the Dash action as a bonus action so long
as you end your movement closer to a hostile creature. - As a reaction when a creature targets you with a melee attack, you can make one attack against that creature.
These benefits last for 1 minute and end early if you fall unconscious or die. Once you use this feature you must finish a short or long rest before you can transform again.
Paragon of Glory
14th-level College of Glory feature
You are immune to the frightened condition, and whenever you make a death saving throw you can expend a use of Bardic Inspiration, roll it, and add the result to your roll.
College of Radiance
Worship takes on many forms across the multiverse; the quiet contemplation of the monastic hermit, the insightful guidance of the temple priest, the resolute dedication of the faith-filled zealot, and the impassioned preacher spreading the tenants of their faith across the land with word and song.
Bards of the College of Radiance are devout preachers of the divine, and all their performances sing the praise of their deity. These bards use the power of their voice to further the will of their god and inspire devotion in their followers.
| Bard Level | College Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Divine Revelation, Words of Healing |
| 6th | Heavenly Chorus |
| 14th | Beatific Vision |
Divine Revelation
3rd-level College of Radiance feature
Your deity has blessed you with a measure of their divine power in return for your service. Choose a Divine Domain from those available to the Cleric that best fits the deity you serve. Whenever you learn a new Bard spell, you can choose from the Bard spell list, the Cleric spell list, or your list of Domain Spells, and the spell becomes a Bard spell for you. You must obey all other rules from learning a new spell.
You also gain proficiency in Religion, and you add double your proficiency bonus to Intelligence (Religion) checks.
Words of Healing
3rd-level College of Radiance feature
The god you serve empowers your healing magic. When
you cast a Bard spell of 1st-level or higher that restores
hit points to a creature, the target regains additional hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).
Heavenly Chorus
6th-level College of Radiance feature
Your faith empowers your bardic song. When you use Countercharm, you can expend a use of Bardic Inspiration
to empower it with one of the following celestial effects:
Guidance
Creatures of your choice within range add your Charisma modifier (minimum of +1) to the first ability check, attack roll, or saving throw they make before the start of your next turn.
Judgment
One creature of your choice within range that can hear you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the start of your next turn. Once a creature succeeds on this saving throw, or the effect ends for it, that creature is immune to this effect for the next 24 hours.
Protection
For the duration, creatures of your choice within range are resistant to necrotic and radiant damage, and their maximum hit points cannot be reduced.
Restoration
One creature of your choice within range that can hear you gains temporary hit points equal to your Bardic Inspiration.
Beatific Vision
14th-level College of Radiance feature
You can allow the power of your deity to shine forth from you. When you cast a Bard spell that forces at least one creature to make a saving throw, you can expend Bardic Inspiration to impose disadvantage on one creature's saving throw for each Bardic Inspiration you expend as part of this spell.
College of Revelry
Bards that join the College of Revelry somehow seem to be the center of attention wherever they go. They enjoy the after-party more than their performance, and they never turn down an invitation to a good time. From formal banquets to harvest celebrations of small towns, Revelry Bards live for the party.
| Bard Level | College Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Charming Presence, Depraved Enchantments |
| 6th | Stirring Performance |
| 14th | Hedonistic Trance |
Charming Presence
3rd-level College of Revelry feature
Your natural charm makes others uniquely comfortable around you. You gain proficiency in Persuasion. If you are already proficient in Persuasion you instead gain proficiency
in either Deception, Performance, or Sleight of Hand.
If you are currently carousing with a creature, you have advantage on any Deception, Performance, Persuasion, or Sleight of Hand checks you make directed at that creature.
For the purposes of this feature, carousing could be any of the following activities: drinking, dancing, feasting, partying, gambling, or any other activity that lowers inhibitions.
Revelry Bards & Carousing
While most Bards will probably thrive in the social pillar of the game, Bards of the College of Revelry will excel. Many of their features rely on interacting with NPC characters in carousing environments.
If your Revelry Bard is interested in carousing, you can use the Carousing Table on page 128 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. Revelry Bards can roll twice on this table and choose which result to use.
Depraved Enchantments
3rd-level College of Revelry feature
Your voice drips with debilitating pleasure and weakens
the mental resolve of your enemies. Whenever you cast
an enchantment spell of 1st-level or higher with a verbal
component, you can expend a use of Bardic Inspiration to
impose disadvantage on the target's saving throw.
Stirring Performance
6th-level College of Revelry feature
Your presence during rests enlivens your allies and
assuages their worries. Any creature that benefits from
your Song of Rest feature regains additional hit points equal
to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1 hit point).
Moreover, any creature that benefits from your Song
of Rest feature also has advantage on the first ability check,
attack roll, or saving throw it makes after it completes a
short rest with you.
Hedonistic Trance
14th-level College of Revelry feature
Your bardic songs send creatures into a state of ecstasy.
As an action, you can expend a use of Bardic Inspiration
to force a creature that can hear you within 30 feet to
make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it is
stunned for 1 minute. If the creature takes damage,
it can immediately repeat the saving throw, ending
the effect on a success. If the creature succeeds on
its saving throw, or the effect ends for it, it is
immune to this feature for the next 24 hours.
While stunned, the creature is in state of pure
ecstasy of your choosing. It could be a drunken
stupor, a fit of uncontrollable laughter, sensual
hallucinations, or overwhelming pleasure.
When you use this feature, you can expend
an additional use of your Bardic Inspiration to
impose disadvantage on its initial saving throw.
College of the Wilds
Some Bards are so inspired by the majesty of nature they can draw musical magic from nature itself. Often more at home in nature than on the stage, Bards who join the College of the Wilds feel a special kinship with wild plants and animals of all kinds. They can use their enchanting music to soothe even the most savage beasts, turning them from enemy to ally.
| Bard Level | College Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Friend of Nature, Primal Inspiration |
| 6th | Wild Companion |
| 14th | Soothe the Savage Beast |
Friend of Nature
3rd-level College of the Wilds feature
You have gained the skills to charm and subdue wild plants and animals of all kinds. You gain proficiency in both Animal Handling and Performance and whenever you would make
a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check you can choose to make a Charisma (Animal Handling) check instead.
Also, whenever you cast an enchantment spell from the Bard spell list that can target a humanoid, you can choose to target beasts and plants with that spell as well.
Primal Inspiration
3rd-level College of the Wilds feature
Your bardic magic can bestow primal on others. As a bonus action, you can expend a use of Bardic Inspiration and grant one of the effects below to one creature of your choice within 60 feet that can hear you. The abilities last for 1 hour, but they end early if the creature uses a bonus action to end it,
if you grant it another ability, or it is incapacitated:
Flight of the Squirrel
The creature sprouts lightweight flaps or fins. When it falls,
it subtracts 60 feet from its fall when calculating fall damage, and it can move horizontally 2 feet for every 1 foot it falls.
Grip of the Monkey
The creature gains the ability to grip almost any surface. It gains a 30-foot climbing speed and it has advantage on any Strength (Athletics) checks it makes to grapple creatures.
Resilience of the Forest
The creature's skin becomes rough and bark-like. It gains the benefits of the barkskin spell for the duration.
Speed of the Deer
The creature's legs grow limber and its pace quickens. Its movement speed increases by 15 feet.
Swiftness of the Dolphin
The creature grows webbing between its
digits. It gains a 30-foot swimming speed
and it can hold its breath for 1 hour.
Wild Companion
6th-level College of the Wilds feature
At the end of a long rest, you can call a creature of the wild
to your side. One beast or plant of your choice native to the area appears. It is friendly to you and obeys you completely. In combat, it shares your turn in initiative order. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but it can only take the dodge action unless you use your bonus action to command it to take an action from its stat block or another action.
Your Bard level determines the maximum CR of the beast or plant you can summon, as shown in the table below:
| Bard Level | Max. CR | Example Companions |
|---|---|---|
| 6th | 1 | Brown Bear, Vine Blight |
| 14th | 2 | Awakened Tree, Giant Elk |
| 17th | 4 | Elephant, Giant Scorpion |
If your companion has died within the past hour, you can touch it and expend a spell slot of 1st-level or higher and it returns to life with all of its hit points restored. You can only control one Companion at a time with this feature. Calling a second Companion causes the first to flee into the wild.
Soothe the Savage Beast
14th-level College of the Wilds feature
Your mastery of music allows you to soothe any creature,
no matter how savage it is. You can target aberrations,
dragons, giants, monstrosities with enchantment spells
that normally can only target humanoids.
You also learn dominate beast, but it doesn't count
against your total number of Spells Known.
Bard Colleges
Channel the whimsy and musical might of twelve new Bard Colleges for the Bard class in 5e!
The Colleges of:
Chance - Chaos - Command - Crossroads
Drama - Eulogies - Fine Art - Fools
Glory - Radiance - Revelry - The Wilds
Version 2.1.0 - Created by /u/laserllama
Artist Credits:
Covers - Johannes Voss - The Endless Dance
Page 1 - Rudy Siswanto - Wandering Troubadour
Page 2 - Magic: the Gathering - Unravel Madness
Page 3 - Bryan Sola - Warhorn Blast
Page 4 Livia Prima - Fiendish Savior
Page 5 - John Avon - Thespian's Stage
Page 6 - Irina Kuzmina - Piper of the Swarm
Page 7 - Colin Boyer - Sudden Breakthrough
Page 8 - Lie Setaiwan - Song of Inspiration
Page 9 - Micah Epstein - Garth One-Eye
Page 10 - Johannes Voss - The Endless Dance
Page 11 - Jason Rainville - Hymn of the Wilds
