Bard
The word "bard" ordinarily puts folk in mind of those itinerant minstrels, fair of voice and nimble of finger, who earn their coin performing in taverns and the halls of great lords. Few know, however, that bards in fact trace their origins back to the bowmen of eld, who sang in the heat of battle to fortify the spirits of their companions. In time, their impassioned songs came to hold sway over the hearts of men, inspiring their comrades to great feats and granting peace unto those who lay upon the precipice of death.
Bow in hand
The enduring popularity of the Bow is a testament to its elegant design, but this simple weapon would be of little worth without the surpassing skill of those who master it - the archers. Bow techniques such as high-angle fire enable archers to assail their foes with deadly precision, even from great distances.
Constant assessment of the battlefield enables them to carefully determine the most advantageous ground from which to loose, as well as the nature of the arrows best suited to their enemy. Along with the longbow sentries of the Elezen military, the shortbow hunters among the Miqo'te are widely regarded as the most skilled with a bow. The guild's teachings cover a variety of long distance weapons, down to the simplest throwing rock.
Quickbuild
You can make a Bard quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Charisma. Second, choose the Entertainer background.
Important Notes
This document serves as a replacement for the Skysinger Bard subclass provided in u/SilentSoren's FFXIV Race and Class compendium. Discuss with your DM before applying this document to your character.
This class is a Work in Progress. As such changes might be made rather frequently. Be sure to check in every so often to doublecheck your features!
This document was created by u/willywilliamrtx, any questions and/or feedback can be directed to the compendium updates topic referenced above.
The Bard
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Repertoire | Iron Jaws |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Bard's Arsenal, Iron Jaws, Repertoire | 1d4 | 1 |
| 2nd | +2 | Fighting Style, Musician's Allure | 1d4 | 1 |
| 3rd | +2 | Musical Harmony | 1d4 | 1 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d4 | 2 |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack, Refulgent Arrow | 2d4 | 2 |
| 6th | +3 | Musical Harmony Feature | 2d4 | 3 |
| 7th | +3 | Peleton | 2d4 | 3 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 2d4 | 4 |
| 9th | +4 | Musical Harmony Feature | 2d4 | 4 |
| 10th | +4 | Magical Secrets | 2d4 | 5 |
| 11th | +4 | Fighting Style | 3d4 | 5 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement, Musical Harmony Feature | 3d4 | 6 |
| 13th | +5 | Bard's Allure | 3d4 | 6 |
| 14th | +5 | Closing Notes | 3d4 | 7 |
| 15th | +5 | Musical Harmony Feature | 3d4 | 7 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement, Magical Secrets | 3d4 | 8 |
| 17th | +6 | Caustic Storm | 3d4 | 8 |
| 18th | +6 | Encore | 4d4 | 9 |
| 19th | +6 | Battle Voice | 4d4 | 9 |
| 20th | +6 | Performance Perfected | 4d4 | 10 |
Class Features
As a Bard, you gain the following class features
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per Bard level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per bard level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: Light Armor
- Weapons: Simple Weapons, Hand Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow, Longbow
- Tools: All Instruments, Woodcarver's Tools
- Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
- Skills: Choose two from Performance, Persuasion, Deception, Acrobatics, Insight, Perception
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) a shortbow and 20 arrows
- (a) a longbow and 20 arrows or (b) any simple weapon
- a set of strings
- a set of leather armor
- (a) an entertainer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- any musical instrument and woodcarver's tools
Bard's Arsenal
As a Bard your true trade is one of song - a practice you have woven into your combat capabilitites. After spending a period of 1 hour with a ranged weapon, a set of strings and woodworking tools you attach the strings to the weapon to add the properties of a string instrument to the weapon.
A Bard weapon is also considered an musical instrument. Some Bard abilitites require a saving throw; use the following saving throw DC.
Bard Save DC
Repertoire
Your music can be used to augment your attacks in various ways. You gain a 1d4 Repertoire Die, increasing at various levels as indicated by the class table. You have unlimited uses of the Repertoire Die.
Iron Jaws
You've learned to weave various sounds into your attacks. Whenever you take the attack action you may replace a ranged weapon attack with Iron Jaws to cause damaging vibrations within the target. The target creatures makes a Constitution saving throw against your Bard DC.
On a failure you cause the target creature to take your Repertoire die as force damage at the start of their turn, for a number of turns up to your Charisma modifier. A creature affected by Iron Jaws may spend their action to make another CON saving throw. You may only have one active instance of Iron Jaws.
You have a limited number of Iron Jaws, increasing as indicated in the class table. You regain all uses of Iron Jaws upon completing a long rest.
Musician's Allure
Not many know music like you do. No matter how exotic the instrument; you've seen it, played it and mastered it. Starting at 2nd level you gain Expertise in all instruments.
Fighting Style
At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Horrid Sound
You may use your reaction to subtract your Charisma modifier from an attack roll made within 30ft of you.
Vocal Guard
You may use your reaction to add your Charisma modifier to a saving throw made within 60ft of you.
Soothing Song
You may use your reaction to add your Charisma modifier to any hitpoints recovered from all spell effects within 30ft of you.
Bite Mastery
Whenever you roll Repertoire dice as part of a Bard feature, you may expend a use of Iron Jaws to reroll any number of Repertoire die.
Harmonizing Tune
While forcing a creature to roll a saving throw you may expend one use of Iron Jaws to increase the DC by your proficiency modifier.
Musical Harmony
At 3rd level you've started specializing in a specific style of song to augment your allies in battle. Pick between Wanderer's Minuet, Mage's Ballad and Army's Paeon, described at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 9th, 12th and 15th level.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th and 16th 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.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Refulgent Arrow
At 5th level you become able to infuse your attacks with a portion of the magic emanating from your song. Whenever you perform the attack action you can replace one of your attacks with Refulgent Arrow by spending 1 Repertoire stack.
Make a ranged weapon attack, dealing its normal damage on a hit plus your Repertoire Die bonus force damage You do not suffer disadvantage from shooting in your weapon's long range and ignore up to tree-quarter cover.
You do not generate Repertoire stacks through the use of Refulgent Arrow.
Peleton
At 7th level you become able to infuse your magic into your allies for a quick burst of speed.
As as action while performing a song you may infuse any number of creatures within 60ft of you with the magic of your song. All affected creatures may use the Dash action on their next turn as a free action.
Magical Secrets
By 10th level you've become proficient enough in magic to gain access to spellcasting. You learn two spells of a spell slot level no higher than your Charisma modifier, and another two at 16th level, from any class.
You regain use of these spells after completing a long rest. Charisma is your casting ability for these spells.
Fighting Style
At 11th level you expand your arsenal, granted you another Fighting Style. You can not pick the same Fighting Style you chose at 2nd level.
Bard's Allure
At 13th level you reach the pinnacle of performance as a Bard.
You gain proficiency in the Performance skill, or expertise if you already have proficiency. Your mastery of all things music also allows you to be more inventive with its uses. You might consider mimicking the sounds of a creature when trying to interact with it or to intimidate guards with the sounds of a predator.
Whenever you use an instrument to accompany a skill check, that is not Performance or the instrument itself, you may add your Repertoire die to the result.
Closing Notes
At 14th level you learn to fully expend the magic of your song to creature various effects.
As an action you can drop concentration on your song, expending all Repertoire stacks alongside it. You regain use of this feature when you finish a short or long rest. Perform one of the following effects.
Nature's Minne
For each Repertoire stack spent you may recover your Repertoire Die in hit points to any creature within 60ft.
Troubadour
Choose a number of creatures within 30ft, up to your Charisma modifier. Each target gains temporary hit points equal to your Repertoire die for each Repertoire stack expended. These temporary hit points fade at the start of your next turn.
Apex Arrow
Every creature in a 120ft line from you makes a Dexterity saving throw against your Bard DC, taking half damage on a success.
On a fail the target creature takes damage equal to your weapon's damage die along with your Repertoire die for each Repertoire stack spent as force damage.
Magical Secrets
At 16th level you further expand your magical arsenal.
You learn more two spells from any class of a spell slot no higher than your Charisma modifier. You regain use of these spells after completing a long rest. Charisma is your casting ability for these spells.
Caustic Storm
At 17th level your expertise with vibrational sound has taught you how to change its pitch to perform various other effects.
Whenever a creature makes a Constitution saving throw as part of your Iron Jaws feature, they make the saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed saving throw you can change the damage type from Force to Acid, Poison, Psychic, Slashing or Thunder.
Additionally, you can expend a use of Iron Jaws on a creature already under the effects of Iron Jaws to extend its duration. Whenever you do so the remaining number of turns Iron Jaws is in effect becomes equal to your Charisma modifier.
Encore
At 18th level you've become able to temporarily extend the area of your song's effects.
As an action you may extend the range of your song, along with its effects, to 60ft. While doing so your song's bonus be becomes equal to your Charisma modifier. Your song returns to its normal range and effect at the end of your next turn.
Battle Voice
At 19th level you can use your voice to temporarily embolden your song through your interactions with other Bards.
As an action you may temporarily lift the effects of your song. When doing so, select one creature within your song's effective range. The target creature benefits from the effects of all Bard's songs until the start of your next turn.
You may only use this feature once before requiring a long rest to recharge this feature.
Performance Perfected
The pinnacle of musical combat has inhabited your body at 20th level.
You no longer lose a Repertoire stack when taking damage, may start your song as a free action when rolling initiative and start combat with your maximum amount of Repertoire stacks.
If you start combat with no uses of Iron Jaws remaining, you gain 3 uses.
Musical Harmonies
As a Bard you specialize in one specific song to augment allies in battle; Wanderer's Minuet, Mage's Ballad or Army's Paeon.
Wanderer's Minuet
Bards who focus on the Wanderer's Minuet see most value in allowing more attacks to hit vital areas, while making their own attacks as powerful as possible.
Wanderer's Minuet
At 3rd level you've gained proficiency in Wanderer's Minuet. While holding an instrument you can spend a bonus action to begin playing Wanderer's Minuet, affecting any number of creatures up to your Charisma modifier within a 30ft aura centered on yourself.
While playing Wanderer's Minuet you gain the following effects.
- All affected creatures have their critical hit range expanded. This bonus is equal to 1d4, halved (rounded up).
- Whenever you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack you generate one stack of repertoire, which can be consumed by other abilities granted by your Musical Harmony. You can hold an amount of repertoire stacks up to your Charisma modifier. You lose one repertoire stack whenever you take damage.
During your next turn and any subsequent ones, you must spend your bonus action to maintain concentration on your song. Whenever you take damage you must succeed a Constitution saving throw with a DC of half the damage you took or 10, whichever is higher. You can also end Wanderer's Minuet as a free action.
Once you stop playing you become unable to start your song until you spend an action to recompose yourself
Pitch Perfect
At 6th level you've uncovered a way to convert your repertoire into a single powerful arrow while wielding a Bard weapon.
When taking the attack action you may spend up to 3 Repertoire stacks to replace on of your attacks with Pitch Perfect. The target creature must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Bard DC, taking your Repertoire die as Force damage for each Repertoire stack used on a fail. Upon a successful saving throw the damage taken is halved.
Your ranged weapon attacks are now considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances while wielding a bard weapon.
Burst Shot
At 9th level you have become more adept at manipulating your magic in your favor.
Whenever you roll your Repertoire die as part of a Bard feature, you may spend one Repertoire stack to reroll any number of Repertoire die.
Minuet Perfected
At 12th level you've become capable enough to unlock the full effects of your Wanderer's Minuet.
You roll 1d6 instead of 1d4 when performing Wanderer's Minuet. You are also always under the effect of your own song and no longer count towards the amount of affected creatures.
Barrage
At 15th level you've reached the height of Wanderer's Minuet, allowing you to augment a single attack with your own magic.
You may use an action to ready yourself for a heavy and reckless attack by ending your song. During your next turn your ranged weapon attacks become a critical hit on a 15-20 attack roll.
On a critical hit the damage from attacks while under the effects of Barrage are tripled instead of doubled. You regain use of this feature after completing a long rest.
Mage's Ballad
Bards that decide to employ Mage's Ballad in combat are more comfortable empowering their arrows with spell like effects, while enhancing the spellcasting of others.
Mage's Ballad
At 3rd level you've gained proficiency in Mage's Ballad. While holding an instrument you can spend a bonus action to begin playing Mage's Ballad, affecting any number of creatures up to your Charisma modifier within a 30ft aura centered on yourself.
While playing Wanderer's Minute you gain the following effects.
- All affected creatures gain a bonus to damage rolls equal to 1d6, halved (rounded up).
- Whenever you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack you generate one stack of repertoire, which can be consumed by other abilities granted by your Musical Harmony. You can hold an amount of repertoire stacks up to your Charisma modifier. You lose one repertoire stack whenever you take damage.
During your next turn and any subsequent ones, you must spend your bonus action to maintain concentration on your song. Whenever you take damage you must succeed a Constitution saving throw with a DC of half the damage you took or 10, whichever is higher. You can also end Mage's Ballad as a free action.
Once you stop playing you become unable to start your song until you spend an action to recompose yourself.
Bloodletter
At 6th level you employ your song's magic into an additional projectile.
Whenever you take the attack action you may spend one Repertoire stack to cause an aetherial arrow to follow the one fired from your other attack. The target creature must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Bard DC.
On a failed saving throw the target creature takes your Repertoire die as force damage. Additionally, your ranged weapon attacks are now considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances while wielding a bard weapon.
Shadowbite
At 9th level you learned to enhance the effect of Iron Jaws through the power of your song. Whenever you roll damage for your Iron Jaws feature you may reroll 1s.
As an action you may spend any number of Repertoire stacks to target a creature currently under the effects of your Iron Jaws feature. Target a number of creatures within 30ft of the target, equal to the amount of Repertoire stacks spent.
All target creatures have the effects of your Iron Jaws feature applied to them as if they failed their saving throw.
Magician's Tribute
At 12th level you've pushed the magical capabilities of your song to its maximum. You are always under the effect of your own song and no longer count towards the amount of affected creatures. You roll 1d8, halved (rounded up) instead of 1d6 for the effects of your song.
Additionally, as a bonus action; you may recharge a use of one of your Magical Secrets spells by spending an amount of Repertoire stacks equal to its spell slot level.
Wizard's Chord
At 15th level you further enhance the prowess of your spellcasting through songs. You no longer need to use your bonus action to maintain concentration on Mage's Ballad.
Additionally, you may replace your previously chosen Magical Secrets spells for any spell of a spell slot level no higher than your Charisma modifier. Your Magical Secrets spells now recharge after completing a short or long rest.
Army's Paeon
Bards playing the Army's Paeon stand firm in their belief that every hit counts, while increasing the frequency of their own attacks.
Army's Paeon
At 3rd level you've gained proficiency in Army's Paeon. While holding an instrument you can spend a bonus action to begin playing Army's Paeon, affecting any number of creatures up to your Charisma modifier within a 30ft aura centered on yourself.
While playing Army's Paeon you gain the following effects.
- All affected creatures gain a bonus to attack rolls equal to your 1d4, halved (rounded up).
- Whenever you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack you generate one stack of repertoire, which can be consumed by other abilities granted by your Musical Harmony. You can hold an amount of repertoire stacks up to your Charisma modifier. You lose one repertoire stack whenever you take damage.
During your next turn and any subsequent ones, you must spend your bonus action to maintain concentration on your song. Whenever you take damage you must succeed a Constitution saving throw with a DC of half the damage you took or 10, whichever is higher. You can also end Army's Paeon as a free action.
Once you stop playing you become unable to start your song until you spend an action to recompose yourself.
Empyreal Arrow
At 6th level you become able to employ your repertoire into quick attacks. At any point you may use your Reaction to spend one Repertoire stack to use Empyreal Arrow.
The target creature makes a Strength saving throw against your Bard DC, dealing your Repertoire die as force damage on a failed saving throw. On a successful save the target creature takes half damage. This attack does not suffer from disadvantage when an enemy is within 5ft of you.
Your ranged weapon attacks are now considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances while wielding a bard weapon.
Army's Muse
At 9th level your song's magic greatly enhances your rate of fire.
Whenever you take the attack action you may spend any amount of Repertoire stacks to increase your rate of fire. For every 2 Repertoire stacks spent you gain one extra attack.
Quick Nock
Starting at 12th level you can employ your new found speed in unseen ways. You are always under the effect of your own song and no longer count towards the amount of affected creatures.
As an action you may spend any number of Repertoire stacks to target an equal amount of creatures in your weapons range. Each target makes a Dexterity saving throw against your Bard DC, taking your Repertoire die as force damage on a failed saving throw. On a successful saving throw the damage is halved.
You can not target a creature more than once using this feature.
Raging Strikes
At 15th level you devise a way to further enhance your combat prowess at the cost of your own recovery.
You may spend an action to expend four Repertoire stacks, augmenting your weapon for a brief moment. During your next turn, you gain two extra attacks during your attack action and all ranged weapon attacks made gain bonus force damage equal to your Charisma modifier.
You regain use of this feature after completing a long rest.
Changelog
And
More
Many thanks to u/SilentSoren for all the work he puts into his compendium for us to enjoy playing FFXIV using the D&D 5E ruleset.
Be sure to check it out!
10/09/2020
- Repertoire Dice changed from scaling die size to increasing in dice count
- Songs can now be reused after spending an action to recompose yourself
- Songs now use dice to calculate their bonuses instead of a flat value
- Concentration rules added to songs
- Bard now gets Extra Attack at 5th level
- Archetypes attacks (Pitch Perfect, Bloodletter, Empyreal Arrow) and Iron Jaws now use a saving throw instead of an attack roll
- Most special attacks from features now replace one of the attacks from your attack action
- Shadowbite changed to accommodate for the change in Repertoire die
- Barrage and Raging Strikes now recharge on a long rest
- Barrage applies to all attacks made next turn
- Raging Strikes applies to all attacks made next turn and costs 4 Repertoire stacks up front to gain 2 extra attacks in advance.
07/09/2020
- Various typo fixes
- Bard's Allure tweaked
- Pitch Perfect revamped
- Bloodletter tweaked
- Army's Muse revamped
06/09/2020
- Document converted to GMbinder
- Hit die changed from d8 to d10
- Iron Jaws moved to 1st level, other aspects of the feature have been changed.
- Range of the Vocal Guard fighting style increased to 60ft
- Troubadour, Nature's Minne and Apex Arrow consolidated under the lvl 14 feature Closing Notes.
- Ranged Weapon attacks count as magical (while using a bard weapon) starting 11th level.
- Added two more fighting styles: Bite Mastery and Harmonizing Tune.
- Moved Magical Secrets to 10th and 16th level, changed spell slot calculation.
- New 17th level feature: Caustic Storm.
- New 18th level feature: Encore.
- New 19th level feature: Battle Voice.
- Rephrased Wanderer's Minute level 15 Barrage feature to not rely on the Ready action.
- Mage's Ballad Magician's Tribute feature now requires a bonus action.