Bard Exclusive Spells
Its always been such a shame that bards don't get more exclusive spells, given how unique their corner of magic is. Here are 12 unique bard exclusive spells to change that!
Bardcraft
transmutation cantrip
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 10 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Up to 1 hour
- Classes: Bard
A spell often taught to new bards, this spell can produce minor magical artistic effects. You can cause one of the following effects (or a similar effect of your choosing at the DM's discretion) to occur within range.
- You cause one unattended musical instrument to begin playing simple music as though a person were playing it for 1 minute.
- You make a painting or other artistic imagery of your choice appear on an object or a surface for 1 hour.
- Music you create can be heard from up to 300 feet away for 1 hour.
- You flavor one food or drink for 1 hour.
- You create up to 5 illusionary ribbons of color that circle between 5 to 15 feet away from you for 1 minute.
- You cause one non-hostile creature that is listening to your music to move, clap, or hum along to the tune until you stop playing music or one minute passes, whichever happens first.
If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three of its effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.
Contagious Thoughts
enchantment cantrip
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self (10-foot radius)
- Components: S, M (a handkerchief)
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Classes: Bard
You share whatever thought is at the forefront of your mind with all creatures within range. If the thought is particularly jarring, an affected creature must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or take 1d4 psychic damage.
This spell’s damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4).
Disrupting Note
1st-level evocation
- Casting Time: 1 bonus action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S, M (a musical instrument)
- Duration: instantaneous
- Classes: Bard
You play a discordant note on your instrument aimed at a creature concentrating on a spell or effect within range. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On failure, it looses concentration on the spell or effect and takes 2d6 psychic damage.
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher the target creature has disadvantage on their saving throw.
Artist's Blade
2nd-level evocation
- Casting Time: 1 bonus action
- Range: Self
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
- Classes: Bard
You condense your artistic magic into a fine blade, which sings with song every time you swing it. The blade uses your spellcasting modifier, and deals 2d4 psychic damage on hit. It has the finesse and light properties. Whenever you hit a creature with the weapon the creature is dazed by your magic and has disadvantage on all attack rolls against you until the start of your next turn.
If you drop the weapon, it dissipates at the end of your turn. Thereafter, while the spell persists, you can use a bonus action to cause the blade to reappear in your hand.
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a 4th-level spell slot, the damage increases to 3d4. When you cast it using a 6th-level spell slot, the damage increases to 4d4. When you cast it using a 8th-level spell slot, the damage increases to 5d4.
Garble
2nd-level enchantment
- Casting Time: 1 reaction, taken when a creature you can see talks
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Classes: Bard
You attempt to make it seem as though the targeted creature said something else than what they intended. You whisper a sentence that only the target can hear, forcing it to make a Charisma saving throw. On failure, the creature speaks the sentence you spoke instead of its intended words.
If the target would make a Charisma check as a result of this spoken sentence, you can force the creature to use your modifier for the check.
If the creature is casting a spell with a verbal component and it fails the saving throw, the creature fumbles the casting of the spell. Any creature that makes a saving throw from such a fumbled spell has advantage.
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell with a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the target is unaware that you manipulated its speech on either a successful save or a failed one.
Pamela's Magnificent Performance
2nd-level enchantment
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self (30-foot radius)
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
- Classes: Bard
You fill the air around you with musical energy that empowers the performance of those around you. Whenever a creature within range makes a Charisma (Performance) check, it can choose to use your Performance modifier in place of its own. It must choose to use your modifier before it rolls.
Dance Battle
3rd-level enchantment
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
- Classes: Bard
You cause music to suddenly fill a 60-foot radius sphere around you. The music is so magically enjoyable that all creatures in the area can't help but dance. At the start of a creature's turn within the sphere, it must make a Charisma (Performance) check against your spell save DC. Creatures of your choice automatically succeed the check. On failure, the creature falls prone and takes 2d4 psychic damage as the magic fills them with embarrassment. Creatures that can't be charmed are immune to this spell.
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell with a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 2d4 and the range increases by 30 feet per spell slot level above 3rd.
Illustrious Performer
3rd-level abjuration
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S, M (a small packet of reflective dust)
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
- Classes: Bard
You touch a creature, causing them to be surrounded by beautiful music and glisten with colorful light. Until the spell ends, any creature who targets the glistening creature with a harmful attack or spell must first make a Charisma saving throw. On failure, the creature must choose a new target or lose the attack or spell. This includes area effects, such as the explosion of a fireball. A creature that has been damaged by the glistening creature has advantage on their Charisma Saving throw.
Grand Finale
4th-level enchantment
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: 1 round
- Classes: Bard
You weave a song into the air, causing those who hear it to applaud its magnificence. All creatures of your choice inside a 30-foot-cube within range must make a Charisma saving throw or be forced to clap or otherwise applaud until the start of your next turn. A creature that is charmed by you automatically fails this saving throw. A clapping creature cannot perform any actions that require their hands (such as weapon attacks and somatic components to spells) but can otherwise act normally.
Infectious Tune
4th-level enchantment
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
- Classes: Bard
You begin to hum a tune that is so catchy it causes those around you to hum along. You can choose up to 6 creatures that you can see to be immune to the effects of this spell. Any creature (other than yourself) within range that attempts to cast a spell with verbal components or use an ability that requires them to speak must make an Intelligence saving throw or fail to use the spell/ability as they are stuck humming the tune. Creatures that are deafened or are unable to hear you automatically succeed the saving throw.
The action the creature used to activate the ability is still used, but it does not expend a use of the spell/ability that failed.
Land of Revelry
5th-level evocation
- Casting Time: 24 hours
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S, M (wine, meat, and gemstones worth at least 1,000 gp, which the spell consumes)
- Duration: until dispelled
- Classes: Bard
You touch a point and cause it to be imbued with your bardic power. The area can be a square up to 100 feet long in any dimension, and the spell fails if any area of this spell overlaps with another area enchanted by this spell. The affected area is subjected to the following effects.
First, creatures of your choice in this area are immune to the frightened and charmed condition, and are automatically aware if any creature attempts to frighten or charm them. Creatures of your choice that are charmed or frightened when they enter this area are no longer charmed or frightened.
Second, the area is furnished in a manner of your choice. You can also cause food or drink to magically appear when requested or by some other means (such as ghostly servants, or birds that drop the food in front of the requester). Any food or drink that is not consumed or furniture that is removed from the area vanishes in a puff of smoke. The food that is summoned by this spell can feed up to 100 people per day, and refreshes every 24 hours after the spell is cast.
Third, you can choose to bind an extra effect to the area. Choose the effect from the following list, or work with your DM to create an effect of similar power to the ones listed. Some of these effects apply to creatures in the area, you can designate whether the effect applies to all creatures, or creatures of your choosing (such as a specific species, family line, etc). When a creature that would be affected enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it can make a Charisma saving throw. On a success, the creature ignores the extra effect until it leaves the area.
Peaceful: Affected creatures cannot knowingly cause harm to another creature or object while in this area.
Feast of Ages: Any food or drink that is consumed within the area tastes wonderful, and if the food or drink is poisoned it ceases to be.
Tongues: Affected creatures can communicate with any other creature in the area, even if they don't share a common language.
Weakened Mind: Affected creatures have disadvantage on saving throws against spells that inflict the charmed condition.
Extended Charm: Spells you cast or abilities you use that inflict the charmed condition that would expire on a creature within the area of this spell instead stay active until the creature leaves the area. This can only affect creatures with a CR equal to or less than your spellcasting modifier.
Greatest Show: Affected creatures make all Charisma (performance) checks with advantage.
Restoring: Affected creatures that take a short or long rest while within the area gain 2d6 temporary hit points, and can end one condition affecting themselves.
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell with a spell slot of 7th level or higher, you can choose one additional effect to bind to the area. You can choose it to affect the same creates as chosen previously, or choose a different set of creatures.
Recolor
4th-level enchantment
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self
- Components: V, S, M (a set of artistic tools worth at least 100 gp)
- Duration: 1 minute
- Classes: Bard
You unleash the limitless creativity within you and use it to repaint your magic with a new color. For the duration of the spell, whenever you deal damage with a spell you cast, you can change the damage type to acid, cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, poison, or thunder damage.