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| #1AshrymJan 11, 2015 2:58:40 | I reworked the playtest bard with some updates to better match the released version for someone asking for more music flavor in the class. There are changes to the playtest version that I think are improvements.
I'm posting it here as well in case anyone else wants to use it.
VARIANT BARD
Level 1 – Bardic Knowledge, Bardic Performance
Bardic knowledge -- You learn a little bit about everything. The bits and pieces of tales you have acquired serve you well. When you make an Intelligence check, treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10 if the check involves any of the following skills: Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion.
Bardic Performance -- You are a master at magically manipulating others through oration, music, and other special performances. To use one of these magical performances, you must speak or play an instrument as an action. Maintaining the performance requires concentration and follows the same rules for concentration as spells do. A creature can only be affected by one of these performances at a time. If two or more bards try to affect the same creature with such performances, the creature is affected by neither. You initially know 2 performances: Inspire Courage and Inspire Competence. Inspire courage grants each friendly creature within 30 feet, including you, a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls during the performance. Inspire Competence grants each friendly creature within 30 feet, including you, a +1 bonus to ability checks. Unless otherwise indicated, bardic performances last until the beginning of your next turn unless you use your action to maintain the performance.
Spellcasting -- Use the ranger spells known chart and spell slots chart, and use the existing bard spells from levels 1 through 5. Additionally, select 2 cantrips from the bard cantrip list. Bards have the ritual casting class ability. Any spells known may be cast as rituals if there is a ritual version of the spell available. Bards use CHA for spellcasting.
Song of Rest -- As per the current bard ability.
Expertise -- As per the current bard ability.
Jack-of-all-Trades -- As per the current bard ability.
Use Magic Device -- As per the current rogue thief ability.
Countercharm -- As per the current bard ability. This is also a performance and requires concentration and actions to maintain.
Call to Battle -- Add the spell Crusader's Mantle to your spells known. This does not count against your total spells known and counts as a bard spell for you.
Improved Dispel -- Add the spell Dispel Magic to your spells known if you do not already have it. This does not count against your total spells known. When you cast dispel magic, add double your charisma modifier to the ability check.
Battle Magic -- As per the valor bard ability.
Magical Secrets -- You have gathered secret magical knowledge from across a wide spectrum of learning. You learn 5 spells of your choice from any class's spell list. Each spell must be a cantrip or of levels 1-5. These do not count against your spells known and count as bard spells for you.
Level 3: Bonus proficiencies (medium armor, shields, martial weapons), War College Training -- Once on each of your turns, you can use the help action as part of the attack action, aiding in an attack against a target of yours.
Level 7: Extra Attack
Level 11: Coordinate Allies -- When a target within 30 feet of you that you can see is hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you. The chosen friendly creature has advantage on his or her next attack roll against the target before the end of his or her next turn. The creature must be able to hear and understand you to benefit from this feature.
Level 15: Words of Warning -- When a creature within 30 feet of ou that you can see makes a STR, DEX, or WIS saving throw, you can use your reaction to give that creature advantage on the roll. The creature must be able to hear and understand you to benefit from this feature.
Level 3: Fascinating Performance -- You learn a new use for your bardic performance: Fascinating Performance. While you perform it, each creature within 60 feet of you that isn't hostile to you must make a WIS saving throw against your bard save spell DC at the start of it's turn. On a failed save, the target is charmed by you until the performance ends or the target leaves it's radius. The target cannot move or take actions, and makes WIS (perception) checks with disadvantage. If you or another creature draws or brandishes a weapon or casts a spell, each charmed creature can make a new WIS saving throw to end the effect. If any of the targets take damage or is otherwise harmed, this effect ends for all of them. You cannot use this bardic performance if you or any creature that would be affected by it is currently engaged in combat.
Level 7: Eviscerating Wit -- You learn a new use for your bardic performance: Eviscerating Wit. You plant the seeds of doubt in your foes' minds, using barbed insults and scathing satire to undermine their confidence. Each hostile creature within 60 feet of you that can understand you must make a CHA saving throw against your bard spell save DC at the start of it's turn. On a failed save, the creature has disadvantage on all ability checks while it remains in the performance radius. On a successful save, the creature becomes immune to this performance for 10 minutes.
Level 11: Seeds of Doubt -- You learn a new use for your bardic performance: Seeds of Doubt. Choose one creature within 30 feet of you that can hear and understand you. For 1 minute, the first time the creature attempts to target your with an attack or harmful spell it must first make a WIS saving throw against your bard spell save DC. On a failed save, it must choose a new target or lose it's action. This effect doesn't protect you from spell effects that don't target you directly. If you make an attack or cast a spell that affects anyone but yourself, this effect ends. Creatures that cannot be charmed are immune to this effect.
Level 15: Inspire Dread -- You learn a new use for your bardic performance: Inspire Dread. Each hostile creature within 60 feet of you must make a WIS saving throw against your bard spell save DC at the start of it's turn. On a failed save, the creature becomes frightened until the start of it's next turn. On a successful save, the creature becomes immune to this performance for 10 minutes. |
| #2WizardVJan 11, 2015 23:10:42 | Honestly, not bad. Crusaders mantle can't be cast at the level you get it. You should rethink that. I think magical secrets is too rear loaded and you should move 2 of them to level 10 for your level 1-2 spells. That can be used to grab crusaders mantle. The college levels are a little non-standard and could be shuffled a bit to fit the standard 3/6/10/14 pattern. |
| (Reply to #2)Ashrym |
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