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drspper1
2015-07-05, 03:06 PM
So I wanted to focus my bard as more of a Indiana jones/tomb raider flavoured direction, so I tried my hand at creating a college. My DM is quite accepting of character mechanical ideas if they fit, my bard is half-nymph (half-elf mechanically except I got fey ancestry replaced with a long rest inspiring leader feat, and called it nymph inspiration).

Originally I had more rogue features, which was negatively commented on, which was a lazy of me perhaps, so I put up an older idea I had for this that takes from a variety of sources that kinda fit...though i've never been sure about the level 14 feature.

Oh, and I've had people comment that this should be a rogue character, not bard, which I can see their point to some degree, but I quote from the Bard description in the PHB that expresses my feeling why this is more a Bard's area of expertise...

"Every adventure is an opportunity to learn, practice a variety of skills, enter long-forgotten tombs, discover lost works of magic, decipher old tomes, travel to strange place, or encounter exotic creatures."

Below is my idea on this college, feel free to pick holes, give feedback and point out if some thing is over powered or under powered compared to the other colleges...

College of Archaeology
Bards of the College of Archaeology are no dull researcher, instead these lively adventurers do their research head-on in the field. They require the usual charm and social skills to learn secrets to lead them to hidden and lost worlds, while requiring greater reflexes and awareness to help avoid the inevitable risks involved with exploring lost caverns and forgotten dungeons.

Bonus Proficiencies
When you join the College of Archaeology at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in a single skill of your choice, as well as thieves’ tools, whips and improvised weapons. Their skill with the whip also enables them to make grapple actions against tiny or small targets and even use it to swing across pits up to 10 feet wide with a whip.

Danger Sense
Also at 3rd level, you gain an uncanny sense of when things aren’t as they should be, giving you an edge when you dodge away from danger. You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see, such as traps and spells. To gain this benefit, you can’t be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated.

Uncanny Dodge
Starting at 6th level, when an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to make an uncanny dodge to halve the attack’s damage against you.

Resilience
Beginning at 14th level, at the start of each of your turns, you regain hit points equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier if you have no more than half of your hit points left. You don’t regain this benefit if you have 0 hit points.

CantigThimble
2015-07-05, 06:05 PM
Seems fun! Although for the whip ability why not make it give them advantage on jump checks while they're wielding a whip and there's a point to attatch it between them and where they're jumping.

drspper1
2015-07-06, 03:41 AM
Aye! I do wonder if I could have something extra perhaps at level 14 for whip use, maybe let the whip grapple medium targets or be a bonus attack after attack action or casting a spell, even if they don not posses the light quality. Advantage on jumping might be nice though earlier.

DanyBallon
2015-07-08, 04:55 PM
I really like the idea, but I'm not as fan of whip as you are, still I see why you added it to the archetype.

As far as I'm concerned, Resilience is far too strong, it's similar to the Champion top ability, which is gained at 18th level, while your bard would get it at 14th. I'd cut it out entirely. Instead, I'd either move Uncanny dodge to 14th level, or and find a other ability for 6th level, or find a suitable ability for 14th level. Would Use Magic Device at 14th, make this bard to similar to a rogue?

The_Doctor
2015-07-08, 05:25 PM
Why not move uncanny dodge to 14th and make level 6 where you gain your whip ability?

drspper1
2015-07-09, 06:19 AM
Yea, I think too much concentration on the whip is dangerous, it should be an option to use for flavour more than a must use device. I kinda like the positioning of uncanny dodge, as 6th level is a big level for the other colleges (extra attack or 2 extra magic secrets). Here is an idea (not mine btw) that seemed very thematic for level 14...

Artefact Lore
Beginning at 14th level, your knowledge of ancient items allows you to attune one additional magic item to yourself. Additionally, you can use any wand without needing to be attuned to it, and you ignore class restrictions for wands.
Furthermore, you can use scrolls even if that spell is not on your class spell list, or if it is on your class spell list but is of a higher level that you can normally cast. To do so, you must make an Intelligence (History) check to recall your knowledge about such a scroll spell. The DC equals 10 + the spell level. Whether or not you succeed on the check, the scroll crumbles to dust.

thanks for the positive input!

DanyBallon
2015-07-09, 10:50 AM
You can already attempt to cast spell from a spell scroll not on you spell list and/or above the level you can cast with an arcana check. Is the intent to add knowledge history as well?

Also it seems a bit wordy. What about the following?

Artefact Lore
Beginning at 14th level, your knowledge of ancient items allows you to attune one additional magic item to yourself. Additionally, you ignore class restrictions for wands and you can use scrolls even if that spell is not on your class spell list.

Amnoriath
2015-07-09, 04:34 PM
I understand that you are going for an adventure hero theme here but being this is archaeology it is decidedly lax in actually having the knowledge as a subclass in and of itself. As such it needs some flavorful bits that can round this out.

JNAProductions
2015-07-09, 04:40 PM
Honestly, I'd rename this "College of Adventure!". Basing archaeology around Indiana Jones is like basing neuroscience off Lucy.

DanyBallon
2015-07-09, 05:26 PM
College of adventure wouldn't be right either. College of treasure hunter, or dungeon delver would be a better fit, but are ugly as hell :P Maybe College of the Seeker?