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Grear Bylls
2018-04-08, 05:40 PM
Hello everyone!

I recently decided I liked making home brew subclasses, and I just finished another Bard one. I think this one is probably unbalanced, but I'd like to hear your thoughts. Please let me know what y'all think!

Bard College of Modernism

Bards of Modernism are a unique variant of traditional bards. They fancy themselves as the future of Bard kind. They incorporate newer concepts of music into their performances, showing their viewers what is to come. Many other Bard colleges dislike Modern Bards, as they don't play "real music".

Bass Drop: At 3rd Level, you've learned how to weaponize your musical power. On your turn, you may expend a use of Bardic Inspiration as an action. When you do so, choose a creature within 60 feet of you. That creature must succeed Constitution saving throw equal to your spell save DC. On a fail, they take Thunder damage equal to a roll of you Bardic Inspiration + your Charisma modifier, and are knocked prone. On a success, they take half as much damage and aren't knocked prone.

Build Up: At 3rd level, your music begins to build to an apex. On your turn, you may use a bonus action on your turn to Build Up your music. When you deal Thunder or Bludgeoning damage with a spell or your Bass Drop feature, the damage increases by an amount shown below:

1 Turn: 1 Bardic Inspiration die
2 Turns: 2 Bardic Inspiration dice
3 Turns: 4 Bardic Inspiration dice
4 Turns: 5 Bardic Inspiration dice
5 Turns: 7 Bardic Inspiration dice
6 Turns: 8 Bardic Inspiration dice

If you fail to use your Build Up feature before you deal damage, the effect is lost. You may Build Up a number of turns equal to your Charisma modifier. Once you've used up all of your Build Up uses, you can't do so again until you finish a short rest.

Epic Bass: At 6th Level, your bass is so low it physically harms people. You learn 3 spells from any class's spell list that deal either Thunder or Bludgeoning damage. These spells count as bard spells for you, but don't count against the number of spells you know. You can replace these spells with other spells when you gain a level in this class, but only spells that do Thunder or Bludgeoning damage.

Rave: By 14th level, you mastery with electric music is beyond normal bounds, and it infuses every bit of your body. You can release this energy as an action on your turn and begin a Rave. While you Rave, you gain the following benefits:

• Your Concentration can't be broken by taking damage.
• You have advantage on saving throws made against being Charmed or Frightened.
• You have Resistance to all Bludgeoning and Thunder damage.
• When you roll a 1 or 2 for damage on a spell that deals Thunder or Bludgeoning damage, you may reroll it. You must use the new result, regardless if the roll.
• You gain Temporary Hit Points at the start of each of your turns equal to twice your Charisma modifier.
• When you take Lightning damage, you can use your reaction to take half damage, and cause the attacker or caster to make a Dexterity saving throw equal to your spell save DC, taking Lightning equal to twice your Bardic Inspiration die + you Charisma modifier on a failed save as a laser light shoots at them.

Your Rave lasts for 1 minute, after which you must succeed a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion. Once you use this feature, you can't Rave again until you complete a Long rest.

Avonar
2018-04-08, 06:00 PM
So I'm going to ignore the fluff of course, I'm pretty sure you know it makes no thematic sense.

Anyway...I don't think this makes a lot of sense overall. It seems based around Thunder and Bludgeoning spells, these are the spells that deal Thunder or Bludgeoning damage (that I could see, might be wrong):

Thunderwave
Shatter

Even with the additional options, types of spells that deal these damage types are rare. It also leads to some potential confusion. Chromatic Orb can be thunder damage, do you get that (which then could be used not to do thunder)?

You've built a subclass around 2 spells and maybe something from magical secrets. And the thing is, those 2 spells will be immensely powerful, the Bass Drop clearly outclasses any other of the damaging uses for Bardic Inspiration. 1d6+3/4 damage to everything within 10ft AND prone is powerful.

So yeah...kinda a mess.

Grear Bylls
2018-04-08, 06:08 PM
So I'm going to ignore the fluff of course, I'm pretty sure you know it makes no thematic sense.

Anyway...I don't think this makes a lot of sense overall. It seems based around Thunder and Bludgeoning spells, these are the spells that deal Thunder or Bludgeoning damage (that I could see, might be wrong):

Thunderwave
Shatter

Even with the additional options, types of spells that deal these damage types are rare. It also leads to some potential confusion. Chromatic Orb can be thunder damage, do you get that (which then could be used not to do thunder)?

You've built a subclass around 2 spells and maybe something from magical secrets. And the thing is, those 2 spells will be immensely powerful, the Bass Drop clearly outclasses any other of the damaging uses for Bardic Inspiration. 1d6+3/4 damage to everything within 10ft AND prone is powerful.

So yeah...kinda a mess.

Appreciate the honest feedback!

The thing is, the 6th level feature is built around getting more spells to cast. The 3rd level feature also requires creatures to be within 10 ft, and as a Bard, why would you want to do that? What should I change it to instead? No Charisma modifier?

I would like to hear further thoughts, as I agree, I feel like I got the balance of this one wrong, TBH

Thank you!

the_brazenburn
2018-04-08, 06:11 PM
I'll second Avonar's suggestion.

As much as I love the idea of a rock bard, this particular interpretation needs a lot of work. Maybe if you allowed it to work with bludgeoning weapons, but that would barely begin to help the situation.

I congratulate you on the idea of a rock bard, but strongly encourage you to come up with a different mechanical idea. It is a great idea that deserves an equally great subclass.

Avonar
2018-04-08, 06:11 PM
Appreciate the honest feedback!

The thing is, the 6th level feature is built around getting more spells to cast. The 3rd level feature also requires creatures to be within 10 ft, and as a Bard, why would you want to do that? What should I change it to instead? No Charisma modifier?

I would like to hear further thoughts, as I agree, I feel like I got the balance of this one wrong, TBH

Thank you!

So, most important thing I think is to look at all the thunder/bludgeoning spells from all classes, there are very few. If once you have the list and you think there are enough, fine, if there are too few then the whole thing might be starting on a not so good premise. I don't have everything memorised obviously but I've played a good few spellcasters and I am struggling to think of thunder/bludgeoning spells.

The level 3 ability...hm. Perhaps make it a bonus action and a single target? The prone is the powerful part of that, it could be used to knock someone down and give melee characters advantage.

MrStabby
2018-04-08, 06:35 PM
Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please can we put this stuff in the homebrew forum? Pretty please.

Grear Bylls
2018-04-08, 07:17 PM
Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please can we put this stuff in the homebrew forum? Pretty please.

I would, but anytime I try putting things in there, I never get more than two responses. I would gladly do it, but I wouldnt get the help I'm looking for. I have tried before, but it doesn't work out really

Vogie
2018-04-09, 12:12 PM
I would, but anytime I try putting things in there, I never get more than two responses. I would gladly do it, but I wouldnt get the help I'm looking for. I have tried before, but it doesn't work out really

And yet, that's where these things go.

It could definitely use some work, and that's where people go to critique such things

Grear Bylls
2018-04-09, 12:31 PM
Can some mod delete this thread please?

MrStabby
2018-04-09, 01:23 PM
Bottom left corner of your top post should be a button to summon a mod.

Grear Bylls
2018-04-09, 01:36 PM
Bottom left corner of your top post should be a button to summon a mod.

Thanks. I'm still new

MrStabby
2018-04-09, 04:44 PM
Thanks. I'm still new

Drop me a note when it is up in homebrew and I will take a look there.

Grear Bylls
2018-04-09, 08:47 PM
Drop me a note when it is up in homebrew and I will take a look there.

Don't know how to do that either... sorry... really am a noob:smallwink:

MrStabby
2018-04-10, 04:11 AM
Don't know how to do that either... sorry... really am a noob:smallwink:

No worries! And welcome to the forum.

Click on my name (to the left of the post). It should open a new screen that lets you send me a message.

It has been a while since I have done it and can't easily check from my phone so I am a little imprecise!