D&D Subclass Contest XVII: The Band

[MoleMage]

It's time for our next subclass contest! Subclass Contest XVII: The Band.


The class must fit the theme of the contest. For our seventeenth contest, that means subclasses which focus on the music. You could create a dance-fighting monk, a war drummer fighter, or just about anything you can imagine, as long as it's musical.
Your class must be posted in this thread. If you wish, you can use external formatting, such as Google Docs or Homebrewery, though I recommend sharing it as a PDF to ensure that it works on most computers.
You may only create one subclass, which must follow the normal progression for the class it belongs to. Please specify what class it is for. You can use any base class published in official material (including the Unearthed Arcana posts), or any existing homebrew class (don't make a whole base class just for your submission). If you are going to use a homebrew base class, make sure you get permission from its original creator and post a link so we know where to find it! Failure to get permission will be grounds for disqualification.
Until the contest is finished, do not publicly post your subclass anywhere else, other than the discussion thread for these contests. If you are found to have done so, that subclass will be disqualified (though you will be allowed to post a new one if you wish, within reason). Privately sharing your work is acceptable.
Your subclass must be complete by 11:59 PM Central Time on Sunday August 23rd. After that, I will put up a voting thread. Any submissions or edits after that point will be considered invalid. A two-week extension will be implemented if at least three requests are made in the chat thread.
Have fun, be respectful.



Chat thread: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?559110-D-amp-D-5e-Subclass-Contest-Chat-Thread
Voting thread: To be created August 24th.

[Fnissalot]

Warlock Patron: The Muse (i.e. the font of inspiration)
While some warlocks are granted their magic from beings of power, you gain yours from the extraordinary inspiration found in the infatuation that you feel towards your muse. While some Warlocks of the Muse act with honor and dignity with the grace of their mortal muse, others compose and perform based on the signs and concepts of the godly or extraordinary being that they are inspired by. A muse does not need to be a magical being, it is purely a being or concept that inspires you immensly and the magic comes from your wondrous bond to that inspiration. For some warlocks, the muse is simply their spouse or lover, while for other, it could be a deity like Sune, Aoede, or Odin, or a powerful being like a fey queen or a succubus and a few even are enamoured by ideals or tenets; like loyalty or actions of words.

Expanded Spell List
The Muse lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.



Spell Level
Spells


1st
Compelled Duel, Sanctuary


2nd
Animal Messenger, Zone of Truth


3rd
Motivational Speech (Acquisitions Incorporated page 77), Sending


4th
Compulsion, Locate Creature


5th
Creation, Geas



Perpetually Charmed
Starting at 1st level, the warlock is forever charmed by their muse and their muse alone. You are always charmed by your muse, it cannot be broken or removed, and have advantage on saves against the charmed condition.

Singing Love Songs
At 1st level, you gain proficiency with one musical instrument and in Charisma (Performance) checks. Additionally, as a bonus action, you can begin playing on a musical instrument and singing a love song. Singing a love song does not prevent you from casting spells with verbal components but prevents you from speaking otherwise. The lovesong provides certain benefits while you perform it.

Creatures within 30ft of you have disadvantage on saves against getting charmed by your warlock spells as long as they are not deafened.
You can use the musical instrument as a spellcasting focus for your warlock spells.

The love song lasts for up to one minute, by being affected by the spell silence or other effects that prevents you from speaking, or until you dismiss it as a bonus action on your turn. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest, unless you expend a warlock spell slot to use it again.

Lyrics of Love
Starting at 6th level, your love songs begin to mask words of magic. When you cast a spell with a verbal component while singing a love song, you may attempt to hide it in the lyrics of the song's crescendo. If you do, any creatures must make a Wisdom (Insight) check against your spell save DC to notice that you are casting a spell. In addition, the spell’s level counts as being a number levels higher equal to your charisma modifier when determining the difficulty to interrupt it with a counterspell and you stop singing the Love Song at the end of your turn.

Infatuated Fool
At 10th level, people are less likely to take you seriously as you appear to lovingly dreaming away. When you are singing a love song and fail a saving throw, you may use your reaction to reroll that saving throw. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1), and regain all uses when finishing a long rest.

Love Beyond Death.
At 14th level, your passion and will to live for your muse begins to wear off on those around you. As an action, you activate your Love Song feature without using your use of the Love Song feature. You may select a number of characters other than you that are not deafened, equal to your Charisma modifier. When they are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright and the love song has not ended, they drop to 1 hit point instead and are no longer affected by this feature.
Once you used this feature, you can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.


Your patron gives you a special musical instrument, an instruments which tones are both soothing and alluring. When the a friendly creature within 30ft makes an saving throw, you can use your reaction to inspire them by playing on the instrument. If you do they can add a d4 to the roll. You can use reaction a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

If you lose the instrument, you can perform a 1-hour ceremony to receive a replacement from your patron. This ceremony can be performed during a short or long rest, and it destroys the previous instrument.

The instrument turns to ash when you die.


Alluring Melodies
Prerequisite: Pact of Euphony feature
You can cast Charm Person at 1st level without expending a spell slot. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Improved Euphony
Prerequisite: 11th level, Pact of Euphony feature
You regain all of your expended uses of Pact of Euphony when you finish a short or long rest. In addition, the Pact of Euphony die becomes a d8.

Gift of the Trobadour
Prerequisite: Pact of Euphony feature
While you are holding your Pact of Euphony instrument, you can cast the cantrips Friends and Vicious Mockery at will. They are considered warlock spells for you.

Uncontrollable Rhythm
Prerequisite: 15th level, Pact of Euphony feature
You can cast Otto's Irresistible Dance once at 6th level using a warlock spell slot. When you do so, you can choose creatures equal to your charisma modifier instead of one. You can't cast it again until you finish a long rest.

Tantalizing Cacophony
Prerequisite: 5th level, Hex spell or a warlock feature that curses, Pact of Euphony feature
When a creature you cursed creature succeeds on a dexterity saving throw, you can use your reaction and expend a use of your Pact of Euphony to distract the cursed creature with vile erratic dissonance from your instrument to force them to re-roll the saving throw. If they succeed, they cannot be affected by this invocation again for 24 hours.





Replaced Heroism with Sanctuary
Replaced Dominate Person with Creation
Replaced Crusader's Mantle with Motivational Speech
Contagious Captivation has been rewtritten to make it clearer.
Infateduated fool has been changed from casting Counterspell to gain rerolls on saves.
Added a less narrow effect to Lyrics of Love, making it possible to hide the action of casting the spell as well as making it harder to counterspell.
Clarifications on all abilities
Move performance proficiency
Changed name of Contagious Captivation to Love Beyond Death.
Added a pact boon and invocation
Moved Otto's irresistable dance to the pact boon.

[Damon_Tor]

Sorcerous Origin: Soul of Song

Your soul vibrates in perfect harmony with the Music of Creation. Though often passed down through noble bloodlines, this trait is found just as frequently in commoners destined for nobility. For this reason, and because the trait seems to express itself most often in young women, these powers are sometimes thought of as "princess magic". Princesses aside, this form of magic can found in anybody fated for greatness, nobility in spirit if not title.

Because the songs you sing are an intrinsic part of the songs of creation itself, they are never out of place, fitting as naturally into the world as wind or sunlight. You sing effortlessly, perhaps unaware that doing so is unusual, but even more perplexing is that others share in this view: indeed, others are compelled to join your song, the words and melody finding their way to their lips as naturally as they take breath, never considering this odd or out of place.


Music of Creation
At first level you gain proficiency in the performance skill.

In addition, your connection to the music that permeates reality allows you to learn spells normally associated with the bard class. When your Spellcasting feature lets you learn a sorcerer cantrip or a sorcerer spell of 1st level or higher, you can choose the new spell from the bard spell list or the sorcerer spell list. You must otherwise obey all the restrictions for selecting the spell, and it becomes a sorcerer spell for you.


Song of Destiny
Starting at first level, when you cast a sorcerer spell of first level or higher, you can cast it by singing. The casting time of a spell cast this way is one minute if it would normally be shorter, during which time you must spend each of your actions singing. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your charisma modifier, whether or not the spell was cast successfully. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest.

While you are singing this song, any creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of you must pass a charisma save against your spell DC. If that creature fails this save, it is compelled to join in your song, spending its own actions singing (or otherwise adding to the music in whatever means are available to it) until you stop singing. A creature can choose to fail this save. If any creature singing with you takes damage, you must make a concentration save as if you took that damage yourself. A creature who joins you in singing the song has disadvantage on any saves forced by the spell cast this way.

Creatures are unaware anything unusual is occurring when you cast a spell in this way, even if they become compelled to join the song. Nor are they aware you are casting a spell at all unless damage is dealt by the spell in question. If a spell cast this way would itself cause the creature to become aware a spell had been cast or that a condition had been applied (such as Charm Person) instead the creature remains unaware of any spellcasting or any conditions applied by it.


Fated Companion
At sixth level, you gain a companion creature to assist you in finding your destiny. Choose a beast with a CR of 1/4 or lower; an unusually intelligent creature of that type joins you on your travels. At the DM's discretion, other creatures with a CR of 1/4 or lower, such as a pseudodragon, can be selected, though creatures with innate spellcasting are not eligible. This creature's Intelligence is 10 if its normally lower and it speaks one language you can speak. This creature will act to your benefit to the best of its ability, and it will follow any orders you give it. The creature is protected by the strings of fate, and it cannot be killed as long as you are alive: while at zero hitpoints it is unconscious but stable, and it will always manage to escape from even certain death by what appears to be wild luck.

Your fated companion has a bonus to its maximum hitpoints equal to four times your sorcerer level, and has a bonus to attack rolls and saving throws equal to your proficiency modifier. If a spell or other magical effect would behave differently based on the creature's CR (such as the Polymorph spell) this creature is always considered to have a CR equal to 1/4 your sorcerer level.

While you are casting a spell using your Song of Destiny feature, as long as your fated companion is within 30 feet of you and singing your song with you, creatures within 30 feet of either you or your companion creature can be compelled to join your song as if they were within 30 feet of you.

This creature is not thought of as unusual, no matter how unlikely an intelligent, talking creature of that sort may be.


Regalia
At fourteenth level, you magically create a splendid set of fine clothing or jewelry befitting of your destiny. Your Regalia is one magical item of common or uncommon rarity of your choice, but must be clothing, jewelry (crowns, rings, amulets, etc) a cloak, or a cape. You are always attuned to your regalia while you wear it and it does not count against the maximum number of magic items you can be attuned to. No other creatures can attune to it. You can create a new regalia for yourself by expending a spell slot of first level or higher and singing about it for one minute, as if you were casting a spell using Song of Destiny. When you do so, your old regalia vanishes and the new one appears on your body. You can create a regalia for yourself only once, and recover the ability to do so when you complete a long rest.

Magical Benefactors
For many with a Soul of Song, the Music of Creation manifests itself at least partially in the form a powerful magical entity who appears to assist in a time of need, and most especially during the creation of the Regalia. This might include a genie, a fairy godmother, or even a horde of strangely coordinated woodland creatures or animated furniture. This benefactor may be a character unto itself at the DM's discretion, but this should not interfere with the agency of the Sorcerer or their ability to use their class features: if one benefactor becomes unable or unwilling to assist the Sorcerer in finding their fate, another will always appear who will.

Reprise
Starting at eighteenth level, your songs leave a harmonic echo within the music of creation, which can be activated again at a time of your choosing. Whenever you successfully cast a spell of 5th level or lower using your Song of Destiny ability, you can cast that spell once again as an action, without using a spell slot, at any time during the next 8 hours. Usually this is done by singing just a few lines or notes from the song you originally sang. As with songs cast by your Song of Destiny ability, this song is not considered unusual nor is any creature aware you are casting a spell when you do so.

[sengmeng]

College of Musical Theater

The Bard College of Musical Theater celebrates performances on a large scale, using music to tell stories and influence the audience.

Musical Number
When you select the College of Musical Theater at third level, you learn to perform several types of specialized songs. All musical numbers require an action to begin them, can be maintained as a bonus action, and take an action to end them, and an expenditure of one of your uses of bardic inspiration, as well as the ability to make your voice heard. Musical numbers require your concentration as well, and can be interrupted just like a spell. Additionally, you need backup singers in most cases; these are ensemble performances. When you start a musical number, all creatures who can hear you gain the ability to use a bonus action to perform the help action for you, but only to assist in your song. Each type of musical number has some aspect of its effects hinge on a Performance (Charisma) check. You may maintain a song (not counting the beginning turn or ending turn) for a number of rounds equal to the result of your bardic inspiration die. Each time you get a backup singer's help as a bonus action, you gain +1 to the Performance check. If you lose concentration or get no backup singers, you cannot gain the benefits of any musical number. You can perform each type of Musical Number once before you need to finish a short or long rest. Any type of song can also be used to just make a normal Performance check.

Love Song: When you use a love song, you may substitute your Performance (Charisma) check to make a Persuasion or Animal Handling check against all appropriate creatures who can hear your song. Alternatively, you can attempt to charm a single creature as the spell charm person, without the restrictions on creature type, and using your Performance check result in place of the Wisdom save DC.

Exposition Song: Using an exposition song lets you quickly learn some otherwise out of reach information. You use your Performance (Charisma) check result in place of an Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature, or Religion check.

Villain Song: When you use a villain song, you make an Intimidation check against all creatures you designate who can hear the song. If successful, they are frightened of you for a number of rounds equal to your bardic inspiration die result. Creatures who can hear the song and you do not designate to be intimidated gain temporary hitpoints equal to your bardic inspiration die result.

Comedy Song: A comedy song is used to deceive and distract. At the beginning of the song, you make a Performance (Charisma) check, and any creature you designate who can hear the song must make an insight check against that performance check or be distracted by you; they have disadvantage on Insight or Perception checks against all creatures other than you. They are distracted for as long as you maintain the song, and each round you can feed them 25 words of (mis)information which they believe unless they pass a second Insight check at the end of the song made against your initial Performance result after adding bonuses from backup singers.

Sad Song: A sad song pulls traumatically at the heartstrings of the listeners. When you finalize the song, all listeners you designate are struck for psychic damage equal to your Performance check result, with a saving throw vs your bard spell save DC to take half damage, and must make an Insight check against your bard spell save DC to notice they've even been damaged. Creatures brought to 0 hitpoints by this damage are incapacitated rather than killed.

Soloist
Beginning at 6th level, you select one type of musical number. You do not need backup singers when performing that type of musical number, but can still get a +1 bonus for each creatures that uses their bonus action to help your performance.

Versatile Song
Beginning at 14th level, you have learned to adapt music to any situation. You can spend a use of bardic inspiration make a Performance check in place of any other d20 roll, including an attack roll or saving throw. This check takes the same type of action as the action it replaces, including none in the case of saving throws. You also add your bardic inspiration die to the result. You must finish a long rest before you use this ability again.

[Edea]

Way of the Sublime Chord
This monastic tradition revolves around centering one's thoughts on the sacred vibrations that are responsible for weaving the very fabric of reality itself, as well as emulating the power of the collective consciousness through the sounds those vibrations produce. Monks from this tradition are generally referred to as 'sublime chords' or 'seekers of the song', and they tend to be extremely isolationist even by monk standards, always preferring places of absolute quiet and tranquility so that they might tap as deeply into the music of creation as possible.
Instrumentation of Body
A sublime chord monk uses their own physical form as a musical instrument, producing different "notes" that correlate to the latent resonances of the universal fabric. These "notes" aren't sounds in the traditional sense, however, being "heard and yet also impossible to hear". Those who are not sublime chords can still perceive a subconscious intonation, perfectly pitched, whenever the sublime chord monk utilizes their monastic training, along with the 'idea' of an associated color (specifics provided below). As the monk grows in power, these subconscious intonations and colors start layering themselves in pitch and intensity (much like an actual chord of musical notes).

Each of these reality-forming frequencies corresponds to one of the monk's seven chakra centers, as a set of benefits appropriately called a 'chord'. At 3rd level, this interaction with the music of creation begins as a special type of monastic battle stance referred to by seekers as a 'Dance', which enhances the effects of one of their fundamental ki abilities. At 6th, 11th, and 17th levels, the different chords evolve and become capable of producing greater effects (which also consume more ki).

You gain proficiency in the Performance skill, as well as the ability to substitute your Dexterity in place of your Charisma when making Performance checks. When you gain this feature, choose one chakra; you are 'attuned' to this chakra and access its benefits until taking a short or a long rest, at which point you can choose to 'attune' to a different chakra or remain attuned to your current one. You can only benefit from one chakra 'attunement' at a time, however.
Muladhara/Root Chord (Red, C)

3rd-Growling Mountain Dance: When you use your Patient Defense class feature, you also gain damage resistance (all damage) equal to your proficiency bonus.
6th-Root Rhythm: When you use your Stunning Strike class feature, you can also choose to spend an additional point of ki to make a Performance check opposed by the target's Constitution saving throw; if you succeed, the target suffers a -2 penalty on attack rolls for a number of rounds equal to your Dexterity modifier.
11th-Mantra of Being (4 ki points): You are immune to death from massive damage and you treat a roll of 1 on a death saving throw as a 20 until the next short rest.
17th-Sound of the Land (6 ki points): You are able to cast earthquake without needing components (uses your Wisdom).

Svadhishthana/Sacral Chord (Orange, D)

3rd-Rushing River Dance: When you use your Flurry of Blows class feature, you can execute an additional strike.
6th-Sacral Rhythm: When you use your Stunning Strike class feature, you can also choose to spend an additional point of ki to make a Performance check opposed by the target's Dexterity saving throw; if you succeed, you can execute an additional strike.
11th-Mantra of Flowing (4 ki points): You can execute an additional strike on opportunity attacks until the next short rest.
17th-Sound of the Sea (6 ki points): You are able to cast tsunami without needing components (uses your Wisdom).

Manipura/Waist Chord (Yellow, E)

3rd-Burning Sun Dance: When you use your Flurry of Blows class feature, you are considered to have advantage on the attack rolls.
6th-Waist Rhythm: When you use your Stunning Strike class feature, you can also choose to spend an additional point of ki to make a Performance check opposed by the target's Strength saving throw. If you succeed, attack rolls against the target are considered to have advantage for a number of rounds equal to your Dexterity modifier.
11th-Mantra of Action (4 ki points): You have advantage on initiative checks and add double your proficiency bonus to initiative checks until the next short rest.
17th-Sound of the Sun (6 ki points): You are able to cast sunburst without needing components (uses your Wisdom).

Anahata/Heart Chord (Green, F)

3rd-Whirling Wind Dance: When using your Step of the Wind class feature to Dash, your movement for that turn is made as if affected by the blink spell, except that you control where you re-appear during the movement. You still re-appear automatically when you end your turn (whereupon the effect ends).
6th-Heart Rhythm: When you use your Stunning Strike class feature, you can also choose to spend an additional point of ki to make a Performance check opposed by the target's Charisma saving throw. If you succeed, the target is also charmed and frightened for a number of rounds equal to your Dexterity modifier.
11th-Mantra of Passion (4 ki points): You add 15 ft. to your reach with your martial arts attacks until the next short rest.
17th-Sound of the Wind (6 ki points): You are able to cast control weather without needing components (uses your Wisdom).

Vishuddha/Throat Chord (Blue, G)

3rd-Sparkling Star Dance: When using your Flurry of Blows class feature, a successful strike grants temporary hit points equal to your Dexterity modifier, either to you or to an ally of your choice within 30 ft.
6th-Throat Rhythm: When you use your Stunning Strike class feature, you can also choose to spend an additional point of ki to make a Performance check opposed by the target's Wisdom saving throw. If you succeed, you can remove a number of conditions (see Conditions summary in the PHB) affecting yourself and/or allies within 30 ft. of you equal to your Dexterity modifier.
11th-Mantra of Breath (4 ki points): Cannot be paralyzed, petrified, restrained, or stunned until the next short rest.
17th-Sound of the Stars (6 ki points): You are able to cast heal without needing components (uses your Wisdom).

Ajna/Brow Chord (Violet, A)

3rd-Echoing Moon Dance: When using your Step of the Wind class feature, the Disengage option no longer costs you any ki points. You can also voluntarily invite an opportunity attack from a hostile target while Disengaging with Step of the Wind; if the target misses you, you redirect their attack, causing them to automatically hit and deal damage to themselves.
6th-Brow Rhythm: When you use your Stunning Strike class feature, you can also choose to spend an additional point of ki to make a Performance check opposed by the target's Intelligence saving throw. If you succeed, the target is also blinded and deafened for a number of rounds equal to your Dexterity modifier.
11th-Mantra of Vision (4 ki points): You have blindsense and telepathy out to 60 ft. until the next short rest.
17th-Sound of the Moon (6 ki points): You are able to cast true seeing without needing components (uses your Wisdom).

Sahasrara/Crown Chord (White, B)

3rd-Sublime Dream Dance: When using your Patient Defense class feature, you no longer need to see the target, and you make all saving throws with advantage.
6th-Crown Rhythm: When you use your Stunning Strike class feature, you can also choose to spend an additional point of ki to make a Performance check opposed by the target's saving throw of your choice. If you succeed, the target makes all saving throws at a disadvantage for a number of rounds equal to your Dexterity modifier.
11th-Mantra of Self (4 ki points): You may spend a point of ki to reroll a failed saving throw until the next short rest. You may use this feature after being told by the DM that your saving throw failed.
17th-Sound of the Sublime (6 ki points): You are able to cast simulacrum without needing components (uses your Wisdom). You can only have one simulacrum active from Sound of the Sublime at any given time.

[Phhase]

Bardic College:
College of Defiance

"Rise up from the ground! Join your voices to the sound! The time has come, for Elysium, tear these thrice-cursed demons down!"

Smiths take hammer and tongs to metal, forging weapons and armor. Mages take hammer and tongs to magic, forging spells and items. Bards of Defiance take hammer and tongs to emotion, and forge determination and resolve. When the hero is knocked down, it is they who play his theme song and stand him back up. When the cidatel gates are thrown open, and the defenders emerge to wipe their besiegers from the face of the earth, they ride on a wave of sonic rage. And when a party is trapped in the bowels of the fourth hell, with thousands of devils between them and escape, the roar of the Defiant's song foretells the doom that awaits their adversaries.

Beyond 11
At 3rd level, you've noticed a severe lack of sheer volume in your music. To compensate, you've crafted a technomagical amplifier that can project your voice and music. The amplifier allows you blast your voice up to 300 feet, as well as distort your music for extra effect. Your Bardic Inspiration now has a range of 300 feet, and does not require line of sight (unless there is a significant amount of blockage, such as a building), though you must know approximately where an ally is to target them. The amp is a boxy, portable item that requires no action to switch on or off. If lost or destroyed, you can fabricate another over the course of a short rest using 50gp worth of materials.

Can't Stop the Rock
At 3rd level, you gain proficiency with heavy armor. You have advantage on Concentration checks when wearing heavy armor.

Through the Fire and the Flame
At 6th level, as an action, you can expend a use of Bardic Inspiration to begin playing a Song of Defiance. The Song can be heard up to 100ft away, and every ally within 25ft that can hear you is affected accordingly. The Song requires your Concentration, action, and bonus action each round, but allows for movement and reactions. While affected by your Song, allies gain access to Chorus bonus actions that reward them for singing along. You gain access to special Distortion reactions while playing.


The Wall
Passive: Allies that hear you are resistant to a type of damage you choose at the beginning of the song, until they can no longer hear you, or the song ends.

Chorus: Until the end of the turn of the ally who last took this bonus action, all allies that take this bonus action and can still hear the Song are immune to effects that would move them against their will or knock them prone.

Distortion: As a reaction when an ally would be reduced to 0 or fewer Hp, you can cause them to endure with 1hp instead. However, you take any overkill damage, any HP lost in this way is gained as THP. While this effect can reduce you to 0hp, if it does, you are not Incapacitated, and can act as normal (although you must still make death saves, and being damaged at 0hp will Incapacitate you and force another save).


The Only Thing They Fear is You
Passive: Allies that can hear your Song gain blindsight, tremorsense, and magical darkvision out to 30ft.

Chorus: Until the end of the turn of the ally who last took this bonus action, all creatures that take this bonus action and can hear the Song that reduce an enemy to below half of its maximum health force it to make a save against your Spellpower or be Frightened of the attacker for 1 minute, or until their health is above the threshold, whichever comes first. Creatures normally Immune to the Frightened condition are still affected. Creatures can repeat the save at the beginning of their turn.

Distortion: As a reaction when an ally strikes a target, you can cause the attack to become a critical hit. If the target is not Frightened, you take half of the damage it does, any HP lost in this way is gained as THP. While this effect can reduce you to 0hp, if it does, you are not Incapacitated, and can act as normal (although you must still make death saves, and being damaged at 0hp will Incapacitate you and force another save).


Good Luck, You're F#$%^'d
Passive: Allies that can hear the Song can make one extra weapon or unarmed attack when they take the Attack action.

Chorus: Allies who take this bonus action add one extra weapon attack to the next use of the Song's passive effect. If the next ally also chooses to take this bonus action, the streak stacks, up to your Charisma Modifier in extra attacks. The streak resets if an ally does not continue the chain, or cashes in the attacks.

Distortion: You can cast spells that require an action or a bonus action during your turn as a reaction during your turn instead. Whenever you cast any spell, you lose hp equal to 4 times the level of the spell, gaining it as Temporary HP. While this effect can reduce you to 0hp, if it does, you are not Incapacitated, and can act as normal (although you must still make death saves, and being damaged at 0hp will Incapacitate you and force another save).


A Song of Defiance lasts for 1 minute, but you can choose to extend the song without stopping by spending another use of Bardic Inspiration. The song is extended a number of rounds equal to the roll of the Inspiration die. If your Concentration is broken, the song is interrupted.

Rage Against the Machine
At 6th level, if an ally within range of your Bardic Inspiration is affected by an effect that would frighten, charm, stun, grapple, paralyze, or restrain them, you can expend a use of Bardic Inspiration as a bonus action or reaction to make a Performance check. If the result would pass the DC of the effect, the ally is freed of the effect, and until the end of their next turn, they add your proficiency bonus to the damage of their melee attacks and subtract it from any damage they take.

Requiem
At 14th level, the power of your voice can alter the course of time and space themselves. You gain access to two new Songs of Defiance:


Can't Kill Us
Passive: While this song is playing, you are resistant to all damage. If an ally is reduced to 0hp while this Song is playing, you gain Temporary HP equal to their level. If you already had THP from this effect, it is added rather than replaced.

Chorus: Until the end of the turn of the ally who last took this bonus action, all allies that took this bonus action and can still hear the Song regenerate 1hp at the beginning of their turn. If this healing would bring them back up from 0hp, they gain a level of exhaustion, up to 5. At 5 exhaustion, an ally can no long use this bonus action.

Distortion: As a reaction, you can cause an ally that fails their third death saving throw to instead stand back up with 1hp. Turn order is interrupted, and the targeted ally gains an extra turn to act as time slows in obeyance to the rules of drama. They take no penalties from exhaustion during this special turn. Additionally, any THP you have is transferred to that ally.


Animus Vox
Passive: Allies that can hear this song gain the effects of Mind Blank, and add half your proficiency bonus to their AC (Up to 20 AC).

Chorus: Until the end of the turn of the ally who last took this bonus action, all allies that take this bonus action gain Evasion.

Distortion: You can expend your reaction to double the movement speed of all allies that can hear the song until the end of your next turn. Their movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity during this time.


Additionally, you gain the ability to invoke a Finale when playing a Song of Defiance. A Finale is an incredibly powerful effect that ends your Song of Defiance, and can only used once per week. Immediately after using a Finale, you lose your voice and access to your Songs of Defiance until you take a long rest. The effect of a Finale depends on the Song you are playing. You can take no other action nor move while playing a Finale, and only death can interrupt you. All creatures, affected or not, can hear the Finale for 1 mile around, no matter what.

Any magical silence within 300ft, barring god-tier effects is dispelled when you invoke a Finale. Such effects cannot prevent you from invoking a Finale either.


The Wall: Stand Proud
All allies in range of your Song of Defiance are fully healed once. Thereafter for one minute (Or until you die), at the beginning of their turns, they are healed for hp equal to your Charisma Modifier. During this time, affected allies are also immune to effects that would knock them prone or move them against their will.

The Only Thing They Fear Is You: Icon of Sin
All enemies in range of your Song of Defiance must make an Intelligence Save against your spellpower + a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die or become Frightened of you for 3 rounds. During this time, the attack rolls of allies in range automatically hit enemies that are Frightened.

Good Luck, You're F^&$@'d: End of an Empire
For 3 turns, all allies in range of your Song of Defiance gain a second full action. Their damage ignores resistance to a damage type, and treats Immunity as resistance.

Can't Kill Us: We Swarm
All allies within 300ft are targeted by Raise Dead, and have immunity to all damage and conditions for 1 turn. Following, they have resistance to all damage and advantage on all saves for 2 more rounds. Until the Finale ends, all allies also add 30ft to their movement speed, and ignore difficult terrain. This Finale is particularly taxing, and when it ends, you fall Unconscious.

Animus Vox: Bad Wings
For 5 rounds, all allies in range of your Song of Defiance become incorporeal. Their speed becomes a flying speed of 100ft (hover), and they have resistance to all nonmagical damage. They can phase through solid matter, and all targets are treated as having AC 10 when targeted by your allies. They are immune to the Grappled, Prone, Restrained, Poisoned, and Paralyzed conditions. This finale is particularly taxing, and when it ends, you phase out of reality, existing as a nearly invisible shade for 8 hours. In this state, you can't interact with or be affected by the world, and can only see blurry outlines.

[BerzerkerUnit]

Barbarian: Path of the Shredder
It's a little bit Doof warrior, a little bit Slash from GNR (before we found out every celebrity is a bastard). The iconic character would probably dual wield a violin and bow...

Deadly Instruments
At 3rd level you gain proficiency in 1 musical instrument after choosing this Path. Additionally, you can spend 1 hour to modify any instrument you are proficient with into a weapon with the heavy and two handed properties that deals 1d12 slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning damage or a pair of weapons with the light and finesse properties that deal 1d8 damage.

At 6th level your Deadly Instruments are considered magical for the purposes of overcoming damage Resistances and Immunity. You count as a Bard for the purposes of attuning to a magic item.

Modifying an instrument in this way can be done during a short rest. Unless originally a magic item, like a horn of blasting, modified instruments fall to pieces if you lose possession of them for more than 1 minute. A magical instrument simple loses the modifications.

Sick Licks
Beginning at 3rd level when you Rage you can double your proficiency bonus and have advantage on any tool use check made with an instrument you're proficient in. Additionally, you are immune to the deafened condition, gain Resistance to Thunder damage and attacks with your Deadly Instruments deal an additional 1d8 Thunder damage on a hit.

Doctor Feel Good
At 6th level and beyond your Rage can overwhelm the minds of your allies, channeling their own anger, fear, and doubt toward your shared goal. While Raging you can make a Tool use check for a Deadly Instrument you are wielding as a bonus action. A creature of your choosing within 30 feet can immediately spend 1 hit die for every multiple of 10 in the check's result and recover additonal hit points equal to your proficiency bonus for each die spent.

Burning Spectacle
At 10th level you learn the Create Bonfire Cantrip, the Pyrotechnics and Scorching Ray Spells. You can cast each of the latter spells once or one spell twice. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells. When raging, you gain resistance to Fire damage and can use a bonus action to cast Scorching Ray with this feature. You regain all uses of this feature after a long rest. At 14th level you cast the spells as if using a 5th level slot.

November Rain
At 14th level you can begin a performance so epic that it makes the heavens weep. When you initiate your Rage the spell Call Lightning comes into effect as if cast with a 5th level spell slot. The duration extends to when you are incapacitated or your Rage ends, whichever comes first. At 17th level you can instead choose Storm of Vengeance to come into effect but you suffer a level of exhaustion when the Rage ends. You can use this feature once and regain its use after a long rest.

[nickl_2000]

Barbarian - Path of the Battlesinger
Barbarians who follow the path of the battlesinger use their voices in rage to support their allies in battle. They are the warrior singers, warrior poets, and historians of the tribal worlds.

Skald
At level 3, you gain proficiency in performance, if you already have it you may take proficiency in history instead.


Rage Song
At level 3, when raging your voice rings over the battlefield bolstering your allies. At the beginning of your rage you may choose to sing. At higher levels, you learn more songs and may choose which song to sing at the start of the rage. All allies, within 30 feet, that can hear your song are affected by it, you do not affect yourself with the battlesong.

You learn additional battlesongs are certain levels
3: Song of Speed: Allies who hear this song are spurred onwards, moving fast in battle. All affected allies have the maximum movement speed increased by 5 ft. At level 14, this speed increases to 10 ft
6: Song of Strength: The spirit of Allies who hear this song are bolstered, making them immune to fear. If they are affected by fear prior to hearing the song, the effect is suppressed until it ends. Additionally, at level 14, they have advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
10: Song of Spirit: Allies who hear this song feel a surge of vitality in spirit. They may use a bonus action to gain Temp HP equal to your constitution modifier. Additionally at level 14, you have advantage on saves verses Poison and Disease.
14: Song of Survival: Allies who hear this song are spurred to endure even the most brutal conditions. When an ally takes cold, thunder, lightning, or fire damage, they may use their reaction to gain resistance to the damage source for that one strike. It only applies to a single cause of damage and doesn't last for additional damage types or hits.



Battle Rage
At level 6, your voice has grown in power allowing you to inspire others through your words. To do so, you use a bonus action on your turn to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear you. That creature gains one Battle Rage die, a d6.

Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one damage roll (this doesn't apply to magic missile). You may choose to add this after you hit, but before you know the results of the damage. The battle rage die increase to a d8 at level 10, and a d10 at level 14.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.



Battlefield Mockery
At level 10, you learn to openly mock your opponent, whether in your battlesong or not. After the attack is declared, you may use your reaction to cast vicious mockery on them, using your constitution modifier as your spellcasting modifier and DC. If you are raging, you may add your rage damage modifier to the damage dealt by this spell.

You may use this ability 2x proficiency modifier times per long rest.


Transcendent Voice
At level 14, you can bolster yourself with your battlesongs. Additionally, each battlesong gains strength or new features and now affects you as well as your allies.

Additionally, your singing takes on a mythical property. Even if you are affected by silence or your allies are deaf, as long as they are within 30 feet and can see you they still gain the bonus from your Battlesong.





Added in a distance requirement so the DM wouldn't have to make a decision on whether allies could hear or not
Changes the some names to add alliteration (because I like alliteration, it just sounds nice).
Replaced the level 14 song with something else
Added in a level 14 feature for all other songs
Made Battle Rage add damage instead of bonus to hit. Also, made the damage dies higher and have them move up to give more reason to stay a barbarian
Replaced level 14 feature with Transcendent Voice

[RickAsWritten]

Wizard - School of the Avantguardian

Throgg the Barbarian slammed his mug on the bar top. "Wizard!," he slurred, "The bard got eaten again and we need music to celebrate this glorious victory!!" The wizard, startled out of his ruminations, looked up from his goblet of patently non-alcoholic cider. "Oh. Oh yes, quite. I have a fine collection of arcane vinyl. Do you like Farnsnabble the Doowopper?" "Uhhgh?" "OK, but have you heard Thartharlin Thalathamongous." "Th-th-the-what-th?" "Hmmm...what about orcish-style legend Ug-Thak Lord of Ska's?" Throgg, bewildered, "Nope." "Oh but you must know The Lonliest Monk. He's practically a God on the polished tusks." "You know I think I mighta heard of that one. Little dude, sweet tonsure?" "Indubitably. Let the jam sesh commence!"

As a wizard of the Avantguardian school, you know all the tastiest jams. It is your life's work and your great passion to catalog and spread the word of the most obscure musical talents. People have called you a musical snob, but those unintelligent laggards are beneath your notice. They need to learn to open their minds and open their ears.

Sweet Licks

Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, you gain proficiency in the Performance skill, and gain Expertise in that skill if your Charisma modifier is zero or less. You also gain proficiency in the most obscure musical instrument you can find. Work with your DM or use Google to find an instrument that matches the required obscurity levels. During a long rest you can call up your guy Bartholomew, your instrument guy. He will have a new instrument delivered when you finish the long rest, free of charge as long as you plug his shop. If that instrument is lost or damaged, you can have another one delivered at the end of a long rest for a cost of 50 gold.

Wanna See My Collection

Starting at 2nd level, you can ensorcell foes with your knowledge of obscure musical knowledge. You know the spell Sleep; always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. Whenever you use an action to cast a spell of the Enchantment school or that deals Thunder damage to a creature, you may cast the spell Sleep as a 1st level spell as a part of that action without expending a spell slot. When you cast Sleep with this ability, it doesn't require components. You may use this ability a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier per long rest, but you are always confused why people start nodding off when you talk about your favorite artists.
When you reach 6th level in this subclass, if a creature failed its saving throw against the initial spell, you can maximize the dice of your Sleep spell. When you reach 10th level in this subclass you can cast Sleep as a 2nd level spell, and as a 3rd level spell at 14th.

Haughty Airs

When you reach 6th level, you can turn a failure into a success with your esoteric musical knowledge. If you fail a skill check that uses Intelligence, you can attempt it again using your Performance modifier. You bluster on about a little-known musician that did something or knew about something that somehow satisfies the skill check. You must use the result of the new roll, and can use this ability once per short rest.

Immutable "Charm"

At 10th level, when you cast a spell that inflicts charm, creatures that are normally immune to the condition can still be affected, but have advantage on the saving throw. When you cast a spell that does Thunder damage, creatures that are immune to Thunder are instead resistant.

The Hidden Gem

At 14th level, you have found the ultimate esoteric arcane vinyl and play it for all to hear. To an untrained ear, the music sounds discordant, physically sickening, and cursed, but to you it is the work of an unheralded genius. As an action, you play an arcane vinyl that emanates from your location to a range of 30 feet and lasts for one minute. You can designate any number of creatures that you see to be unaffected by it. Creatures that are immune to the Deafened condition are not affected by this ability. Each creature must attempt a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, a creature is afflicted with one of the diseases from the spell Contagion. Roll a d6 for each creature to determine which disease they are affected by. Reference the table for die results.



d6:
Disease:


1
Blinding Sickness


2
Filth Fever


3
Flesh Rot


4
Mindfire


5
Seizure


6
Slimy Doom



Creatures can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a success. Creatures that succeed on the saving throw are immune to this ability for 24 hours and have advantage on their next attack roll, they were digging that tasty jam. You must complete a long rest before you can use this ability again.


Added Bartholomew's instrument delivery.
Added scaling to Sleep as you advance in level.
Changed it so a +0 modifier still qualifies for expertise.
Added clause that a leveled spell must be cast in order to qualify for Sleep as a bonus action.
Changed Sleep to be cast as part of an action when casting a spell. Removed leveled-spell requirement.
Changed the capstone to be an aura that lasts for a minute, instead of a one action maneuver. Fits the theme of playing a song for people better.

[KragBrightscale]

Monk subclass: Way of the Golden Bell

Bells come in all shapes in sizes, from the giant bells whose somber tolling mark events or the passing of someone loved, to the tiny bells suspended from the eaves of the monastery’s pagoda that chime in the wind to ward off evil. While many monasteries may have and make use of bells, only the monks that are responsible for maintaining and ringing the bells gain the deeper understanding needed to follow the way of the Golden Bell. Through patiently studying bells, these monks learn how to use impacts to cause their ki to reverberate. These vibrations can be transferred through their martial arts to devastating effect.

Lvl 3:

Campanologist
At 3rd level, you have spent a considerable amount of time studying bells, how they are cast, tuned and rung, as well as the history and traditions of bell ringing. You are proficient with bells as an instrument as well as history (bells). Bells are considered monk weapons to you and can be represented by a club for hand bells, or a quarter staff for larger bells mounted on the end of a staff.

Ki Resonation
At 3rd level, you have learned to make use of the energy from shock-waves to oscillate your ki at different frequencies. You harness this vibration in your martial arts. You can gain vibration points in different ways up to a maximum of 4, increasing to 6 at lvl 6 and 8 at lvl 11 and 10 at lvl 17. One point you have is lost at the start of each of your turns. Vibration points can be discharged and spent through special attacks or actions. Abilities that make use of vibration points can be considered Ki features for the purpose of calculating saves (8+wis+prof). Methods of gaining vibration points are shown in table below (points are added after resolving the trigger).




Vibration Gained
Trigger/Source


+1
Take slashing, piercing, bludgeoning or thunder damage from a source other than yourself


+1
Attack misses you while you use patient defense


+1
Deflect missile successfully


+1
Successful melee attack using unarmed strike, monk weapon or bell


+2
Spend action on Sacred Chiming feature




Active uses of vibration:


Available from level
Resource cost to use
Description


3
2 Vibration points
Shockwave: when taking the attack action you can forego 1 basic attack and create shockwave in front of you by punching in a direction. Area: 20ft cone. Damage: 1x Martial arts die + wis modifier + extra VP (Thunder). Push 10ft. Con save to ignore. All extra VP are spent.


3
2 Vibration points
Stomp: when taking the attack action you can forego 1 basic attack and send vibrations into the ground by stomping or slamming the ground with your fist. Area: 10ft radius. Damage 1x Martial arts die + wis modifier + extra VP (Bludgeoning). Knocked prone. Dex save to ignore. All extra VP are spent.


6
3 Vibration points
Oscillating defense: While using patient defense, you can attempt to transfer vibrating Ki into the weapon of an enemy that attacks you in melee to disrupt their use of it. After resolving the attack (regardless if it hits), give your attacker disadvantage on all attacks with the weapon until the end of your turn.


6
3 Vibration points + 1 ki
Shattering Note: By adjusting the frequency of your ki vibrations to the resounding frequency of things nearby you can cause them to shatter. As an action you can cast the spell shatter without any components centered on yourself. You and any object you are holding are immune to the effects of the spell.


11
4 Vibration points + 1 ki
Gentle fists: by surrounding your fists with vibrating ki you can transfer it on attacks to directly harm an opponent’s insides, bypassing some of their armor. As a bonus action you can give yourself a bonus on all attack rolls using unarmed strikes until the end of your turn against armored targets. +1 vs lightly armored, +2 vs medium armored, and +3 vs heavily armored targets.


11
4 Vibration points + 1 ki
Resonant strike: By carefully timing your second strike against an enemy, the vibrations from both attacks constructively interfere with each other for greater damage. If you hit an enemy with 2 unarmed strikes in 1 turn you can trigger this effect. Damage: 2 martial arts dice (thunder). Dex save for half damage.


17
10 Vibration points + 4 ki
Death Knell: as the one who rings the bell at funerals, you have gained recognition and authority in the domain of death. When you declare someone as dead even they are convinced. Once per long rest as an action you can ring your bell to cast powerword kill without any other components.




Sacred Chiming
At 6th level, by carefully creating a steady ringing with a bell you are able to create a zone that unholy beings find extremely agitating and uncomfortable.

Once per short rest, during your turn you can spend your action to start a performance (bells). While you are performing you can move a maximum of 20ft/round. The Effects last until the start of your next turn and can be extended by spending your action and maintaining your concentration. You can continue this performance for up to 1 minute. Whenever you spend an action on this feature to start or extend it your vibration points increase by 2.

While you are performing the effects of the 3rd level spell “magic circle” is in effect centered on yourself and set to keep out creatures of the fiend and undead type.

If your movement has caused a fiend or undead creature to start their turn in the affected area, they must make a wisdom save first or spend their movement to move away from you and exit the magic circle before commencing any other actions. If they are blocked from exiting by a creature they may push or attack in order to escape. If they succeed the wisdom save they can ignore their impulses to escape until their next turn when they must make a new save if still within the circle.


Vibration sensitivity
At 11th level, you have become more attuned to the vibrations transmitted through surfaces you touch. You gain tremor-sense 10ft. As an action, you can spend 1 ki while focusing on this sense to expand its range to 100ft until the start of your next turn.


Master of vibration
At 17th level, you have become more skilled at what you do. By spending an additional 2vp on a skill that replaces an attack you can increase the damage by 1 martial arts die.



Replaced abilities that relied on 3.5 mechanics.

Cut out some confusing fluff on death-knell.

Oscillating defense is no longer as useless

VP abilities count as Ki abilities (wis based)

Shattering note is now cheaper to use

[Crim the Cold]

I have last minute addition to the contest. I am happy to present for Paladins - The Oath of the Buskers

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UEZXRpOpF8Ylk4eP44skFOAUU9JxLG3w/view?usp=sharing

Edit: version 3 uploaded, Changed to include action cost and area of effect of the songs(both channels and the capstone).

[MoleMage]

Voting thread is up!

https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?617919-D-amp-D-Subclass-Contest-XVII-Voting-Thread