Amechra
2020-07-31, 01:57 AM
So, it's 2:30 AM here as I write this, and I can't sleep. What I can do, however, is complain about the Bard. Or, rather, three specific things that rub me the wrong way:
1) I'm annoyed that they're the only class that only gets three subclass levels. I feel that that's too few - Bards end up a little too similar for my tastes.
2) Magical Secrets on a full-caster was a mistake. It'd be fine if they could only take spells from other full-casters, but instead they get to snipe the unique spells off of the Paladin and Ranger spell lists a full tier early. It'd be a lot saner if the Bard was a half-caster.
3) I'm annoyed by the existence of the College of Eloquence, because it has a few features that I think all Bards should get. I have a similar gripe with the College of Swords, but to a much smaller degree.
So I thought... why not change those pain points?
The Big Change: Bards are Artificer-Style Half-Casters
OK, sure, they're Charisma based instead of Intelligence based, they cast from the Bard list instead of the Artificer one, and they need an instrument instead of artificer's tools... but otherwise? They have the Artificer spell slot progression, and Charisma + half level spells known (Magical Secrets really helps out here). Glibness poses a problem, because Bards should be able to cast one of their iconic spells, but I don't want Warlocks to get access to it earlier than they already do.
Making Up For The Loss
To make up for the fact that they aren't full-casters anymore, Bards need some more class features. My current thoughts are as follows:
1st Level: Bardic Inspiration gives you 1+Cha uses.
3rd Level: All Bardic Colleges get a general power boost at 3rd, to reflect that they're now going to be one of the primary sources of power for the Bard.
7th Level: They get Unfailing Inspiration, from the Eloquence Bard. For anyone who doesn't have Theros, this basically means that people you inspire can't "waste" the die you gave them.
11th Level: All Bardic Colleges get an extra feature at 11th level. Yay, now they have four subclass levels!
15th Level: They get Infectious Inspiration, from the Eloquence Bard. Again, for anyone who doesn't have Theros, this lets you chain Bardic Inspiration off of people a few times per long rest.
Song of Rest and Supreme Inspiration could also do with some boosts. And, if you couldn't tell, the College of Eloquence would need a serious overhaul to still fit with the class.
Proof of Concept - Extra Features for the College of Valor
3 :- Valiant Blow
Whenever you spend a bonus action to grant another creature one of your Bardic Inspiration dice, you may make a melee weapon attack as part of the same action.
11 :- Of Stout Heart
Whenever you grant a creature one of your Bardic Inspiration dice, that creature also gains the benefits of the Heroism spell until they successfully spend that die.
1) I'm annoyed that they're the only class that only gets three subclass levels. I feel that that's too few - Bards end up a little too similar for my tastes.
2) Magical Secrets on a full-caster was a mistake. It'd be fine if they could only take spells from other full-casters, but instead they get to snipe the unique spells off of the Paladin and Ranger spell lists a full tier early. It'd be a lot saner if the Bard was a half-caster.
3) I'm annoyed by the existence of the College of Eloquence, because it has a few features that I think all Bards should get. I have a similar gripe with the College of Swords, but to a much smaller degree.
So I thought... why not change those pain points?
The Big Change: Bards are Artificer-Style Half-Casters
OK, sure, they're Charisma based instead of Intelligence based, they cast from the Bard list instead of the Artificer one, and they need an instrument instead of artificer's tools... but otherwise? They have the Artificer spell slot progression, and Charisma + half level spells known (Magical Secrets really helps out here). Glibness poses a problem, because Bards should be able to cast one of their iconic spells, but I don't want Warlocks to get access to it earlier than they already do.
Making Up For The Loss
To make up for the fact that they aren't full-casters anymore, Bards need some more class features. My current thoughts are as follows:
1st Level: Bardic Inspiration gives you 1+Cha uses.
3rd Level: All Bardic Colleges get a general power boost at 3rd, to reflect that they're now going to be one of the primary sources of power for the Bard.
7th Level: They get Unfailing Inspiration, from the Eloquence Bard. For anyone who doesn't have Theros, this basically means that people you inspire can't "waste" the die you gave them.
11th Level: All Bardic Colleges get an extra feature at 11th level. Yay, now they have four subclass levels!
15th Level: They get Infectious Inspiration, from the Eloquence Bard. Again, for anyone who doesn't have Theros, this lets you chain Bardic Inspiration off of people a few times per long rest.
Song of Rest and Supreme Inspiration could also do with some boosts. And, if you couldn't tell, the College of Eloquence would need a serious overhaul to still fit with the class.
Proof of Concept - Extra Features for the College of Valor
3 :- Valiant Blow
Whenever you spend a bonus action to grant another creature one of your Bardic Inspiration dice, you may make a melee weapon attack as part of the same action.
11 :- Of Stout Heart
Whenever you grant a creature one of your Bardic Inspiration dice, that creature also gains the benefits of the Heroism spell until they successfully spend that die.