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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Collage of Falconry (A bard Subclass)



mcumoric
2020-11-21, 01:42 PM
Collage of Falconry
The college of falconry are bards who study the companionship between birds of prey and man.

Avian knowledge
Starting at the 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the animal handling skill if you didn't have it already and you may add your proficiency bonus an additional time to animal handling checks when interacting with birds and other avian creatures.
In addition you learn the animal friendship spell (which doesn’t count against known spells) and may cast it on avian creatures without spending a spell slot.

Avian companion
Starting at the 3rd level, you forge a magical bond with a bird of prey. The bird of prey has the statistics of a hawk (From the monster manual page 330) however it has the following stats replaced:

Hit points. Equal to (your proficiency bonus) + (your level x 5).

Armor class. Equal to 8 + (your proficiency bonus) + (The hawk’s dexterity)

Attacks. Talons: Melee weapon attack: (your proficiency bonus) + (the hawk’s dexterity) to hit, reach 5 ft, one target, (your current bardic inspiration die) + (the hawk’s dexterity) to hit.

It also gains the following ability:

Flyby: The hawk provokes no opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemies reach.

Your Avian companion takes its turn directly after yours, however it will only take the dodge action unless you command it as an action to use a different action.
If your hawk dies or is otherwise lost, you can summon it back on a long rest.

Marked target
Starting at the 3rd level, you can use a bonus action to spend a bardic inspiration die to mark a target by whistling or a similar action. When you do so, for the next minute your hawk;

Adds your bardic inspiration die to attack rolls against the target.

And adds your bardic inspiration die to it’s damage rolls against the target.

If the marked target drops to 0 hit points before the duration ends, you may use a bonus action to mark a new target.

Strengthening bond
Starting at the 6th level, your avian companion gains a +2 bonus to their dexterity score (making it 18 or +4). This becomes +4 at the 14th level (making it 20 or +5).

Raptor swiftness
Starting at the 6th level, when your avien companion takes the attack action, they may make an additional talons attack on their turn as part of the same action.

Undying bond
Starting at the 14th level, when your avian companion is reduced to 0 hit points, you can resummon it early by spending a 3rd level spell slot.

sandmote
2020-11-22, 07:02 PM
"buff own companion with bardic inspiration," makes sense. Is Marked Target meant to cause your companion to add your inspiration die to attack and damage rolls twice?

Also, you should probably say you an command your hawk "as you would a familiar," and steal the method of having it attack from the Pact of the Chain.

There also doesn't appear to be a way to get your companion back at low levels. IS the PC meant to be able to buy a new one?



Conceptually, I think the bard should get some more bonuses independent of the hawk. Avian Knowledge is pretty much a ribbon. Perhaps allow some form of resurrecting the hawk starting at 3rd level, and give the bard magical wings at 14th?

mcumoric
2020-11-22, 11:19 PM
There also doesn't appear to be a way to get your companion back at low levels. IS the PC meant to be able to buy a new one?


Just want to say that, it does say you can summon your hawk back on a long rest at the bottom of avian companion.
I'm assuming you skimmed over it?

sandmote
2020-11-25, 10:17 PM
Just want to say that, it does say you can summon your hawk back on a long rest at the bottom of avian companion.
I'm assuming you skimmed over it? Not particularly, but I did get hung up on the rules for commaning your companion written directly before it mentions this. Using your action to have the hawk makes sense given the damage (which equals that of a greataxe at high levels) but the fact you can't really afford to have the bird take any defensive action without giving up your own action (or combine your attacks with the bird's) feels really weird.