Sindeloke
2021-10-08, 09:19 PM
Why do this? Well, the reason is both simple and petty: I truly despise Bardic Inspiration. You go from 3e bards who're buffing the hit and damage of every single hit by every single party member every single round just by standing there, to 4e bards who can give everyone an effective +2 to hit or AC every single round forever against at least one foe, or else mix it up by giving free movement or attacks to the entire party.... to 5e bards who can give +3 to one attack or save by one person about three times per day for the whole first tier of play! This is outrageous! It's unfair!
And you look at it and they're a full caster, this edition, so maybe it's just that all their cool party buffs are spells, now, because this edition hides a lot of class features in the spell list? But they don't even get Bless. THAT SPELL IS LITERALLY JUST INSPIRE COURAGE UNDER 5e DESIGN PRINCIPLES and somehow it's for CLERICS! The great bard's vaunted party support, reduced to Heroism, Invisibility, and one 1d6 per person per rest!
So I wanted to try to make a bard that had the kind of party support I expected, something competitive with a paladin's aura but in line with the bard's 3e and 4e identity, and budgeting the power that way means no more full casting. And, without further preamble, here it is!
THE BASICS
Hit Die: d8
Armor: light
Weapons: simple, plus one one-handed martial of your choice
Tools: any three, including any vehicle or musical instrument
Saving Throws: Dex/Cha
Skills: any three
The Bard (as a half-caster)
Spell Slots per Spell Level
Level
Prof Bonus
Features
Music Die
Cantrips Known
Spells
Known
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
1st
+2
Bardic Music (inspire competence), Spells
d4
3
2nd
+2
Allegro, Bardic Knowledge
d4
3
3
2
3rd
+2
Bardic Music (entrancing melody), Bardic Practice
d4
3
4
3
4th
+2
ASI
d4
3
5
3
5th
+3
Bardic Music (hymn of renewal)
d4
4
6
4
2
6th
+3
Bardic Practice feature
d4
4
7
4
2
7th
+3
Bardic Music (inspire valor)
d6
4
8
4
3
8th
+3
ASI
d6
4
9
4
3
2
9th
+4
-
d6
5
10
4
3
2
10th
+4
Bardic Music (two uses)
d6
5
11
4
3
3
11th
+4
Magical Secrets
d6
5
12
4
3
3
12th
+4
ASI
d6
5
13
4
3
3
13th
+5
-
d8
5
14
4
3
3
1
14th
+5
Bardic Music (countersong)
d8
6
15
4
3
3
1
15th
+5
Bardic Practice feature
d8
6
16
4
3
3
2
16th
+5
ASI
d8
6
17
4
3
3
2
17th
+6
-
d8
6
18
4
3
3
3
1
18th
+6
Bardic Practice feature
d8
6
19
4
3
3
3
1
19th
+6
ASI
d10
6
20
4
3
3
3
2
20th
+6
Infinite Echoes
d10
6
20
4
3
3
3
2
SPELLCASTING
Charisma-based, starting with 3 cantrips and no slots. Can use an arcane focus or a musical instrument that you're proficient with.
BARDIC MUSIC
The core feature around which this class is built. Requires an action, affects a number of creatures equal to 1 + Cha (minimum 1), so long as they're within 90 feet and can hear you, and recovers on a short rest.
Bardic music requires Concentration, as though on a spell, and it is music, or, at the very least, oratory; you must continue to speak, sing, or play, as appropriate, to sustain the effect. This doesn't take an action but might interfere with verbal/somatic casting. By default, Music is capped at 1 minute duration.
Inspire Competence: You may use your bardic music to grant your allies focus and clarity when making skill checks. When you begin playing, select a tool, skill or vehicle. As long as you continue to play, any affected ally adds your music die to any check of that type that they attempt. You can maintain this music for up to one hour.
Most half-casters start from the premise of "half martial, half caster," but a bard is, if anything, half rogue, half caster. Therefore, instead of a fighting style or anything combat-focused, we're going with a skill focus; this is Expertise, but for your whole party in whatever skill you want, at the cost of having to spend a resource and not quite scaling all the way to +6. And, y'know. You just can't have a bard without Insipre Competence. The hour duration is so you can get some half-decent exploration use out of it; one minute of song isn't going to help your buddy forge a sword or get an ox cart up a dangerous switchback.
Entrancing Melody: Starting at 3rd level, you can play a hypnotic song that enraptures those who hear it. Any creature that you target with this ability must make a Charisma saving throw or be fascinated and utterly pacified by your magic. Such creatures are considered stunned until the end of your next turn for as long as you continue to play; they cannot move or act, and are only dimly aware of their surroundings or anything other than your song.
While playing this melody, you cannot take other actions, or take any bonus actions or reactions. Creatures in combat with you or who perceive you as a threat have advantage on their saving throw, and if a fascinated creature suffers damage, the effect immediately ends. This is considered a Charm for the purpose of immunities and similar features.
Are you really a bard if you can't keep a group of guards so captivated by your music that they don't notice your allies walking through the gate right behind you? I think not. Ideally this plays out similarly to Sleep in practical play; decent for one good hit per target if you really want to use it that way, but more useful for escaping or out-of-combat utility.
Hymn of Renewal: Starting at 5th level, you may use your Bardic Music to invigorate and refresh your allies. When a friendly target affected by this song regains hit points, you may roll a bardic music die and add it to the hit points gained. A creature does not need to be conscious for the performance to benefit from this effect; merely being in range is sufficient.
If played during any part of a rest, this music affects any hit dice rolled because of that rest, and does not prevent the bard from gaining full benefit of the rest.
Not much to say about this, it's just Song of Rest, tweaked to fit the new paradigm. The intent is that if you have a use of Music left when you start your short rest, you can spend it on this and still get your use back from the rest.
Inspire Valor: From 7th level onward, you may empower your allies in combat with relentless courage and strength. Any friendly creature affected by this Bardic Music adds your music die to all weapon attack rolls, as well as any saving throws against charm or fear effects.
Traditional Bard Effect #3. No damage bonus, and limited bonus to saves, in recognition of how much stronger +hit is in this edition. Honestly, I'm torn on moving it to damage entirely and saving the +hit for the combat-focused subclass. It feels pretty strong. On the other hand, this version of the class really doesn't have a lot else going on beyond the Bardic Music feature, so it should be reasonably strong. Also, a cleric can Bless 4x a day at this point and isn't because they have better uses for their concentration, so perhaps it's not even as strong as it looks to begin with.
Countersong: Beginning at 14th level, you may use your music to disrupt the flow of enemy magic, nullifying insidious whispers or words of power before they can affect your friends. While you concentrate on Countersong, you inhibit all hostile spells that rely on language, communication, or sound in a meaningful way (such as charm spells, Power Word spells, or audible illusions, but not simply spells with a verbal component). Casters attempting to cast such spells must make an ability check with their casting attribute against your spell save DC, or simply lose the spell, expending any resources as though it had been cast but generating no effect.
This is way more fiddly and complicated than I'd like, honestly, but I feel like some kind of countercharm adaptation to this effect is important to the theme.
ALLEGRO
Starting at 2nd level, you can take a bonus action on your turn, which you can use to take the Help action, or to allow a friendly creature of your choice (including yourself) to immediately move up to half its speed in a direction of its choosing. A creature must be within 90 feet and able to hear you to benefit from this feature.
Another aspect of being a half-rogue is the pseudo-Cunning Action. As a support guy, though, rather than moving or defending yourself, you move or assist someone else.
BARDIC KNOWLEDGE
A bard is a collector of stories, master of legends, and keeper of lore. Yes, you've read that book on rare herbs; yes, you've heard that old wives' tale about the moon; yes, you know the story of how Robiler killed the immortal ice dragon. Beginning at level 2, whenever you make an Intelligence check, if you would not normally add any proficiency bonus, you add ½ your proficiency bonus.
Trimming down the skill bonus to old-school Bardic Knowledge to respect the new power budget.
BARDIC PRACTICE
Subclass starts here. I don't have a strong objection to "college" per se, but it does limit theming somewhat. "Practice" is more generic and flexible.
ASI
ASI.
MAGICAL SECRETS
As printed, except that the spell chosen must be from the cleric, druid, wizard, or sorceror list. This restriction prevents poaching spells that are just class features in disguise (steed, arrows) and limits it to magic qua magic.
INFINITE ECHOES
At level 20, your bardic music effects have unlimited targets, and their range is limited only by your targets' ability to hear. Further, if your concentration is broken, any effect you are maintaining ends at the end of your next turn, rather than immediately.
Better capstone than one extra +6, eh? It would probably be better balanced with only half the effects, but it's level 20 and your druid is infinitybear. Be overpowered if you like.
THE SUBCLASSES
THE CANTOR
All bards have a knack for healing, and for strengthening their friends and allies with magic and song alike. To some bards, however, this is not a mere knack, but a calling. Usually dubbed cantors, these bards are often associated with temples and churches, or even charity organizations like the White Wheel, but some are self-taught wandering healers. What they all have in common is a restorative touch, a desire to help the hurting, and an inclination to solve conflicts with diplomacy, compromise and guile before resorting to aggression and bloodshed.
Bedside Manner
One of the most important aspects of treating the injured is convincing them to let you. You've mastered the art of projecting concern, empathy, trustworthiness, and respect (whether or not you actually feel any of it for any particular patient). Your Charisma checks always add your Music Die to the result, as do any ability checks made to improve the attitude of an injured creature.
Somnolent Symphony
As a cantor, when you use entrancing melody, you may use an action to force an affected creature to make a Wisdom saving throw or fall asleep, and remain so for at least a number of hours equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1) if left unmolested.
If a creature successfully saves against this feature, it is immune to further attempts during this song, but it is not freed from the trance, and using this ability does not interfere with your concentration on entrancing melody.
Bardic Music: Song of Rest
Starting at 6th level, the wounds and spirits of your allies are as easy for you to mend as the strings of a harp. You gain the following option for your Bardic Music feature:
Song of Rest. When you target a willing ally with this song, it falls into a deep sleep which lasts as long as you play. A target that hears your song for at least one minute gains all the benefits of a short rest once the song ends, and adds your Charisma modifier as a bonus on any hit dice it rolls to recover hit points.
You may target yourself with this music, which does not put you to sleep, but does grant you all the benefits of a short rest except for the recovery of the Bardic Music use you activated it with.
Once a creature has benefited from this song, it cannot benefit from it again until it completes a long rest.
Inspire Greatness
Beginning at 15th level, when you use your Bardic Music feature to sing a hymn of renewal, you may add your music die to any saving throws attempted by its targets. It also grants affected creatures temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier at the end of each of your turns while your music lasts, which persist for 1 hour if not depleted.
Anthem of Liberation
Starting at 18th level, when you use an action to begin performing your Bardic Music, any affected friendly creature may immediately make a new saving throw against any ongoing spell, effect or condition that could be removed by a remove curse spell. The creature may add your music die to this new saving throw, ending the negative effect on a success.
The "healer" subclass, all of it fairly simple. Inspire Greatness creates a choice between a stronger offensive buff for the party and a stronger defensive one, this version of Song of Rest is a free catnap for your warlock or monk to let you play around with resources, and Somnolent Symphony expands the out-of-combat uses of your trance music to shut down guards for the length of your heist or kidnap the doppleganger prince. Anthem of Liberation saves you a restoration or two.
THE MINSTREL
Given their role as welcome entertainers in any court, and their skill at enchanting everyone they meet, bards can be excellent at espionage. Court minstrels embrace this role full-time, mastering the arts of deception and secrecy and becoming fixtures of local politics. Some serve their lords as advisors, some spy on their supposed lords in service of other lords, and some serve other organizations entirely as they seek to manipulate politics for their own goals from behind the throne. All, however, are charming, canny, and dangerous.
Jack of All Trades
As a minstrel, you have dabbled in a little of everything in order to satisfy any cover story or noble whim. You may add ½ your proficiency bonus to any ability check that wouldn't ordinarily use your proficiency bonus, rather than merely those covered by Bardic Knowledge.
Subtle Spellweaving
To properly cloak yourself in a veil of mystery and concealment, you have learned to do the same with your magic. When you cast a spell or create a magical effect with no readily visible effect, you may cast it with perfect subtlety, hiding any somatic or verbal components in a mask of innocuous gestures and words. This magic is perfectly concealed, and no observer can realize that it has been cast at all except by observation of its results. The target of such an effect doesn't automatically realize that they were ensorcelled once the spell wears off, even if the spell description would indicate otherwise (though they may still realize, if theyre sufficiently observant).
Song of Suggestion
Beginning at 6th level, when you use entrancing melody, you may use an action to implant a suggestion in the mind of an enraptured creature. This may be a single idea, desire, or course of action, which must be phrased in such a way as to make it sound reasonable to the creature. Asking it to do anything obviously harmful automatically fails. Otherwise, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw, and on a failure, once the trance ends, it will accept your suggestion as its own idea, and pursue it to the best of its ability. If it has not fulfilled the suggestion by the end of its next long rest, the impulse to do so fades from its mind, but it will not normally recognize the idea as alien regardless.
If a creature successfully saves against this feature, it is immune to further attempts during this song, but it is not freed from the trance, and using this ability does not interfere with your concentration on entrancing melody.
Bardic Music: Beguiling Ballad
Beginning at 15th level, you may use your Bardic Music to obscure yourself and your allies, gaining the following option:
Beguiling Ballad. Creatures affected by this music may use a bonus action to become invisible. This invisibility lasts until the beginning of the creature's next turn, or until it makes an attack, skill check, or saving throw or casts a spell, whichever happens first.
Harmony of Shadows
Starting at 18th level, your mastery of the primal music has passed beyond the need to make audible sound, allowing you to play in registers higher, lower, or more astral or arcane than any living thing can hear. You can now ignore the verbal component of any of your spells by making a Charisma check against 10 + the level of the spell slot you're using, and you may use any of your bardic class features completely silently (allowing you to affect even creatures who would not normally be able to hear you, where applicable). While this does allow you to operate within magical silence, it does not allow you to affect targets beyond the normal range of your music, were you to be making audible noise.
The "skill" subclass, leaning into the rogue role. Here we find the missing Jack of All Trades, shunted to a more appropriate design space both budget- and theme-wise, along with some espionage tricks via multitap Suggestion and "friends is actually usable for something other than making enemies". Beguiling Ballad is obviously somewhat problematic for straight up stealth, but if you can get your druid to provide a covering thunderstorm or if you just want to make combat really fun for your rogue, it has good application. And at level 18, once the game is over, it obviously becomes really good for any kind of infiltration.
THE SKALD
Most bards avoid combat, preferring to talk or trick their way around obstacles. The skald, on the other hand, embraces it gladly, believing that the most true and powerful music is the clash of steel and the roaring of blood in a berserker's ears. Warrior-poets, tribal drum-masters, and fearless commanders who lead from the vanguard, skalds are bards who have mastered the art of war and weaponry alongside their music and magic, turning their force of personality into their allies' force of arms.
Front of the Chorus
When you choose this practice, you gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and all martial weapons. As long as you are wearing armor or have a shield equipped, you add your proficiency bonus to Concentration saves.
Ballad of A Thousand Blades
True masters of war music know a battle hymn for every occasion and can bring out tremendous force of arms and battle fervor in their allies. Once per turn, any friendly creature affected by your Bardic Music (other than yourself) may add your music die as thunder damage to a successful weapon attack roll.
Extra Attack
Starting at 6th level, when you take the attack action on your turn, you may attack twice, instead of once.
Thundering Refrain
Starting at 15th level, when you make a successful weapon attack against a creature, you can use a bonus action to repeat your weapon damage against that creature as thunder damage.
Verse of Triumph
Beginning at 18th level, whenever you roll a critical hit, or a credible threat that you have damaged is reduced to 0 hp, you may use a reaction to shout a verse of triumph. You and any friendly creatures within 90 feet that can hear you may immediately take the Dash action in any direction of your choosing; affected creatures also add your music die to the damage of their next successful attack before the end of your next turn.
And here's the battle bard. The most straightforward, least creative, honestly a bit repetitive subclass, but hey, do you really need that much from a skald beyond "I buff my allies and hit things real hard"?
THE SUBLIME CHORD
Every bard makes use of the Primal Music, but to some bards, it is more than a tool it is a purpose, a passion, even an obsession. For these bards, every note played is part of a lifelong quest to learn more about the Primal Music, to hear it more clearly, to understand it better, to grow that one note closer to the song that haunts their dreams. This fervent study has, as a side effect, the accumulation of tremendous magical power; a deeper harnessing of the Music itself brings with it a correspondingly greater ability to shape the living world.
Burdening Dirge
As a sublime chord, when you use entrancing melody, you may use an action to weaken and demoralize an affected creature. Select an ability score. Your target must make a Wisdom saving throw, and on a failure, any movement speeds it possesses are halved and any saving throws reliant on that ability score have disadvantage. These effects persist until the creature completes a long rest or is targeted by a remove curse effect.
If a creature successfully saves against this feature, it is immune to further attempts druing this song, but it is not freed from the trance, and using this ability does not interfere with your concentration on entrancing melody.
Resounding Arcana
Once you choose this bardic practice, you gain a special extra spell slot, which is exactly one level higher than your highest regular spell slot as seen on the Bard table. As your magical ability progresses, this special slot increases in level correspondingly, always remaining one level higher than the highest level spell slot on the Bard table. This spell slot is in all other ways completely normal; it can be used to cast any spell you have access to and recovers normally after a long rest. It is also considered your highest level spell slot when learning new bard spells.
This feature improves as you level, granting you an additional special slot 2 levels higher than indicated on the table at level 7, which increases in level to remain always 2 levels higher; a third special slot at level 11 that always remains 3 levels higher; and a fourth special slot that always remains 4 levels higher at level 15. The highest level spell slot this feature grants is always used when determining what spells you are able to learn.
Chord of Power
Starting at 6th level, you may use the bonus action granted to you by your Allegro feature to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action or less. You may still only cast one spell from a spell slot per turn, as normal.
Once you use this feature, you must complete a short or long rest in order to use it again.
Greater Magical Secrets
At 15th level, select two spells from any class list that are of a level you can cast (including cantrips). The spells do not have to be the same level or from the same class list. You gain the ability to cast these spells as bard spells, and they do not count against your normal limit of spells known.
Interwoven Song
Beginning at 18th level, you may weave additional themes into your bardic music. If you are already concentrating on a bardic music effect, and you cast a spell or use another ability that requires concentration, you do not lose concentration on your bardic music; instead, both effects are maintained by a single instance of concentration, and both are preserved or lost with the same saving throw, if you are forced to make one. This feature allows you to combine only two effects; attempting to add a third instance of concentration causes both existing effects to end, as normal.
Okay so this one is a bit experimental. Inspired by the Sublime Chord 3.5 prestige class, which made the 6-level 3e bard into a full 9-lvl caster, this subclass uses a massively hacky floating spell slot system to give access to all nine levels of bard spell. Think of it sort of like the Warlock's Arcana. This is all spells all the time and I haven't the least sense of its balance point, other than that it's probably too strong? But listen I love the idea okay, don't take this from me.
A FEW USEFUL SPELLS
Lingering Lament
enchantment cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
You create a note of deep sorrow that echoes briefly in the mind of a creature within range, making it sluggish and dispirited. If the target can hear you, it must make a Wisdom saving throw or take 1d4 psychic damage and suffer disadvantage on its next saving throw within 1 round.
At Higher Levels. This spell's damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level, 11th level, and 17th level.
Singing Strike
transmutation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a weapon)
Duration: Instantaneous
As part of the casting of this spell, make a single melee weapon attack. The magic weaves the natural motions of your attack into specific strikes and vibrations that generate notes and chords, which ring out loudly even over the chaos of battle. You may substitute your casting attribute for your Strength or Dexterity when making the attack roll, and add no attribute modifier to damage; however, you deal 1d6 bonus thunder damage from the cacophony.
If you are proficient with a musical instrument, you can cause this spell to make specific notes, and thus with enough successive castings, can recreate any song that you would be able to play with that instrument.
At Higher Levels. This spell's thunder damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level, 11th level, and 17th level.
Staggering Note
evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Touch
Components: V, M (a weapon)
Duration: 1 round
When you cast this spell, target a specific weapon in your hand. Your next successful attack with that weapon while this spell lasts deals thunder damage instead of its normal damage type, and the target is immediately shoved 5 feet away from you.
At Higher Levels. At 11th level and above, this spell affects the next two sucessful weapon attacks you make while it is active, and can shove a target up to 10 feet per strike.
Animated Instrument
1st level transmutation (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: touch
Components: V, S, M (a working instrument)
Duration: 1 hour
When you cast this spell, you touch an instrument that you are proficient with, and it rises gently to hover in the air at roughly the height it would be at were you to play it. For the duration of the spell, you can cause the instrument to play itself, exactly as though you were playing it. The instrument is directed by thought and does not require any action on your part, but you are still subject to distraction, and may suffer disadvantage on Performance or tool checks if you are otherwise occupied (for example, by pitched combat or a difficult negotiation).
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can affect an additional instrument for each spell slot above 1st.
Chillsong
1st level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a small glass cube)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a melody woven with icy magic that freezes and slows creatures that hear it. Select two creatures within 90 feet that you can see and which can hear you clearly. At the beginning of each of its turns while the spell lasts, an affected creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 2d6 cold damage and its speed is halved until the beginning of its next turn.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature. If you have a bardic music die, you may substitute two of that die for the two d6.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can affect an additional target for each additional spell level.
True Cutting Words Verbal Blades
1st level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
With this spell, you utter a string of violent invective infused with words of true power that strike the ego and body with equal force. Select a creature within range that can hear you (it does not need to be able to understand you), which must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 1d8 psychic damage and 1d8 magical slashing damage, and is pushed up to 15 feet in a direction of your choosing. With a successful save, it takes half as much damage and is not pushed.
This movement provokes opportunity attacks from any creature your target passes within reach of.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage and the distance you can push your target increase by 1d8 psychic damage and 5 feet, respectively, per spell level.
Song of Serendipity
1st level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a worn two-headed coin)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play an upbeat tune that protects your allies from hexes and infuses them with good luck. Select two creatures within 90 feet that you can see and which can hear you clearly. While you concentrate on this spell, affected creatures ignore any effect that could be removed by remove curse, do not critically fail on a d20 roll of 1, and automatically succeed on death saving throws.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can affect an additional target for each additional spell level.
Threnody for Grace
1st level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a tiny gold or silver charm shaped like an instrument)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a jarring magical tune that upsets the balance and coordination of your enemies. Select two creatures that you can see and which can hear you clearly. While you concentrate on this spell, if an affected creature misses with a melee attack, it must make a Dexterity saving throw or immediately fall prone.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can affect an additional target for each additional spell level.
Counterpoint Chorus
2nd level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a broken dagger)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a complicated composition of complimentary magical notes, which enables your allies to react to enemy mistakes with the same deft rhythm. When you cast this spell, select three allies that you can see and who can hear you clearly. While your concentration lasts, the affected creatures may make an opportunity attack against any enemy within reach that makes an attack roll and misses.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you may affect an additional ally per spell slot.
Echoing Roar
2nd level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 90 feet
Components: V, M (a broken dagger)
Duration: Instantaneous
You bellow a spell of power that rings throughout the battlefield, its echoes continuing to bounce even after it is gone. Any hostile creature within range of the spell that is hidden or obscured must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 2d10 thunder damage on a failed save and half as much on a successful one. Any such creatures are also made completely visible, and neither they nor any other creature in the range of the spell can hide or benefit from obscurement until the end of your next turn.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage and duration of the exposing echoes increase by 1d10 and one round respectively per slot level.
Thunder's Calling
2nd level abjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a sprig from a tree struck by lightning)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a melody that snares your enemies with magical force. Select up to three creatures within 90 feet that you can see and which can hear you clearly. Each must make a Constitution saving throw at the beginning of each of its turns. On a failure, an affected creature takes 2d8 thunder damage and cannot move away from you until the beginning of its next turn. On a success, it takes half as much damage and can move normally.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, it deals an additional 1d8 damage and can affect an additional target for each additional spell level.
Anthem of Aggression
3rd level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a broken tooth from the mouth of an enemy)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a melody that incites your allies with its driving beat, pushing them to such fervor that even their glancing blows are deadly. Select up to four creatures within 90 feet that you can see and which can hear you clearly. Whenever one of those creatures misses with a weapon attack, it deals damage equal to your casting attribute modifier to its target, of the same damage type as its weapon. A creature that can spend a resource to create an effect on a weapon hit can trigger that effect off one of these glancing blows.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you can affect an additional target for each additional spell level.
Symphony of Discord
3rd level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a pinch of ash from a burned harp)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a melody that bewilders and enrages your enemies, making it impossible for them to tell friend from foe. Select up to four creatures within 90 feet that you can see and which can hear you clearly. At the beginning of each of its turns, an affected creature must make a Wisdom saving throw, or believe that every creature it can perceive is its enemy until the beginning of its next turn. A creature is not forced to take any specific actions by this spell; it will prioritize targets normally and use whatever tactics seem appropriate to it.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you can affect an additional target for each additional spell level.
Haunting Tune
4th level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a piece of fabric from a burial shroud)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a melody that instills paralyzing terror in your foes. Select five creatures within 90 feet that you can see and which can hear you clearly. At the beginning of each of its turns while the spell lasts, an affected creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it takes 4d6 psychic damage, has its speed reduced to zero, and is afraid of you until the beginning of its next turn. A creature can't be reduced below 1 hit point by this damage.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature. If you have a bardic music die, you may substitute that die for the d6.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can affect an additional target for each additional spell level.
Revitalizing Incantation
4th level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a phial of clear water)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a melody that renews and invigorates your allies. Select five creatures within 90 feet that you can see and which can hear you clearly. As long as the spell lasts, these creatures may use a bonus action on their turn to restore 3d6 hit points to themselves.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature. If you have a bardic music die, you may substitute that die for the d6.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can affect an additional target for each additional spell level.
Cruel Lullaby
5th level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a tiny hourglass)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play an eerie tune that creates a paradoxical unease in those who hear it, causing restlessness and sharp despair in the mind even as it leadens the limbs with a numb and weary fatigue. Select up to six creatures within 90 feet that you can see and which can hear you clearly. At the beginning of each of its turns while the spell lasts, an affected creature must make a Wisdom saving throw, taking 4d8 psychic damage on a failure and half as much on a success.
If a creature fails three saves before the spell ends, it falls into a deep sleep haunted by painful nightmares, and must continue to make saves against psychic damage each turn even if this spell ends, until three successful saves are made, causing the nightmare to end and the sleep to become normal. While the nightmare persists, normal methods for waking a sleeper, such as damage or being shaken by an ally, only allow the sleeper to make a new saving throw; on a failure, it does not awaken, and psychic damage does not offer a new save at all.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature.
Rhyme of the Elements
5th level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a wild ode to the raging storm. While you maintain this spell, any ally within 90 feet of you benefits from an aura of elemental power that surrounds and infuses their weapons. When you cast this spell, select acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder; whenever an affected creature makes a successful weapon attack, it deals bonus damage of that type equal to your casting attribute modifier.
Special. If you have a bardic music die, you may choose to substitute that die for your attribute modifier upon casting. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature.
So obviously the "acts as bardic music" thing is a way to bring more flexibility and customization to any given bard, and bring in some of the more niche classic abilities that the random 637k prestige classes of 3.path used to offer. The others are just to help broaden their utility and flesh out their role as a support caster beyond the basic "disable enemy" theme of the base spell list. Except Singing Strike and Animated Instrument, which are both 100% "I want a bard who actually plays music instead of singing but still want to be able to hit things if I need to."
So that's that. I'd still like to find some way to let you be the Pied Piper of Hamlin baseline, and the whole thing is pretty contingent on having a party to be in any way successful, but it feels like a bard to me. I'd like to hear what the Playground has to say about it, though.
And you look at it and they're a full caster, this edition, so maybe it's just that all their cool party buffs are spells, now, because this edition hides a lot of class features in the spell list? But they don't even get Bless. THAT SPELL IS LITERALLY JUST INSPIRE COURAGE UNDER 5e DESIGN PRINCIPLES and somehow it's for CLERICS! The great bard's vaunted party support, reduced to Heroism, Invisibility, and one 1d6 per person per rest!
So I wanted to try to make a bard that had the kind of party support I expected, something competitive with a paladin's aura but in line with the bard's 3e and 4e identity, and budgeting the power that way means no more full casting. And, without further preamble, here it is!
THE BASICS
Hit Die: d8
Armor: light
Weapons: simple, plus one one-handed martial of your choice
Tools: any three, including any vehicle or musical instrument
Saving Throws: Dex/Cha
Skills: any three
The Bard (as a half-caster)
Spell Slots per Spell Level
Level
Prof Bonus
Features
Music Die
Cantrips Known
Spells
Known
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
1st
+2
Bardic Music (inspire competence), Spells
d4
3
2nd
+2
Allegro, Bardic Knowledge
d4
3
3
2
3rd
+2
Bardic Music (entrancing melody), Bardic Practice
d4
3
4
3
4th
+2
ASI
d4
3
5
3
5th
+3
Bardic Music (hymn of renewal)
d4
4
6
4
2
6th
+3
Bardic Practice feature
d4
4
7
4
2
7th
+3
Bardic Music (inspire valor)
d6
4
8
4
3
8th
+3
ASI
d6
4
9
4
3
2
9th
+4
-
d6
5
10
4
3
2
10th
+4
Bardic Music (two uses)
d6
5
11
4
3
3
11th
+4
Magical Secrets
d6
5
12
4
3
3
12th
+4
ASI
d6
5
13
4
3
3
13th
+5
-
d8
5
14
4
3
3
1
14th
+5
Bardic Music (countersong)
d8
6
15
4
3
3
1
15th
+5
Bardic Practice feature
d8
6
16
4
3
3
2
16th
+5
ASI
d8
6
17
4
3
3
2
17th
+6
-
d8
6
18
4
3
3
3
1
18th
+6
Bardic Practice feature
d8
6
19
4
3
3
3
1
19th
+6
ASI
d10
6
20
4
3
3
3
2
20th
+6
Infinite Echoes
d10
6
20
4
3
3
3
2
SPELLCASTING
Charisma-based, starting with 3 cantrips and no slots. Can use an arcane focus or a musical instrument that you're proficient with.
BARDIC MUSIC
The core feature around which this class is built. Requires an action, affects a number of creatures equal to 1 + Cha (minimum 1), so long as they're within 90 feet and can hear you, and recovers on a short rest.
Bardic music requires Concentration, as though on a spell, and it is music, or, at the very least, oratory; you must continue to speak, sing, or play, as appropriate, to sustain the effect. This doesn't take an action but might interfere with verbal/somatic casting. By default, Music is capped at 1 minute duration.
Inspire Competence: You may use your bardic music to grant your allies focus and clarity when making skill checks. When you begin playing, select a tool, skill or vehicle. As long as you continue to play, any affected ally adds your music die to any check of that type that they attempt. You can maintain this music for up to one hour.
Most half-casters start from the premise of "half martial, half caster," but a bard is, if anything, half rogue, half caster. Therefore, instead of a fighting style or anything combat-focused, we're going with a skill focus; this is Expertise, but for your whole party in whatever skill you want, at the cost of having to spend a resource and not quite scaling all the way to +6. And, y'know. You just can't have a bard without Insipre Competence. The hour duration is so you can get some half-decent exploration use out of it; one minute of song isn't going to help your buddy forge a sword or get an ox cart up a dangerous switchback.
Entrancing Melody: Starting at 3rd level, you can play a hypnotic song that enraptures those who hear it. Any creature that you target with this ability must make a Charisma saving throw or be fascinated and utterly pacified by your magic. Such creatures are considered stunned until the end of your next turn for as long as you continue to play; they cannot move or act, and are only dimly aware of their surroundings or anything other than your song.
While playing this melody, you cannot take other actions, or take any bonus actions or reactions. Creatures in combat with you or who perceive you as a threat have advantage on their saving throw, and if a fascinated creature suffers damage, the effect immediately ends. This is considered a Charm for the purpose of immunities and similar features.
Are you really a bard if you can't keep a group of guards so captivated by your music that they don't notice your allies walking through the gate right behind you? I think not. Ideally this plays out similarly to Sleep in practical play; decent for one good hit per target if you really want to use it that way, but more useful for escaping or out-of-combat utility.
Hymn of Renewal: Starting at 5th level, you may use your Bardic Music to invigorate and refresh your allies. When a friendly target affected by this song regains hit points, you may roll a bardic music die and add it to the hit points gained. A creature does not need to be conscious for the performance to benefit from this effect; merely being in range is sufficient.
If played during any part of a rest, this music affects any hit dice rolled because of that rest, and does not prevent the bard from gaining full benefit of the rest.
Not much to say about this, it's just Song of Rest, tweaked to fit the new paradigm. The intent is that if you have a use of Music left when you start your short rest, you can spend it on this and still get your use back from the rest.
Inspire Valor: From 7th level onward, you may empower your allies in combat with relentless courage and strength. Any friendly creature affected by this Bardic Music adds your music die to all weapon attack rolls, as well as any saving throws against charm or fear effects.
Traditional Bard Effect #3. No damage bonus, and limited bonus to saves, in recognition of how much stronger +hit is in this edition. Honestly, I'm torn on moving it to damage entirely and saving the +hit for the combat-focused subclass. It feels pretty strong. On the other hand, this version of the class really doesn't have a lot else going on beyond the Bardic Music feature, so it should be reasonably strong. Also, a cleric can Bless 4x a day at this point and isn't because they have better uses for their concentration, so perhaps it's not even as strong as it looks to begin with.
Countersong: Beginning at 14th level, you may use your music to disrupt the flow of enemy magic, nullifying insidious whispers or words of power before they can affect your friends. While you concentrate on Countersong, you inhibit all hostile spells that rely on language, communication, or sound in a meaningful way (such as charm spells, Power Word spells, or audible illusions, but not simply spells with a verbal component). Casters attempting to cast such spells must make an ability check with their casting attribute against your spell save DC, or simply lose the spell, expending any resources as though it had been cast but generating no effect.
This is way more fiddly and complicated than I'd like, honestly, but I feel like some kind of countercharm adaptation to this effect is important to the theme.
ALLEGRO
Starting at 2nd level, you can take a bonus action on your turn, which you can use to take the Help action, or to allow a friendly creature of your choice (including yourself) to immediately move up to half its speed in a direction of its choosing. A creature must be within 90 feet and able to hear you to benefit from this feature.
Another aspect of being a half-rogue is the pseudo-Cunning Action. As a support guy, though, rather than moving or defending yourself, you move or assist someone else.
BARDIC KNOWLEDGE
A bard is a collector of stories, master of legends, and keeper of lore. Yes, you've read that book on rare herbs; yes, you've heard that old wives' tale about the moon; yes, you know the story of how Robiler killed the immortal ice dragon. Beginning at level 2, whenever you make an Intelligence check, if you would not normally add any proficiency bonus, you add ½ your proficiency bonus.
Trimming down the skill bonus to old-school Bardic Knowledge to respect the new power budget.
BARDIC PRACTICE
Subclass starts here. I don't have a strong objection to "college" per se, but it does limit theming somewhat. "Practice" is more generic and flexible.
ASI
ASI.
MAGICAL SECRETS
As printed, except that the spell chosen must be from the cleric, druid, wizard, or sorceror list. This restriction prevents poaching spells that are just class features in disguise (steed, arrows) and limits it to magic qua magic.
INFINITE ECHOES
At level 20, your bardic music effects have unlimited targets, and their range is limited only by your targets' ability to hear. Further, if your concentration is broken, any effect you are maintaining ends at the end of your next turn, rather than immediately.
Better capstone than one extra +6, eh? It would probably be better balanced with only half the effects, but it's level 20 and your druid is infinitybear. Be overpowered if you like.
THE SUBCLASSES
THE CANTOR
All bards have a knack for healing, and for strengthening their friends and allies with magic and song alike. To some bards, however, this is not a mere knack, but a calling. Usually dubbed cantors, these bards are often associated with temples and churches, or even charity organizations like the White Wheel, but some are self-taught wandering healers. What they all have in common is a restorative touch, a desire to help the hurting, and an inclination to solve conflicts with diplomacy, compromise and guile before resorting to aggression and bloodshed.
Bedside Manner
One of the most important aspects of treating the injured is convincing them to let you. You've mastered the art of projecting concern, empathy, trustworthiness, and respect (whether or not you actually feel any of it for any particular patient). Your Charisma checks always add your Music Die to the result, as do any ability checks made to improve the attitude of an injured creature.
Somnolent Symphony
As a cantor, when you use entrancing melody, you may use an action to force an affected creature to make a Wisdom saving throw or fall asleep, and remain so for at least a number of hours equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1) if left unmolested.
If a creature successfully saves against this feature, it is immune to further attempts during this song, but it is not freed from the trance, and using this ability does not interfere with your concentration on entrancing melody.
Bardic Music: Song of Rest
Starting at 6th level, the wounds and spirits of your allies are as easy for you to mend as the strings of a harp. You gain the following option for your Bardic Music feature:
Song of Rest. When you target a willing ally with this song, it falls into a deep sleep which lasts as long as you play. A target that hears your song for at least one minute gains all the benefits of a short rest once the song ends, and adds your Charisma modifier as a bonus on any hit dice it rolls to recover hit points.
You may target yourself with this music, which does not put you to sleep, but does grant you all the benefits of a short rest except for the recovery of the Bardic Music use you activated it with.
Once a creature has benefited from this song, it cannot benefit from it again until it completes a long rest.
Inspire Greatness
Beginning at 15th level, when you use your Bardic Music feature to sing a hymn of renewal, you may add your music die to any saving throws attempted by its targets. It also grants affected creatures temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier at the end of each of your turns while your music lasts, which persist for 1 hour if not depleted.
Anthem of Liberation
Starting at 18th level, when you use an action to begin performing your Bardic Music, any affected friendly creature may immediately make a new saving throw against any ongoing spell, effect or condition that could be removed by a remove curse spell. The creature may add your music die to this new saving throw, ending the negative effect on a success.
The "healer" subclass, all of it fairly simple. Inspire Greatness creates a choice between a stronger offensive buff for the party and a stronger defensive one, this version of Song of Rest is a free catnap for your warlock or monk to let you play around with resources, and Somnolent Symphony expands the out-of-combat uses of your trance music to shut down guards for the length of your heist or kidnap the doppleganger prince. Anthem of Liberation saves you a restoration or two.
THE MINSTREL
Given their role as welcome entertainers in any court, and their skill at enchanting everyone they meet, bards can be excellent at espionage. Court minstrels embrace this role full-time, mastering the arts of deception and secrecy and becoming fixtures of local politics. Some serve their lords as advisors, some spy on their supposed lords in service of other lords, and some serve other organizations entirely as they seek to manipulate politics for their own goals from behind the throne. All, however, are charming, canny, and dangerous.
Jack of All Trades
As a minstrel, you have dabbled in a little of everything in order to satisfy any cover story or noble whim. You may add ½ your proficiency bonus to any ability check that wouldn't ordinarily use your proficiency bonus, rather than merely those covered by Bardic Knowledge.
Subtle Spellweaving
To properly cloak yourself in a veil of mystery and concealment, you have learned to do the same with your magic. When you cast a spell or create a magical effect with no readily visible effect, you may cast it with perfect subtlety, hiding any somatic or verbal components in a mask of innocuous gestures and words. This magic is perfectly concealed, and no observer can realize that it has been cast at all except by observation of its results. The target of such an effect doesn't automatically realize that they were ensorcelled once the spell wears off, even if the spell description would indicate otherwise (though they may still realize, if theyre sufficiently observant).
Song of Suggestion
Beginning at 6th level, when you use entrancing melody, you may use an action to implant a suggestion in the mind of an enraptured creature. This may be a single idea, desire, or course of action, which must be phrased in such a way as to make it sound reasonable to the creature. Asking it to do anything obviously harmful automatically fails. Otherwise, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw, and on a failure, once the trance ends, it will accept your suggestion as its own idea, and pursue it to the best of its ability. If it has not fulfilled the suggestion by the end of its next long rest, the impulse to do so fades from its mind, but it will not normally recognize the idea as alien regardless.
If a creature successfully saves against this feature, it is immune to further attempts during this song, but it is not freed from the trance, and using this ability does not interfere with your concentration on entrancing melody.
Bardic Music: Beguiling Ballad
Beginning at 15th level, you may use your Bardic Music to obscure yourself and your allies, gaining the following option:
Beguiling Ballad. Creatures affected by this music may use a bonus action to become invisible. This invisibility lasts until the beginning of the creature's next turn, or until it makes an attack, skill check, or saving throw or casts a spell, whichever happens first.
Harmony of Shadows
Starting at 18th level, your mastery of the primal music has passed beyond the need to make audible sound, allowing you to play in registers higher, lower, or more astral or arcane than any living thing can hear. You can now ignore the verbal component of any of your spells by making a Charisma check against 10 + the level of the spell slot you're using, and you may use any of your bardic class features completely silently (allowing you to affect even creatures who would not normally be able to hear you, where applicable). While this does allow you to operate within magical silence, it does not allow you to affect targets beyond the normal range of your music, were you to be making audible noise.
The "skill" subclass, leaning into the rogue role. Here we find the missing Jack of All Trades, shunted to a more appropriate design space both budget- and theme-wise, along with some espionage tricks via multitap Suggestion and "friends is actually usable for something other than making enemies". Beguiling Ballad is obviously somewhat problematic for straight up stealth, but if you can get your druid to provide a covering thunderstorm or if you just want to make combat really fun for your rogue, it has good application. And at level 18, once the game is over, it obviously becomes really good for any kind of infiltration.
THE SKALD
Most bards avoid combat, preferring to talk or trick their way around obstacles. The skald, on the other hand, embraces it gladly, believing that the most true and powerful music is the clash of steel and the roaring of blood in a berserker's ears. Warrior-poets, tribal drum-masters, and fearless commanders who lead from the vanguard, skalds are bards who have mastered the art of war and weaponry alongside their music and magic, turning their force of personality into their allies' force of arms.
Front of the Chorus
When you choose this practice, you gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and all martial weapons. As long as you are wearing armor or have a shield equipped, you add your proficiency bonus to Concentration saves.
Ballad of A Thousand Blades
True masters of war music know a battle hymn for every occasion and can bring out tremendous force of arms and battle fervor in their allies. Once per turn, any friendly creature affected by your Bardic Music (other than yourself) may add your music die as thunder damage to a successful weapon attack roll.
Extra Attack
Starting at 6th level, when you take the attack action on your turn, you may attack twice, instead of once.
Thundering Refrain
Starting at 15th level, when you make a successful weapon attack against a creature, you can use a bonus action to repeat your weapon damage against that creature as thunder damage.
Verse of Triumph
Beginning at 18th level, whenever you roll a critical hit, or a credible threat that you have damaged is reduced to 0 hp, you may use a reaction to shout a verse of triumph. You and any friendly creatures within 90 feet that can hear you may immediately take the Dash action in any direction of your choosing; affected creatures also add your music die to the damage of their next successful attack before the end of your next turn.
And here's the battle bard. The most straightforward, least creative, honestly a bit repetitive subclass, but hey, do you really need that much from a skald beyond "I buff my allies and hit things real hard"?
THE SUBLIME CHORD
Every bard makes use of the Primal Music, but to some bards, it is more than a tool it is a purpose, a passion, even an obsession. For these bards, every note played is part of a lifelong quest to learn more about the Primal Music, to hear it more clearly, to understand it better, to grow that one note closer to the song that haunts their dreams. This fervent study has, as a side effect, the accumulation of tremendous magical power; a deeper harnessing of the Music itself brings with it a correspondingly greater ability to shape the living world.
Burdening Dirge
As a sublime chord, when you use entrancing melody, you may use an action to weaken and demoralize an affected creature. Select an ability score. Your target must make a Wisdom saving throw, and on a failure, any movement speeds it possesses are halved and any saving throws reliant on that ability score have disadvantage. These effects persist until the creature completes a long rest or is targeted by a remove curse effect.
If a creature successfully saves against this feature, it is immune to further attempts druing this song, but it is not freed from the trance, and using this ability does not interfere with your concentration on entrancing melody.
Resounding Arcana
Once you choose this bardic practice, you gain a special extra spell slot, which is exactly one level higher than your highest regular spell slot as seen on the Bard table. As your magical ability progresses, this special slot increases in level correspondingly, always remaining one level higher than the highest level spell slot on the Bard table. This spell slot is in all other ways completely normal; it can be used to cast any spell you have access to and recovers normally after a long rest. It is also considered your highest level spell slot when learning new bard spells.
This feature improves as you level, granting you an additional special slot 2 levels higher than indicated on the table at level 7, which increases in level to remain always 2 levels higher; a third special slot at level 11 that always remains 3 levels higher; and a fourth special slot that always remains 4 levels higher at level 15. The highest level spell slot this feature grants is always used when determining what spells you are able to learn.
Chord of Power
Starting at 6th level, you may use the bonus action granted to you by your Allegro feature to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action or less. You may still only cast one spell from a spell slot per turn, as normal.
Once you use this feature, you must complete a short or long rest in order to use it again.
Greater Magical Secrets
At 15th level, select two spells from any class list that are of a level you can cast (including cantrips). The spells do not have to be the same level or from the same class list. You gain the ability to cast these spells as bard spells, and they do not count against your normal limit of spells known.
Interwoven Song
Beginning at 18th level, you may weave additional themes into your bardic music. If you are already concentrating on a bardic music effect, and you cast a spell or use another ability that requires concentration, you do not lose concentration on your bardic music; instead, both effects are maintained by a single instance of concentration, and both are preserved or lost with the same saving throw, if you are forced to make one. This feature allows you to combine only two effects; attempting to add a third instance of concentration causes both existing effects to end, as normal.
Okay so this one is a bit experimental. Inspired by the Sublime Chord 3.5 prestige class, which made the 6-level 3e bard into a full 9-lvl caster, this subclass uses a massively hacky floating spell slot system to give access to all nine levels of bard spell. Think of it sort of like the Warlock's Arcana. This is all spells all the time and I haven't the least sense of its balance point, other than that it's probably too strong? But listen I love the idea okay, don't take this from me.
A FEW USEFUL SPELLS
Lingering Lament
enchantment cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
You create a note of deep sorrow that echoes briefly in the mind of a creature within range, making it sluggish and dispirited. If the target can hear you, it must make a Wisdom saving throw or take 1d4 psychic damage and suffer disadvantage on its next saving throw within 1 round.
At Higher Levels. This spell's damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level, 11th level, and 17th level.
Singing Strike
transmutation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a weapon)
Duration: Instantaneous
As part of the casting of this spell, make a single melee weapon attack. The magic weaves the natural motions of your attack into specific strikes and vibrations that generate notes and chords, which ring out loudly even over the chaos of battle. You may substitute your casting attribute for your Strength or Dexterity when making the attack roll, and add no attribute modifier to damage; however, you deal 1d6 bonus thunder damage from the cacophony.
If you are proficient with a musical instrument, you can cause this spell to make specific notes, and thus with enough successive castings, can recreate any song that you would be able to play with that instrument.
At Higher Levels. This spell's thunder damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level, 11th level, and 17th level.
Staggering Note
evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Touch
Components: V, M (a weapon)
Duration: 1 round
When you cast this spell, target a specific weapon in your hand. Your next successful attack with that weapon while this spell lasts deals thunder damage instead of its normal damage type, and the target is immediately shoved 5 feet away from you.
At Higher Levels. At 11th level and above, this spell affects the next two sucessful weapon attacks you make while it is active, and can shove a target up to 10 feet per strike.
Animated Instrument
1st level transmutation (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: touch
Components: V, S, M (a working instrument)
Duration: 1 hour
When you cast this spell, you touch an instrument that you are proficient with, and it rises gently to hover in the air at roughly the height it would be at were you to play it. For the duration of the spell, you can cause the instrument to play itself, exactly as though you were playing it. The instrument is directed by thought and does not require any action on your part, but you are still subject to distraction, and may suffer disadvantage on Performance or tool checks if you are otherwise occupied (for example, by pitched combat or a difficult negotiation).
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can affect an additional instrument for each spell slot above 1st.
Chillsong
1st level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a small glass cube)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a melody woven with icy magic that freezes and slows creatures that hear it. Select two creatures within 90 feet that you can see and which can hear you clearly. At the beginning of each of its turns while the spell lasts, an affected creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 2d6 cold damage and its speed is halved until the beginning of its next turn.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature. If you have a bardic music die, you may substitute two of that die for the two d6.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can affect an additional target for each additional spell level.
True Cutting Words Verbal Blades
1st level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
With this spell, you utter a string of violent invective infused with words of true power that strike the ego and body with equal force. Select a creature within range that can hear you (it does not need to be able to understand you), which must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 1d8 psychic damage and 1d8 magical slashing damage, and is pushed up to 15 feet in a direction of your choosing. With a successful save, it takes half as much damage and is not pushed.
This movement provokes opportunity attacks from any creature your target passes within reach of.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage and the distance you can push your target increase by 1d8 psychic damage and 5 feet, respectively, per spell level.
Song of Serendipity
1st level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a worn two-headed coin)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play an upbeat tune that protects your allies from hexes and infuses them with good luck. Select two creatures within 90 feet that you can see and which can hear you clearly. While you concentrate on this spell, affected creatures ignore any effect that could be removed by remove curse, do not critically fail on a d20 roll of 1, and automatically succeed on death saving throws.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can affect an additional target for each additional spell level.
Threnody for Grace
1st level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a tiny gold or silver charm shaped like an instrument)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a jarring magical tune that upsets the balance and coordination of your enemies. Select two creatures that you can see and which can hear you clearly. While you concentrate on this spell, if an affected creature misses with a melee attack, it must make a Dexterity saving throw or immediately fall prone.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can affect an additional target for each additional spell level.
Counterpoint Chorus
2nd level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a broken dagger)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a complicated composition of complimentary magical notes, which enables your allies to react to enemy mistakes with the same deft rhythm. When you cast this spell, select three allies that you can see and who can hear you clearly. While your concentration lasts, the affected creatures may make an opportunity attack against any enemy within reach that makes an attack roll and misses.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you may affect an additional ally per spell slot.
Echoing Roar
2nd level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 90 feet
Components: V, M (a broken dagger)
Duration: Instantaneous
You bellow a spell of power that rings throughout the battlefield, its echoes continuing to bounce even after it is gone. Any hostile creature within range of the spell that is hidden or obscured must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 2d10 thunder damage on a failed save and half as much on a successful one. Any such creatures are also made completely visible, and neither they nor any other creature in the range of the spell can hide or benefit from obscurement until the end of your next turn.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage and duration of the exposing echoes increase by 1d10 and one round respectively per slot level.
Thunder's Calling
2nd level abjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a sprig from a tree struck by lightning)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a melody that snares your enemies with magical force. Select up to three creatures within 90 feet that you can see and which can hear you clearly. Each must make a Constitution saving throw at the beginning of each of its turns. On a failure, an affected creature takes 2d8 thunder damage and cannot move away from you until the beginning of its next turn. On a success, it takes half as much damage and can move normally.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, it deals an additional 1d8 damage and can affect an additional target for each additional spell level.
Anthem of Aggression
3rd level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a broken tooth from the mouth of an enemy)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a melody that incites your allies with its driving beat, pushing them to such fervor that even their glancing blows are deadly. Select up to four creatures within 90 feet that you can see and which can hear you clearly. Whenever one of those creatures misses with a weapon attack, it deals damage equal to your casting attribute modifier to its target, of the same damage type as its weapon. A creature that can spend a resource to create an effect on a weapon hit can trigger that effect off one of these glancing blows.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you can affect an additional target for each additional spell level.
Symphony of Discord
3rd level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a pinch of ash from a burned harp)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a melody that bewilders and enrages your enemies, making it impossible for them to tell friend from foe. Select up to four creatures within 90 feet that you can see and which can hear you clearly. At the beginning of each of its turns, an affected creature must make a Wisdom saving throw, or believe that every creature it can perceive is its enemy until the beginning of its next turn. A creature is not forced to take any specific actions by this spell; it will prioritize targets normally and use whatever tactics seem appropriate to it.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you can affect an additional target for each additional spell level.
Haunting Tune
4th level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a piece of fabric from a burial shroud)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a melody that instills paralyzing terror in your foes. Select five creatures within 90 feet that you can see and which can hear you clearly. At the beginning of each of its turns while the spell lasts, an affected creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it takes 4d6 psychic damage, has its speed reduced to zero, and is afraid of you until the beginning of its next turn. A creature can't be reduced below 1 hit point by this damage.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature. If you have a bardic music die, you may substitute that die for the d6.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can affect an additional target for each additional spell level.
Revitalizing Incantation
4th level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a phial of clear water)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a melody that renews and invigorates your allies. Select five creatures within 90 feet that you can see and which can hear you clearly. As long as the spell lasts, these creatures may use a bonus action on their turn to restore 3d6 hit points to themselves.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature. If you have a bardic music die, you may substitute that die for the d6.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can affect an additional target for each additional spell level.
Cruel Lullaby
5th level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, M (a tiny hourglass)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play an eerie tune that creates a paradoxical unease in those who hear it, causing restlessness and sharp despair in the mind even as it leadens the limbs with a numb and weary fatigue. Select up to six creatures within 90 feet that you can see and which can hear you clearly. At the beginning of each of its turns while the spell lasts, an affected creature must make a Wisdom saving throw, taking 4d8 psychic damage on a failure and half as much on a success.
If a creature fails three saves before the spell ends, it falls into a deep sleep haunted by painful nightmares, and must continue to make saves against psychic damage each turn even if this spell ends, until three successful saves are made, causing the nightmare to end and the sleep to become normal. While the nightmare persists, normal methods for waking a sleeper, such as damage or being shaken by an ally, only allow the sleeper to make a new saving throw; on a failure, it does not awaken, and psychic damage does not offer a new save at all.
Special. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature.
Rhyme of the Elements
5th level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You sing or play a wild ode to the raging storm. While you maintain this spell, any ally within 90 feet of you benefits from an aura of elemental power that surrounds and infuses their weapons. When you cast this spell, select acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder; whenever an affected creature makes a successful weapon attack, it deals bonus damage of that type equal to your casting attribute modifier.
Special. If you have a bardic music die, you may choose to substitute that die for your attribute modifier upon casting. This spell counts as a bardic music effect for the purpose of traits and abilities that interact with that feature.
So obviously the "acts as bardic music" thing is a way to bring more flexibility and customization to any given bard, and bring in some of the more niche classic abilities that the random 637k prestige classes of 3.path used to offer. The others are just to help broaden their utility and flesh out their role as a support caster beyond the basic "disable enemy" theme of the base spell list. Except Singing Strike and Animated Instrument, which are both 100% "I want a bard who actually plays music instead of singing but still want to be able to hit things if I need to."
So that's that. I'd still like to find some way to let you be the Pied Piper of Hamlin baseline, and the whole thing is pretty contingent on having a party to be in any way successful, but it feels like a bard to me. I'd like to hear what the Playground has to say about it, though.