Funkeel
2023-06-24, 06:49 PM
Hey GiTP forums! I made a subclass! I'm mostly looking for balance feedback, but if you have some flavor or thematic feedback to add, please do!
Goals
Thematic: Make a bard subclass themed after punk, rock, and metal music. Name the features after song lyrics and titles where it would not conflict with established naming schema. If you know a song lyric that you think would make a better name, let me know.
Gameplay: Although the bard spell list is not designed around damage, spells such as *Thunderwave* and *Shatter* are still on the bard spell list. Additionally, the magical secrets trait allows bards to access any area damage one could desire. This subclass seeks to expand on that niece by granting bard some area damage capabilities while doing so in a bard-esque way. The ideal of this subclass is a bard that helps allies deal area damage while dishing out the pain itself.
College of Rebellion
With their leather, piercings, and attitude, bards of the College of Rebellion are as well-known for their personas as they are for their performances. But it's more than a mere aesthetic. The College of Rebellion understands art not just as a mirror to life but as a tool to shape it. Bards of this College subvert oppression through the power of music. Their spells are fueled by a deep anger at an unfair world, and express their righteous fury loudly, and if needed, violently. While they can be crass, crude, and contrarian, a bard that truly lives by the tenants of this college is a staunch ally against Lawful Evil.
Expanded Spell List
3rd level College of Rebellion Feature
The following spells replace other spells from the Bard
spell list for you and count as bard spells. They are not automatically added to your spells known; you must learn them as you would any other spell.
| 2nd | flaming sphere
| 3rd | thunder step
| 4th | wall of fire
| 5th | vacuum burst*
| 6th | investiture of flame
| 7th | fire storm
Listed later*
Bonus Proficiencies
3rd level College of Rebellion Feature
You gain proficiency in martial weapons.
Rebel Yell
3rd level College of Rebellion Feature
A creature with a bardic inspiration die from you may replace one of its attacks with a defiant shout when it takes the Attack action on its turn. Each creature within a 15ft cone of the inspired creature must succeed a Constitution Saving Throw against your spell save DC or take thunder damage equal to 2 bardic inspiration die or half as much on a successful save. The die is then consumed.
Feel the Noize
6th level College of Rebellion Feature
When your Rebel Yell is used, or you cast a spell involving a saving throw, you may choose a number of creatures up to your proficiency bonus. Those creatures may automatically succeed on that saving throw and take no damage even if they would normally take half damage. If the spell was not a cantrip, one creature that automatically succeeded in this way may use its reaction to make a melee attack against a creature within its reach that you can see. That creature must finish a short or long rest to use this reaction again. Starting at 14th level, creatures can use this reaction an unlimited number of times between their rests.
Fight The Power
14th level College of Rebellion Feature
Your anger boils over when you perform. Your Countercharm feature gains the following extra benefits while the performance is active.
- When an ally within the area succeeds on a saving throw against a Charm or Fear effect, that ally can make a weapon attack or unarmed strike against the source of that effect if it is a creature, no reaction needed.
- You can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.
Extra Features
Here's some other stuff I designed to be used along with the subclass
Vacuum Burst
5th-level evocation
Casting Time :: 1 action
Range: :: 120 ft
Components:: V, S, M (a pinch of flour)
Duration :: Instantaneous
Air is sucked toward a point you can see within range before detonating in a concussive explosion. Each creature within a 50-ft radius sphere of the point must make a Strength saving throw or take 2d4 thunder damage and be pulled 20ft toward the point, taking half damage and not being pulled on a success. Then, each creature within a 20ft radius sphere of the point must make a Constitution saving throw or take 6d8 thunder damage or half as much on a successful save. This blast also damages nonmagical objects caught in the radius.
Screaming Axe
Weapon (Battleaxe), Common
This magical battleaxe has metal strings along the side of the head and handle that produce screeching tones when plucked. This weapon counts as a musical instrument and thus can be used as a spellcasting focus for bards.
Goals
Thematic: Make a bard subclass themed after punk, rock, and metal music. Name the features after song lyrics and titles where it would not conflict with established naming schema. If you know a song lyric that you think would make a better name, let me know.
Gameplay: Although the bard spell list is not designed around damage, spells such as *Thunderwave* and *Shatter* are still on the bard spell list. Additionally, the magical secrets trait allows bards to access any area damage one could desire. This subclass seeks to expand on that niece by granting bard some area damage capabilities while doing so in a bard-esque way. The ideal of this subclass is a bard that helps allies deal area damage while dishing out the pain itself.
College of Rebellion
With their leather, piercings, and attitude, bards of the College of Rebellion are as well-known for their personas as they are for their performances. But it's more than a mere aesthetic. The College of Rebellion understands art not just as a mirror to life but as a tool to shape it. Bards of this College subvert oppression through the power of music. Their spells are fueled by a deep anger at an unfair world, and express their righteous fury loudly, and if needed, violently. While they can be crass, crude, and contrarian, a bard that truly lives by the tenants of this college is a staunch ally against Lawful Evil.
Expanded Spell List
3rd level College of Rebellion Feature
The following spells replace other spells from the Bard
spell list for you and count as bard spells. They are not automatically added to your spells known; you must learn them as you would any other spell.
| 2nd | flaming sphere
| 3rd | thunder step
| 4th | wall of fire
| 5th | vacuum burst*
| 6th | investiture of flame
| 7th | fire storm
Listed later*
Bonus Proficiencies
3rd level College of Rebellion Feature
You gain proficiency in martial weapons.
Rebel Yell
3rd level College of Rebellion Feature
A creature with a bardic inspiration die from you may replace one of its attacks with a defiant shout when it takes the Attack action on its turn. Each creature within a 15ft cone of the inspired creature must succeed a Constitution Saving Throw against your spell save DC or take thunder damage equal to 2 bardic inspiration die or half as much on a successful save. The die is then consumed.
Feel the Noize
6th level College of Rebellion Feature
When your Rebel Yell is used, or you cast a spell involving a saving throw, you may choose a number of creatures up to your proficiency bonus. Those creatures may automatically succeed on that saving throw and take no damage even if they would normally take half damage. If the spell was not a cantrip, one creature that automatically succeeded in this way may use its reaction to make a melee attack against a creature within its reach that you can see. That creature must finish a short or long rest to use this reaction again. Starting at 14th level, creatures can use this reaction an unlimited number of times between their rests.
Fight The Power
14th level College of Rebellion Feature
Your anger boils over when you perform. Your Countercharm feature gains the following extra benefits while the performance is active.
- When an ally within the area succeeds on a saving throw against a Charm or Fear effect, that ally can make a weapon attack or unarmed strike against the source of that effect if it is a creature, no reaction needed.
- You can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.
Extra Features
Here's some other stuff I designed to be used along with the subclass
Vacuum Burst
5th-level evocation
Casting Time :: 1 action
Range: :: 120 ft
Components:: V, S, M (a pinch of flour)
Duration :: Instantaneous
Air is sucked toward a point you can see within range before detonating in a concussive explosion. Each creature within a 50-ft radius sphere of the point must make a Strength saving throw or take 2d4 thunder damage and be pulled 20ft toward the point, taking half damage and not being pulled on a success. Then, each creature within a 20ft radius sphere of the point must make a Constitution saving throw or take 6d8 thunder damage or half as much on a successful save. This blast also damages nonmagical objects caught in the radius.
Screaming Axe
Weapon (Battleaxe), Common
This magical battleaxe has metal strings along the side of the head and handle that produce screeching tones when plucked. This weapon counts as a musical instrument and thus can be used as a spellcasting focus for bards.