College of Dance - Bardic Archtype

[Chandrisa]

Blade Dancer

The blade dancer bard turns every combat into a performance, twirling blades of death and destruction through their enemies. They specialize in close-range combat and are known for their finesse and grace within combat, turning even the most grim of situations into a performance to rally their allies and defeat their enemies. The Blade Dancer bard is much like their Bard of Valor counterpart in some ways, but they are bards who weave dance, acrobatics and combat into their very essence.

The College of Dance is a closely guarded secret by the bardic harpers who practice it. Developed by a bard who was inspired by the way that blade singer wizards could so perfectly meld swordplay into their magic so easily, she instead melded dance with swordplay and magic. Given that the blade dance is so similar to the blade song of wizards, the bard chose to remain faithful to the wizards who didn’t wish their secrets to be so public.

The current master of the blade dance chooses her students very carefully, picking only those bards of elven heritage, those who take blood oaths not to divulge secrets and are bards who are members of the Harpers. Granted, bards tend to be competitive towards other bards and those of the college of dance won’t so easily divulge their secrets to their rivals.


RESTRICTIONS:
-Elven heritage only (DM permission on other races.)
-Harpers only (though, in a non-faerun campaign, this could be another secret organization)

Bonus Proficiencies:
-The bard becomes proficient in martial weapons, and shields.
-Proficient in performance
-You learn the Booming Blade Cantrip.

Blade Dance
At 3rd level, the bard weaves their performing skills in with their combat skill. Blade Dance is a bardic performance in which the bard weaves and turns in dance, making it hard for others to land blows and easier for her to land them. Blade dance can be started as a bonus action This performance lasts for up to a minute. You cannot perform while wearing medium or heavy armor. You can make this performance twice per short or long rest.

During a short rest, the bard regains one round of blade dance and all rounds during a long rest. While performing this dance, you gain the following benefits:

-Instead of Dexterity saving throws, the bard can make Charisma (Performance) checks to avoid certain attacks and spells. If successful, instead of taking half damage, you take no damage.
-You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum+1).
-You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls.
-You have a movement speed bonus of +10 feet.


Fighting Style
At 3rd level, you adopt your own sense of fighting styles and rhythm that match your preference. Choose one of the following. You can’t take a fighting style twice, even if you gain another through other means.

Defense
-While wearing armor, you gain a +1 AC bonus.
Dueling
-When wielding a single weapon and having a free hand, you may add +2 to your damage.
Great Weapon Fighting
-When wielding a two-handed or versatile weapon, you may reroll 1’s and 2’s on your damage dice. You must take the new rolls.
Two-weapon Fighting
-When engaged in dual-weapon fighting, you may add your modifier to your off-hand attack.

Kiss of the Blade
-At 6th level, you can attack twice instead of once if you take the attack action on your turn.
-During Blade Dance, you gain combat inspiration and can add your bardic inspiration to your attack damage, in addition you may take the following actions.
-You may take a bonus action to dash or disengage.
-If one of your attacks drops an enemy to 0HP, you may make an attack on an adjacent creature.


Sound of Fury

-At 14th level, you can additional damage to your melee attacks equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum +1).
-In addition, during Blade Dance, whenever you take the attack action, you may either make one additional attack for free, or replace one of your attacks by casting Booming Blade instead.

---x---

Had a bit of help with this one from my current DM, who thought my original additions were a bit under-powered, especially after the Bladesinger came out in Unearthed Arcana. I am currently play-testing it for a campaign - though, we're only 4th level...so it's hard to play-test it at a low level. Hah. Seems to be working out okay, so far. I've dazzled a few people with my bards dance skills.

I have several other homebrews, but I'm a bard player at heart, so this one is my particular favorite.

Interested in some feedback.

[Potato_Priest]

So, did you mean to totally invalidate the college of valor? It gets everything important that they get, and much more.

A: 3-stat AC. (Dex, Cha, and Base Armor Rating) Perhaps the best armor-related feature in the game.
The Valor Bard's version: Medium armor. Not useful on a dex character, and questionable on a strength character.

B:Bonus +1 to attacks for no reason
No valor bard counterpart

C:+10 to speed for no reason
No valor bard counterpart

D:Fighting style
Noticeably lacking from valor bard

E:Extra attack
Valor Bard gets that, but only that at this level.

F:Can add bardic inspiration to damage for free (I assume, this was kinda poorly worded)
Valor bard gets this at cost of inspiration die, and only on other people, and using their bonus action.

G:Free Disengage/Dash
No valor bard counterpart

G: A third attack, or 1 attack 1 cantrip
Valor bard gets 1 attack 1 cantrip, but theirs requires a bonus action and doesn't have the option of a third attack.

My suggestion: Refluff valor bard, perhaps see if your DM will let you use your inspiration dice on yourself in exchange for not getting medium armor proficiency.