The Mundane Bard [PEACH]

[GalacticAxekick]

I've already posted a few versions of this in the forum, but only now is the class complete up to 20th level. I've also posted this in the Tactics and Leadership Class Contest.

As part of an ongoing project to make mundane characters more flexible in 5e, I started working on a version of the Bard with no spellcasting whatsoever. Obviously, this demands total overhaul, and so I was hoping y'all could help brainstorm features and fine-tune what I've written so far.

Thanks for being a helper!

Spoiler: A few constraints:

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• I'd like to avoid resource economies, such as true Spellcating and Inspiration Dice, in favour of action economies. Thematically, this ties to mundane abilities being less fast or powerful but more reliable than magic. Mechanically, this means the Bard never runs out of options.
• I'd like to avoid hit dice above the d6, armour proficiencies, and most weapon proficiencies. The Bard's defining tools are their social skills and the lore those skills afford them. Warlords, Dervishes, Swashbucklers and such represent multiclass between Bards and martial characters, but not pure Bards.

[demonslayerelf]

Yeah, I have a few notes. Three big ones, and a couple little ones.

Firstly, this is probably the best dip class now. First level gives Expertise in two extra things, The Message, and a free sanctuary with a caveat. (By the way, I love the Sanctuary thing, it feels really awesome for a sort of Bard or Medic character.) Expertise is awesome, the Message and Messenger are a little less awesome, but has neat potential. I can totally see a monk dipping this class for free Sanctuary(Because a monk wields no weapons or armor) for a few rounds, and Expertise with monk stuff, like Acrobatics and Stealth(For Shadow Monk) or Athletics and Perception, or whatever. That's in addition to the subclassing I haven't looked at yet. A two level dip also gives them words of power and another College feature, so forget Warlock dips, it's all in the MBard.

Second, Words of Power isn't specified as an action or a bonus action. One of the effects on it is incredible, particularly for barbarians and other tanky types, like moon druids, so it's probably an action, but still. On top of ridiculous health pools, they also have half or so of their health as temporary hit points. Also, it's worth mentioning now, but the effects which demand a saving throw don't have a DC with them. I assume it's 8, charisma, all that jazz, but still, it's good to specify.

Thirdly, Sic has a lot of death potential. That is, every turn, your fighter gets 4 more hits, your barbarian gets 2 more, your casters get another spell, and the like. And MBard doesn't get that many great options, so that's just what they get, until they have the odd urge to hit or heal something.


Muse is also just basically a get out of jail free card for a puzzle the DM puts in front of you, or something similar, but it's also the level 20 ability, so I don't see much a problem of it.



All in all, it looks good. I like the style, in particular. I would just space out abilities(Mostly just those 1st and 2nd levels) a bit more and clarify things.
And as for Peerless Skill, I would say on any skill check you have expertise or proficiency in, you gain advantage. It's a utility character, and it's only one step up from from treating low rolls as average.

[GalacticAxekick]

Firstly, this is probably the best dip class now. First level gives Expertise in two extra things, The Message, and a free sanctuary with a caveat. (By the way, I love the Sanctuary thing, it feels really awesome for a sort of Bard or Medic character.) Expertise is awesome, the Message and Messenger are a little less awesome, but has neat potential. I can totally see a monk dipping this class for free Sanctuary(Because a monk wields no weapons or armor) for a few rounds, and Expertise with monk stuff, like Acrobatics and Stealth(For Shadow Monk) or Athletics and Perception, or whatever. That's in addition to the subclassing I haven't looked at yet. A two level dip also gives them words of power and another College feature, so forget Warlock dips, it's all in the MBard.

I should probably tone things down a bit to keep the Bard on par with other dip options. Maybe restrict Expertise to the Bard's skills (i.e. the Intelligence skills, the Charisma skills, Insight, and Perception)?

That said, I'm glad you like the Messenger!

Second, Words of Power isn't specified as an action or a bonus action. One of the effects on it is incredible, particularly for barbarians and other tanky types, like moon druids, so it's probably an action, but still. On top of ridiculous health pools, they also have half or so of their health as temporary hit points. Also, it's worth mentioning now, but the effects which demand a saving throw don't have a DC with them. I assume it's 8, charisma, all that jazz, but still, it's good to specify.

Oversights on my part, thanks! Words of Power is an action. The Bard's save DC is 8 + prof + Charisma, as you'd expect. I'll add clauses for these in a bit.

Thirdly, Sic has a lot of death potential. That is, every turn, your fighter gets 4 more hits, your barbarian gets 2 more, your casters get another spell, and the like. And MBard doesn't get that many great options, so that's just what they get, until they have the odd urge to hit or heal something.

Giving your martial another Attack action is no stronger than having a 2nd martial (instead of a Bard). Giving your caster another spell is no stronger than having a 2nd caster (instead of a Bard). The Message is meant to be the Bard's primary contribution in combat: the power to make someone else pull the weight they can't. It's more versatile than just having another party member, but also means burning riding all your martial damage on one body or burning through one set of spell slots rapidly.

Muse is also just basically a get out of jail free card for a puzzle the DM puts in front of you, or something similar, but it's also the level 20 ability, so I don't see much a problem of it.

It really is just that. I was inspired by the Cleric's Divine Intervention.

All in all, it looks good. I like the style, in particular. I would just space out abilities(Mostly just those 1st and 2nd levels) a bit more and clarify things.

I was worried about that! And 1st level is pretty cluttered because I needed to offer offense (the Message), defense (the Messenger), and utility (Expertise, College) without shortcuts like weapons, armour or spellcasting.

2nd level offers the basics that 1st level didn't: an offensive tool that doesn't rely on allies, and a defense/utility that does. Like the Cleric's Channel Divinity, Words of Power comes with a College feature that modifies its precise effects.

And as for Peerless Skill, I would say on any skill check you have expertise or proficiency in, you gain advantage. It's a utility character, and it's only one step up from from treating low rolls as average.

Noted!

Thanks so much for your input! I'd love if you could have a look at the Colleges too.