Bard

Primary Ability: Charisma

Invoking magic through music, dance, and verse, Bards are expert at inspiring others, soothing hurts, disheartening foes, and creating illusions.

Bards believe that the creators of the multiverse spoke and signed it into existence and that remnants of those Words of Creation still resound and glimmer on every plane of existence. The magic of Bards is an attempt to harness those words — which transcend any language — and direct them to create new wonders.

Because the Words of Creation resonate throughout the cosmos, different Bards choose different approaches to their magic. Some Bards practice their arts in temples or monasteries, drawing on the power of the Outer Planes to channel divine magic. Others listen to bird song and the music of the wind, associate with Druid circles, and wield primal magic. Still others immerse themselves in the study of magical lore, collecting scraps of mystic knowledge wherever their journeys take them as they master the secrets of arcane magic. Ultimately, though, these various paths converge as the most accomplished Bards learn to access almost the entire breadth of magical potential.

Anything can inspire a new song or tale, so Bards are fascinated by almost everything. They have a wide-ranging knowledge of many subjects and develop an aptitude to do almost anything well. Bards become masters of many things, including performing music, working magic, and making jests.

Not every singer or poet in a tavern or jester in a royal court is a Bard. Harnessing the Words of Creation requires hard work and some measure of natural talent that most troubadours and jongleurs lack. A Bard's life is spent wandering across the land gathering lore, telling stories, and living on the gratitude of audiences, much like any other entertainer. But Bards' depth of knowledge and mastery of magic sets them apart.

Creating a Bard¶

To create a Bard, consult the following lists, which provide Hit Points, proficiencies, and

Armor training is the new name for armor proficiency. Any existing rule that involves armor proficiency now applies to armor training.

If you wear Light, Medium, or Heavy Armor and lack armor training with that type of armor, you have Disadvantage on any d20 Test you make that involves Strength or Dexterity, and you can't cast spells.

If you equip a Shield and lack armor training with it, you don't gain the Armor Class bonus of the Shield.

. If you're making a 1st-level character, also consult the Starting Equipment section, and if you're using the multiclassing rules, see the "Multiclassing and the Bard" sidebar.

Then look at the Bard table to see the Class Features you get at each level in this Class. The descriptions of those features appear in the Bard Class Features section.

Hit Points¶

Hit Dice: 1d8 per Bard level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points per Level after 1st: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier

Proficiencies¶

Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Any three Skills of your choice
Weapons: Simple Weapons
Tools: Three Musical Instruments of your choice

Armor Training¶

Light Armor

Starting Equipment¶

As a 1st-level character, you start with the following equipment, or you can forgo it and spend 100 GP on equipment of your choice.

• Dagger (2)
• Entertainer's Pack
• Leather Armor
• Musical Instrument (one of your choice)
• 26 GP

Bard Class Features¶

As a Bard, you gain the following Class Features when you reach the specified levels in this Class. These features are listed on the Bard table.

1st Level: Bardic Inspiration¶

You can supernaturally inspire others through words, music, or dance. This inspiration is represented by your Bardic Inspiration die, which is a d6.

Using Bardic Inspiration. As a Bonus Action, you can inspire another creature within 60 feet of yourself who can see or hear you. That creature gains one of your Bardic Inspiration dice. A creature can have only one Bardic Inspiration die at a time.

Once within the next hour when the creature fails a

The term d20 Test encompasses the three main d20 rolls of the game: ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws. If something in the game affects d20 Tests, it affects all three of these rolls.

The DM determines whether a d20 Test is warranted in any given circumstance.

, the creature can roll that die and add the number rolled to the d20, potentially turning the failure into a success. A Bardic Inspiration die is expended when it's rolled.

Number of Uses. You can confer a Bardic Inspiration die a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a

A Long Rest is a period of extended downtime -- at least 8 hours long -- available to any creature. During a Long Rest, you sleep for at least 6 hours and perform no more than 2 hours of light activity, such as reading, talking, eating, or standing watch.

During the sleep, you have the Unconscious condition.

Benefits of the Rest

To start a Long Rest, you must have at least 1 Hit Point. When you finish the rest, you gain the following benefits:

Regain All HP. You regain all lost Hit ... [more]

.

At Higher Levels. Your Bardic Inspiration die changes when you reach certain Bard levels, as shown in the Bardic Die column of the Bard table. The die becomes a d8 at 5th level, a d10 at 10th level, and a d12 at 15th level.

1st Level: Spellcasting¶

You have learned to cast spells through your bardic arts. See the Player's Handbook for the rules on spellcasting. The information below details how you use those rules as a Bard.

Cantrips. You know two cantrips of your choice from the Bard spell list. Rather than choosing, you may start with Minor Illusion and Vicious Mockery.

Whenever you gain a Bard level, you can replace one of your cantrips from this feature with another Bard cantrip of your choice.

When you reach levels 4 and 10 in this class, you learn another Bard cantrip of your choice, as shown in the Cantrips column of the Bard table.

Spell Slots. The Bard table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of level 1 and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a

A Long Rest is a period of extended downtime -- at least 8 hours long -- available to any creature. During a Long Rest, you sleep for at least 6 hours and perform no more than 2 hours of light activity, such as reading, talking, eating, or standing watch.

During the sleep, you have the Unconscious condition.

Benefits of the Rest

To start a Long Rest, you must have at least 1 Hit Point. When you finish the rest, you gain the following benefits:

Regain All HP. You regain all lost Hit ... [more]

.

Prepared Spells of Level 1+. You prepare the list of spells of level 1 and higher that are available for you to cast with this feature. To start, choose four level 1 spells from the Bard spell list. Rather than choosing, you may start with Cure Wounds, Dissonant Whispers, Heroism, and Thunderwave.

The number of spells on your list also increases as you gain Bard levels, as shown in the Prepared Spells column of the Bard table. Whenever that number increases, choose additional spells from the Bard spell list until the number of spells on your list matches the number on the table. The chosen spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, if you're a level 3 Bard, your list of prepared spells can include six Bard spells of level 1 or 2 in any combination.

If another Bard feature gives spells that you always have prepared, those spells don't count against the number of spells on the list you prepare with this Spellcasting feature, but those spells otherwise follow the rules in this feature.

Changing Your Prepared Spells. Whenever you gain a Bard level, you can replace one spell on your list with another Bard spell for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for the spells you cast with your Bard features.

Spellcasting Focus. You can use a musical instrument as a Spellcasting Focus for the spells you cast with your Bard features.

2nd Level: Expertise¶

You gain

Expertise is a special feature that enhances your use of a particular skill proficiency. If you gain Expertise, you gain it in one skill in which you have proficiency. You can never have Expertise in the same skill proficiency more than once.

When you make an ability check with a skill proficiency in which you have Expertise, your Proficiency Bonus is doubled for that check.

in two of your skill proficiencies of your choice.

Performance and Persuasion are iconic choices for a Bard if you have proficiency in them.

2nd Level: Jack of All Trades¶

You can add half your Proficiency Bonus (round down) to any ability check you make that uses a skill proficiency you lack and that doesn't otherwise use your Proficiency Bonus.

For example, if you make a Strength (Athletics) check and lack Athletics proficiency, you can add half your Proficiency Bonus to the check.

3rd Level: Bard Subclass¶

You gain a Bard subclass of your choice, listed at the end of this class description.

A subclass is a specialization that grants you special abilities at certain Bard levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass's features that are of your Bard level and lower.

4th Level: Ability Score Improvement¶

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

5th Level: Font of Inspiration¶

You now also regain all your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you finish a

A Short Rest is a 1-hour period of downtime, during which a creature does nothing more strenuous than eating, drinking, reading, dozing, and standing watch.

Benefits of the Rest

To start a Short Rest, you must have at least 1 Hit Point. When you finish the rest, you gain the following benefits:

Spend Hit Dice. You can spend one or more of your Hit Dice to regain Hit Points. For each Hit Die you spend in this way, roll the die and add your Constitution modifier to it. You regain Hit P ... [more]

.

In addition, if you have no uses of Bardic Inspiration left, you can give yourself one use by expending a spell slot (no action required). You can do so only once per turn.

6th Level: Subclass Feature¶

You gain a feature from your Bard subclass.

7th Level: Countercharm¶

You can use musical notes or words of power to disrupt mind-influencing effects. If you or a creature within 30 feet of you fails a saving throw against an effect that applies the Charmed or Frightened condition, you can use your Reaction to cause the save to be rerolled, and the new roll has Advantage.

8th Level: Ability Score Improvement¶

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

9th Level: Expertise¶

You gain

Expertise is a special feature that enhances your use of a particular skill proficiency. If you gain Expertise, you gain it in one skill in which you have proficiency. You can never have Expertise in the same skill proficiency more than once.

When you make an ability check with a skill proficiency in which you have Expertise, your Proficiency Bonus is doubled for that check.

in two of your skill proficiencies of your choice.

10th Level: Magical Secrets¶

You have collected magical knowledge from a wide spectrum of disciplines. As a result, your Bard spell list now also includes all spells not limited to a single class.

12th Level: Ability Score Improvement¶

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

14th Level: Subclass Feature¶

You gain a feature from your Bard subclass.

16th Level: Ability Score Improvement¶

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

18th Level: Superior Inspiration¶

When you roll Initiative and have no uses of Bardic Inspiration left, you regain two expended uses of it.

19th Level: Ability Score Improvement¶

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

20th Level: Words of Creation¶

You have mastered two of the prime Words of Creation: the words of life and death. You therefore always have the Power Word Heal and Power Word Kill spells prepared, and when you cast either spell, you can target a second creature with the spell, provided that creature is within 10 feet of the first target.

Bard Subclasses¶

A Bard subclass is a specialization that grants you special abilities at certain Bard levels, as specified in the subclass.

Bards form loose associations, which they call colleges, to facilitate their gatherings and preserve their traditions.

• College of Dance
• College of Glamour
• College of Lore
• College of Valor

Source: Player's Handbook Playtest 6