Bard: College of the Duelist

With a sword in his hand and a song in his heart the duelist steps forward, answering the challenge for single combat.

For the Duelist, combat itself is an art form, with every faint and flourish a chance to demonstrate style and skill. Duelists pride themselves on their ability to use bold, clever sword techniques to get past their opponents' defenses, where raw strength or speed wouldn't be enough.

Bravado

When you join the College of the Duelist at 3rd level you learn how to use your dramatic flair and confidence to aid you in combat while you weild a dueling weapon, which can be any one-handead melee weapon that deals slashing or piercing damage.

When you make a weapon attack using a dueling weapon, and you are wielding no other weapon or shield, you can use your Charisma instead of Strength or Dexterity for the attack roll (but not the damage).

Unarmored Defense

While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma modifier.

Dueling Techniques

At 3rd level, your natural tenacity allows you to perform daring displays of skill. You learn the following Dueling Techniques.

Defensive Dueling. As a bonus action, if your are wielding a dueling weapon, you expend one use of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic Inspiration die. Until the start of your next turn, apply the number rolled as a bonus to your AC.

Elegant Footwork. You can use a bonus action, and expend one use of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic Inspiration die and adding the number rolled to the next Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) check you make during the same turn.

Expert Reprisal. If you miss with a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can expend one Bardic Inspiration die to make a single melee weapon attack with a dueling weapon as a bonus action during that same turn. If you hit, you add the Bardic Inspiration die to the attack's damage roll.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Cunning Strike

At 14th level, you have mastered the art of using feints and other distractions to land more devastating hits. When you hit a creature with a dueling weapon, and you are wielding no other weapon or shield, you may add your Charisma modifier to the weapon's damage.

Superior Reflexes

At 14th level your reflexes are more honed. You can use your Defensive Dueling technique as a reaction when you are hit by a melee attack, potentially causing that attack to miss. Additionally, you can use your Elegant Footwork technique when you make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) check, after you roll but before the result is known, no action required.