Bard

The word "bard" ordinarily puts folk in mind of those itinerant minstrels, fair of voice and nimble of finger, who earn their coin performing in taverns and the halls of great lords. Few know, however, that bards in fact trace their origins back to the bowmen of eld, who sang in the heat of battle to fortify the spirits of their companions. In time, their impassioned songs came to hold sway over the hearts of men, inspiring their comrades to great feats and granting peace unto those who lay upon the precipice of death.

Bow in hand

The enduring popularity of the Bow is a testament to its elegant design, but this simple weapon would be of little worth without the surpassing skill of those who master it - the archers. Bow techniques such as high-angle fire enable archers to assail their foes with deadly precision, even from great distances.

Constant assessment of the battlefield enables them to carefully determine the most advantageous ground from which to loose, as well as the nature of the arrows best suited to their enemy. Along with the longbow sentries of the Elezen military, the shortbow hunters among the Miqo'te are widely regarded as the most skilled with a bow. The guild's teachings cover a variety of long distance weapons, down to the simplest throwing rock.

Quickbuild

You can make a Bard quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Charisma. Second, choose the Entertainer background.

Important Notes

This document serves as a replacement for the Skysinger Bard subclass provided in u/SilentSoren's FFXIV Race and Class compendium. Discuss with your DM before applying this document to your character.

This class is a Work in Progress. As such changes might be made rather frequently. Be sure to check in every so often to doublecheck your features!

• Compendium subreddit

• Compendium updates

• Update log and feedback

This document was created by u/willywilliamrtx, any questions and/or feedback can be directed to the compendium updates topic referenced above.

Class Features

As a Bard, you gain the following class features

Hit Points

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• Hit Dice: 1d10 per Bard level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per bard level after 1st

Proficiencies

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• Armor: Light Armor
• Weapons: Simple Weapons, Hand Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow, Longbow
• Tools: All Instruments, Woodcarver's Tools

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• Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
• Skills: Choose two from Performance, Persuasion, Deception, Acrobatics, Insight, Perception

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) a shortbow and 20 arrows
• (a) a longbow and 20 arrows or (b) any simple weapon
• a set of strings
• a set of leather armor
• (a) an entertainer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• any musical instrument and woodcarver's tools

Bard's Arsenal

As a Bard your true trade is one of song - a practice you have woven into your combat capabilitites. After spending a period of 1 hour with a ranged weapon, a set of strings and woodworking tools you attach the strings to the weapon to add the properties of a string instrument to the weapon.

A Bard weapon is also considered an musical instrument. Some Bard abilitites require a saving throw; use the following saving throw DC.

Repertoire

Your music can be used to augment your attacks in various ways. You gain a 1d4 Repertoire Die, increasing its die size at various levels as indicated by the class table. You have unlimited uses of the Repertoire Die.

Iron Jaws

You've learned to weave various sounds into your attacks. Whenever you hit with a ranged weapon attack you may attempt to cause damaging vibrations within the target. The target creatures makes a Constitution saving throw against your Bard DC.

On a failure you cause the target creature to take your Repertoire die as force damage at the start of their turn, for a number of turns up to your Charisma modifier. A creature can only suffer from one instance of Iron Jaws at a time.

You have a number of Iron Jaws uses equal to your proficiency modifier, regaining uses of this ability upon completing a short or long rest.

Musician's Allure

Not many know music like you do. No matter how exotic the instrument; you've seen it, played it and mastered it. Starting at 2nd level you gain Expertise in all instruments.

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Defense

While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Horrid Sound

You may use your reaction to subtract your Repertoire die from an attack roll made within 30ft of you.

Vocal Guard

You may use your reaction to add your Repertoire die to a saving throw made within 60ft of you.

Soothing Song

You may use your reaction to add your Repertoire die to any hitpoints recovered from all spell effects within 30ft of you.

Bite Mastery

Whenever you roll a Repertoire die as part of a Bard feature, you may expend one use of Iron Jaws to reroll any number of Repertoire die.

Harmonizing Tune

While forcing a creature to roll a saving throw you may expend one use of Iron Jaws to increase the DC by your Repertoire die.

Musical Harmony

At 3rd level you've started specializing in a specific style of song to augment your allies in battle. Pick between Wanderer's Minute, Mage's Ballad and Army's Paeon, described at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 9th, 12th and 15th level.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th and 16th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Refulgent Arrow

At 5th level you become able to infuse your attacks with a portion of the magic eminating from your song.

Whenever you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack on your turn while playing a song; roll 1d20. If the result is lower than your character level you may immediately make the following attack as a free action.

Make a ranged weapon attack, adding your Repertoire Die as bonus damage on a hit. You do not suffer disadvantage from shooting in your weapon's long range and ignore up to tree-quarter cover.

Peleton

At 7th level you become able to infuse your magic into your allies for a quick burst of speed.

As as action while performing a song you may infuse any number of creatures within 60ft of you with the magic of your song. All affected creatures may use the Dash action on their next turn as a free action.

Magical Secrets

By 10th level you've become proficient enough in magic to gain access to spellcasting. You learn two spells of a spell slot level no higher than your Charisma modifier, and another two at 16th level, from any class.

You regain use of these spells after completing a long rest. Charisma is your casting ability for these spells.

Fighting Style

At 11th level you expand your arsenal, granted you another Fighting Style. You can not pick the same Fighting Style you chose at 2nd level.

Additionally, your ranged weapon attacks are now considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances while wielding a bard weapon.

Bard's Allure

At 13th level you reach the pinnacle of performance as a Bard.

You gain proficiency in the Performance skill, or expertise if you already have proficiency. Your mastery of all things music also allows you to be more inventive with its uses. You might consider mimicing the sounds of a creature when trying to interact with it or to intimidate guards with the sounds of a predator.

Whenever you use an instrument to accompany a skill check, that is not Performance or the instrument itself, you may add your Charisma modifier to the result.

Closing Notes

At 14th level you learn to fully expend the magic of your song to creature various effects.

As an action you can spend any amount of Repertoire stacks to drop concentration on your song, expending all Repertoire stacks alongside it. You can not perform your song until you finish a short or long rest. Perform one of the following effects.

Nature's Minne

For each Repertoire stack spent you can recover your Repertoire Die in hit points to any creature within 60ft.

Troubadour

Choose a number of creatures within 30ft up to your Charisma modifier. Each target gains temporary hit points equal to your Repertoire die for each Repertoire stack expended. These temporary hit points fade at the start of your next turn.

Apex Arrow

Every creature in a 120ft line from you makes a Dexterity saving throw against your Bard DC, taking half damage on a success.

On a fail the target creature takes damage equal to your weapon's damage die along with one Repertoire die for each Repertoire stack spent as force damage.

Magical Secrets

At 16th level you further expand your magical arsenal.

You learn more two spells from any class of a spell slot no higher than your Charisma modifier. You regain use of these spells after completing a long rest. Charisma is your casting ability for these spells.

Caustic Storm

At 17th level your expertise with vibrational sound has taught you how to change its pitch to perform various other effects.

Whenever you force a Constitution saving throw upon a creature as part of your Iron Jaws feature, they make the saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed saving throw you can change the damage type from Force to Acid, Poison, Psychic, Slashing or Thunder.

Adittionaly, you can expend a use of Iron Jaws on a creature already under the effects of Iron Jaws to extend its duration. Whenever you do so the remaining number of turns Iron Jaws is in effect becomes equal to your Charisma modifier.

Encore

At 18th level you've become able to temporarily extend the area of your song's effects.

As an action you may extend the range of your song, along with its effects, to 60ft. Your song returns to its normal range at the end of your next turn.

Battle Voice

At 19th level you can use your voice to temporarily change the properties of your song.

As an action you may change temporarily lift the effects of your song. When doing so, select any number of creatures within your song's effective range. All chosen creatures gain the effects of the Haste spell until the end of your next turn. Afterwards your song regains its own effects.

You may only use this feature once before requiring a long rest to recharge this feature.

Performance Perfected

The pinnacle of musical combat has inhabited your body at 20th level.

You no longer lose a Repertoire stack when taking damage and may start playing a song as a free action when rolling initiative. You start combat with your maximum amount of Repertoire stacks.

Musical Harmonies

As a Bard you specialize in one specific song to augment allies in battle; Wanderer's Minute, Mage's Ballad or Army's Paeon.

Wanderer's Minute

Bards who focus on the Wanderer's Minute see most value in allowing more attacks to hit vital areas, while making their own attacks as powerful as possible.

Wanderer's Minute

At 3rd level you've gained proficiency in Wanderer's Minute. While holding an instrument you can spend an Action to begin playing Wanderer's Minute, affecting any number of creatures up to your Charisma modifier within a 30ft aura centered on yourself.

While playing Wanderer's Minute you gain the following effects.

• All affected creatures have their critical hit range expanded by 1.
• Whenever you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack you generate one stack of repertoire, which can be consumed by other abilities granted by your Musical Harmony. You can hold an amount of repertoire stacks up to your Charisma modifier. You lose one repertoire stack whenever you take damage.

You may spend your bonus action to maintain concentration on the song, extending its duration until the end of your next turn. You can also end Wanderer's Minute early using a bonus action.

If Wanderer's Minute gets interrupted by a failed concentration check or an absence of sound you become unable to start playing the song again until you finish a short or long rest.

Pitch Perfect

At 6th level you've uncovered a way to convert your repertoire into a single powerful arrow while wielding a Bard weapon.

As an action you may spend any number of Repertoire stacks to make a ranged weapon attack, or a free action on your turn when spending 5 Repertoire stacks. This attack can not trigger any additional effects from Wanderer's Minute.

On a hit you deal your Repertoire die as bonus force damage for each stack of Repertoire spent on the attack.

Burst Shot

At 9th level you have become more adept at manipulating your magic in your favor.

You no longer need to roll for your Refulgent Arrow feature and can use it once as a free action whenever you take the Attack Action.

Minute Perfected

At 12th level you've become capable enough to unlock the full effects of your Wanderer's Minute.

All affected creatures' critical hit range is instead expanded by 2. You are also always under the effect of your own song and no longer count towards the amount of affected creatures.

Barrage

At 15th level you've reached the height of Wanderer's Minute, allowing you to augment a single attack with your own magic.

You may use an action to ready yourself for a heavy and reckless attack by expending one hit die. Your next ranged weapon attack becomes a critical hit on a 15-20 attack roll.

On a critical hit the damage from this attack is tripled instead of doubled.

Mage's Ballad

Bards that decide to employ Mage's Ballad in combat are more comfortable empowering their arrows with spell like effects, while enhancing the spellcasting of others.

Mage's Ballad

At 3rd level you've gained proficiency in Mage's Ballad. While holding an instrument you can spend an Action to begin playing Mage's Ballad, affecting any number of creatures up to your Charisma modifier within a 30ft aura centered on yourself.

While playing Wanderer's Minute you gain the following effects.

• All affected creatures gain a bonus to damage rolls equal to your Charisma modifier.
• Whenever you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack you generate one stack of repertoire, which can be consumed by other abilities granted by your Musical Harmony. You can hold an amount of repertoire stacks up to your Charisma modifier. You lose one repertoire stack whenever you take damage.

You may spend your bonus action to maintain concentration on the song, extending its duration until the end of your next turn. You can also end Mage's Ballad early using a bonus action.

If Mage's Ballad gets interrupted by a failed concentration check or an absence of sound you become unable to start playing the song again until you finish a short or long rest.

Bloodletter

At 6th level you employ your song's magic into an additional projectile.

When taking the attack action you may spend one Repertoire die to cause an aetherial arrow to follow the one fired from your attack. The target creature must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Bard DC.

On a failed saving throw the target creature takes your weapon's damage die and your Repertoire die as force damage.

Shadowbite

At 9th level you learned to enhance the effect of Iron Jaws through the power of your song. The damage dealt by Iron Jaws is always the maximum amount possible.

As an action you may spend any number of Repertoire stacks to target a creature currently under the effects of your Iron Jaws feature. Target a number of creatures within 30ft of the target, equal to the amount of Repertoire stacks spent.

The target creatures have the effects of your Iron Jaws feature applied to them.

Magician's Tribute

At 12th level you've pushed the magical capabilities of your song to its maximum. You are always under the effect of your own song and no longer count towards the amount of affected creatures.

Additionally, as a bonus action; you may recharge a use of one of your Magical Secrets spells by spending an amount of Repertoire stacks equal to its spell slot level.

Wizard's Chord

At 15th level you further enhance the prowess of your spellcasting through songs. You no longer need to use your bonus action to maintain concentration on Mage's Ballad.

Additionally, you may replace your previously chosen Magical Secrets spells for any spell of a spell slot level no higher than your Charisma modifier. Your Magical Secrets spells now recharge after completing a short or long rest.

Army's Paeon

Bards playing the Army's Paeon stand firm in their belief that every hit counts, while increasing the frequency of their own attacks.

Army's Paeon

At 3rd level you've gained proficiency in Army's Paeon. While holding an instrument you can spend an Action to begin playing Army's Paeon, affecting any number of creatures up to your Charisma modifier within a 30ft aura centered on yourself.

While playing Army's Paeon you gain the following effects.

• All affected creatures gain a bonus to attack rolls equal to your Charisma modifier - 1d4 (minimum of one).
• Whenever you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack you generate one stack of repertoire, which can be consumed by other abilities granted by your Musical Harmony. You can hold an amount of repertoire stacks up to your Charisma modifier. You lose one repertoire stack whenever you take damage.

You may spend your bonus action to maintain concentration on the song, extending its duration until the end of your next turn. You can also end Army's Paeon early using a bonus action.

If Army's Paeon gets interrupted by a failed concentration check or an absence of sound you become unable to start playing the song again until you finish a short or long rest.

Empyreal Arrow

At 6th level you become able to employ your repertoire into quick attacks. At any point you may use your Reaction to spend one Repertoire stack to use Empyreal Arrow.

Make a ranged weapon attack, dealing a Repertoire die as bonus force damage on a hit. This attack does not suffer from disadvantage when an enemy is within 5ft of you.

Army's Muse

At 9th level your song's magic greatly enhances your rate of fire.

When taking the attack action you gain an extra attack for every 2 Repertoire stacks you have, rounded down.

Quick Nock

Starting at 12th level you can employ your new found speed in unseen ways. You are always under the effect of your own song and no longer count towards the amount of affected creatures.

As an action you may spend any number of Repertoire stacks to target an equal amount of creatures in your weapons range. Make a ranged weapon attack against every creature targeted, dealing a Repertoire die as bonus force damage on a hit.

Raging Strikes

At 15th level you devise a way to further enhance your combat prowess at the cost of your own recovery.

When taking the attack action you may spend one hit die to gain your Charisma modifier as bonus damage to any ranged weapon attack made for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier. This bonus can not be stacked.

Additionally, when rolling for the effect of your Army's Paeon you may reroll the 1d4 used for its bonus calculation once. If you do so you must take the second roll.