3 bardic colleges
The following are colleges for bards in 5th Edition for dungeon and dragons
By Good Natured Gamer
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College of Spectacle
Bards of the College of Spectacle
Bards of the College of Spectacle like attention, perhaps more than any other college. Adorned in heavy amour they approach a conversation, fight or performance knowing all eyes are on them.
Bonus Proficiencies
When you join the College of Spectacle at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armour, heavy armour and shields. You gain proficiency in the performance skill if you already have proficiency you can gain a different skill of your choice.
Heckle
Also at 3rd level, you learn to maintain the attention of others. You can use the help action as a bonus action.
You also learn the vicious mockery cantrip if you do not know it already. You can now cast it using a bard spell slot. When cast at level 1 you can target up to 3 targets, with 1 more for each spell slot higher.
Intermission
If people are looking at you, you have to be looking your best. Starting at 6th level, as a bonus action you can use hit dice, the amount equal to your charisma modifier to regain health.
Also, during a short rest, you can expend your bardic inspiration die equal to your charisma modifier on your self or someone else during your rest. They can roll it and regain hit points equal to the number rolled.
All eyes on me
The world is a stage, and you will be damned is anyone will upstage you. When you are within 5ft of an alley, any attack made at them is done so with disadvantage.
Also starting at level 14 when you are concentrating on a spell, you add your charisma modifier to your AC.
Collage of tribute
Many look down on the Collage of tribute, often called the college of plagiarism. But those who have studied this college know that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Song Sheets
At level 3 you accumulate your life studies of the arts.
You have a collection of song sheets which you have collected over your adventurers. Through practice and hard work, you have collected a significant amount.
Starting at level 3 you have access to all bard spells of first and second level. Your spell slots and progression function the same way as they did previously.
You prepare the list of Bard Spells that are available for you to cast. To do so, choose a number of Bard Spells from your spell sheets equal to your Charisma modifier + your Bard level (minimum of one spell). The Spells must be of a level for which you have Spell Slots.
You can change your list of prepared Spells when you finish a Long Rest. Preparing a new list of Bard Spells requires time spent studying your song sheets and memorizing the lyrics and routine you must make to cast the spell: at least 1 minute per Spell Level for each spell on your list.
Going forward your spell progression is the same as listed in the Bard levelling table. But those who follow the Collage of tribute have learnt additional methods of performing.
In addition, if you acquire any spell scrolls you can spend time to convert them into spell sheets for your use. These are kept in a spell or "music" book.
Covering a spell into a song sheet: When you find a spell scroll of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your spell sheets if it is of a Spell Level you can prepare and if you can spare the time to decipher and copy it. If it is a spell on the bard spell list you can spend time reproducing the basic form of the spell into its base components and interpret it and continue to practice it so you can correctly pay tribute to those who first created it.
For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you perform the spell to perfect it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other Spells. The scroll is destroyed after being copied.
If the spell is not on the bard list, the process is much harder. As the traditional use of the spell was not meant to be performed but you will try your best to pay tribute to its creator. The price is doubled as multiple stages of the rewriting will take place.
At the final moment of converting the scroll into a song sheet, you must make a performance skill check. The DC of which is 10 + spell level + the Bard level you gain access to the spell level slot. (For example, if you were trying to copy a 3rd level spell, the DC would be 10 + 3 (spell level) + 5 (the bard level you gain access to level 3 spells) making the total DC 18).
If you pass the check, the scroll is destroyed but you now have the spell as a song sheet to add to your repertoire which can be prepared, the spell now counting as a bard spell for you.
On failing the check, the scroll is destroyed and you have not been able to learn the spell.
Replacing the Book: If you spell/songbook is lost or destroyed you can only prepare bard spells of 1st or 2nd level and the spells you gained via levelling.
May I?
When a spell is cast within 30 feet you can use your reaction to spend a bardic inspiration die and mimic the spell. If you can cast at that spell level you can use a Bard spell slot to cast the same spell. If it is not a spell but an “effect” or an “ability” both the spell slot and inspiration die is lost. You can do this equal number to your charisma modifier per long rest.
Additionally, at level 6 you can apply your Jack of all trades feature to all tools you are not proficient with.
Magical Secrets
At levels 10, 14 and 18 you do not gain the benefits of the magical secrets feature, as you have dedicated your efforts to studding and adapting spells in a different style to other Collages.
This is just a tribute
You have seen enough spells during your adventurers from friends that you have learnt to pay tribute to them.
From level 14 at the end of a long rest, you can prepare one spell from a character that you completed the long rest with, and can learn a spell up to half you charisma modifier rounded up, excluding cantrips.
The spell must be known or prepared by the other character. This spell does not count against your number of prepared spells and can be cast at higher levels if you have the spell slots available and is a Bard spell for the duration. You must repeat the process at the end of a long rest to relearn the spell or a different spell.
College of communication
College of the communication is about conveying what you mean, eloquently. Be it battering for goods, begging for mercy at the claws of a dragon or raying a revolt. A first impression can be the most important.
Bonus Proficiencies and spells
When you join the College of Communication at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the insight skill and one language of your choice. In addition, you also gain proficiency in with Calligrapher's Supplies and Painter’s supplies.
You also learn the message cantrip if you do not already know it if you do you can select another cantrip.
Reading the room
You have learnt to read the room, you notice things about people that many would miss. This gives you an edge when talking to people of a certain segment of society.
When you enter this college at level 3, you select a societal class. When dealing with humanoids of this societal class you gain advantage on insight checks, you can also spend a bardic inspiration die on any charisma check made when interacting with people of your chosen class.
You can select another societal class at level 6 and another at level 14.
The DM would determine what societal class a character is. Below are examples of what societal class there are to choose from.
Elite: Royalty
Upper: Nobility, religious leaders, Merchants
Middle: Landlords, Captains, artisans
Lower: Guards, apprentices
Working: Servants, unskilled workers
Under: Beggars, homeless
Vocal interspersion
Starting at 6th level, when you inspirer someone with a bardic interspersion you also can inspire up to your charisma modifier amount of extra characters. The inspiration lasts until the first character to use the inspiration die expires its uses for everyone else.
You learn the sending spell if you do not already know it, the word range increased to 30. In addition, you also learn one more language of your choice.
Chatter Casting
Though your time masting the art of communication you have learnt how to convey with both speech and body language what you want; in as little time as possible.
Starting at level 14, up to your charisma modifier per long rest, if a spell does not require any material components it can be cast using a bonus action.
In addition, you also learn one more language of your choice.
This homebrew was designed by Isaac Cooke-Khan aka u/GoodNaturedGamer
Made to look nice at www.naturalcrit.com