Ace's Skald v1.4
by /u/AlchemistR
A.K.A. AceTheAlchemist

## Skald A small tear comes to his eye as the half-orc soulfully tells the story of the death of a king's friend, his twin blades close to his heart; the next slash his ally performs strikes with unforseen force. A fur-clad human beats on his shield with his broadsword, echoing an ancient hero's boasts as though they were his own. An orc about to strike down the human's friend hears the words and turns, refusing to let them go unanswered. The half-elf arranges her ivory and candles in the manner the ritual calls for, and lights the incense; she speaks the name of her party's target, a powerful necromancer, and comes to know every story surrounding him. Poets and storytellers to their very core, skalds intone legends of great heroes and wield destructive arcane magic to fill their allies with confidence and power, as well as to strengthen their own resolve in combat. ### Storytelling Warriors At first glance, one might mistake a skald for a bard; it's not an uncommon thought, nor is it necessarily unfounded. Both acknowledge and derive power from the magic innate in words and sound. The difference comes mainly in _how_ they derive that power and the way they use it. Whereas a bard might pluck at the strings of the weave as they pluck the strings of their lute and bring forth great magics out of song, a skald primarily deals in words and stories. A bard may be a storyteller by trade, but to be a skald is to _be the vessel_ from which stories come. A bard might be content to stand on the sidelines and aid their allies from afar, but a skald is not in their element unless they are in the thick of battle, reciting their great works of epic poetry, and thereby inspiring their allies to perform great feats of combat. A skald's verses bring forth magical effects, but these are often destructive in nature, if not directly then by sharpening their blades or weakening their enemies. In a battle, skalds and bards primarily differ by the position in which they are most comfortable, skalds thriving on the thrill of being amidst the clashing weaponry. ``` ```

### Loremasters, not Newsboys A skald's purpose is to travel the lands, learning ancient legends and spreading their own, interested only in glorious tales of the past; they heed no mind to any current spat between two haughty princes. Though they often have vast knowledge of myths and stories from many cultures and invariably have more knowledge on such topics than your average person, a skald tends to stick to just one story they actually perform, or perhaps a small handful. A skald's epic is often passed down within a community or culture from masters to students, who dedicate much of their life to memorizing such a poem's exceedingly extended length. A skald's epic might take several hours, days, or even in rare cases weeks to perform in its entirety. A skald is usually able to play one or two instruments, often a lyre or drum, and uses one to keep time and rhythm in their poetic story. In their travels to learn lore and spread their own, skalds tend to develop a taste for combat; after all, what better way to relate to the characters in your often battle-filled poems than to experience what it is they do best? As such, a skald's fighting style tends to be influenced directly by that described in the story they tell. A skald who memorizes an epic telling of a great, brutal warrior will likely be fierce and brutal in battle. A skald who memorizes an epic teaching wisdom or detailing powerful, magical weapons will likely be slinging spells in the thick of combat. A skald will almost always recite their tale while fighting, a tradition which bolsters their allies' resolve with rhythm, meter, and a bit of magic. \page

##### The Skald | Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Intonations | Intonation Die | Spells Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | |:---:|:---:|:---|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| | 1st | +2 | Intonation, Poised Poet | 2 | d4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 2nd | +2 | Spellcasting, Epic Fervor | 2 | d4 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | | 3rd | +2 | Historical Basis, Signature Epic | 2 | d4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | | 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | d4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | | 5th | +3 | Storied Strike | 3 | d6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | | 6th | +3 | Epic feature, Reenergizing Recitation | 3 | d6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | | 7th | +3 | Venomous Verse | 3 | d6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | | 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | d6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | | 9th | +4 | — | 3 | d6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | | 10th | +4 | Epic feature, Orotund Orator | 3 | d6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | | 11th | +4 | Neverending Story, Intonation improvement | 4 | d8 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | | 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | d8 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | | 13th | +5 | — | 4 | d8 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | | 14th | +5 | Epic feature, Legendary Loremaster | 4 | d8 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | | 15th | +5 | Inspiring Intonation | 4 | d8 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | | 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | d8 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | | 17th | +6 | — | 5 | d10 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | | 18th | +6 | Silvertongued Storyteller | 5 | d10 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | | 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | d10 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | | 20th | +6 | Epic feature | 5 | d10 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |

### Creating a Skald A skald's upbringing determines much about how they end up living their life. Perhaps you were born into a tribe of nomadic peoples that records their histories solely through oral tradition and glorifies the deeds of past leaders. It might be the case that your people were deeply religious, and so you were taught the holy words and tell the stories of your gods and their interactions with the material world. Though most skalds are trained from childhood, some become skalds later in life by seeking out a master to teach them or a story to learn. When creating a skald, think about what story they tell and how they learned it. Keep in mind the traditions of their culture, and how this might have affected their worldview. Just because you were made to memorize a story of a great king doesn't necessarily mean you see him as a hero; this will certainly affect how you tell the story, and how you tell the story will affect how you act both in and out of combat. Maybe you didn't even learn the stories of your people, but instead sought out the tales of a lost civilization, or perhaps just the ones from your neighbors in the next kingdom over. Good real life examples of epics you might want to keep in mind include the _Epic of Gilgamesh_, _Beowulf_, the _Mahabharata_, and many more. #### Quick Build You can make a skald quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength should be your highest ability score, followed by Charisma. Second, choose the outlander or acolyte background. ## Class Features As a skald, you get the following features. #### Hit Points ___ - **Hit Dice:** 1d10 per skald level - **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 10 + your Constitution modifier - **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per skald level after 1st #### Proficiencies ___ - **Armor:** Light armor, shields - **Weapons:** Simple weapons, martial weapons - **Tools:** Lyre and one other musical instrument of your choice ___ - **Saving Throws:** Constitution, Charisma - **Skills:** Choose three from Athletics, History, Intimidation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, and Religion. \page

#### Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: - *(a)* a martial weapon and a shield or *(b)* two martial weapons - *(a)* an entertainer's pack or *(b)* an explorer's pack - *(a)* a lyre or *(b)* any other musical instrument - Leather armor and a simple weapon Alternatively, you can ignore the equipment here and in your background, and buy 5d4 × 10 gp worth of equipment from chapter 5 in the Player’s Handbook. > ##### Multiclassing Prerequisites and Bonus Proficiencies > Minimum Ability Scores: **Strength 13, Charisma 13** > Proficiencies Gained: Light armor, simple weapons, one skill from the class's skill list, lyre.

``` ``` ### Intonation In battle, you channel all of your raw emotion and some of your magical power into intoning a heroic epic. On your turn, you can enter an intonation as a bonus action if you are able to speak and aren't wearing medium or heavy armor. While intoning, all friendly creatures within 30 feet of you (except you) that can hear you gain the following benefits: - Immediately when you enter an intonation and at the start of your turn while you are intoning, they gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus. These temporary hit points become double your proficiency bonus at 11th level. - They gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls when making a weapon attack or casting a cantrip that requires an attack roll. The bonus increases to +2 at 11th level. - They gain one Intonation die that increases as you gain levels as a skald, as shown in the Intonation Die column of the Skald table. A friendly creature that has not received an Intonation die since you began intoning gains one when it enters within 30 feet of you and can hear you. A creature cannot gain an Intonation die if it has gained one within the past minute. A creature can have only one Intonation die at a time. Your intonation lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced, or if you have taken damage equal to half of your maximum hit points (rounded down) since your previous turn. You can also end your intonation on your turn as a bonus action. You can intone a number of times shown for your skald level in the Intonations column of the Skald table. You regain all uses of Intonation when you complete a long rest. #### Intonation Die A creature with an Intonation die can roll it to activate one of the following effects, losing the die after they roll it. - As part of an Attack action, a creature can roll its Intonation die and add the number rolled to one attack roll, after seeing the roll but before knowing whether it hits or misses. - As a reaction when an attack is made against the creature but before knowing whether it hits or misses, it can roll its Intonation die and add the number rolled to its AC against that attack. If a creature has any Intonation dice and they move more than 30 feet away from you or your Intonation ends, they lose all Intonation dice granted by you. ### Poised Poet Your rhyme, meter, and verse entrance even the enemy, distracting them and leading their blades astray. While not wearing armor or wearing light armor, you can choose to add your Charisma modifier instead of your Dexterity modifier to determine your AC. \page

### Spellcasting By the time you reach 2nd level, you have learned how to weave stories in such a way that your words carry magical reality-altering properties. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting. #### Spell Slots The Skald table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level 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 long rest. #### Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the skald spell list. The Spells Known column of the Skald table shows when you learn more skald spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 5th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the skald spells you know and replace it with another spell from the skald spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots. #### Spellcasting Ability Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your skald spells, since your magic draws on the force of your words and stories. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a skald spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
**Spell save DC =** 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
**Spell attack modifier =** your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier #### Intonation Casting While intoning, you can ignore any material components that lack a cost and aren’t consumed by a spell, and you can perform somatic components even when you have weapons or a shield in one or both hands. #### Spellcasting Focus You can use a musical instrument (found in chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook) as a spellcasting focus for your skald spells. ### Epic Fervor Starting at 2nd level, you can absorb yourself fully within your tale, ignoring all else but your words and your weapons. When you make your first attack on your turn or cast a spell that requires a spell attack, you can decide to do so with fervor. Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength and spell attack rolls during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn. In addition, you make all Strength, Dexterity and Constitution saving throws with disadvantage until your next turn. ``` ``` ### Historical Basis Beginning at 3rd level, your knowledge of legends and stories is built upon a deep understanding of historical or religious context. When making an Intelligence (History) or Intelligence (Religion) check, you can choose to use your Charisma modifier instead of your Intelligence modifier to determine the result of the roll. ### Signature Epic At 3rd level, you've become proficient enough in your chosen epic through intense training and have finally begun to recite portions of it perfectly, determining the characteristics of your intonation. Choose The Quest of the Hero-King, The Warrior who Became King, or The Chronicle of the King's War, all detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, 14th, and 20th level. ### Ability Score Improvement When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th 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. ### Storied Strike Beginning at 5th level, your weapon in hand rings with power, resonating with your words. As an action on your turn you can make a melee weapon attack against a creature within range. On a hit, the attack deals extra damage equal to your Intonation Die + your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). Using this feature counts as taking the Attack action for the purpose of Two-Weapon Fighting.

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### Reenergizing Recitation When you reach 6th level, your stories have somewhat of an energizing effect on those who hear them. If you spend at least one hour of a long rest telling a story, all allies lose one additional level of exhaustion when you complete the long rest. ### Venomous Verse At 7th level, you gain the ability to use specific verses of your story to affect the mental fortitude of your enemies, making them open targets for your allies' mind-influencing effects. As an action, you can speak a verse that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, a creature you choose within 30 feet has disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws. A creature must be able to hear you to suffer this effect. The verse ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced, or if you voluntarily end it (no action required). ### Orotund Orator Beginning at 10th level, your words are sonorous and rich, such that you are always ready to speak them when you need to. When you finish a short rest, if you have no uses of Intonation remaining, you regain one use. ### Neverending Story Beginning at 11th level, the words of your tale can push you beyond mortal limits and keep you on your feet. If you drop to 0 hit points while you're intoning and don't die outright, you can make a DC 10 Charisma saving throw. If you succeed, you drop to 1 hit point instead. Each time you use this feature after the first, the DC increases by 5. When your intonation ends after you used this feature, you immediately drop to 0 hit points and begin making death saving throws. When you finish a long rest, the DC resets to 10. ### Legendary Loremaster By 14th level, your knowledge of lore is so vast that you have gained an innate magical ability to derive knowledge of lore from but a name. You can cast the spell _legend lore_ once as a ritual. You regain the use of this feature when you finish a long rest. ### Inspiring Intonation Starting at 15th level, while you are intoning, you and all friendly creatures within 30 feet of you can add half of their proficiency bonus (rounded down) to ability checks they make during your intonation. If they are already proficient in the skill they are using, they instead double their proficiency bonus. A creature must be able to hear you to gain this effect. ### Silvertongued Storyteller Beginning at 18th level, your words carry with them magical charm at all times. If your total for a Charisma check is less than your Charisma score, you can use that score in place of the total. \page

## Signature Epics A skald's signature epic is a piece of epic poetry or literature that they have spent extensive amounts of time learning how to perform, perhaps even having trained from childhood. A signature epic's themes often reflect the skald's own ideals, worldview, and even fighting style; as such, the epic a skald memorizes is exceedingly important to their identity. ### The Quest of the Hero-King Skalds who choose to memorize The Quest of the Hero-King have an intense level of care for their allies. They tell the story of a selfish king turned onto the path of good by his close friend, whose death pushes him on a quest to the ends of the earth. By memorizing this epic, you choose to focus not on your own welfare, but rather making sure your allies succeed as often and as greatly as possible. #### Introduction: The Hero's Friend At 3rd level, you have memorized the introduction to this tale. It begins begins with a misguided and arrogant young king poorly ruling his people; the gods, seeking to reform his ways, create a friend and rival for the king. The bond of friendship between the two inspires you to aid your allies. A creature with an Intonation die can use it in two new ways: - When a creature hits with a weapon attack or cantrip that requires an attack roll, it can roll its Intonation die and add the number rolled to the damage of the attack. - A creature can roll its Intonation die and add the number rolled to one saving throw, after seeing the roll but before knowing whether it succeeds or not. #### Tension: The Hero's Sorrow At 6th level, you have memorized the rising action of this tale. The king and his friend spend almost every waking moment together wrestling, hunting, playing games, and the like. One day, the king and his friend go deep into the forest to hunt a hideous beast, but the beast ends up killing the friend, driving the king into a deep depression. The king's sorrow inspires you to push your allies beyond the shackles of fate.

When a creature rolls a 1 or a 2 on an Intonation die granted by you, they can reroll the die and must use the new roll. #### Climax: The Hero's Journey At 10th level, you have memorized the climax of this tale. In his sorrow, the king seeks a cure for death, a key to immortality. In his travels, he finds an old sage who tells him of a plant that is said to cure one of the mortal curse, but warns against searching for it. The king ignores his warning, however, and upon finding the herb sees it devoured by a serpent. The king's lost chance inspires you to grant your allies even more drive to succeed. Creatures that you grant an Intonation die to can have a maximum of two Intonation dice at any time. When you would grant one Intonation die, you instead grant two. A creature can only use an Intonation die once on the same turn. #### Finale: The Hero's Rule At 14th level, you have memorized the finale of this tale, thereby completing it in its entirety. In the end, the king comes to terms with his friend's death and the loss of his potential immortality. He returns to his kingdom, where he rules for the rest of his life a good king. The king's kind rule inspires you to ensure your allies' greatest possible outcomes. A creature that rolls an Intonation die granted by you can choose to double the value rolled. They cannot do this again until they finish a short or long rest. #### Aspect of the Hero At 20th level, you are the epitome of a skald. You embody the selflessness of the king from your epic, and legends not unlike the ones you tell will be told about you someday. Perhaps in centuries, perhaps decades, years, months, weeks, or even tomorrow. You can use your Intonation an unlimited number of times, and your Intonation die is a d12. In addition, while intoning, all friendly creatures within 30 feet of you (except you) that can hear you gain a +1 bonus to their AC. \page

### The Warrior who Became King Skalds who choose to memorize The Warrior who Became King epitomize the combatative nature of the hero whose exploits they orate. They tell the story of a warrior from a distant land aiding a king against a beast, ascending to his own throne, and eventually sacrificing his own life to keep his people safe. By memorizing this epic, you choose to empower yourself against dangerous odds and keep standing no matter how heavily you are beaten. #### Introduction: The Warrior's Boast At 3rd level, you have memorized the introduction to this tale. It begins with a famed warrior having arrived in a mead hall to aid the people of the kingdom he is visiting in defeating a great monster. Over a feast, he boasts of his past exploits. His words inspire you to battle more fiercely. While intoning, you gain resistance to all damage except force, psychic, and thunder. In addition, you learn the spell _compelled duel_. It doesn't count against your spells known, and you can cast it once without expending a spell slot. You regain use of this feature when you finish a long rest. #### Tension: The Warrior's Resilience At 6th level, you have memorized the rising action of this tale. In the night, the warrior and his men sleep in the mead hall, awaiting the beast's arrival. It comes and eats one of the men; the warrior, casting aside his weapon, grapples with the beast and tears its arm off, killing it. The king, pleased, requests the warrior go and kill the beast's wretched mother. He, of course, succeeds. The warrior's brute strength and resilience inspire you to stand strong and sturdy. When intoning, if you would grant temporary hit points to another creature you gain the same amount of temporary hit points. #### Climax: The Warrior's Resolve At 10th level, you have memorized the climax of this tale. Many years later, the warrior has returned to his homeland and become a good and popular king. However, in his old age, he hears stories of a vicious dragon having set up a hoard nearby where it devours unsuspecting travelers. The warrior enlists his most loyal man and sets out to slay the foul beast. The warrior's resolve inspires you to not let any enemy stand in your way. As a reaction when you are hit with a melee weapon attack, you can cause the attacking creature to make a Constitution saving throw with a DC equal to your skald spell save DC. If it fails, it has disadvantage on saving throws and creatures have advantage on attack rolls made against it until the start of its next turn. After you target a creature with this feature, it is immune to it for 24 hours. #### Finale: The Warrior's Sacrifice At 14th level, you have memorized the finale of this tale, thereby completing it in its entirety. The warrior battles the dragon and suffers a fatal, venomous bite. However, he continues fighting and slays the dragon before perishing shortly afterward. His man sorrowfully carries the warrior back to the city, and the people hold a proper funeral; placing him on a burning boat and sending it out to sea. The warrior's sacrifice inspires you to stand against all odds, even should you be struck down. While intoning, you have advantage on Charisma saving throws. In addition, the DC for your Neverending Story feature resets to 10 when you finish a short or long rest. #### Aspect of the Warrior At 20th level, you are the epitome of a skald. You embody the might of the warrior from your epic, and legends not unlike the ones you tell will be told about you someday. Perhaps in centuries, perhaps decades, years, months, weeks, or even tomorrow. Your Strength score increases by 4. Your maximum for that score is now 24. In addition, when you begin intoning choose one damage type other than force, psychic, or thunder. For the duration of your intonation, you are immune to damage of that type.

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### The Chronicle of the King's War Skalds who choose to memorize The Chronicle of the King's War often come from a religious, mystical background where they may have honed their skills in the arcane (or perhaps divine) arts. They tell the story of five princes forced to fight a war over a throne their cousins have wrongfully claimed and the repercussions they suffer after the fighting is done. By memorizing this epic, you choose to expand your wealth of magical abilities and become a powerful presense on the battlefield, further mixing the disciplines of sword, sorcery, and poetry. #### Introduction: The Prince's Lesson At 3rd level, you have memorized the introduction to this tale. It begins with a god in the form of a man descending, and approaching a prince who must face family and friends on the battlefield to deliver him philosophical advice. The prince's lesson inspire you to improve your magical abilities. You learn two cantrips from the skald spell list. ``` ``` #### Tension: The Princes' Victory At 6th level, you have memorized the rising action of this tale. The battle proceeds, and both sides suffer heavy casualties. Barely a single person remains left alive aside from the prince and his brothers, also princes. The mother of the princes leading the losing side curses the god for not using his divine abilities to end the battle before blood was shed; he accepts this burden. The princes' victory inspires you to further strength your casting abilities. You learn another cantrip from the skald spell list. In addition, once during each of your turns when you cast a skald spell, you can add your Charisma modifier to one of the spell's damage rolls. #### Climax: The Princes' Disillusion At 10th level, you have memorized the climax of this tale. The princes, disillusioned by the bloodshed and murder that ocurred during the war, decide to forego their rights to the throne. They decide together to instead climb a mountain and reach heaven while still alive; along the way, they are joined by a stray dog that takes the journey with them. One-by-one, the princes perish in the quest until only the eldest and the dog remain. The princes' endeavor to reach heaven inspires you to reach divine heights with your own magic. You learn another cantrip from the skald spell list. In addition, you can cast a spell from skald spell list, even one you don't know, without expending a spell slot. The spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and must not include a damage roll. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again. #### Finale: The Princes' Ascension At 14th level, you have memorized the finale of this tale, thereby completing it in its entirety. The dog morphs, revealing its true form to be that of a god. The god teaches wisdom to the eldest prince, and tells him that the reason his brothers died and he did not was due to the various past sins they had committed. He takes the prince to hell and shows him his brothers before taking him to heaven. He tells the prince that, after time enough repentence, his brothers will join him here. And that they did. The princes' ascension inspires you to fully realize your magical potential. You learn another cantrip from the skald spell list. In addition, when you take the Attack action with a melee weapon on your turn or use your Storied Strike, you can cast a cantrip you know as a bonus action. If it requires a ranged spell attack, its range becomes Touch for this casting, and you make a melee spell attack instead. #### Aspect of the Prince At 20th level, you are the epitome of a skald. You embody the wisdom imparted upon the princes from your epic, and legends not unlike the ones you tell will be told about you someday. Perhaps in centuries, perhaps decades, years, months, weeks, or even tomorrow. Your Charisma score increases by 4. Your maximum for that score is now 24. \page

### Skald Spells **Cantrips (o level)** Booming Blade Blade Ward Chill Touch Fire Bolt Friends Green-Flame Blade Light Mage Hand Message Minor Illusion Prestidigitation Ray of Frost Shocking Grasp Vicious Mockery
**1st Level** Absorb Elements Charm Person Chromatic Orb Command Comprehend Languages Cure Wounds Detect Magic Forceful Battlecry Heroism Ice Knife Identify Shield Thunderwave Witch Bolt
**2nd Level** Calm Emotions Darkness Enhance Ability Enlarge/Reduce Enthrall Flame Blade Hold Person Magic Mouth Shadow Blade Shatter Suggestion Tale of Horror Ray of Enfeeblement Zone of Truth
**3rd Level** Counterspell Dispel Magic Haste Lightning Bolt Protection from Energy Sending Tale of Courage Tongues Vampiric Touch ``` ```

**4th Level** Compulsion Dimension Door Dominate Beast Polymorph Storm Sphere Tale of War
**5th Level** Dominate Person Geas Legend Lore Mass Cure Wounds Steel Wind Strike Tale of Hope/Woe

> ##### Art Credits (in order of appearance) > Yisan, the Wanderer Bard from Magic the Gathering by Chase Stone > > Memories of Ice (cover art) by Steve Stone, edit by unknown > > Skald from Vikings: Warriors of the North, art by Bartek Fedyczak and Jarek Nocoń > > Bard from The Bard's Tale IV, Art Director Michael "Maxx" Kaufman > > Painting of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, artist unknown > > Beowulf and the Dragon by J.R. Skelton > > The Perfection of Yoga (cover art), book by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada \page

## New Skald Spells Courtesy almost entirely of /u/BossLeiser #### Forceful Battlecry *1st-level evocation* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Instantaneous You unleash a mighty roar audible to 300 feet, creating a shockwave that slams into a creature or object you can see within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. The target being within 5 feet of you doesn’t impose disadvantage on the attack roll. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 thunder damage. Additionally, if the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be pushed 10 feet in a straight line away from you and be knocked prone. On a miss, the target takes half damage and isn’t pushed or knocked prone. An unsecured object is automatically pushed 10 feet away from you on a hit. _**At Higher Levels.**_ When you cast the spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 and the push distance increases by 5 feet for each slot level above 1st. #### Tale of Courage *3rd-level enchantment* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (30-foot radius) - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You begin telling a tale of bravery and heroism, radiating an aura of courage in a 30-foot radius around you. Until the spell ends, the aura moves with you, centered on you. Each non-hostile creature in the aura (including you) is immune to being frightened, and gains a +1 bonus to saving throws. If a creature can’t hear you, it gains no benefit from this spell. #### Tale of Hope/Woe *5th-level enchantment* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self (30-foot radius) - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You begin reciting a tale designed to inspire either hope or woe (your choice when you cast the spell) in the hearts of those who hear it, creating a 30-foot radius aura around you. Until the spell ends, the aura moves with you, centered on you. If a creature can’t hear you, it is immune to this spell, both to its benefits and to its detrimental effects. _**Tale of Hope.**_ Each non-hostile creature within the aura (including you) has advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws, and when such a creature makes an attack, the attack deals an extra 1d6 damage. _**Tale of Woe.**_ Each hostile creature in the aura has disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws, and when such a creature makes an attack, the attack deals 1d6 less damage (this can’t reduce the damage below 1). A creature is immune to this effect if it is immune to being charmed or frightened. Until the spell ends, you can use a bonus action on each of your subsequent turns to change the moral of your tale with a plot twist, changing your Tale of Hope into a Tale of Woe, or vice versa. #### Tale of Horror *2nd-level enchantment* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You look straight into the eyes of one creature you can see within range, and, without breaking eye contact, begin bellowing a nightmarish tale audible to 300 feet that hits the creature like a shockwave. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. The target being within 5 feet of you doesn’t impose disadvantage on the attack roll. On a hit, the target takes 3d8 thunder damage, and, if it can hear you, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the spell ends. On a miss, the target takes half damage and isn’t frightened. A target frightened this way can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effects on a success. It has disadvantage on the saving throw if you’re within 5 feet of it. _**At Higher Levels.**_ When you cast the spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 2nd. #### Tale of War *4th-level evocation* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute You begin a booming retelling of a large-scale battle filled with death and destruction. You initiate the tale with the crunch of armies clashing, creating a shockwave audible to 300 feet that strikes at a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. The target being within 5 feet of you doesn’t impose disadvantage on the attack roll. On a hit, the target takes 3d10 thunder damage. On a miss, the target takes half damage. Until the spell ends, you can use a bonus action on each of your subsequent turns to reenact the clanging of swords, ferocious battlecries, or screams of the dying, repeating the attack against a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. You can direct the attack at the same target or a different one.

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