Can Cast Spells: Yes
Masters of song, speech, and the magic they contain, bards are the consummate storytellers and artists of the adventuring world. Through their performances, they bring to life the great tales of heroes past, weaving magic into their words and music to inspire allies, demoralize foes, and even reshape reality itself. Whether you're a wandering minstrel collecting stories from distant lands, a scholar preserving ancient lore through song, or a cutting satirist speaking truth to power, your greatest weapon is your artistic expression.
As a bard, you understand that music and words are more than mere entertainment -- they are the threads that bind all things together in the grand tapestry of existence. Your performances can heal wounds, lift spirits, and break curses, while your knowledge spans a vast array of subjects, making you as much a walking library as an entertainer. In battle, your magical songs can bolster your companions' courage, confound your enemies' minds, or even call forth powerful magical effects. Through wit, charm, and a dash of magical talent, you prove that sometimes the pen -- or in this case, the performance -- truly is mightier than the sword.
Hit Dice: 1d8 per bard level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 + your Constitution modifier per bard level after 1st
Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
Tools: Three musical instruments of your choice
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Choose any three
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
You have learned to untangle and reshape the fabric of reality in harmony with your wishes and music. Your spells are part of your vast repertoire, magic that you can tune to different situations.
Cantrips
You know two cantrips of your choice from the bard spell list. You learn additional bard cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Bard table.
Spell Slots
The Bard table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your bard 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.
For example, if you know the 1st-level spell cure wounds and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast cure wounds using either slot.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
You know four 1st-level spells of your choice from the bard spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Bard table shows when you learn more bard spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the table. For instance, when you reach 3rd 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 bard spells you know and replace it with another spell from the bard spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your bard spells. Your magic comes from the heart and soul you pour into the performance of your music or oration. 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 bard 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
Ritual Casting
You can cast any bard spell you know as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag.
Spellcasting Focus
You can use a musical instrument as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells.
You can inspire others through stirring words or music. To do so, you use a bonus action on your turn to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear you. That creature gains one Bardic Inspiration die, a d6.
Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Bardic Inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Bardic Inspiration die at a time.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Your Bardic Inspiration die changes when you reach certain levels in this class. The die becomes a d8 at 5th level, a d10 at 10th level, and a d12 at 15th level.
Starting at 2nd level, you can add half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check you make that doesn't already include your proficiency bonus.
Beginning at 2nd level, you can use soothing music or oration to help revitalize your wounded allies during a short rest. If you or any friendly creatures who can hear your performance regain hit points at the end of the short rest by spending one or more Hit Dice, each of those creatures regains an extra 1d6 hit points.
The extra hit points increase when you reach certain levels in this class: to 1d8 at 9th level, to 1d10 at 13th level, and to 1d12 at 17th level.
At 3rd level, you delve into the advanced techniques of a bard college of your choice. Select one bard subclass. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th and 14th level.
At 3rd level, choose two of your skill proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.
At 10th level, you can choose another two skill proficiencies to gain this benefit.
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.
Beginning when you reach 5th level, you regain all of your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you finish a short or long rest.
At 6th level, you gain the ability to use musical notes or words of power to disrupt mind-influencing effects. As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet of you have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed. A creature must be able to hear you to gain this benefit. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it (no action required).
By 10th level, you have plundered magical knowledge from a wide spectrum of disciplines. Choose two spells from any classes, including this one. A spell you choose must be of a level you can cast, as shown on the Bard table, or a cantrip.
The chosen spells count as bard spells for you and are included in the number in the Spells Known column of the Bard table.
You learn two additional spells from any classes at 14th level and again at 18th level.
At 20th level, when you roll initiative and have no uses of Bardic Inspiration left, you regain one use.
| --- Spell Slots per Spell Level --- | |||||||||||
Level |
Proficiency Bonus |
Features |
Cantrips Known |
Spells Known |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
7th |
| 1st | +2 | Spellcasting, Bardic Inspiration (d6) | 2 | 4 | 2 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2nd | +2 | Jack of All Trades, Song of Rest (d6) | 2 | 5 | 3 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3rd | +2 | Bard College, Expertise | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 5th | +3 | Bardic Inspiration (d8), Font of Inspiration | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 6th | +3 | Countercharm, Bard College Feature | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 7th | +3 | --- | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | --- | --- | --- |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | --- | --- | --- |
| 9th | +4 | Song of Rest (d8) | 3 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | --- | --- |
| 10th | +4 | Bardic Inspiration (d10), Expertise, Magical Secrets | 4 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | --- | --- |
| 11th | +4 | --- | 4 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | --- |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | --- |
| 13th | +5 | Song of Rest (d10) | 4 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 14th | +5 | Magical Secrets, Bard College Feature | 4 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 15th | +5 | Bardic Inspiration (d12) | 4 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 17th | +6 | Song of Rest (d12) | 4 | 20 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Magical Secrets | 4 | 22 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 22 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 20th | +6 | Superior Inspiration | 4 | 22 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| College of Creation | Bards believe the cosmos is a work of art -- a creative work that includes harmonies that continue to resound through existence today, a power known as the Song of Creation. |
| College of Eloquence | Adherents of the College of Eloquence master the art of oratory. |
| College of Glamour | The College of Glamour is the home of bards who mastered their craft in the vibrant realm of the Feywild or under the tutelage of someone who dwelled there. |
| College of Lore | Bards of the College of Lore know something about most things. |
| College of Swords | Bards of the College of Swords entertain through daring feats of weapon prowess. |
| College of Valor | Bards of the College of Valor are daring skalds whose tales keep alive the memory of the great heroes of the past, and thereby inspire a new generation of heroes. |
| College of Virtue | The College of Virtue is devoted to preserving the universe's harmony against those forces of chaos and destruction that would disrupt it. |
| College of Whispers | Bards of the College of Whispers use their knowledge and magic to uncover secrets and turn them against others. |
| Name | School | Casting Time | Duration | Range | Comp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blade Ward | Abjuration | 1 action | 1 round | Self | V, S |
| Dancing Lights | Evocation | 1 action | Concentration, up to 1 minute | 120 feet | V, S, M |
| Friends | Enchantment | 1 action | Concentration, up to 1 minute | Self | S, M |
| Light | Evocation | 1 action | 1 hour | Touch | V, M |
| Mage Hand | Conjuration | 1 action | 1 minute | 30 feet | V, S |
| Mending | Transmutation | 1 minute | Instantaneous | Touch | V, S, M |
| Message | Transmutation | 1 action | 1 round | 120 feet | V, S, M |
| Minor Illusion | Illusion | 1 action | 1 minute | 30 feet | S, M |
| Prestidigitation | Transmutation | 1 action | Up to 1 hour | 10 feet | V, S |
| Thunderclap | Evocation | 1 action | Instantaneous | 5 feet | S |
| True Strike* | Divination | 1 action | Instantaneous | Self | S, M |
| Vicious Mockery | Enchantment | 1 action | Instantaneous | 60 feet | V |
| Name | School | Casting Time | Duration | Range | Comp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Friendship | Enchantment | 1 action | 24 hours | 30 feet | V, S, M |
| Bane | Enchantment | 1 action | Concentration, up to 1 minute | 30 feet | V, S, M |
| Charm Person | Enchantment | 1 action | 1 hour | 30 feet | V, S |
| Comprehend Languages | Divination | 1 action | 1 hour | Self | V, S, M |
| Cure Wounds | Evocation | 1 action | Instantaneous | Touch | V, S |
| Detect Magic | Divination | 1 action | Concentration, up to 10 minutes | Self | V, S |
| Disguise Self | Illusion | 1 action | 1 hour | Self | V, S |
| Dissonant Whispers | Enchantment | 1 action | Instantaneous | 60 feet | V |
| Earth Tremor | Evocation | 1 action | Instantaneous | 10 feet | V, S |
| Faerie Fire | Evocation | 1 action | Concentration, up to 1 minute | 60 feet | V |
| Feather Fall | Transmutation | 1 reaction, which you take when you or a creature within 60 feet of you falls | 1 minute | 60 feet | V, M |
| Healing Word | Evocation | 1 bonus action | Instantaneous | 60 feet | V |
| Heroism | Enchantment | 1 action | Concentration, up to 1 minute | Touch | V, S |
| Hideous Laughter | Enchantment | 1 action | Concentration, up to 1 minute | 30 feet | V, S, M |
| Identify | Divination | 1 minute | Instantaneous | Touch | V, S, M |
| Illusory Script | Illusion | 1 minute | 10 days | Touch | S, M |
| Longstrider | Transmutation | 1 action | 1 hour | Touch | V, S, M |
| Silent Image | Illusion | 1 action | Concentration, up to 10 minutes | 60 feet | V, S, M |
| Sleep | Enchantment | 1 action | 1 minute | 90 feet | V, S, M |
| Speak with Animals | Divination | 1 action | 10 minutes | Self | V, S |
| Thunderwave | Evocation | 1 action | Instantaneous | Self (15-foot cube) | V, S |
| Unseen Servant | Conjuration | 1 action | 1 hour | 60 feet | V, S, M |
| Name | School | Casting Time | Duration | Range | Comp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Messenger | Enchantment | 1 action | 24 hours | 30 feet | V, S, M |
Player's Handbook. Wizards of the Coast, 2014.
Trindle Spring Lutheran Church RPG Club | Mechanicsburg, PA