Bard College of Masks

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Overview & Creation

To see the world through another’s eyes. To show the world a face not your own. To become someone else. These are the actor’s pursuits. Some local players might putter about on the stage as a hobby or distraction, but not bards of the College of Masks. Like liquid bronze being poured into a mold, these actors have turned their sense of self into a malleable thing able to transform themselves into someone else.

 

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Class Features

Bardic Inspiration

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.  

Jack of All Trades

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.  

Song of Rest

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, 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.  

Bard College

At 3rd level, you delve into the advanced techniques of a bard college of your choice. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th and 14th level.  

Expertise

At 3rd level, choose two of your skill proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either o f the chosen proficiencies. At 10th level, you can choose another two skill proficiencies to gain this benefit.  

Ability Score Increase

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 s cores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.  

Font of Inspiration

Beginning when you reach 5th level, you regain all of your expended uses o f Bardic Inspiration when you finish a short or long rest.  

Countercharm

At 6th level, you gain the ability to use musical notes or words o f power to disrupt mind-influencing effects. As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end o f your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet o f 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).  

Magical Secrets

By 10th level, you have plundered magical knowledge from a w ide spectrum of disciplines. Choose two spells from any class, including this one. A spell you choose must be o f 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 class at 14th level and again at 18th level.  

Superior Inspiration

At 20th level, when you roll initiative and have no uses of Bardic Inspiration left, you regain one use.

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Starting Equipment

• (a) a rapier, (b) a longsword, or (c) any simple weapon   • (a) a diplomat’s pack or (b) an entertainer's pack   • (a) a lute or (b) any other musical instrument   • Leather armor and a dagger

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Spellcasting

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 spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot o f 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 o f 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 o f 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.

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Subclass Options

College of Masks

Tradition of Performance

The College of Masks not only describes the bard, but it also refers to an Yesoen theatre tradition where a solitary masked actor plays out a story from the country’s myths and folktales, which feature a set of archetypal animal characters such as the Trickster Fox, the Wise Owl, and the enchanting Butterfly, among others. Throughout the show, the actor artfully shifts between masks depicting each character. Each performance is its own special thing, as no two are the same.

Tools of Performance

When you join the College of Masks at 3rd level, you gain the ability to weave arcane boons into theatre masks, which grant you abilities while you wear them. You craft two masks of your choice, which are detailed under the "Masks “section below. You're able to craft one additional mask of your choice when you reach 7th, 1lth, and 15th level in this class. Each time you craft a new mask, you can also replace one mask you've already crafted with a different one.

While wearing a mask you gain the abilities granted by it. You can don or swap masks as an action or bonus action. If an ability from a mask requires a saving throw, the DC is equal to your bard spell save DC.

Copycat

Starting at 3rd level, you gain the ability to quickly shift your appearance to match that of a person. As an action, you can expend one use of Bardic Inspiration to cast the Alter Self* spell, using the spell's Change Appearance option to transform into another humanoid you have seen. When cast in this way, the spell has the following changes:

o It doesn't require your concentration, but you can still end the spell at any time (no action required).

o You gain 5 temporary hit points, and the spell ends early if you lose all these hit points or die.

。 You gain new equipment that you would associate with the target and are aware of it possessing, such as its clothing, armor, weapons, and other small belongings. Any equipment gained in this way has no magical properties, even if the original object used by the target does. Any equipment you were wearing or carrying merges into your new form and you can't activate, use, wield, or otherwise benefit from any of it.

Alter Self

Change Appearance. You transform your appearance. You decide what you look like, including your height, weight, facial features, sound of your voice, hair length, coloration, and distinguishing characteristics, if any. You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your statistics change. You also can't appear as a creature of a different size than you, and your basic shape stays the same; if you're bipedal, you can't use this spell to become quadrupedal, for instance. At any time for the duration of the spell, you can use your action to change your appearance in this way again.

Many-Masked Performance

At 6th level, you gain the ability to enthrall an audience with a dramatic performance. Over the course of 1 minute, you can engage in a captivating performance and attempt to cause nearby creatures to become charmed, frightened, or fall unconscious (your choice). Choose a number of creatures up to your bard level within 60 feet of you that can hear you. When the performance ends, each target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be subjected to the chosen condition.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Gift of Theatre

At 14th level, you gain the ability to give one of your theatre masks to an ally within 5 feet of you. As an action, you temporarily release the incantation that binds your theatre mask to you, allowing one of your allies to use it. The mask can be used in this way for 1 minute and only one other creature can be designated to use it.

Once you've given an ally a theatre mask, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Masks

The masks are presented in alphabetical order.

Bat

While wearing this mask you gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.

Echolocation. You have blindsight 60 ft. You can't use your blindsight while deafened.

Fox

While wearing this mask, you can cast Charm Person* and Silvery Barbs* at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.

Additionally, when you make a Dexterity saving throw, you can use your reaction to gain advantage on the roll.

Moth/Butterfly (7th Level Required)

While wearing this reversible mask on the Butterfly side you can know the spells Major Image* and Hypnotic Pattern*.

You also have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.

While wearing this reversible mask on the moth side, you know the Speak with Dead* spell. Additionally, you can expend a use of your Bardic Inspiration to temporarily move through the Spirit Realm. Whenever you would move, you instead step through the veil and into the Spirit Realm in the area where it overlaps with your current plane. You remain in the Spirit Realm until you stop moving or your turn ends. If you occupy the same spot as a solid object or creature when this happens, you are immediately shunted to the nearest unoccupied space that you can occupy and take ld10 force damage. While on the Spirit Realm, you can only affect and be affected by other creatures on that plane. Creatures that aren’t in the Spirit Realm can’t perceive you and can’t interact with you, unless a special ability or magic has given them the ability to do so. You ignore all objects and effects that aren’t on the Spirit Realm, allowing you to move through objects you perceive on the plane you originated from. This effect lasts until the end of your turn.

Owl (11th Level Required)

While wearing this mask you gain dark vision to 120ft advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or sight.

Silent Flight. In addition have a flying speed of 30 feet and advantage on stealth checks

Flyby. You don’t provoke opportunity attacks when flying out of an enemy’s reach.

Raven

While wearing this mask you can accurately mimic sounds you have heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds you make can tell they are imitations only with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check against a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Corvid Memory. You have proficiency in two skills of your choice. Moreover, when you make an ability check using any skill in which you have proficiency, you can give yourself advantage on the check before rolling the d20. You can give yourself advantage in this way a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest

Serpent

While wearing this mask you have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the poisoned condition on yourself. You also have resistance to poison damage. You also know the poison spray cantrip.

Additionally you gain blindsight 10ft

Spider

While wearing this mask you can cast Spider Climb* at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.

Additionally, you can use an action to attempt to immobilize a creature you can see within 30 feet of you, injecting it with magical toxins. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become restrained for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, the target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.

Wolf

While wearing this mask you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell. Additionally, you can cast Hunters Mark* at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.

Pack Tactics. You have advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the wolf’s allies is within 5 ft. Of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.

 

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