Bard (Class)/Unearthed Arcana


 * To view the official mechanics and statistics of this class, see Bard.

The material in this article is presented for playtesting and to spark your imagination. These game mechanics are in draft form, usable in your campaign but not refined by full game design and editing. They aren't officially part of the game and aren't permitted in D&D Adventurers League events. Ask your Dungeon Master before using any material on this page.

If Wizards of the Coast decides to make this material official, it will be refined based on your feedback, and then it will appear in a D&D book.

= Class Feature Variants = ([Unearthed Arcana: Class Feature Variants])

Spell Versatility
1st-level bard feature (enhances Spellcasting)

Whenever you finish a long rest, you can replace one spell you learned from this Spellcasting feature with another spell from the bard spell list. The new spell must be the same level as the spell you replace.

= Mages of Strixhaven = (Unearthed Arcana: Mages of Strixhaven])

Using These Subclasses
Unlike regular subclasses, the options presented here are designed to be compatible with multiple classes. The classes that are compatible with each subclass option are specified in each subclass's entry.

Choosing the Subclass
When you choose a subclass for your character (a bard's Bardic College, a wizard's Arcane Tradition, and so on), you can instead choose one of these subclass options, so long as the subclass is compatible with your character's class. You can choose the subclass only once, even if you multiclass into another class that is also compatible with the subclass.

How the subclass manifests in your character's story is up to you. Perhaps your sorcerer's innate spark of elemental magic has been determinedly honed by this schooling ever since they first showed arcane potential, or your warlock eschewed their patron's usual boons for learning these more esoteric manifestations of power. Maybe your druid chose to attend university instead of joining a druidic circle, or your wizard balked at a traditional apprenticeship in favor of newfangled numeromancy.

At Higher Levels
Like regular subclasses, the subclass you choose here grants your character new abilities at higher levels. When your character would normally gain a new subclass feature (as noted in your character's class table), you gain a feature from this subclass instead. All the subclass features detailed here have a level prerequisite, as noted beneath their name, and you must meet the prerequisite to gain the feature. For example, to gain a feature noted as "Level 6+," your character must be 6th level or higher in the class for which the subclass was chosen. So if you're a wizard with the Mage of Prismari subclass, you must be a 6th-level wizard to gain the Favored Medium feature.

When you reach certain levels, you might be eligible to choose from among multiple features in the subclass. When you reach such a point, you select one of these features for your character to gain. Unless otherwise specified, you can gain no more than one subclass feature at a time. For example, if you are a bard with the Mage of Lorehold subclass, at 14th level you gain your choice of either the War Echoes feature or the History's Whims feature, but not both.

Mage of Lorehold
Mages of Lorehold are particularly concerned with the forces that underlie and drive history. Drawing inspiration from the scholars and adventurers of old, they manifest the arcane power of the past through ethereal dioramas and fantastical battle prowess. Lorehold mages are often found with a long-dead spirit summoned at their side — for who better to learn ancient history from than one who has experienced it first-hand?

Using This Subclass
Upon selecting the Mage of Lorehold subclass, you gain two features: Lorehold Spells and Ancient Companion.

In this subclass's features, any reference to your class refers to the class from which you gained the subclass. If you're a bard, the College of Lorehold counts as your college; if you're a warlock, the magic of the college serves as your patron; and if you're a wizard, the college represents your arcane tradition.

When you subsequently reach a level in your class that gives you a subclass feature, you gain one feature of your choice from the options presented here. Each feature has a class level prerequisite, as noted beneath its name. You must meet that prerequisite to gain the feature.

Lorehold Spells
Level 1+ Mage of Lorehold Feature

You learn the cantrip Sacred Flame and the 1st-level spell Comprehend Languages. You learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Lorehold Spells table.

Each of these spells counts as a class spell for you, but it doesn't count against the number of spells you know. If you are a wizard, you can add these spells to your spellbook upon learning them, without expending any gold, and prepare them as normal.

Ancient Companion
Level 1+ Mage of Lorehold Feature

You learn to call on the spirits of the ancient dead and house them temporarily in the remnants of old statues, so they may remain longer on this plane to bolster your studies and aid you in battle.

Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can call forth and bond with one such spirit, who comes to inhabit a Medium, freestanding statue within 10 feet of you to serve as your ancient companion. See this creature's game statistics in the Ancient Companion stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. When you bond with your ancient companion, choose the type of spirit you bond with: Healer, Sage, or Warrior. Your choice of spirit determines certain traits in its stat block. The statue determines the spirit's appearance.

The ancient companion is friendly to you and your companions and obeys your commands. In combat, the companion shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the companion can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.

As an action, you can touch the ancient companion and expend a spell slot of 1st-level or higher. The ancient companion regains a number of hit points equal to 10 times the level of spell slot expended.

The companion perishes when it drops to 0 hit points, when you bond with a new ancient companion at the end of a short or long rest, or when you die. When the companion perishes, the spirit within returns to its plane of origin, and the statue becomes an inert object.

Lessons of the Past
Level 6+ Mage of Lorehold Feature

Through your studies, you learn how to better listen and take to heart the teachings of history. When you bond with your ancient companion, you gain the following additional benefits depending on the type of spirit you chose:

Healer. Your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to your level in this class, and you gain the same number of hit points. When you regain hit points from a spell, you regain an additional 1d8 hit points.

Sage. You have advantage on ability checks using the Arcana, History, Nature, and Religion skills. Additionally, once per turn, when you deal damage to a creature with a spell of 1st-level or higher, you can deal an additional 1d8 force damage to that creature.

Warrior. If you use your action to cast a cantrip, you can make one weapon attack as part of that action. If that weapon attack hits, the target takes an additional 1d8 radiant damage.

When you bond with a new ancient companion of a different type, you immediately lose the benefits of your previous companion and gain the benefits from the new companion's type.

War Echoes
Level 10+ Mage of Lorehold Feature

By pulling from the magic of the past, you can cause your opponent's old wounds to resonate anew. Once per turn, when a creature you can see hits a target with an attack roll, you can use your reaction to force the target to make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, the target becomes vulnerable to one of the damage types dealt by the attack. This vulnerability lasts until the end of the target's next turn and affects the damage dealt by the triggering attack.

You can use your reaction in this way a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

History's Whims
Level 14+ Mage of Lorehold Feature

Through steeping yourself in the chaotic whims of history, you learn how to briefly channel the wild nature of time itself. As a bonus action, you can enter a state of chronal chaos. When you enter this state, and at the start of each of your subsequent turns while in this state, you gain one of the following benefits of your choice:

Luck. You receive brief flashes of the future, steeling yourself against oncoming assaults. Whenever you make a saving throw against an effect that deals damage, you can roll a d6 and add the number rolled to the total.

Resistance. You rewind time, knitting together injuries as they occur. You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

Swiftness. Time stutters, slowing others but hurtling you forward. Your movement speed increases by 15 feet, and you do not provoke opportunity attacks.

The benefit lasts until the start of your next turn. You cannot choose the same benefit two rounds in a row.

The state lasts for 1 minute and ends early if you're incapacitated. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a spell slot of 4th level or higher to use it again.

Mage of Silverquill
Mages of Silverquill hone the power of words. They channel the magic of light and shadow through words, whether spoken aloud, written, or signed through gestures. The words of a mage of Silverquill bring salvation to their allies and despair to their enemies.

Using This Subclass
Upon selecting the Mage of Silverquill subclass, you gain two features: Eloquent Apprentice and Silvery Barbs.

In this subclass's features, any reference to your class refers to the class from which you gained the subclass. If you're a bard, the College of Silverquill counts as your college, if you're a warlock, the college counts as your patron, and if you're a wizard, the college counts as your tradition.

When you subsequently reach a level in your class that gives you a subclass feature, you gain one feature of your choice from the options presented here. Each feature has a class level prerequisite, as noted beneath its name. You must meet that prerequisite to gain the feature.

Eloquent Apprentice
Level 1+ Mage of Silverquill Feature

You learn one cantrip of your choice, either Sacred Flame or Vicious Mockery. It doesn't count against the number of cantrips you know, and it is added to your class spell list if it isn't there already.

Additionally, you gain proficiency in your choice of two of the following skills: Deception, Intimidation, Performance, Persuasion, or Insight.

Silvery Barbs
Level 1+ Mage of Silverquill Feature

You can invoke words laced with magic to demoralize your foes and turn their misfortune into a boon to bolster your allies. Immediately after a creature you can see within 60 feet of you succeeds on an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can use your reaction to demoralize the creature. Unless the creature is immune to being charmed, it rerolls the d20 and must use the lower roll. If the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw then fails, you can choose a different creature you can see within 60 feet of you (you can choose yourself). That creature is empowered, and can reroll one attack roll, ability check, or saving throw it makes within 1 minute and use the higher result. A creature can be empowered by only one use of this feature at a time.

Once a creature fails an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw because of a reroll forced by this feature, you can't use the feature again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a spell slot to use it again.

Inky Shroud
Level 6+ Mage of Silverquill Feature

You learn the Darkness spell, and it is added to your class spell list if it isn't there already. If you are a wizard, you add it to your spellbook, if it's not there already.

You can cast the spell without expending a spell slot, and you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. When you cast the spell in this way, you can see normally through the darkness created, and when a creature you can see starts its turn in the darkness, you can deal 2d10 psychic damage to that creature.

You can also cast the spell normally, without the additional effects, by using spell slots you have of 2nd level or higher.

Infusion of Eloquence
Level 10+ Mage of Silverquill Feature

When you cast a spell that deals damage, you can invoke additional words of power to change the spell's damage type to your choice of psychic or radiant. Any creature damaged by the spell takes extra damage equal to your proficiency bonus and has its emotions swayed with despair or adoration, based on the damage type dealt:

Psychic. The creature is frightened of you until the start of your next turn.

Radiant. The creature is charmed by you until the start of your next turn.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Word of Power
Level 14+ Mage of Silverquill Feature

You can invoke a word of power that is the pinnacle of your magical study. You gain the following options:

Deadly Despair. When the target of your Silvery Barbs fails an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw because of the reroll, you can invoke a word of despair to give the target vulnerability to one damage type of your choice until the start of your next turn.

Selfless Invocation. When a creature you can see within 60 feet of you takes damage, you can invoke a word of power using your reaction to grant the creature resistance to that damage, and you take an amount of psychic damage equal to the damage that creature takes.

= Kits of Old = ( Unearthed Arcana: Kits of Old])

College of Satire
Bards of the College of Satire are called jesters. They use lowbrow stories, daring acrobatics, and cutting jokes to entertain audiences, ranging from the crowds in a rundown dockside pub to the nobles of a king's royal court. Where other bards seek forgotten lore or tales of epic bravery, jesters ferret out embarrassing and hilarious stories of all kinds. Whether telling the ribald tale of a brawny stable hand's affair with an aged duchess or a mocking satire of a paladin of Helm's cloying innocence, a jester never lets taste, social decorum, or shame get in the way of a good laugh.

While jesters are masters of puns, jokes, and verbal barbs, they are much more than just comic relief. They are expected to mock and provoke, taking advantage of how even the most powerful folk are expected by tradition to endure a jester's barbs with good humor. This expectation allows a jester to serve as a critic or a voice of reason when others are too intimidated to speak the truth.

For the duchess with a taste for strapping young laborers, such tales might serve to warn the targets of her affections and force her to change her ways for lack of willing partners. Striking back at the jester only ruins her already damaged reputation, and might provide the best evidence that the jester's satires have hit their mark. But if she is kind and generous to her conquests, the jokes and stories cast her as a kind of folk hero, while drawing even more potential partners to her.

Jesters are loyal to only one cause: the pursuit and propagation of the truth. They use their comedy and innocuous appearance to break down social barriers and expose corruption, incompetence, and stupidity among the rich and powerful. Whether revealing a con artist's treachery or exposing a baron's plans for war as driven by greed and bloodlust, a jester serves as the conscience of a realm.

Jesters adventure to safeguard the common folk and to undermine the plans of the rich, powerful, and arrogant. Their magic bolsters allies' spirits while casting doubt into foes' minds. Among bards, jesters are unmatched acrobats, and their ability to tumble, dodge, leap, and climb makes them slippery opponents in battle.

Bonus Proficiencies
When you join the College of Satire at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with thieves' tools. You also gain proficiency in Sleight of Hand and one additional skill of your choice. If you are already proficient with thieves' tools or in Sleight of Hand, choose another skill proficiency for each proficiency you already have.

Tumbling Fool
At 3rd level, you master a variety of acrobatic techniques that allow you to evade danger. As a bonus action, you can tumble. When you tumble, you gain the following benefits for the rest of your turn:
 * You gain the benefits of taking the Dash and Disengage actions.
 * You gain a climbing speed equal to your current speed.
 * You take half damage from falling.

Fool's Insight
At 6th level, your ability to gather stories and lore gains a supernatural edge. You can cast Detect Thoughts up to a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier. You regain any expended uses of this ability after completing a long rest.

If a creature resists your attempt to probe deeper and succeeds at its saving throw against your Detect Thoughts, it immediately suffers an embarrassing social gaffe. It might loudly pass gas, unleash a thunderous burp, trip and fall, or be compelled to tell a tasteless joke.

Fool's Luck
Jesters seem to have a knack for pulling themselves out of tight situations, transforming what looks like sure failure into an embarrassing but effective success.

At 14th level, you can expend one use of Bardic Inspiration after you fail an ability check, fail a saving throw, or miss with an attack roll. Roll a Bardic Inspiration die and add the number rolled to your attack, saving throw, or ability check, using the new result in place of the failed one.

If using this ability grants you a success on the attack, saving throw, or ability check, note the number you rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die. The DM can then apply that result as a penalty to an attack or check you make, and you cannot use this ability again until you suffer this drawback. When the DM invokes this penalty, describe an embarrassing gaffe or mistake you make as part of the affected die roll.