Bard
You are a master of artistry, a scholar of hidden secrets, and a captivating persuader. Using powerful performances, you influence minds and elevate souls to new levels of heroics. You might use your powers to become a charismatic leader, or perhaps you might instead be a counselor, manipulator, scholar, scoundrel, or virtuoso. While your versatility leads some to consider you a beguiling ne’er-do-well and a jack-of-all-trades, it’s dangerous to dismiss you as a master of none.
During combat encounters...
You use magical performances to alter the odds in favor of your allies. You confidently alternate between attacks, healing, and helpful spells as needed.
During social encounters...
You persuade, prevaricate, and threaten with ease.
While exploring...
You’re a font of knowledge, folktales, legends, and lore that provide a deeper context and helpful reconnaissance for the group’s adventure. Your spells and performances inspire your allies to greater discovery and success.
In downtime...
You can earn money and prestige with your performances, gaining a name for yourself and acquiring patrons. Eventually, tales of your talents and triumphs might attract other bards to study your techniques in a bardic college.
You might...
- Have a passion for your art so strong that you forge a spiritual connection with it.
- Take point when tact and nonviolent solutions are required.
- Follow your muse, whether it’s a mysterious fey creature, a philosophical
concept, a psychic force, or a deity of art or music, and with its aid learn secret lore that few others have.
Others probably...
• Relish the opportunity to invite you to social events, either as a performer or a guest, but consider you to be something of a curiosity in their social circles.
• Underestimate you compared to other spellcasters, believing you are little more than a foppish minstrel and overlooking the subtle power of your magic.
• Respond favorably to your social charm and abilities, but remain suspicious of your beguiling magic.
Bard Advancement
| Level | Class Features |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ancestry and background, initial proficiencies, occult spellcasting, spell repertoire, composition spells, muse |
| 2 | Bard feat, skill feat |
| 3 | 2nd-level spells, general feat, lightning reflexes, signature spells, skill increase |
| 4 | Bard feat, skill feat |
| 5 | 3rd-level spells, ability boosts, ancestry feat, skill increase |
| 6 | Bard feat, skill feat |
| 7 | 4th-level spells, expert spellcaster, general feat, skill increase |
| 8 | Bard feat, skill feat |
| 9 | 5th-level spells, ancestry feat, great fortitude, resolve, skill increase |
| 10 | Ability boots, bard feat, skill feat |
| 11 | 6th-level spells, bard weapon expertise, general feat, skill increase, vigilant senses |
| 12 | Bard feat, skill feat |
| 13 | 7th-level spells, ancestry feat, light armor expertise, skill increase, weapon specialization |
| 14 | Bard feat, skill feat |
| 15 | 8th-level spells, ability boosts, general feat, master spellcaster, skill increase |
| 16 | Bard feat, skill feat |
| 17 | 9th-level spells, ancestry feat, greater resolve, skill increase |
| 18 | Bard feat, skill feat |
| 19 | General feat, legendary spellcaster, magnum opus, skill increase |
| 20 | Ability boosts, bard feat, skill feat |
Bard Spells Per Day
| Level | Cantrips | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 10 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 12 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 13 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 14 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 15 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 16 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 17 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 18 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — |
| 19 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1* |
| 20 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1* |
- The magnum opus class feature gives you a 10th-level spell slot that works a bit differently from other spell slots.
You gain these abilities as a bard. Abilities gained at higher levels list the requisite levels next to the features’ names.
At every level that you gain a bard feat, you can select one of the following feats. You must satisfy any prerequisites before selecting the feat.