College of Fools

Bards who join the College of Fools use crude stories, daring acrobatics, and cutting jokes to entertain audiences, ranging from the crowds in a tavern to the nobles of a royal court. Where other bards seek out forgotten lore or tales of epic bravery, Fools ferret out embarrassing and hilarious stories of all kinds. Whether telling the tale of a stable hand’s affair with a duchess or a mocking satire of a paladin’s innocence, a Fool never lets social decorum get in the way of truth.

Fools adventure to undermine the plans of the powerful and arrogant. Among bards, Fools are unmatched acrobats, and their ability to tumble, dodge, leap, and climb makes them slippery opponents in battle.

Satirical Theatrics

When you adopt the College of Fools at 3rd level, you gain the skills necessary to pass as a bumbling nincompoop. You gain proficiency in the Acrobatics and Sleight of Hand skills. If you are already proficient in either of these skills you instead gain proficiency in Deception or thieves' tools.

In addition, whenever you make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, you gain a bonus to your roll equal to your bardic inspiration die.

Tumbling Fool

Your training allows you to move about in strange and bizarrely entertaining ways. Starting at 3rd level, you can take the Dash action as a bonus action on your turn. When you take the Dash action, you gain the following benefits, which last until the end of your current turn:

Sharp Tongue

At 6th level you learn the vicious mockery cantrip, but it doesn't count against your total number of Cantrips Known. If you already know vicious mockery you learn an another bard cantrip of your choice. When you damage a creature with vicious mockery, you gain a bonus to the damage roll equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of +1).

Sharper Wit

Starting at 6th level, when a creature that you can see targets you with a weapon or spell attack, you can use your reaction to cast vicious mockery targeting the attacker. If the attacker fails their saving throw, they must choose another target within range of their attack. If there are no other creatures in range then their weapon or spell attack misses.

You can cast vicious mockery as a reaction a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Fools Luck

You have reached the pinnacle of the satirical performing arts. Upon reaching 14th level, you can combine your bardic magic with foolish antics to manipulate luck. When you make an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw with advantage, you can choose to automatically fail in comical fashion.

Once you've used this ability to purposefully fail, you gain 1 point of Fools Luck. You can have a number of points of Fools Luck equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). Any unused Fools Luck fades at the end of your next long rest.

When a creature within 30 feet that can hear you, makes an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can use your reaction to expend a charge of Fools Luck and impose advantage or disadvantage (your choice) on the roll.