Path of the Skald

Throughout time immemorial song has ever been a representation of emotional highs and lows. Skalds have forged this art to a hardened edge with their rage and prowess. A song of a fallen warrior, a poem of lands defended. or even a simple tavern song can inspire and bolster an adventuring party. In the words of a skald these hold much more force. Driven by the power of spell and rage they lead others into the fray with sword and song.

Skalds are warrior poets practiced at channeling the fervor of song into battle to inspire those around them. These hymns are sung like a mantra, channeling their ferocity into a mystical force. These warrior poets drive their allies forward with song and chant. Their prowess with weapons just as deadly as their skill at song, poem, or chant. Forever funneling the fire of battle into the bellies of their comrades, skalds perform not only art , but the art of war.

Battle Singer

Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you can begin a Battle Song when you rage. If you do so, for the duration of your rage you may cast spells while your Battle Song is active. Alternatively you may inspire an ally within 30 feet, as a bonus action on your turn, allowing them to add your rage bonus to their attack roll or damage roll. When your rage ends, you suffer one level of exhaustion. 

You gain proficiency with the Performance skill and learn an instrument of your choice.

Spellcasting

Spellcasting

When you reach 3rd level, you augment your combat abilities with the ability to cast spells. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the bard spell list.

Cantrips

You learn two cantrips of your choice from the bard spell list. You learn an additional bard cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots

The Skald Spellcasting 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 shield and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast shield using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher

You know three 1st-level bard spells of your choice, all of which are chosen from the bard spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Skald Spellcasting table shows when you learn more bard spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be an bard spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the wizard spells you know with another spell of your choice from the wizard spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be an abjuration or evocation spell, unless you’re replacing the spell you gained at 3rd, 8th, 14th, or 20th level from any school of magic.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your bard spells, since you learn your spells through performance and lore. 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

Skald Spellcasting

Barbarian Level	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	— Spell Slots per Spell Level —
			1st	2nd	3rd	4th
3rd	2	3	2	—	—	—
4th	2	4	3	—	—	—
5th	2	4	3	—	—	—
6th	2	4	3	—	—	—
7th	2	5	4	2	—	—
8th	2	6	4	2	—	—
9th	2	6	4	2	—	—
10th	3	7	4	3	—	—
11th	3	8	4	3	—	—
12th	3	8	4	3	—	—
13th	3	9	4	3	2	—
14th	3	10	4	3	2	—
15th	3	10	4	3	2	—
16th	3	11	4	3	3	—
17th	3	11	4	3	3	—
18th	3	11	4	3	3	—
19th	3	12	4	3	3	1
20th	3	13	4	3	3	1

Warrior Poet

At 6th level, you have mastered the art of spellcasting and weapon use while raging. When you use your action to cast a Bard Cantrip, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action while using Battle Song.

At 10th level while your Battle Song is active you may make a bonus action attack when you use your action to cast a Bard Spell of any level.

Wrathful Hymn

Starting at 10th level, When a creature damages you with a melee attack, you may use your reaction to retaliate with a melee attack as a reaction. If this attack hit it deals an additional 2d12 thunder damage.

Chorus of War

Starting at 14th level, when you begin a Battle Song you grant your rage bonus to damage to all allies within 30 feet. In addition allies that begin their turn within 30 feet of you gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency modifier. Your Battle Song no longer exhausts you.