College of Reverence

Enraptured by the otherworldly grace or inspiring benevolence of a god of the upper planes, some bards dedicate themselves to spreading the influence and teachings of their patron deity. They form the College of Reverence. These divine performers (often called Reverends) enthrall and inspire audiences with rousing sermons, and grant glimpses to the utopian planes of their patrons in harmonic ballads. The work of these bards is never finished as they pursue the lofty ideals of their gods. They are sworn to the protection and guidance of their flock, and to steer them to piety through worship and further propagation of the faith. No matter the details, all Reverends seek to spread the good word as they bask in radiant glory.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you join the College of Reverence at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the Religion skill, and gain the ability to speak, read, and understand Celestial.

Divine Magic

Starting at 3rd level, your link to the divine allows you to learn spells normally associated with the cleric class. When your Spellcasting feature lets you learn a bard cantrip or a bard spell of 1st level or higher, you can choose the new spell from the cleric spell list or the bard spell list. You must otherwise obey all the restrictions for selecting the spell, and it becomes a bard spell for you. 

Inspiring Sermon

At 3rd level, you learn to suffuse an inspirational speech with divine power, granting listeners hope and lingering confidence.

You may orate to a number of creatures equal to your Charisma modifier for one minute and expend one use of your bardic inspiration to grant each listener one use of your bardic inspiration. The creatures must understand you and willingly listen to your performance. Until they use the inspiration or it expires, they are immune to being frightened. 

Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Ballad of the Upper Planes

At 6th level, you gain the ability to channel a song which draws on the power of the upper planes - the endless fields of Elysium, the peaks of Mount Celestia, the majestic forests of Arborea, or whatever upper plane your deity claims domain over. As the ballad plays an unearthly chorus emanates from you, praying for the healing of your allies and searing your enemies with the divine power of celestial speech.

As an action you may begin a ballad which lasts for one minute. The ballad ignores magical silence and can still be heard by deafened creatures but not by unconscious creatures. After you cast a spell of first level or higher, choose one creature within 30 feet of you. The chosen creature either takes radiant damage or restores health by a number of d6's equal to the spell's level (to a maximum of number of d6 equal to your proficiency bonus). Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Ascended Acolyte

At 14th level, you have proven yourself to be a leader of faith for your god and an expert in providing motivation to your allies. For your service, your god provides you with the following boons:

• You learn two additional spells from the Cleric spell list.
• The Bardic Inspiration imparted by your Inspiring Sermon lasts until the end of your next long rest. Additionally, when a creature uses your bardic inspiration die from your Inspiring Sermon, they may roll the die twice and take the higher result.