College of Deduction

Members of the College of Deduction are adept investigators who have mastered the art of deduction, and share their creativity and passion by playing detective. Bards from this college are well known and respected as companions, both in combat and investigations. It is said that the music and poise of a bard from this college heightens the scenes and abilities of their allies. Due to this, College of Deduction Bards are often hired as private investigators or by adventures, nobles, and commanders to aid them with knowledge and tactics.  However, it’s not unlikely for a Deduction bard to be less than bright. After all, a truth that’s been stretched could be easier to believe than reality. 

Observe and Deduce

Starting at 3rd level, observation has become second nature to you, allowing you and your allies to quickly adapt to fights in battle. When you or an ally within 10 feet of you misses an attack roll against a creature, you can use your reaction to give the next attack they make against that creature advantage.

Additionally, you gain an extra reaction at 3rd, 6th, 10th, and 14th level.

Dance of Deduction

Also at 3rd level, you learn how to weave sharp wit into your performances, making others easier to read for your allies. As an action, you can expend a use of your bardic inspiration die to begin a Dance of Deduction, lasting for 1 minute and requiring concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell.) While concentrating this way, you gain the following benefits.  

- Choose a creature within 30 feet of you to become marked. Whenever you or an ally attacks that creature they can roll a bardic inspiration die and add it to the attack roll. This does not expend a use of bardic inspiration and can be made after the roll, but before they know if they succeed or failed.

- If an ally attacks a creature that isn’t marked and is within 30 feet you, you may use your reaction to mark that creature before the attack is made. The previous marked creature is no longer marked. 

Clashing Wits

Beginning at 6th level you gain the ability to engage a creature in a duel of cunning words. If you speak with a creature for at least a minute, you can force them to make wisdom saving throw against your spell save dc. If they fail, you gain the following benefits until you take a long rest:

- You can automatically tell if they are lying or hiding something, but not what it is.

- Investigation and insight checks that you, and your allies if you are near them, make involving or about the creature are made with advantage.

- You can understand what their surface level thoughts, what is most on their mind at the moment, are (Though not any deeper thoughts.)

If they succeed, you can't engage with them in a duel again until you take a short rest. 

Improved Deduction

At 10th level, your senses become sharper, and are able to predict when an attack will be made. When a creature marked by your Dance of Deduction feature makes an attack roll against you or an ally within 30 feet, you may use a reaction to impose disadvantage on their attack roll. 

Elementary

At 14th level, you’ve become a master of predicting and exploiting other’s combat skills. If an attack roll succeeds from the result of your Observe and Deduce, Dance of Deduction, or Bardic Inspiration features, the damage of the attack is increased by your charisma modifier.