College of Theatrics

Bards of the College of Theatrics combine mastery of the tongue with tales of legend, history, and fiction. Performance is the highest honor to these bards, the stage providing them the opportunity to share a sober perspective on life, death, and the state of the world. Whether their audience realizes it or not, they have become the subjects of a grand experiment: life informing art and art influencing life. 

 

Masquerade

At 3rd level, you gain a magical mask, which expresses an emotion based on its active effect. You determine its appearance, or generate it randomly by rolling on the Masquerade table. When you roll initiative, you may activate on of the following effects. You may later change the effect as a bonus action on your turn. 

Anxiety. Your mask shifts to an expression of fear. When you make a saving throw while this effect is active, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to roll the die and add the number rolled to that saving throw. You can wait until after you roll the d20 before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails.

Comedy. Your mask shifts to an expression of joy. When you fail an ability check using a skill while this effect is active, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to roll the die and add the number rolled to that ability check, potentially turning the failure into a success. You expend the use of your Bardic Inspiration only if the ability check then succeeds.

Fury. Your mask shifts to an expression of anger. When you deal damage to a creature with an attack or spell while this effect is active, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to roll the die and add the number rolled to the damage of the attack or spell. 

Tragedy. Your mask shifts to an expression of sadness. When you heal a creature while this effect is active, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to roll the die and add the number rolled to the healing. 

Masquerade

Thespian

At 6th level, your theater training sharpens your abilities of precision as a dancer, your intellect as a scholar, and your antics as a jester. You have advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics), Intelligence (History) and Charisma (Performance) checks.

Engaging Monologue

At 6th level, you learn how to use your theatrics to distract, confuse, and overwhelm others. If you spend at least 1 minute interacting with another creature outside of combat, you can choose one of the following effects:

• The DM tells you if one creature is your equal, superior, or inferior in regard to Intelligence and Wisdom scores
• Any creature who can hear and see you and is within 20 feet of you has disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) and Wisdom (Perception) checks
• A number of creatures within 10 feet of you who can hear and see you, up to a number equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one), must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be charmed or frightened by you (your choice).

Master of Performing Arts

At 14th level, your beguiling qualities give you a supernatural charm. As a result, whenever you make a Charisma check, you gain a bonus to the check equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1). Additionally, you are immune to being charmed and frightened, and when another creature attempts to charm or frighten you, you can use your reaction to attempt to turn the effect back on that creature. The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your bard spell save DC or be subjected to the triggering condition by you instead, for a number of minutes equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of +1).