College of Élan

Bards of the College of Élan pursue passion for its own sake, infusing it into their very beings.  Drink, dance, debate, friendship, love, and even battle are only the variegated proving grounds for the connoisseur's refinement of their vital force.  Ever seeking the evolution of self, these individuals actively maintain a beginner’s mindset and approach the world with unbridled enthusiasm, curiosity, and a sense of wonder.  They take abject joy in the experience of the diverse accomplishments of both others in their college and of those individuals not given to the bardic pursuits. Theirs is an animal magnetism, pulling others into their orbit with a profound sense of gravity.

Like the calm before the storm, bards of the College of Élan wear a practicedly calm facade, while underneath the surface, the bard gathers his essence to be unleashed catastrophically when kairos, the moment to act, presents itself.  He is sprezzatura.

Calm Repose

When you join the College of Élan at 3rd level, if you choose to forgo your movement on your turn, increase your AC and all saving throws by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus and double your movement speed until the end of your next turn. Additionally, when you are subjected to an effect that would move you, knock you prone, or both, you can use your reaction to be neither moved nor knocked prone.

Halcyon Concentration

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to weave your spellcasting and bardic inspiration together to quickly enhance your combat prowess as you await the opportune moment to strike.

When you roll initiative, prior to taking an action that affects an object or a creature other than you, and you use your action to cast a spell that targets only you, you may expend a use of bardic inspiration to cast another spell that targets only you as a bonus action and without expending a spell slot. The spell cast with your bonus action must be of a level equal to or less than the level of the spell cast with your action, and it must be cast at its lowest level. Neither spell may have an area of effect.

Neither the spell cast with your action nor the spell cast with your bonus action take effect nor have a perceivable effect until you use an action or a bonus action that requires concentration or affects a creature or object other than you, at which point, all held spells take effect simultaneously.  Once the spells take effect, you can no longer gain the effects of this trait until your next initiative roll.

Holding these spells in mind from turn to turn, prior to their taking effect, requires concentration.  If you take damage while concentrating on these spells, make a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration on them.  The DC equals 10 or half the damage you take, whichever number is higher.   Traits that affect your ability to maintain concentration on spells also affect this trait.  If you fail your saving throw, the spells slip from your mind without taking effect and without expending spell slots.

You may use this trait a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier.  You regain all uses of Halcyon Concentration when you finish a short or long rest.

Piercing Gaze

Also 3rd level, you can peer into the defenses of a creature in sight. Expend one use of bardic inspiration. Subtract the number rolled from the AC and the saving throws of that creature until it is either hit by an attack or is subject to an effect that causes it to make a saving throw.

Additional Magical Secrets

At 6th level, you learn two spells of your choice from any class. A spell you choose must be of a level you can cast, as shown on the Bard table, or a cantrip. The chosen spells count as bard spells for you but don’t count against the number of bard spells you know.

Vital Impetus

At 14th level, your vitality surges to enhance your combat damage.

For one minute, once on each of your turns, you can deal extra damage to one target when you deal damage to it. The extra damage equals your temporary hit points.

Additionally, during this time, you may cast any spell that grants you and only you temporary hit points as a bonus action.

If your temporary hit points drop to zero while this trait is in effect, you must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw.  On a failed save, you cannot move or take actions until after your next turn, as a wave of lethargy sweeps over you.

You may use this trait a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier.  You regain all uses of Vital Impetus when you finish a short or long rest.