College of Champions

Leaders and Warriors

When dark forces muster in the wilderness, when hosts of monsters assemble to sack civilization’s last redoubts, it falls to the champion to lead the warriors in defense of their lands. Champions draw from their experience and passion to lend courage, skill, and hope to those under their command. A champion forms the iron core of any unit of soldiers, uniting their purpose and bolstering their commitment to see the conflict to its conclusion.

A champion's talents can come from many different aspects of personality or endeavor. Some depend on their bravado, goading their companions to take risks in order to reap great rewards. Others have keen insight into their enemies’ minds. Some champions specialize in hit-and-run tactics, and others are resourceful leaders who always have some trick up their sleeves. The most common champions include those whose presence alone is enough to bind disparate heroes together and the tactical savants who spot weaknesses and exploit them

Champions develop specialized combat maneuvers called tactics. In their elementary form, they are strikes and commands designed to shift the battle toward a more favorable outcome. In addition to these tactics, champions issue commands and orders that improve their allies’ performance, instilling them with determination and vigor.

Most Champions have already had experience in the field, even if it came from leading a tiny expedition. Some are former military leaders who have relinquished their commands to seek their fortunes in the world. Others might have lost their units and be out for revenge against the enemy that brought them to ruin. Whatever the individual’s triumphs or defeats were before becoming an adventurer, every Champion can lead, and lead well.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you join the College of Champions at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons.

Combat Inspiration

Also at 3rd level, you learn to inspire others in battle. A creature that has a Bardic Inspiration die from you can roll that die and add the number rolled to a weapon damage roll it just made. Alternatively, when an attack roll is made against the creature, it can use its reaction to roll the Bardic Inspiration die and add the number rolled to its AC against that attack, after seeing the roll but before knowing whether it hits or misses.

Tactics

At 3rd level, you learn special tactics, refined through trial and error, that allow you to control the battlefield and successfully command your allies. You have a number of tactical points equal to twice your proficiency bonus, which you must expend to use your tactics. You regain expended tactical points on long rest.

You learn three tactics of your choice, which are detailed under Tactics below. Many tactics enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one tactic per attack. 

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the tactics you know and replace it with another tactic that you could learn at that level.

Champion's Rush

Prerequisite: 9th Level Required

When you perform a melee attack on your turn, you may expend 3 tactical points to allow all allied creatures within 120 feet who can see or hear you to move up to their speed. A target can use their reaction to take the Dash or Disengage actions as part of this movement.

If the allied creature has Bardic Inspiration die, they can expend a die and roll it, gaining a bonus to AC equal to the amount rolled against opportunity attacks made as part of this movement.

Champion's Squire

You land a ringing blow against your foe, inspiring a nearby ally to strike a blow of his own. When you hit with an melee attack on your turn, you may expend 2 tactical points to allow an allied creature adjacent to the target to make one attack against them.
If the allied creature has Bardic Inspiration die, they can expend a die and roll it, adding the result to the damage roll for this attack.

Classical Concerto of Confusion

When you hit with an melee attack on your turn, you may expend 1 tactical point to knock your adversary off balance, granting your comrade-in-arms some protection against the villain’s attacks. Until the end of your next turn, one allied creature of your choice adjacent to you or the target gains a +2 bonus to their AC. 

If the allied creature has Bardic Inspiration die, they can expend a die and roll it, gaining a bonus to their AC equal to the amount rolled until this effect ends.

Curb Stomp

Prerequisite: 5th Level Required
When you hit with a melee attack on your turn, you may expend 3 tactical points to sweep the legs out from under your adversary and knock it to the ground with a mighty overhead swing. The target of your attack rolls prone, and allied creatures within 5 feet of the target may use their reaction to make an attack roll against the prone creature. 

If the allied creature has Bardic Inspiration die, they can expend a die and roll it, gaining a bonus to the attack roll made as part of this ability equal to the amount rolled.

Dancing Distraction

Prerequisite: 5th Level Required
No matter how your enemy maneuvers, something comes between it and its quarry - and that something is you. When you hit with an attack on your turn, you may expend 2 tactical points to stand between the target and one allied creature you can see within 10 feet of you. Until the end of your next turn, the target cannot make takes against that allied creature.

Defensive Song

Prerequisite: 9th Level Required

As an action, you may expend 3 tactical points to address your comrades with instructions to help them prevail. All allied creatures within 30 feet that can hear you may immediately repeat a saving throw or make a death saving throw. In addition, a target gains a +1 to their AC and saving throws until the end of your next turn. If the allied creature has Bardic Inspiration die, they can expend a die and roll it, gaining hit points equal to the amount rolled.

Disorientating Blow

When you hit with a melee attack on your turn, you may expend 1 tactical point to deliver a smashing blow to a foe, disorientating it momentarily. The next attack made by your target gains disadvantage on its next attack roll until your next turn.

Folksong of Good Fortune

When you hit with a melee attack on your turn, you may expend 1 tactical point to allow an allied creature within 60 feet to immediately repeat a saving throw or make a death saving throw made in the past 10 minutes.  

If the allied creature has Bardic Inspiration die, they can expend a die and roll it, adding the result to their saving throw. 

Harmonious Hold

Prerequisite: 5th Level Required
When you hit with a melee attack on your turn, you may expend 2 tactical points to forgo one of your attacks and deliver a precision strike to a foe, pinning them where they stand. Whenever the target attempts to move out of your reach, you can use a reaction to reduce their speed to 0. If the target ever leaves your reach, this effect ends.

Hit Point Hymm

You make a powerful strike against your enemy and call to your comrades, lifting their spirits and restoring their battle lust. When you hit with an attack melee on your turn, you may expend 2 tactical points to allow allied creatures within 30 feet to gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). 

If the allied creature has Bardic Inspiration die, they can expend a die and roll it, adding the result to the temporary hit points granted by this ability.

Master Manipulator

Prerequisite: 15th Level Required

Like a puppet master, you expend 4 tactical points as an action to position your enemies exactly where you want them. Each enemy creature of your choice within 60 feet must move up to their movement in a straight line. You decide the direction for this movement.

Musical Medicine

Prerequisite: 5th Level Required
As a bonus action on your turn, you expend 2 tactical points to immediately end the blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, poisoned or stunning condition on a creature within 30 feet. 

If the allied creature has Bardic Inspiration die, they can expend a die and roll it, gaining temporary hit points equal to the amount rolled. 

Ragtime Rush

Prerequisite: 9th Level Required

When you hit with a melee attack on your turn, you may expend 2 tactical points to allow a creature within 60 feet that can see or hear you to use their reaction to move up to their speed. If the creature moves within 5 feet of you, they may make an attack against a target within range. 

If the allied creature has Bardic Inspiration die, they can expend a die and roll it, adding the result to the damage roll of that attack granted by this ability.

Tactical Scream

Prerequisite: 11th Level Required

As an action, you expend 4 tactical points to give you or an allied creature within 30 feet that can see or hear you temporary hit points equal to their total number of hit dice plus twice your Charisma modifier. While the target has temporary hit points from this ability, they gain a bonus to weapon damage rolls equal to your Charisma modifier, and they are immune to the blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, and poisoned conditions. 

If the allied creature has a Bardic Inspiration die, they can expend a die and roll it, gaining additional temporary hit points equal to the amount rolled.

Swift Strategy

At 6th level, you have mastered the art of employing tactics quickly and effectively. When you use your action to employ a tactic, you can employ it as a bonus action instead.

Champion's Entourage

At 14th level, you have learned to inspire your allies when enemies abound. When you use your Bardic Inspiration feature, you may give Bardic Inspiration die to a number of creatures equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). 

Once you use this feature, you may not do so again until you finish a short or long rest.