College of Scholarism / Mage of Lorehold Revised

While the art of performance fuels the magic of many bards, some seek knowledge and understanding, scowering through plenty o' tomb for new and great finds. Some, however, look to history for more than inspiration, but to also call them back, and to walk the world you live within currently; to deminstrate your own prowess and to inspire those who inspired today.

Academic Superior.

At 3rd level, when you fail a D20 Test, you can use your reaction to expend a use of your bardic inspiration, roll your Bardic Die, and add it to the total. You must do this after seeing the roll, but before knowing the outcome.

 

Ancient Companion.

You learn to call on the spirits of the ancient dead and house them temporarily in the remnants of old statues, so they may remain longer on this plane to bolster your studies and aid you in battle.

Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can call forth and bond with one such spirit, who comes to inhabit a Medium, freestanding statue within 10 feet of you to serve as your ancient companion. See this creature’s game statistics in the Ancient Companion stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. When you bond with your ancient companion, choose the type of spirit you bond with: Healer, Sage, or Warrior. Your choice of spirit determines certain traits in its stat block. The statue determines the spirit’s appearance.

The ancient companion is friendly to you and your companions and obeys your commands. In combat, the companion shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the companion can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.

As an action, you can touch the ancient companion and expend a spell slot of 1st-level or higher. The ancient companion regains a number of hit points equal to 10 times the level of spell slot expended.

The companion perishes when it drops to 0 hit points, when you bond with a new ancient companion at the end of a short or long rest, or when you die. When the companion perishes, the spirit within returns to its plane of origin, and the statue becomes an inert object.

 

 

Lessons of the Past.

At 6th level, through your studies, you learn how to better listen and take to heart the teachings of history. When you bond with your ancient companion, you gain the following additional benefits depending on the type of spirit you chose:

• Healer. After you take a long rest, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to a roll of your Bardic Die plus your bard class level. Additionally, all spells you cast that cause creatures to regain hit points have a bonus to their rolls equal to your proficiency bonus.
• Sage. When a creature uses your Bardic Die on a D20 Test, they gain a bonus equal to your proficiency bonus. Additionally, you gain proficiency in one skill of your choice that you lack. All skill checks with this skill are made at advantage.
• Warrior. If you use your action to cast a cantrip or spell of 1st-level or higher, once per turn, you can deal an additional 1d8 radiant damage to a creature. This damage applies before resistances or vulnerabilities.

 

War Echoes.

At 14th level, by pulling from the magic of the past, you can cause your opponent’s old wounds to resonate anew. Once per turn, when a creature you can see hits a target with an attack roll, you can use your reaction to force the target to make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, the target becomes vulnerable to one of the damage types dealt by the attack. This vulnerability lasts until the end of the target’s next turn and affects the damage dealt by the triggering attack.

You can use your reaction in this way a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

 

History’s Whims.

Also at 14th level, through steeping yourself in the chaotic whims of history, you learn how to briefly channel the wild nature of time itself. As a bonus action, you can enter a state of chronal chaos. When you enter this state, and at the start of each of your subsequent turns while in this state, you gain one of the following benefits of your choice:

• Luck. You receive brief flashes of the future, steeling yourself against oncoming assaults. Whenever you make a saving throw against an effect that deals damage, you can roll a d6 and add the number rolled to the total.
• Resistance. You rewind time, knitting together injuries as they occur. You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
• Swiftness. Time stutters, slowing others but hurtling you forward. Your movement speed increases by 15 feet, and you do not provoke opportunity attacks.
  The benefit lasts until the start of your next turn. You cannot choose the same benefit two rounds in a row.

The state lasts for 1 minute and ends early if you’re incapacitated. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a spell slot of 5th level or higher to use it again.

 

Ancient Companion StatBlock

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Ancient Companion | Medium Construct, Any Alignment

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Armor Class: 14 (Natural armor) + 2 (Warrior only)

Hit Points: 5 + 5 times your Bard level (the companion has a number of Hit Dice [d8s] equal to your level in this class)

Speed: 30ft

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Str: 14 (+2) | Dex: 9 (-1) | Con: 15: (+2) | Int: 14 (+2) | Wis: 14 (+2) | Cha: 11 (+0)

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Saving Throws: Con +2*, Int +2*, Wis +2*

Skills: History +2*, Perception +2*

Damage Immunities: Poison

Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion

Senses: passive Perception 12*

Languages: Speaks and understands the languages you speak

Challange: ---

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Proficiencies. This creature’s Proficiency bonus equals your Proficiency bonus. Additionally, all features marked with a an asterisks (*) have an additional bonus equal to this creature’s Proficiency bonus. Lastly, this creature can add twice its proficiency bonus to its Perception checks and passive Perception.

Ancient Fortitude. If damage reduces the companion to 0 hit points, it can make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is from a critical hit. On a success, the companion drops to 1 hit point instead.

Sage’s Counsel (Sage Only). While within 15 feet of the companion, you and your allies gain a +2 bonus to Intelligence and Wisdom checks.

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Actions:

Spirit Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target you can see. Hit: 1d8 + 2 + PB force damage.
Healer’s Light (Healer Only). The companion chooses a creature it can see within 15 feet of itself and flares with invigorating light. The creature gains 1d8 + PB temporary hit points.

Healer’s Light (Healer Only). The companion chooses a creature it can see within 15 feet of itself and flares with invigorating light. The creature gains 1d8 + PB temporary hit points.

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Reactions:

Warrior’s Protection (Warrior Only). When a creature within 5 feet of the companion makes a Strength or Dexterity saving throw, the companion imposes itself between the creature and the danger. The creature can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the saving throw.