College of Forgotten Lore

Bards who study Forgotten Lore focus on history and eldritch knowledge.  They tend to be more archaeologist than musician - always in search of the smallest tidbit of arcane knowledge lost in the current times.

Eldritch Scholar

When you join the College of Lore at 3rd level, you focus your studies on eldritch lore.  Your spellcasting stat changes to Intelligence and you may select spells from the Warlock spell list.  These spells count as bard spells for you.  You also gain proficiency with tinkerer's tools and one Artificer skill of your choosing.

Enhanced Understanding

You have gained the ability to achieve extreme focus and enter an enhanced mental state where you unlock the long forgotten secrets behind the world and magic. As a bonus action, you can expend one of your uses of Bardic Inspiration. When you do so, for the number of minutes equal half of your bard level (rounded down) you  become very focused and gain the following benefits:

• You are able to read and understand all written and spoken languages (though you may not speak them)
• You ignore all class, race, and level requirements on the use of magic items
• You add your intelligence modifier to spell damage rolls
• You may impose disadvantage on saving throws against a spell you cast, but if you choose to do so, your enhanced mental state immediately ends before the outcomes of the spell are determined

 

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.

Peerless Skill

Starting at 14th level, when you make an ability check, you can expend one use of Bardic Inspiration. Roll a Bardic Inspiration die and add the number rolled to your ability check. You can choose to do so after you roll the die for the ability check, but before the DM tells you whether you succeed or fail.