College of the Genteel

Bards of the College of the Genteel are true gentlemen and ladies, in all respects. Although their upbringing varies, these bards eventually find their ways into the finer things in life. When playing music, they tend to focus on harmonious melodies and spoken word to harness their power. The College of the Genteel emphasizes utmost respect, and a sense of chivalry usually reserved for the most pious of paladins and clerics. 

Often found in royal courts and in the employ of wealthy individuals, bards who have studied in this college always know the right things to say at the right times. They almost always find their ways into the upper circles of whatever city or town that they find themselves in, ingratiating themselves and more often than not making their presence  a welcome necessity to the upper echelon within. 

Just as often, these bards are employed as spies and assassins, as their countenance lends itself easily to life in court. In the rare times when one is caught, they are often able to use their wits and wiles to escape, making use of a combination of a silver tongue and magic to assist them. 

Bonus Proficiencies

When you join the College of the Genteel at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with all mounts and vehicles, as well as proficiency in the Persuasion and Insight skills. 

Tally Ho!

Also at 3rd level, your training within the College of the Genteel has opened your eyes to the benefits of staying alert and swift. You can no longer be surprised, and nonmagical rough terrain no longer slows you or any allies within 30 feet of you.

Additionally, you may now add your Intelligence modifier to your Initiative. 

After You

Finally at 3rd level, you learn to use your music and voice to give allies a much needed boost to their timing. As a reaction, you may expend a Bardic Inspiration die to give surprised allies a chance to react. When you expend the Bardic Inspiration, choose a number of creatures that can hear you within 30 feet. Those creatures cannot be surprised for the next minute, and they are able to act as normal during a surprise round even if they have been surprised. 

Additionally, you may use a reaction to swap Initiative places with an ally without expending a Bardic Inspiration die. You may choose for this swap to be done as a part of the reaction in which an Inspiration die is spent to remove surprise from creatures. 

Sizing Up

At 6th level, you have learned to pay close attention to the details around you in order to give greater insight into your best course of action. You may expend a Bardic Inspiration die and choose to Focus on either a creature you can see, or the environment around you. 

If you choose the environment, then you spend a minute to become Focused for the next hour. While focused, you have advantage on Perception and Investigation checks made within this area. You also gain insight into the movement of any creatures that passed through the area from up to an hour ago. This tells you the time that any creatures made their way through, as well as which direction that they came and went. You may discover more, at the DM's discretion. 

If you choose a creature, then you must spend the next minute observing the creature or listening to it. At the end of the minute, you become Focused on the creature for the next hour. While focused as such, you gain advantage on Persuasion checks and Insight checks made against the creature. During this time you may choose to learn either the total class levels of the creature (if applicable), or learn their Charisma and Intelligence score. Additionally, you discover a single spell that may be affecting the creature. You may learn more, at the DM’s discretion. 

Peerless Public Speaker

At 14th level, your oratory skills have reached unparalleled evels of wile and grace. With nothing but your voice, you can bolster allies against the most powerful of threats. Your Bardic Inspiration die may now be used to grant an ally temporary hp. As a Bonus Action, you may choose an ally creature and expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration. That ally gains temporary hitpoints equal to the die's roll plus half your Bard level. 

Additionally, whenever you use a Bonus Action to expand a Bardic Inspiration die targeting an ally, you may expend a second Bardic Inspiration die and target a second ally in the same Bonus Action.