College of Decorum

Dances within the great hall, performances to entertain esteemed guests, and political scandal spoke in hushed voices; these are some of the vital parts of life to courtiers in noble houses. Bards of the College of Decorum specialize in the drama of court life. They seek to not only to serve the noble courts in the spreading of news, and the documenting of important events; but to uphold and relish in the traditions of court life; from ensuring the absence of enchantment magic from a diplomatic deal, to the helping and organizing of local festivals to boost trade, or the quiet advice spoken into the ear of their liege.

Bards of the College of Decorum are experts in persuasion, performance, and deception. They're able to lie to a dangerous political rival just as easy as they could perform a song for the local clergy. Its all apart of the life for a Bard for the Courts. Graceful movements, a keen insight into body language, and a knack for attracting or vanishing from attention, means these bards can be just as cunning in combat than at court, which sometimes is required in their line of work.

Read the Room

At 3rd level, your time in the courts studying the body language of lords, officials, and soldiers, has given you the ability to see the tells of someone about to turn aggressive before most do. When combat starts, but before you roll your initiative; if you can openly see your enemy (humanoid), you may roll one of your bardic inspiration die and add the total to your initiative.

Dancer's Grace

Also at 3rd level, you learn to use your years of strict dance lessons and graceful movements to practical use in combat. Whenever you use one of your bardic inspirations, you may disengage as a free action.

Retain Composure

Nobles and servants among the courts attempt to display an air of dignity and grace at all times. Bards of the College of Courtiers aim to make the difficult look effortless, at all times; maintaining an aura of control and composure is of the upmost importance of keeping a good image. Starting at 6th level, when you are forced to make a saving throw during combat, you may spend a reaction an attempt to retain your composure. If you succeed your saving throw, you gain temporary hit points equal to your bard level. If you fail your saving throw, you instead lose any temporary hit points you have. These temporary hit points do not stack with another use of Retain Composure, or any other source of temporary hit points.

Distracting Presence

At 14th level, you have mastered the art of drawing attention to yourself, and creating a momentary diversion. Whether blowing a bugle, throwing an insult, or raising a quick toast; as an action you can momentarily have everyone's attention drawn towards you. Until the start of your next turn, any enemy within 30ft of you, that can see or hear you have their AC reduced; equal to your proficiency modifier. For the 10 seconds this is active, all allied stealth and slight of hand checks within 120ft have advantage, though this can be used outside of combat as well.  You can do this once per long rest.