College of the Necrodancer

Necromancy is a branch of magic commonly seen as taboo in much of the world. Those that practice it are often shunned by others due to their association with death. The bard that takes up the mantle of the Necrodancer, however, can often dissuade this bias with charm and good humor, giving them a chance to show their worth both as a performer and a magic user. Not all bards of the College of the Necrodancer have to dance necessarily, though many can and do. Often they might include some undead they create in their performances, with skeletons painted with bold colors and trained to play instruments. Some Necrodancers may be virtuous, using their abilities in the service of others and hunting down undead threats. Others, though, may seek this power for their own gain, using the sinister reputation of necromancy to their advantage.

Black Arts

When you join the College of the Necrodancer at 3rd level, you begin your delve into the sinister arts of necromancy. When your Spellcasting feature lets you learn or replace a bard cantrip or a bard spell of 1st level or higher, you can choose the new spell from any spell of the necromancy school from any class's spell list. You must otherwise obey all the restrictions for selecting the spell, and it becomes a bard spell for you.

In addition, you learn one cantrip of your choice from the necromancy school, which counts as a bard spell for you but doesn't count against the number of spells you know.

Foul Presence

Also at 3rd level, you learn how to bolster your attacks with necromantic energy. When you deal damage to a creature with an attack or spell, you can expend a use of your Bardic Inspiration to deal extra necrotic damage to the creature. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You can do so only once per round on your turn.

Also, when a creature takes this extra necrotic damage, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned until the end of your next turn. If a target is already poisoned or would become poisoned from the attack as normal, it takes necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier. The target ignores this additional effect if it is immune to the poisoned condition.

Cadaverous Conductor

At 6th level, you learn animate dead if you don't already know the spell. It does not count against the number of spells you know. Also, when you cast a spell that creates an undead creature, you may expend a use of your Bardic Inspiration. The undead's hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to 2 times the number you roll on your Bardic Inspiration die. If you create multiple undead creatures with a single casting of a spell, this bonus applies to each creature.

When you use a spell to create an undead, the creature deals extra necrotic damage when it hits with a weapon attack. This extra damage equals your Charisma modifier.

Finally, any undead you create is proficient with the Performance skill, as well as any instrument you are proficient with. You can choose whether the undead uses your skill bonus or its own.

Choir of Death

Starting at 14th level, when you use your bonus action to grant a Bardic Inspiration die to an undead under your control, each undead you control within 60 feet of it also gains a Bardic Inspiration die. This counts as a single use of Bardic Inspiration.