College of the Skysinger

The word "bard" ordinarily puts folk in mind of those itinerant minstrels, fair of voice and nimble of finger, who earn their coin performing in taverns and the halls of great lords. Few know, however, that bards in fact trace their origins back to the bowmen of eld, who sang in the heat of battle to fortify the spirits of their companions. In time, their impassioned songs came to hold sway over the hearts of men, inspiring their comrades to great feats and granting peace unto those who lay upon the precipice of death.

Note: This Bard subclass is a inspiration from the Reddit u/SilentSoren and a growing project for crossing Final Fantasy 14 with D&D. If you liked playing with this bard subclass, please check out u/SilentSoren work and consider trying out the classes and subclasses for D&D on r/FFXIVxDnD.

Bowman of Eld

Beginning at 3rd level you have experience studying the teachings of Bards of the past. This grants you the following benefits

• You gain proficiency with shortbows and longbows.
• You gain a +2 bonus to all ranged attacks.
• You add your Charisma modifier (minimum of +1) to damage rolls using shortbows or longbows.
• You gain the ability to freely swap between your instruments and Bows, allowing you to perform your class actions alongside making your attacks.

Songs & Performances

You gain a number of performances equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). You regain 1 performance each time you land a critical hit and regain all performances after a long rest. At the start of a new day or after an hour of practice singing or playing an instrument that you are proficient with, you can prepare one of the following songs: Wanderer's Minuet, Mage's Ballad, and Army’s Paeon. During combat, you can expend one of these performances to sing or play your prepared song as a bonus action. The song lasts for one minute, or until you are incapacitated, knocked unconscious, or gain a condition that hinders the use of your voice. Being silenced stops the song’s effects, but doesn’t stop the performance.

Army’s Paeon

During the duration, all allies that aren’t deafened (yourself included) within a 15-foot radius centered on yourself, gains +1 to AC, a bonus to attack rolls equal to half your proficiency bonus for their first attack, and has their movement speed increased by 10ft. You may stop the performance as a free action.

Mage’s Ballad

Once per turn during the duration, all allies that aren’t deafened (yourself included) within a 15-foot radius centered on yourself, deal additional damage equal to your bardic inspiration die against the first creature they hit on each of their turns with an attack and they can reroll one damage die then use either total. You may stop the performance as a free action.

Wanderer’s Minuet

During the duration, all allies that aren’t deafened (yourself included) within a 15-foot radius centered on yourself, can make one additional attack whenever they take the attack action during their turn and their attacks now land critical hits on rolls 19 and 20 if they don’t land critical hits in that range already. You may stop the performance as a free action.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Soul Voice

Starting from level 6th level, as long as you are in the process of performing your songs, you are immune to fear and charm effects. Starting your songs while under one of those effects suspends them immediately for the performance duration. Moreover, attacks utilizing a shortbow or longbow are considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances and immunities; also you gain new attacks and effects associated with your prepared song.

Army’s Paeon

When a creature succeeds on a saving throw while under the effects of Army’s Paeon, you regain one use of your performances. You learn how to use Nature's Minne.

Nature’s Minne. As a bonus action during the duration of Army’s Paeon, you can expend one use of your performances to target yourself or an ally who isn’t deafened within your song’s radius. You or the ally you targeted regains 1d4 + proficiency bonus hit points. This healing becomes 2d4 at 10th, 3d4 at 14th, and 4d4 at 18th level.

Mage’s Ballad

Each time a creature fails on a saving throw to save against this bard archetype class features while they are within the range of Mage’s Ballad and can hear you, you regain one use of your performances. You learn how to use Caustic Bite.

Caustic Bite. Once per turn during the duration of Mage’s Ballad, whenever you take the Attack action using a shortbow or longbow, you can expend one use of your performances to replace one of your attacks with a Caustic Bite. Make a ranged weapon attack against a creature within range. For this attack, you deal acid damage instead of piercing damage upon hit and if you hit the target, it must make a Dexterity saving throw against your bard save DC. On a failure, they take 1d4 + your proficiency acid damage at the start of their turns. They can repeat the saving throw at the start of their turns to take half damage. This effect lasts for rounds equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) and only one creature can be affected by Caustic Bite. If the creature has immunity to acid damage, it's treated as resistance for the initial and secondary damage. The secondary damage becomes 2d4 at 10th, 3d4 at 14th and 4d4 at 18th level.

Wanderer’s Minuet

Each time you land a critical hit during Wanderer’s Minuet, you regain two performances instead of one, also you learn how to use Burst Shot.

Burst Shot. Once per turn during the duration of Wanderer’s Minuet, whenever you take the Attack action using a shortbow or longbow, you can expend one use of your performances to replace one of your attacks with a Burst Shot. Make a ranged weapon attack against a creature within range. If this attack hits, you deal the normal weapon damage and an additional 1d4 + proficiency thunder or force damage. If you land a critical hit with Burst Shot the additional damage automatically does the maximum damage. The additional damage becomes 2d4 at 10th, 3d4 at 14th, and 4d4 at 18th level.

Performance Perfected

At 14th level, through lots of practices, tips, and tricks your songs have become more powerful than before, further enhancing your allies' deadliness and durability. You now regain performances after a short rest. At the start of combat, if you don’t have any more uses of your performances, you regain one use. You learned new attacks that you can do during associated songs. The range of songs becomes a 30-foot radius and your songs gain additional effects.

Army’s Paeon

All allies that aren’t deafened (including you) within the radius of Army’s Paeon now gains a +2 bonus to AC and gains temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus at the start of their turns, also as an action you may cleanse yourself or an ally that isn’t deafened of one condition that is within the radius of Army’s Paeon. The conditions can be blinded, paralyzed, poisoned, frightened, or charmed.

Battle Voice. As a bonus action during Army’s Paeon, you can expend one use of your performances to give yourself and all allies that can hear you within the radius of Army’s Paeon a bonus to saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) and all damage is reduced by your bardic inspiration die + half your bard level until the start of your next turn.

Mage’s Ballad

Whenever an ally that isn’t deafened (including you) rolls damage for an attack while they are within the radius of Mage’s Ballad, they can’t roll lower than half your proficiency bonus (round up) on the damage die, and all their attacks are considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances and immunity.

Bloodletter. Once per turn during Mage’s Ballad when you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack using a shortbow or longbow, you can expend one use of your performances that creature to make a Constitution saving throw against your bard spell save DC. On a failure, the creature takes 2d4 + half your bard level necrotic damage at the start of their turns. This damage can’t be resisted or prevented in any way and this effect lasts for rounds equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). The creature can repeat the saving throw at the start of their turns to nullify this damage. Only one creature can be under the effects of Bloodletter. This damage becomes 4d4 at 20th level.

Wanderer’s Minuet

All allies that aren’t deafened (including you) within the radius of Wanderer’s Minuet now land critical hits on rolls 18-20 on attack rolls if they don’t land critical hits in that range already also when you or an ally that isn’t deafened is within the radius of Wanderer’s Minuet lands a hit on an attack roll, you may give a damage bonus equal to half your bard level (round down) to their damage roll as a reaction.

Pitch Perfect. Once per turn during Wanderer’s Minuet when you take the attack action, you can expend one use of your performances to replace one of your attacks with Pitch Perfect. Make a ranged weapon attack using a shortbow or longbow. This attack lands a critical hit on rolls 17-20. Upon hit, you deal the normal weapon damage and 5d8 + half your bard level thunder or force damage (your choice on hit). This damage becomes 7d8 at 20th level.