College of Dirges

The Bards of the College of Dirges are often hired to ease the passing of the terminally ill or to assist in funeral rites. Their bond with the dead - and undead - is strong.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you join the College of Dirges at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the Herbalism Kit. You also gain proficency in Wisdom (Religion) and Wisdom (Medicine).

The Dirge of Unearned Deaths

Also at 3rd level, you learn how to weave your song or music through the planes into the realms of death. When a creature that you can see within 60 feet of you fails a death saving throw, you can use your reaction to expend one of your uses of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic Inspiration die and healing the creature by the amount rolled.

The Dirge of the Mortal Vessel

At 6th level, you learn how to control the death process with song or music, taking control over a dying body. When a creature within 30 feet of you dies, you can use a reaction to animate it and place it under your control. The creature rises as a zombie at the end of your turn. It has 1 hit point. In combat, its turn is immediately after yours. It obeys your mental commands, and the only action it can take is the Attack action, making one melee attack. It remains animate for 1 hour, after which time it collapses and dies.

The Dirge of Many Undeaths

Starting at 14th level, when you create an undead thrall through The Dirge of the Mortal Vessel feature, you can expend a Bardic Inspiration die to give the Zombie a full set of actions instead of only the attack action, a bonus to attack and damage rolls equal to your proficiency bonus, as well as its full hit points instead of only one. When you do so, roll the die, and give the Zombie temporary hit points equal to the amount of the number rolled and your Bard level. A Zombie which you improve this way lasts under your command for up to 8 hours. You can have up to three zombies active in this way.