Hello everyone! With the release of Van Rickten's Guide and having sat and play-tested this idea a little, I have decided to unveil it for other people to critique/use it. Even in the UA, the College of Spirits subclass felt very hollow at worst and single-note at best; this at first started as a rewrite of the various subclass features. As time went on, it became something very different, so I decided to give it its own name to distinguish it from the original but there will be similarities especially in the 3rd level abilities. This subclass focuses on being more of a support and rp-focused style of play and fits in well with a a darker setting.
Now, as usual, feel free to create a character and playtest this idea out, just be sure to give credit where its due and tell me how I can further make this class better or more balanced.
College of Ethos:
Guiding Whispers: When you choose this college at 3rd level, you learn the Guidance cantrip, which doesn't count against the number of bard cantrip you know. For you, it has a range of 60 ft and while holding your spiritual focus, it does not require concentration.
Spiritual Focus: At 3rd level, you can convert an item into a more fitting tool for your spell-casting. You can take a thematic item, such as a candle, deck of cards, a skull, or an item that can be used as an arcane focus, such as a wand or staff, and convert it into a spiritual focus. This spiritual focus takes on any design of your choice and counts as an arcane focus for your Bard spell-casting feature. Starting at 6th level, whenever you cast a Bard spell of 1st level or higher that deals damage or restores Hit Points while holding your spiritual focus, you can add additional damage or healing to the spell equal to your Bardic Inspiration die.
Spiritual Emissary: Starting at 3rd level, whenever you cast the Guidance cantrip on a creature or give a creature a Bardic Inspiration die, you can call on the latent spirits in the environment to surround that creature. The spirits can take the form of mist, floating eyes, or other supernatural phenomena. When the creature uses the Bardic Inspiration die or activates Guidance, the spirits provide an additional effect based on if the die was used on an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. A creature can only benefit from each of these benefits once per turn:
Ability Check: When the creature rolls the additional die to add it to an ability check, the creature can roll the die again and choose which roll to use, as the spirits swarm around the creature, aiding in the task in some way
Attack Roll: Immediately after the creature adds the die to an attack roll, the spirit release in a sudden frenzy. The target of the creature's attack must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Bard spell save DC. On a failed save, the target is frightened of the creature until the end of its next turn
Saving Throw: Immediately after the creature adds the Bardic Inspiration die to a saving throw, the spirits violently rebuke the source. If the source was a creature or object, it takes psychic damage equal to one roll of your Bardic Inspiration die
Voices of the Lost: Starting at 6th level, you learn the Speak with Dead spell, if you do not already have it, and can cast it without using a spell slot with your spiritual focus once per long rest. This spell does not count against the number of bard spells you know. Additionally, when a creature adds one of your Bardic Inspiration die to its ability check, saving throw, or attack roll and fails, you can use your reaction and regain one use of your Bardic Inspiration.
Residual Energies: At 14th level, whenever you grant an allied creature a Bardic Inspiration die, you gain a d6, which acts as a Bardic Inspiration die for you and can activate the effects of your Spiritual Emissary feature when used. You can only have one d6 from this feature at a time.
"Additionally, whenever you cast a Bard spell of 1st level or higher that deals damage or restores Hit Points through your spiritual focus, you can add additional damage or healing to the spell equal to your Bardic Inspiration die."
Let's not popularize this wording - Artillerists have it, and it's utter gibberish with no basis i the rules. Casting a spell "through" a focus is not and never has been a thing, and rules that reference it require house ruling to render playable. The universal approach everywhere else, if you look at any magic item focus in the game, is for a focus to enable its abilities while held. Just use that wording.
@quindraco I used the wording from the College of Spirits so in essence there is "ruling" for it, but I see what you are saying. This is a RAW vs RAI debate from what little I understand but I can change the wording a little since it still works as intended. Thanks for pointing this out.
Hello everyone! With the release of Van Rickten's Guide and having sat and play-tested this idea a little, I have decided to unveil it for other people to critique/use it. Even in the UA, the College of Spirits subclass felt very hollow at worst and single-note at best; this at first started as a rewrite of the various subclass features. As time went on, it became something very different, so I decided to give it its own name to distinguish it from the original but there will be similarities especially in the 3rd level abilities. This subclass focuses on being more of a support and rp-focused style of play and fits in well with a a darker setting.
Now, as usual, feel free to create a character and playtest this idea out, just be sure to give credit where its due and tell me how I can further make this class better or more balanced.
College of Ethos:
Guiding Whispers: When you choose this college at 3rd level, you learn the Guidance cantrip, which doesn't count against the number of bard cantrip you know. For you, it has a range of 60 ft and while holding your spiritual focus, it does not require concentration.
Spiritual Focus: At 3rd level, you can convert an item into a more fitting tool for your spell-casting. You can take a thematic item, such as a candle, deck of cards, a skull, or an item that can be used as an arcane focus, such as a wand or staff, and convert it into a spiritual focus. This spiritual focus takes on any design of your choice and counts as an arcane focus for your Bard spell-casting feature. Starting at 6th level, whenever you cast a Bard spell of 1st level or higher that deals damage or restores Hit Points while holding your spiritual focus, you can add additional damage or healing to the spell equal to your Bardic Inspiration die.
Spiritual Emissary: Starting at 3rd level, whenever you cast the Guidance cantrip on a creature or give a creature a Bardic Inspiration die, you can call on the latent spirits in the environment to surround that creature. The spirits can take the form of mist, floating eyes, or other supernatural phenomena. When the creature uses the Bardic Inspiration die or activates Guidance, the spirits provide an additional effect based on if the die was used on an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. A creature can only benefit from each of these benefits once per turn:
Voices of the Lost: Starting at 6th level, you learn the Speak with Dead spell, if you do not already have it, and can cast it without using a spell slot with your spiritual focus once per long rest. This spell does not count against the number of bard spells you know.
Additionally, when a creature adds one of your Bardic Inspiration die to its ability check, saving throw, or attack roll and fails, you can use your reaction and regain one use of your Bardic Inspiration.
Residual Energies: At 14th level, whenever you grant an allied creature a Bardic Inspiration die, you gain a d6, which acts as a Bardic Inspiration die for you and can activate the effects of your Spiritual Emissary feature when used. You can only have one d6 from this feature at a time.
"Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid." Proverbs 12:1
"Additionally, whenever you cast a Bard spell of 1st level or higher that deals damage or restores Hit Points through your spiritual focus, you can add additional damage or healing to the spell equal to your Bardic Inspiration die."
Let's not popularize this wording - Artillerists have it, and it's utter gibberish with no basis i the rules. Casting a spell "through" a focus is not and never has been a thing, and rules that reference it require house ruling to render playable. The universal approach everywhere else, if you look at any magic item focus in the game, is for a focus to enable its abilities while held. Just use that wording.
@quindraco I used the wording from the College of Spirits so in essence there is "ruling" for it, but I see what you are saying. This is a RAW vs RAI debate from what little I understand but I can change the wording a little since it still works as intended. Thanks for pointing this out.
"Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid." Proverbs 12:1