Man, this is such a fun take on the bard. The features it provides are useful, fun, and greatly support the RP flavor that the college of spirits is going after. You get a way to use your inspiration that's anything else. It can be really good, but it's random and takes a bonus action + action to fully deliver. So it's not the most powerful inspiration-modification feature, but it's fine.
60 ft range guidance is really nice to have. And being able to tack on a d6 to your bard damage and healing spells is fantastic. Your vicious mockeries will actually hurt pretty good at level 6 (70% increase in it's average damage). You can vicious mockery and healing word on the same turn, adding a d6 onto both spells. Quite effective.
My favorite feature is actually the Spirit Session that allows you to learn a divination or necromancy spell temporarily (max spell level = proficiency). This gives you a lot of flexibility, whether you want to animate the dead, speak with dead, bring your fallen allies back to life, or consult the spirits with spells like augury or divination.
Look, I really LOVE this subclass...conjuring spiritual manifestations of actual STORIES is sort of what I've wanted from a Bard...not to "harp" on bard with instruments; I just like singers, chanters. and storytellers a bit more.
I like their alternative spellcasting focuses...I like the effects of the "Tales from Beyond".
The access to the Necromancy spells (albeit one at a time per long rest) is a pseudo-Magical Secrets that really helps shine a light on that spellcasting school (and DIvination)...not the biggest fan of relying on gathering enough people to perform the ritual...but it IS interesting and gives the Bard something specific to do during their party down-time.
With the rumors of a Ravenloft or "gothic" adventure coming out this year; it's by biggest hope that WoTC releases this subclass in an official capacity.
Side-Note: there is a VERY interesting NPC in "Rime of the Frostmaiden" who seems to be a "College of Spirits" Bard...using their ritual ability to conjure a Divination spell, no less!
Honestly I've been trying to make a Red Mage for a while now and nothing really allowed me the versatility until I saw this subclass. Love it and more than willing to pay for the official version when it's released.
I'm currently playing dragonheist with a spirit bard. My DM insisted that I had to put an actual historic Faerun persona in each spirit story. It became a lot more flavorful, so here it went
1 Regis the halfling rogue: For 1 minute, the target has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and advantage on attack rolls against a creature if another enemy is within 5 feet of it, and that enemy isn’t incapacitated.
2 Bruenor the King: You recount the story of a renowned duelist. Make a melee spell attack against the target as an attacking spectral warrior briefly appears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the target before vanishing. On a hit, the target takes force damage equal to two rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die + your Charisma modifier.
3 Shandril and Narm: You recite the tale of lovers who found each other in the afterlife. The target and another creature of its choice it can see within 5 feet of it regains hit points equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die + your Charisma modifier
4 Prince Rivalen of Shade: You tell the tale of an adventurer that could escape any confinement. The target can immediately use its reaction to teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. When the target teleports, it can choose a number of creatures it can see within 30 feet of it up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) to immediately use the same reaction.
5 Steel Princess Alussair: You recount the tale of an avenging knight. For 1 minute, whenever a creature the target can see within 30 feet of it is damaged by a creature, the target can use its reaction to deal force damage equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die to the attacker.
6 Drizzt Dourden: You speak the tale of an epic hero. Choose a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target gains temporary hit points equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die + your bard level. While it has these temporary hit points, the target’s walking speed increases by 10 feet.
7 Finder Wyvernspur: The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become charmed by you until the end of its next turn. The charmed target must use its action to make a melee attack against a creature other than itself that you mentally choose. The target can act normally on its turn if you choose no other creature.
8 Atermis Enteri: You speak a dreadful tale of a slayer in the dark. The target becomes invisible until the end of its next turn or until it hits a creature with an attack. If it hits a creature with an attack during this invisibility, that creature takes necrotic damage equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die and is frightened of the target until the end of its next turn.
9 Wulfgar the Barbarian: Each creature of the target’s choice it can see within 30 feet of it must make a Strength saving throw, taking force damage equal to two rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die on a failed save and is knocked prone. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw takes half as much damage and isn’t knocked prone.
10 Ashardalon: You breathe a poem of a wrathful dragon. The target magically spews fire from their mouth in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking fire damage equal to three rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
11 Cadderly the Priest: The target regains hit points equal to two rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die + your bard level, and you end one disease or a condition from the following list affecting the target: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, petrified, or poisoned. 12 Moander the forgotten: You utter an unspeakable forgotten horror from the past. Choose a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or take psychic damage equal to three rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die, and the target is unable to speak any language for 1 minute.
I'm curious how people are interpreting the 6th level ability? Are you reading the extra 1d6 to only apply to the handful of spells that Bards have that use no-cost material components, or to all bard spells?
All spells, as long as you are holding the focus. If you require material component, the feature is almost useless. I'm predicting they will fix it in the official version, but perhaps limit it to once per turn (so no doubling up if you use a cantrip + bonus action spell).
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense to me. My DM currently is leaning towards requiring the material component, though, so I'm trying to decide whether to ditch the subclass or not.
I think her impulse is to lean conservative, since otherwise the ability seems quite powerful... It looks like the subclass is getting an official publish in May, so we'll see what gets clarified then!
The only thing it would really break is magic missile, and that's if you do a single roll for all missiles which almost no DM does. And you'd have to use a magical secret to make it a bard spell anyway.
Otherwise, adding a d6 to one roll when you cast a damage or healing spells is perfectly in line with the types of things various subclasses do.
I agree! I guess because it's just UA, she's hesitant to give it the more powerful (and non-literal) interpretation, which I get. So I'll just go with Lore Bard for now :B
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Man, this is such a fun take on the bard. The features it provides are useful, fun, and greatly support the RP flavor that the college of spirits is going after. You get a way to use your inspiration that's anything else. It can be really good, but it's random and takes a bonus action + action to fully deliver. So it's not the most powerful inspiration-modification feature, but it's fine.
60 ft range guidance is really nice to have. And being able to tack on a d6 to your bard damage and healing spells is fantastic. Your vicious mockeries will actually hurt pretty good at level 6 (70% increase in it's average damage). You can vicious mockery and healing word on the same turn, adding a d6 onto both spells. Quite effective.
My favorite feature is actually the Spirit Session that allows you to learn a divination or necromancy spell temporarily (max spell level = proficiency). This gives you a lot of flexibility, whether you want to animate the dead, speak with dead, bring your fallen allies back to life, or consult the spirits with spells like augury or divination.
Yeah.
Hell, yeah.
Look, I really LOVE this subclass...conjuring spiritual manifestations of actual STORIES is sort of what I've wanted from a Bard...not to "harp" on bard with instruments; I just like singers, chanters. and storytellers a bit more.
I like their alternative spellcasting focuses...I like the effects of the "Tales from Beyond".
The access to the Necromancy spells (albeit one at a time per long rest) is a pseudo-Magical Secrets that really helps shine a light on that spellcasting school (and DIvination)...not the biggest fan of relying on gathering enough people to perform the ritual...but it IS interesting and gives the Bard something specific to do during their party down-time.
With the rumors of a Ravenloft or "gothic" adventure coming out this year; it's by biggest hope that WoTC releases this subclass in an official capacity.
Side-Note: there is a VERY interesting NPC in "Rime of the Frostmaiden" who seems to be a "College of Spirits" Bard...using their ritual ability to conjure a Divination spell, no less!
Right on brother.
Yeah!!
In a campaign I am currently DMing, one of the players is running an Orc Spirit Bard (Orc Shaman)
Yes.
Honestly I've been trying to make a Red Mage for a while now and nothing really allowed me the versatility until I saw this subclass. Love it and more than willing to pay for the official version when it's released.
I'm currently playing dragonheist with a spirit bard. My DM insisted that I had to put an actual historic Faerun persona in each spirit story. It became a lot more flavorful, so here it went
1 Regis the halfling rogue: For 1 minute, the target has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and advantage on attack rolls against a creature if another enemy is within 5 feet of it, and that enemy isn’t incapacitated.
2 Bruenor the King: You recount the story of a renowned duelist. Make a melee spell attack against the target as an attacking spectral warrior briefly appears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the target before vanishing. On a hit, the target takes force damage equal to two rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die + your Charisma modifier.
3 Shandril and Narm: You recite the tale of lovers who found each other in the afterlife. The target and another creature of its choice it can see within 5 feet of it regains hit points equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die + your Charisma modifier
4 Prince Rivalen of Shade: You tell the tale of an adventurer that could escape any confinement. The target can immediately use its reaction to teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. When the target teleports, it can choose a number of creatures it can see within 30 feet of it up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) to immediately use the same reaction.
5 Steel Princess Alussair: You recount the tale of an avenging knight. For 1 minute, whenever a creature the target can see within 30 feet of it is damaged by a creature, the target can use its reaction to deal force damage equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die to the attacker.
6 Drizzt Dourden: You speak the tale of an epic hero. Choose a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target gains temporary hit points equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die + your bard level. While it has these temporary hit points, the target’s walking speed increases by 10 feet.
7 Finder Wyvernspur: The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become charmed by you until the end of its next turn. The charmed target must use its action to make a melee attack against a creature other than itself that you mentally choose. The target can act normally on its turn if you choose no other creature.
8 Atermis Enteri: You speak a dreadful tale of a slayer in the dark. The target becomes invisible until the end of its next turn or until it hits a creature with an attack. If it hits a creature with an attack during this invisibility, that creature takes necrotic damage equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die and is frightened of the target until the end of its next turn.
9 Wulfgar the Barbarian: Each creature of the target’s choice it can see within 30 feet of it must make a Strength saving throw, taking force damage equal to two rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die on a failed save and is knocked prone. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw takes half as much damage and isn’t knocked prone.
10 Ashardalon: You breathe a poem of a wrathful dragon. The target magically spews fire from their mouth in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking fire damage equal to three rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
11 Cadderly the Priest: The target regains hit points equal to two rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die + your bard level, and you end one disease or a condition from the following list affecting the target: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, petrified, or poisoned.
12 Moander the forgotten: You utter an unspeakable forgotten horror from the past. Choose a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or take psychic damage equal to three rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die, and the target is unable to speak any language for 1 minute.
I'm curious how people are interpreting the 6th level ability? Are you reading the extra 1d6 to only apply to the handful of spells that Bards have that use no-cost material components, or to all bard spells?
All spells, as long as you are holding the focus. If you require material component, the feature is almost useless. I'm predicting they will fix it in the official version, but perhaps limit it to once per turn (so no doubling up if you use a cantrip + bonus action spell).
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense to me. My DM currently is leaning towards requiring the material component, though, so I'm trying to decide whether to ditch the subclass or not.
Yikes. And he knows how few spells can actually take advantage of it in that case? That's unfortunate.
I think her impulse is to lean conservative, since otherwise the ability seems quite powerful... It looks like the subclass is getting an official publish in May, so we'll see what gets clarified then!
The only thing it would really break is magic missile, and that's if you do a single roll for all missiles which almost no DM does. And you'd have to use a magical secret to make it a bard spell anyway.
Otherwise, adding a d6 to one roll when you cast a damage or healing spells is perfectly in line with the types of things various subclasses do.
I agree! I guess because it's just UA, she's hesitant to give it the more powerful (and non-literal) interpretation, which I get. So I'll just go with Lore Bard for now :B