Stories of the past are powerful; they hold lessons of history, philosophy, and magic. Bards of the College of Spirits seek the stories of those from beyond the material plane. Using gaming sets, they reach out to hear their stories, but the bards have no control over what story they find.
Notes:
Tales from Beyond - Please note that this feature grants a temporary duration effect on a creature, which is not automatically applied by the character sheet. Results like temporary hit points can be applied to the relevant character via the character sheet.
Spirit Sessions - Please reference the rules when selecting your spell, as it should be either Divination or Necromancy. Due to tool limitations, we are currently unable to restrict the spell list for you.
The Undead is an entity that resides in the dark corners of the multiverse. Your patron could be Acererak, Azalin, Lord Soth, Strahd, or some other ancient undead being. You may seek to gain knowledge from your patron’s countless lifetimes of experience, while it may see you as a piece of a centuries long plan.
Notes:
Form of Dread - Please note that this feature grants a temporary duration effect on your character, which is not automatically applied.
Temporary hit points can be applied via the character sheet hit points interface.
The immunity to frightened condition is automatically added to your character and will show in the defenses section. Note that, as per the feature description, this is only whilst using Form of Dread.
The additional frightened effect is shown as an "other" action on the character sheet - note that this only functions whilst in Form of Dread and has been added to the character sheet for ease of use.
Form of Dread (Uses) - Being based on proficiency modifier scaling, currently that system is still being implemented. Currently the scaling of uses will work for a Single Classed character only, Multclassed characters may show an incorrect number of uses. This has been fixed as of 30th March 2021.
Spirit Projections - This form swap can be toggled in the character builder by going to the class feature and selecting the option for "Active/Inactive".
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and the number of uses for Form of Dread is incorrect. I assume it was built using # of uses increases at the corresponding levels as there is currently no way to make # of uses actually scale off of Proficiency bonus. But I figured I’d mention it.
Regarding the spiritual focus for the bard - on making my character it didn't appear to have the option to select one and when looking to add items the ones listed to select didn't appear (cards and non-wonderous item crystal ball). It is most likely that I've missed something so if I have please let me know. Thanks for making these, I cannot wait to try this character out!
Regarding the spiritual focus for the bard - on making my character it didn't appear to have the option to select one and when looking to add items the ones listed to select didn't appear (cards and non-wonderous item crystal ball). It is most likely that I've missed something so if I have please let me know. Thanks for making these, I cannot wait to try this character out!
You can select the standard Arcane Focus and customize it directly on the character sheet to change the name to match your preference.
and the number of uses for Form of Dread is incorrect. I assume it was built using # of uses increases at the corresponding levels as there is currently no way to make # of uses actually scale off of Proficiency bonus. But I figured I’d mention it.
I don’t know where else to put this at the moment, but I’ve thought of something that’s potentially game breaking with the undead Warlock.
At 14th level, when you gain the Spirit Projection class feature, one of the abilities it gives you is to regain half the amount of necrotic damage dealt in tandem with the Form of Dread feature. Now while this is pretty powerful on its own, if you were to chose Pact of the Chain as your Pact Boon at level 3 and gain the Gift of the Everliving Ones invocation, it will allow you to treat any hit points you regain while your familiar is nearby to be treated as having rolled their maximum value.
So now, at level 14, you can just make an attack that uses an attack roll, change it to necrotic damage with Form of Dread, and regain almost as many hit points as you want, if used with the Vampiric Touch Spell, your getting 30 (5d6 maxed) hit points every time you hit with it for a minute.
I don’t know where else to put this at the moment, but I’ve thought of something that’s potentially game breaking with the undead Warlock.
At 14th level, when you gain the Spirit Projection class feature, one of the abilities it gives you is to regain half the amount of necrotic damage dealt in tandem with the Form of Dread feature. Now while this is pretty powerful on its own, if you were to chose Pact of the Chain as your Pact Boon at level 3 and gain the Gift of the Everliving Ones invocation, it will allow you to treat any hit points you regain while your familiar is nearby to be treated as having rolled their maximum value.
So now, at level 14, you can just make an attack that uses an attack roll, change it to necrotic damage with Form of Dread, and regain almost as many hit points as you want, if used with the Vampiric Touch Spell, your getting 30 (5d6 maxed) hit points every time you hit with it for a minute.
Yes you get half of the damage rolled back as health, but you still have to roll damage dealt as you do not actually roll health gained the Gift of the Everliving Ones invocation actually does nothing in this case, now if you cast a healing spell on your self or a potion that would max it out.
The rules for the invocation are exactly as follows:
Gift of the Ever-Living Ones
Prerequisite: Pact of the Chain feature
Whenever you regain hit points while your familiar is within 100 feet of you, treat any dice rolled to determine the hit points you regain as having rolled their maximum value for you.
So as long as your familiar is within 100ft, and your regaining hit points, which you are with the Spirit Projection feature, you treat any dice rolled as having rolled their maximum. This means you will still have to roll for damage dealt, but in regards to you gaining hit points, you basically ignore the rolls and just consider them as their max values. This is what seems really powerful if your following it RAW. I suppose you could make it so it’s up to the DM how it works, and it is in the play test phase, I’m just pointing out, as it is now, it could potentially unbalanced combat… So long as you keep hitting with your attacks.
The rules for the invocation are exactly as follows:
Gift of the Ever-Living Ones
Prerequisite: Pact of the Chain feature
Whenever you regain hit points while your familiar is within 100 feet of you, treat any dice rolled to determine the hit points you regain as having rolled their maximum value for you.
So as long as your familiar is within 100ft, and your regaining hit points, which you are with the Spirit Projection feature, you treat any dice rolled as having rolled their maximum. This means you will still have to roll for damage dealt, but in regards to you gaining hit points, you basically ignore the rolls and just consider them as their max values. This is what seems really powerful if your following it RAW. I suppose you could make it so it’s up to the DM how it works, and it is in the play test phase, I’m just pointing out, as it is now, it could potentially unbalanced combat… So long as you keep hitting with your attacks.
But you don’t “roll the dice to determine the Hit Points you regain,” you roll the dice to determine how much damage you deal. The HP gain simply matches that number.
The rules for the invocation are exactly as follows:
Gift of the Ever-Living Ones
Prerequisite: Pact of the Chain feature
Whenever you regain hit points while your familiar is within 100 feet of you, treat any dice rolled to determine the hit points you regain as having rolled their maximum value for you.
So as long as your familiar is within 100ft, and your regaining hit points, which you are with the Spirit Projection feature, you treat any dice rolled as having rolled their maximum. This means you will still have to roll for damage dealt, but in regards to you gaining hit points, you basically ignore the rolls and just consider them as their max values. This is what seems really powerful if your following it RAW. I suppose you could make it so it’s up to the DM how it works, and it is in the play test phase, I’m just pointing out, as it is now, it could potentially unbalanced combat… So long as you keep hitting with your attacks.
But you don’t “roll the dice to determine the Hit Points you regain,” you roll the dice to determine how much damage you deal. The HP gain simply matches that number.
100% this, and Crawford confirms. The only time GotELO applies is when you're actually rolling a die specifically for healing. I.e., when casting Cure Wounds, chugging a potion, using Hit Die for healing, etc. Abilities/secondary effects that restore a portion of HP based on the roll of a die for other purposes (damage) do not qualify.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Ok, guess I interpreted the text wrong, I would’ve ruled it like that anyway if any player were planning on using this subclass. Thanks for correcting me. (Definitely not gonna argue with the man who’s in charge of 5e)
Ok, guess I interpreted the text wrong, I would’ve ruled it like that anyway if any player were planning on using this subclass. Thanks for correcting me. (Definitely not gonna argue with the man who’s in charge of 5e)
Hold off on saying that... the more you get to know JC's rulings, the more frequently you'll disagree with them. He has a tendency to be either overly-vague or overly-particular in a lot of instances, but luckily this isn't one of them. :-)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
While it does involve randomness there's no hazard involved in the Tales from Beyond ability. The spirit bard gets to choose when to use the tale and who to use it on after they already know which tale they are going to tell. If you don't like the tale you rolled you can either wait until it is useful, just not use the tale, or use the ability again to re-roll for a new tale.
"You reach out to spirits who tell their tales through you. While you are holding your Spiritual Focus, you can use a bonus action to expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration and roll on the Spirits’ Tales table using your Bardic Inspiration die to determine the tale told. You retain the tale in mind until you bestow the tale’s effect or you finish a short or long rest. You can use an action to choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you (this can be you) to be the target of the tale’s effect. Once you do so, you can’t bestow the tale’s effect again until you roll it again. You can retain only one of these tales in mind at a time, and rolling on the Spirits’ Tales table immediately ends the effect of the previous tale. If the tale requires a saving throw, the DC equals your spell save DC."
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AlumniWelcome to the Support thread for the August 2020 Unearthed Arcana content, "Subclasses, Part 4"
If you find any issues/bugs with this content, please post in this thread.
The Unearthed Arcana article, "Subclasses, Part 4" is on the Wizards of the Coast website HERE
There are a few things to be aware of the D&D Beyond implementation of this content, which are noted below.
Subclass - Bard - College of Spirits (UA)
Notes:
Subclass - Warlock - The Undead (UA)
Notes:
Being based on proficiency modifier scaling, currently that system is still being implemented. Currently the scaling of uses will work for a Single Classed character only, Multclassed characters may show an incorrect number of uses. This has been fixed as of 30th March 2021.Using Unearthed Arcana content on D&D Beyond
Please ensure that you enable Playtest Content - this can be accomplished in two places:
1. On the HOME tab of the Character Builder.
2. In the preferences sidebar of the character sheet.
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Thanks!
One thing I found so far....
I made this character
and the number of uses for Form of Dread is incorrect. I assume it was built using # of uses increases at the corresponding levels as there is currently no way to make # of uses actually scale off of Proficiency bonus. But I figured I’d mention it.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/IamSposta/characters/33608513
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Regarding the spiritual focus for the bard - on making my character it didn't appear to have the option to select one and when looking to add items the ones listed to select didn't appear (cards and non-wonderous item crystal ball). It is most likely that I've missed something so if I have please let me know. Thanks for making these, I cannot wait to try this character out!
You can select the standard Arcane Focus and customize it directly on the character sheet to change the name to match your preference.
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AlumniThat is correct, the current implementation scales on class level, so multiclass characters will not show the correct number.
It will be added to the notes.
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Standard "free" content is restricted to the D&D 5th Edition Basic Rules, SRD, and other free content.
Awesome! Thanks for this, much appreciated - I'll do an update now.
I don’t know where else to put this at the moment, but I’ve thought of something that’s potentially game breaking with the undead Warlock.
At 14th level, when you gain the Spirit Projection class feature, one of the abilities it gives you is to regain half the amount of necrotic damage dealt in tandem with the Form of Dread feature. Now while this is pretty powerful on its own, if you were to chose Pact of the Chain as your Pact Boon at level 3 and gain the Gift of the Everliving Ones invocation, it will allow you to treat any hit points you regain while your familiar is nearby to be treated as having rolled their maximum value.
So now, at level 14, you can just make an attack that uses an attack roll, change it to necrotic damage with Form of Dread, and regain almost as many hit points as you want, if used with the Vampiric Touch Spell, your getting 30 (5d6 maxed) hit points every time you hit with it for a minute.
I don’t actually know if this will be overpowered in practice, it just seems really powerful when put together like this.
Yes you get half of the damage rolled back as health, but you still have to roll damage dealt as you do not actually roll health gained the Gift of the Everliving Ones invocation actually does nothing in this case, now if you cast a healing spell on your self or a potion that would max it out.
The rules for the invocation are exactly as follows:
Gift of the Ever-Living Ones
Prerequisite: Pact of the Chain feature
Whenever you regain hit points while your familiar is within 100 feet of you, treat any dice rolled to determine the hit points you regain as having rolled their maximum value for you.
So as long as your familiar is within 100ft, and your regaining hit points, which you are with the Spirit Projection feature, you treat any dice rolled as having rolled their maximum. This means you will still have to roll for damage dealt, but in regards to you gaining hit points, you basically ignore the rolls and just consider them as their max values. This is what seems really powerful if your following it RAW.
I suppose you could make it so it’s up to the DM how it works, and it is in the play test phase, I’m just pointing out, as it is now, it could potentially unbalanced combat… So long as you keep hitting with your attacks.
But you don’t “roll the dice to determine the Hit Points you regain,” you roll the dice to determine how much damage you deal. The HP gain simply matches that number.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
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100% this, and Crawford confirms. The only time GotELO applies is when you're actually rolling a die specifically for healing. I.e., when casting Cure Wounds, chugging a potion, using Hit Die for healing, etc. Abilities/secondary effects that restore a portion of HP based on the roll of a die for other purposes (damage) do not qualify.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Ok, guess I interpreted the text wrong, I would’ve ruled it like that anyway if any player were planning on using this subclass. Thanks for correcting me. (Definitely not gonna argue with the man who’s in charge of 5e)
Hold off on saying that... the more you get to know JC's rulings, the more frequently you'll disagree with them. He has a tendency to be either overly-vague or overly-particular in a lot of instances, but luckily this isn't one of them. :-)
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
While it does involve randomness there's no hazard involved in the Tales from Beyond ability. The spirit bard gets to choose when to use the tale and who to use it on after they already know which tale they are going to tell. If you don't like the tale you rolled you can either wait until it is useful, just not use the tale, or use the ability again to re-roll for a new tale.
"You reach out to spirits who tell their tales through you. While you are holding your Spiritual Focus, you can use a bonus action to expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration and roll on the Spirits’ Tales table using your Bardic Inspiration die to determine the tale told. You retain the tale in mind until you bestow the tale’s effect or you finish a short or long rest. You can use an action to choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you (this can be you) to be the target of the tale’s effect. Once you do so, you can’t bestow the tale’s effect again until you roll it again. You can retain only one of these tales in mind at a time, and rolling on the Spirits’ Tales table immediately ends the effect of the previous tale. If the tale requires a saving throw, the DC equals your spell save DC."
.