College of the Grand Symphony

Bards of the College of the Grand Symphony view music and magic as two sides of the same coin; through their music, they are able to gain access to a well of magic that would otherwise be inaccessible to them. Likewise, through their magic, they are able to enhance their music, delivering awe-inspiring performances and summoning reflections of past bards to accompany their music.

Bards of this college believe that long ago, before the dawn of civilization as we know it, there was a god of music, who created an extra-dimensional well of music known as the Grand Symphony. Contained within the Grand Symphony is the collective music and magic of all bards of this college, past, present, and future.

While it is common among bards to be proficient in multiple instruments, bards of the College of the Grand Symphony master a specific instrument beyond all others. When they play their Mastered Instrument, they can play along with the Grand Symphony, producing marvelous magical and musical effects, and even summoning reflections of other bards of this college to play along with them. Bards of the College of the Grand Symphony are passionate about their music more than anything else in their lives.

Mastered Instrument

When you join the College of the Grand Symphony at 3rd level, choose an instrument with which you are proficient. The chosen instrument becomes your Mastered Instrument. Whenever you make a Performance (Charisma) check to play your Mastered Instrument, you can add your Charisma modifier to the roll twice instead of once.

When you reach 6th level, whenever you make a Performance (Charisma) check with your Mastered Instrument, you can treat any roll of 9 or lower on the d20 as a 10.

Musical Accompaniment

Also at 3rd level, you learn how to summon the music of other bards from the Grand Symphony to accompany you, bolstering your music and magic. Whenever you play your Mastered Instrument, you can use a bonus action to summon reflections of the spirits of other bards from the College of the Grand Symphony to accompany you in your music and aid you in your magic. You can summon a number of reflections equal to your proficiency bonus, which appear in unoccupied spaces of your choice within 10 feet of you. You determine what instruments the reflections play, and you can mentally direct them on what and when to play (no action required). Although the reflections’ instruments can be heard up to 300 feet away, the reflections cannot speak, sing, or interact with the world around them in any way. These reflections last for 1 hour, or until you dismiss them as a bonus actions.

While these reflections exist, you gain advantage on any Performance (Charisma) check you make to play your Mastered Instrument.

Additionally, while these reflections exist, whenever you cast one of your bard spells of 1st level or higher using your Mastered Instrument as a spellcasting focus, you can expend a use of your bardic inspiration to increase the level of the spell by 1, without expending a higher level spell slot. You cannot increase a spell’s level higher than your highest level spell slot, and you cannot increase a spell’s level to anything above 5. (Example: At 3rd level, a Bard’s highest level spell slot is 2nd level, so they can increase a 1st level spell to 2nd level, but they cannot increase a 2nd level spell to 3rd level, because they cannot cast 3rd level spells.)

You can increase a spell’s level in this way a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded down, minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Orchestral Empowerment

At 6th level, you learn to summon music from the unending score of the Grand Symphony to empower you and your allies. As an action, you can expend a spell slot to empower all allies within 15 feet of you for 1 minute. The level of the spell slot determines the effect that you bestow:

1st level: You and all allies within range gain immunity to one of the following conditions of your choice for the duration: Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, or Stunned.

2nd level: You and all allies within range gain a bonus to your AC equal to half your Proficiency bonus (rounded down, minimum of 1).

3rd level: Whenever you or your allies within range deal damage with a weapon attack or a spell, the damage ignores all damage resistances, but not immunities.

Grand Symphony

At 14th level, you learn how to open the Grand Symphony to the world in an epic display of music, granting you a bottomless well of magic for a brief moment. As an action while you are playing your Mastered Instrument, you can open the Grand Symphony for a number of rounds equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded down). While the Grand Symphony is open, and as part of the same action used to open the Grand Symphony, you can cast any of your bard spells of 3rd level or lower without expending a spell slot, as the power of the Grand Symphony fuels your magic. If you cast a spell in this way with a duration that lasts longer than the Grand Symphony stays open, the spell ends abruptly when the Grand Symphony closes.

Additionally, if you cast a concentraiton spell in this way, you can cast another concentration spell without ending any other concentration spells, as the Grand Symphony carries the spell for you.

Once you open the Grand Symphony in this way, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.