College of Commerce

While near all bards display some level of guile and tact for enticement and cajolery, those with additional training into the College of Commerce specialise in refined art of deal making between competing mercantile interests and against those that would elsewise seek to come ahead, whether through words or violence. Pedlars of everything from luxury items to smuggled provisions and counterfeits, Bards of the College of Commerce rely on quick thinking and a honeyed tongue to aid their allies and undercut their foes.

Bards associated with this College can be found throughout the major settlements of Ahlus, with many finding steady employment amongst the widespread mercantile guilds that dominate trade, while others instead act as independent vendors, pursuing their own goals.

Blood Money

Starting when you join the College of Commerce at 3rd level, you understand the value of wealth used tactfully. You can use any coin worth at least 1cp as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells.

In addition, as an action you can cast a coin in your hand towards a target within 60 feet of you. Make a ranged spell attack with the coin, using your Charisma modifier for the attack roll. On a hit, the target takes 1 bludgeoning damage plus 1d12 force damage. If you roll a 20 on the attack roll against a hostile creature using a nonmagical copper, silver, electrum, or gold piece, the coin is magically duplicated. Both the original coin and its duplicate return to you, appearing in your hand, at your feet, your pocket or in a coin pouch on your person (your choice).

The coin's force damage increases by 1d12 when you reach 6th level (2d12) and 14th level (3d12).

Raise the Stakes

Also at 3rd level, when a creature uses a Bardic Inspiration die from you can choose to forgo rolling the die to flip a coin instead. If the result is heads, the creature treats the Bardic Inspiration die as if it rolled its maximum number. If the result is tails, the DM takes the Bardic Inspiration die and can use it when another creature of the DM's choice makes an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw instead. The DM can have multiple Bardic Inspiration dice at a time in this way, but can still only add one of them to a roll at a time.

When you finish a short or long rest, the DM loses any Bardic Inspiration dice still in their possession.

Money Talks

By 6th level, you have come to acknowledge that a little coinage can be the key to succeed in a wide range of scenarios. You can infuse a coin in your possession with a fleeting mote of divination magic.

Using an action, you can enchant a mundane copper, silver, electrum, gold, or platinum piece in your hand. A creature holding the coin that knows at least one language can understand the meaning of any word you speak, and when it speaks, you understand what it says. In addition, you have advantage on the first Charisma (Persuasion) check you make when negotiating the value of a good or service with a creature that's holding or carrying the enchanted coin.

Alternatively, you can use an action to see and hear through the enchanted coin until the start of your next turn as if you were in the coin's space. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses.

The coin remains enchanted for 10 minutes or until you end the effect early (no action required). You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Waste Not, Want Not

Starting at 14th level, your shrewdness extends even to your control of the arcane. Whenever you drink a potion, use a spell scroll of 4th-level or lower or cast a spell that consumes a material component, flip a coin. If the result is heads, the potion, scroll or spell is not consumed.