War Song

The Orc chieftan calls out to his clan warriors, telling them to prepare for combat. Immediately the drummers and horn callers begin their carefully orchestrated cacophony. The warriors encircle around the War Songs, letting the sound of drums meld with their heartbeats, and the sound of horns match their warcries. The enemy clan over the rise can certainly hear the War Song, and they know death and blood are coming, today, they will have to choose to fight for their lives, or bow in submission. 

A young dwarvish woman dives into combat deep beneath the mountain, her allies beside her. Before them the horde of Goblins charge screaming. She breathes deep into her lungs, fills the bag of her bagpipes and begins to play, the melody like thunder in the cavernous tunnels. The first three rows of goblins are flung back, their bodies broken by the waves of sound. Her allies cheer as they wade into the horde as it begins to turn and flee from the storm of sound.

The War Song Bards are bards who have honed their musical talent into powerful sonic weapons that bolster the moral of their allies, strike fear into the hearts of enemies, and turn the tides of war. Specialists in managing crowds in hostile situations, the war bard thrives in combat. War Song bards differ from other battle bards in one simple way, their music is their weapon above all else. 

Bonus Proficiencies

When you take the path of a War Song at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with two more instruments of your choice and medium armor. You gain proficiency in the Charisma (Intimidation) Skill. When you use the Charisma (Intimidation) skill on one or more creatures while using an instrument, you double your proficiency bonus.   

War Song

Also at 3rd level, you learn a number of War Songs. You gain additional uses for your bardic inspiration. As a bonus action you can activate one of the following aura effects by playing your instrument, chanting, singing, or some other performance. To maintain these effects does not require concentration, on each of your turns you must use your bonus action to keep playing. Each of these effects cost one use of your bardic inpiration to begin playing but do not require you to expend a charge to continue playing, or when activating its effects on a creature. Ending one song and beginning another costs another use of your bardic inspiration. 

Song of the Charge. Your song bolsters your allies speed and consitution as they charge into battle. All allies (including you) within 30ft of you gain the ability to take the Dash action as a bonus action, as long as they end their turn closer to an enemy. When they use this effect they gain temporary hitpoints equal to a roll of your bardic inspiration die.

Song of Terror. You begin to play a song designed to break the will of your enemies. Make a Charisma (Intimidation) check, creatures of your choice within 60ft of you must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Intimidation check or take psychic damage equal to your bardic inspiration die and be frightened of you until the end of their next turn. Creatures who are effected by this ability must use their action to take the Dash action away from you.

Song of Invigoration. You play a song to lift the spirits of your allies and invigorate them. While this song is active allied creatures within 30ft of you gain a bonus to saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier and are immune to being frightened or charmed. On each of your turns creatures effected by this song may, as a reaction, spend one hit die and regain hitpoints equal to the maximum number of hit points possible from the spent hit die plus a roll of your bardic inspiration die. 

Additional War Songs

At 6th level, you learn two additional songs that you can use against your enemies and in support of your allies.

An Ode to Thunder. You use sound as a weapon to break your enemies. You cause pulsating waves of sound around you. All creatures (other than you) within 30ft at the start of their turn must make a Constitution saving throw, on a failed save they are deafened and take thunder damage equal to your bardic inspiration die. Allied creatures have advantage on their saving throw. One each of your turns, when you use your bonus action to maintain this song, you can cause concentrated sound to burst out in front of you. Each creature in a 30-foot cone must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 2d8 thunder damage and is knocked prone, or half as much damage on a successful one and is not knocked prone.

Ballad of Sound and Steel. You channel your music to cause frenzy in your allies, and bring additional sonic power to their blows. All allies within 30ft of you gain an additional attack as a bonus action whenever they take the attack action. Additionally, on your turn, when you use a bonus action to maintain this song, you may select one willing creature within 30ft. The next time the selected creature successfully hits a target with a melee weapon attack, the target suffers the weapon attack’s normal effects and then becomes sheathed in sound energy until the start of your next turn. If the target willingly moves 5 feet or more before then, the target takes thunder damage equal to your bardic inspiration die.

Combat Bard

Starting at 14th level, you have truly mastered the art of using your music to aid your allies and harm your enemies in the midst of combat. You gain the War Caster feat if you don't already have it. Additionally, whenever one of your war songs has an effect based on your bardic inspiration die, add your charisma modifier to the roll.