College of Drama

Long have the performing arts been a favorite pastime for people of all walks of life. Performers and thespians use the stage to tell stories that while fictional, can reveal great truths about life, death, and the struggles in between. The Muse, the ancient spirit of inspiration, moves the hearts of these actors, both great and small, to give their all in every performance.

Spellcasting Focus

When you create a College of Drama bard, you might consider using a spellcasting focus other than an instrument. Maybe your performer carries a special prop; like a fake skull, a wooden sword, or a significant item from their debut performance.

Channel the Muse

When you adopt the College of Drama at 3rd level, you can channel the Muse to magically manifest two different masks. One, a laughing mask of comedy, the other, a weeping mask of tragedy. At the end of a long rest, you choose which mask you wish to manifest, gaining abilities based on your choice.

Mask of Comedy. You use your talent for the dramatic to inspire your allies in combat. As a reaction, when a friendly creature within 30 feet is forced to make a saving throw, you can expend a bardic inspiration die, adding it from the result of their saving throw. You can use this reaction after they roll, but before you know whether they succeed or fail.

Mask of Tragedy. Your flair for tragedy allows you to inflict sorrow upon your foes. As a reaction, when a creature within 30 feet is forced to make a saving throw, you can expend a bardic inspiration die, subtracting it from the result of their saving throw. You can use this reaction after they roll, but before you know whether their roll succeeds or fails.

Mask of Comedy

You use your talent for the dramatic to inspire your allies in combat. As a reaction, when a friendly creature within 30 feet is forced to make a saving throw, you can expend a bardic inspiration die, adding it from the result of their saving throw. You can use this reaction after they roll, but before you know whether they succeed or fail.

Mask of Tragedy

Your flair for tragedy allows you to inflict sorrow upon your foes. As a reaction, when a creature within 30 feet is forced to make a saving throw, you can expend a bardic inspiration die, subtracting it from the result of their saving throw. You can use this reaction after they roll, but before you know whether their roll succeeds or fails.

Thespian's Craft

At 3rd level, you gain the skills of a master stage performer. You gain proficiency in both Performance skill and disguise kits. If you are already proficient in Performance you instead gain proficiency in another skill of your choice.

Also, while you are wearing a disguise, you have advantage on any Charisma (Performance) checks you make.

Soliloquy

Your ability to deliver impassioned performances empowers your Countercharm. Starting at 6th level, your Countercharm gains additional effects, based on the mask you are wearing:

Mask of Comedy. The sound of your Countercharm inspires great deeds. Creatures of your choice that can hear your Countercharm gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) at the start of each of their turns. In addition, they add 1d4 to any ability checks or attack rolls they make while they hear your Countercharm.

Mask of Tragedy. Your Countercharm undermines your enemies' resolve. Creatures of your choice that can hear your Countercharm have disadvantage on saving throws to resist being charmed and frightened, and they must subtract 1d4 from any ability checks or attack rolls they make.

Mask of Comedy

The sound of your Countercharm inspires great deeds. Creatures of your choice that can hear your Countercharm gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) at the start of each of their turns. In addition, they add 1d4 to any ability checks or attack rolls they make while they hear your Countercharm.

Mask of Tragedy

Your Countercharm undermines your enemies' resolve. Creatures of your choice that can hear your Countercharm have disadvantage on saving throws to resist being charmed and frightened, and they must subtract 1d4 from any ability checks or attack rolls they make.

Final Curtain

The Muse grants you the ability to enthrall death itself, if only for a short while. Upon reaching 14th level, your masks gain the following features while you are wearing them:

Mask of Comedy. You can bring allies back from the brink of death. As a reaction when a creature you can see within 30 feet makes a death saving throw, you can expend a bardic inspiration die to make a Charisma (Performance) check, substituting the result of your roll for their death saving throw. If the result is 20 or greater, the creature regains hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).

Mask of Tragedy. You can bargain with death itself for more time. When you fall to 0 hit points, you can expend a bardic inspiration die to make a Charisma (Performance) check before you fall unconscious. If the result of your roll is a 20 or greater, you fall to 1 hit point instead of 0.

Mask of Comedy

You can bring allies back from the brink of death. As a reaction when a creature you can see within 30 feet makes a death saving throw, you can expend a bardic inspiration die to make a Charisma (Performance) check, substituting the result of your roll for their death saving throw. If the result is 20 or greater, the creature regains hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).

Mask of Tragedy

You can bargain with death itself for more time. When you fall to 0 hit points, you can expend a bardic inspiration die to make a Charisma (Performance) check before you fall unconscious. If the result of your roll is a 20 or greater, you fall to 1 hit point instead of 0.