College of Forests

Have you sung a duet with a loon, crying to Selune as she waxes in the night sky? Can you tell an ash from a linden? Do you understand what the cricket chirps to his beloved? To know a forest is to know oneself. And so most civilized fools never truly discover themselves.

Bards of the College of Forests learn the songs of birds, the tales told by a tree's bark, and the source of life itself in nature. Rangers may protect wild spaces and druids can harness nature's raw power, but none listen to the trees themselves better than the bards of the College of Forests. Legends say this college began when a master bard became the companion of some fey or primordial being of the forest, perhaps even some fiendish or divine creature, who taught him to see the living ecology that connects all living things to one another. 

Bards from this college often work alongside druids, advocating the needs of the wild places to rulers. They offer support and protection to allies, but can be fierce in protecting their own. 

Forest Magic

You know the druidcraft cantrip. In addition, you learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Forest Magic table. Each of these spells counts as a bard spell for you, but it doesn't count against the number of bard spells you know.

Spell Level	College Spells Known
Cantrip	druidcraft
1st	entangle, goodberry
2nd	animal messenger, barkskin
3rd	plant growth, speak with plants
4th	blight, polymorph
5th	commune with nature, tree stride

 

Voice of the Forest

When you select this class at 3rd level, you learn Druidic and Sylvan. In addition, you may communicate simple ideas with beasts. 

Additional Proficiencies

When you select this college at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with longbows. In addition, you gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Nature, or Survival. 

Enchanted Arrows

Beginning at 6th level, you may call on the assistance of the feywild to turns the tides of a battle to your favor. Whenever you roll initiative, the next time you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack you may select one of the following options:

• The creature takes an additional amount of psychic damage equal to your bard level + your Charisma modifier.
• The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell Save DC or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
• The creature has disadvantage on Int, Wis, and Cha saving throws until the end of your next turn.

You regain the use of this feature any time you roll a new initiative.

Hearty Mulch

A fallen tree provides nourishment and support to its neighbors. In the same way, when you reach 14th level in this class, you may turn injuries to your body to your allies' benefit. When you take damage, you may use your reaction to grant temporary hit points to a creature other than yourself you can see within 30 ft. The amount of temporary hit points are equal to half the damage taken from the single damage roll that provoked this reaction. You may use this ability twice, and regain all expended uses upon completing a short rest.