College of Philosophia

While most believe in something, bards of this college often question the meaning of existence, of life, and studies the theoretical basis of a particular branch of knowledge and experience. These bards think of this as a kind of art, the art of thinking and questioning. To them, this is as important as music and poetry to most other bards. Through these questions, charged with the back up of their songs and music, a few are able to reach through the fabrics of the material plane to manipulate these ideas for their gain. The small amount that can do this gives bards of this college a respected reputation. 

Skills Proficiencies

When you join this college at 3rd level, you gain skill proficiency in Insight (Wisdom). When you make an Arcana, History, Nature or Religion check against another creature, use your Charisma modifier instead of your Intelligence modifier as you charm them into belief.

Ideologies and Positions

Choose an ideology when you join this college at the 3rd level from the following, where you certain abilities from:

Axiology

The study of aesthetics and ethics. You can expend a Bardic Inspiration to inspire a creature, with an Intelligence of 4 or higher, to pursue the beauties of life. They must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, they are charmed by an object or creature of your choice. On a successful save, they will keep in mind your advice and you will have an advantage on Persuasion skill checks against them.

Epistemology

The study of knowledge and truth. You gain proficiency in the Deception skill, if you have already, choose another skill.

Logic

The study of argumentation and reason. When debating or persuading with another creature, you can get so that they must make a Wisdom saving throw and you do not need to make a Persuasion check. On a failed save, their Wisdom, Charisma, or Intelligence (choose one when you cast) score is temporarily decreased by 2 and is convinced. On a successful save, they are not convinced, but do not notice you have done this. Once you use this feature, you may not use it again today, or until you finish a short rest.

Metaphysics

The study of reality and being. All illusion spells are added to the Bard spell list. You can learn them, though they still count towards your total amount of known bard spells.

Political Philosophy

The study of state and government. You gain proficiency in the History skill. If you already are proficient in this, you may choose another Intelligence skill.

Songs of Thought

At 6th level, you know how to use music and other means of art to ask questions. Choose the feature corresponding to your Ideologies and Positions feature from below:

Song of Dispute

Choose this feature if you chose to study in Logic or Political Philosophy. 

At the 6th level, you know how to convince a creature into a different view using music.

You survey the creature's (one target) ideologies while they listen to your music. If you studied Logic, it is from philosophical views (Solipsism, Determinism, etc). If you studied Political Philosophy, it is their political views (Classical Anarchism, General Democracy, etc). They have to make a Wisdom saving throw against your Spellsave DC. On a failed save, you persuade them to change their alignment (Chaotic evil, neutral good, etc), their political or philosophical view, they are charmed by you, and take 3d6 psychic damage. On a successful save, their view is swayed into another branch and they take 1d10 psychic damage. 

After you use this feature, you may not use it until after you finish another long rest.

Song of Existence

Choose this feature if you chose Axiology, Epistemology, or Metaphysics.

At the 6th level, you learn to trap creatures in an illusion like a reality of itself. Or perhaps it is the reality?

You can cast an illusion spell that requires concentration and music able to be heard that a creature cannot break out of when alone. Like you grabbed them into another plane, other creatures cannot interfere with your spell. Any attacks you make on the creature in the illusion, you can expend Bardic Inspiration to roll a damage amount added with your bard level to the attack damage. If you cast a non-illusion spell requiring concentration, it does not break your concentration on this one. 

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until the end of a long rest.

Musical Speech

At 14th level, you gain the ability to confuse enemies with a inquiring tune.

As an action, you stand and begin to ask questions within questions of overlapping concepts that are magically weaved together in musical form. Each creature of your choice that you can see within 120 feet must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Spellsave DC. On a failed save, each creature loses their reactions and must spend their next actions to move in a random direction as they think and analyze your questions and takes 3d8 psychic damage. To determine a direction, roll a d8 and assign a direction to each die face. This effect lasts until the end of your next turn. The targets must be able to hear you for this ability to work.

Once you use this ability, you must finish a long rest before using it again.