College of the Gambler

Bards in the College of the Gambler are masters of manipulating both people and odds. Through their lessons, they are taught that for any given game, you are playing both the game itself and each of their opponents.  Often mistaken in the gambling dens and taverns for cheats, they must know how to talk themselves out of trouble or they must know how to fight when the brawl breaks out.  They are a great person to have on your side as many doors open for them due to their charm, but beware, for every door that opens there is a door that closes hard.  They are both strategist and seducer, mastermind and maestro. 

Notes:

I wanted to make a gambler who was thematically wasn't some magic user. There are plenty of magic card throwing subclasses.  This subclass is designed around dice rolling, aka gambling.  It focuses on bonuses for critical hitting, gaining advantage, and of course: winning with gaming sets.

At 3rd level, its key feature is Manipulate Odds, which completely changes the bard playstyle.  Bardic Inspiration dice are gone, and Strategy dice on in.  Spend these to gain benefits.  Almost all require you to spend your reaction but are not restricted to using them as a reaction, and they are quite powerful.  But they come with downsides.  Roll well and you are fine, roll poorly you get punished, truely a gambler.  In addition you gain all gaming set proficiencies and you gain an expertise in a single set.  Depending on the set you choose you with also get a +2 in either Sleight of Hand, Deception, Insight, or Perception. Included with this is that having proficiency in the set as well as the skill being used with it gives you advantage, this is an optional rule that came with Tasha's that I added just incase people weren't using it because gaming sets are not a commonly used tool.

At 6th level, you get a fighting style and a 1st level spell from any list.  This is designed to work for both spell caster and martial gamblers.  It is akin to a Hybrid Magical Secrets that a Lore Bard would give.  At 8th Level, you can then choose to focus with the choice of an additional fighting style, or a 3rd level or below spell.

Lastly at 14th level, you specialize in the gaming set you chose at 3rd level.  You gain an additional +2 in its given skill, the ability to spend a Strategy die for advantage in that check, and a means to replenish Strategy die without resting. Each set also has a combat bonus, ranging from consitent but lower damage, to only on critical hits but higher power.

After looking through most other "gambler" subclasses, I will say that a lot of them hit similar points. Gaming Set Proficency and Expertise, "Manuevers", and Deception/Insight/Persuation bonuses are pretty common to all, I hope mine is fun for you guys, I hope I made it engaging and unique enough.

Gaming Prodigy

3rd-level College of the Gambler feature

You have spent most your life gambling, you have gone to school for it and make a living off it.  You gain the following benefits: 

• You gain proficiency with all gaming sets and expertise with a chosen set.
• When making an ability check using both a skill and a gaming set you are proficient in, make it with Advantage.
• You gain additional effects depending on which set you choose.

 

Dice Prodigy

Years of playing Liar's Dice has honed your ability to convince other of your truths. You gain the following additional benefits:

• You gain expertise with a Dice Set, which means your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with it.
• You gain a +2 bonus to Charisma (Deception) ability checks.

Dragonchess Prodigy

Years of playing Dragonchess has honed your ability to see the entire board. You gain the following additional benefits:

• You gain expertise with a Dragonchess Set, which means your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with it.
• You gain a +2 bonus to Intelligence (Perception) ability checks

Playing Card Prodigy

Years of playing cards has honed your ability to read others. You gain the following addtional benefits:

• You gain expertise with a Playing Card Set, which means your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with it.
• You gain a +2 bonus to Wisdom (Insight) ability checks.

Three-Dragon Ante Prodigy

Years of dominating Three Dragon Ante has taught you that stealing does get you ahead. You gain the following additional benefits:

• You gain expertise with a Three-Dragon Ante Set, which means your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with it.
• You gain a +2 bonus to Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) ability checks.

Manipulate Odds

Your Bardic Inspiration dice are now Strategy dice. These dice are consumed when you use Strategies and the amount, size, and means of replenishment of your Strategy dice is the same as your Bardic Inspiration dice. Strategies cost a reaction, but can also be used at any point in the round.

Choose 2 Strategies, then an additional Strategy at 7th level, 10th, and 15th level.

All In

When you roll initiative, roll a Strategy die and add it to your initiative roll.  If that new total is the highest initiative roll, you may immediate cast a 3rd level or lower spell before your start your turn. If the new total is not the highest roll, you go last in the initiative order.

Bluff

Whenever you roll a Charisma (Deception) using a gaming set, but before the outcome is determined, you may expend a Strategy die and add the number to your roll. 

This Charisma (Deception) is contested by a Wisdom (Insight) check.

• Winning this Charisma check grants you additional winnings (per DM discretion) or advantage on all ability checks against your opponents for the 5 minutes.
• Losing this contested check results in losing gold equal to the difference in rolls multiplied by the original bet.

Cooler

Whenever another creature within 60 feet of you makes an attack or spell attack roll, you may roll a Strategy die and subtract the number rolled.

Cooperation

When you score a critical hit, choose an ally within 30ft of the creature.  That ally can use their reaction to make an attack or spell attack against the same creature and add a Strategy die to their damage roll.

False Shuffle

Whenever you roll a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) using a gaming set, but before the outcome is determined, you may expend a bardic inspiration and add the number to your roll.

This Dexterity check is contested by an Intelligence (Perception) check.

• Winning this Dexterity check grants you additional winnings (DM discrection) or advantage on all ability checks made against any creatures playing for the next 5 minutes.
• Losing this contested check results in an altercation in which you lose hit points equal to the difference in rolls mulitplied by your proficiency modifer.

Gambler's Fallacy

If you miss an attack or spell attack roll, you can expend a Strategy die to reroll the attack with a -5 penalty and without advantage or disadvantage.  If the new roll hits, roll 2 Strategy die and add that as damage.  If the new roll misses, you gain Bane for 1 minute.

High Stakes

When you make a Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma (Deception) check, and roll a d20 of 9 or lower, you may expend a Strategy die and reroll the d20.  If the D20 rolls a 10 or higher, use the new roll and add your Strategy die roll.  If the D20 rolls a 9 or lower again, treat it as a 1. 

Hot Streak

When you score a critical hit, you may make an additional attack as a part of the same action. If this additional attack is also scores a critical hit, repeat this process a third time.  Should your third extra attack succeed, you regain a Stratedgy die.

If any of the extra attacks rolls a 1, you lose an additional Strategy die.

Extra Attacks gained through Hot Streak do not restrict you from using the Extra Attack feature from other classes, but Hot Streak can only start from the first attack in the Attack Action.

Stare Down

Select a creature within 30ft of you that has the ability to see you, roll a Charisma (Deception) check contested against their Wisdom (Insight) check. If you win you have advantage on all attack and spell attacks made for the next minute, if you lose, the chosen creature has advantage on all attacks and spell attacks made on their next turn.

In order to use this Strategy on creatures more than 30ft away or that cannot see you, roll a Dexterity (Stealth) check contested against their Intelligence (Perception) check. If you win you have advantage on all attack and spell attacks made for the next minute, if you lose, the chosen creature has advantage on all attacks and spell attacks made on their next turn. Until the creature takes damage, you cannot hide from them.

Know Your Opponent

6th-level College of the Gambler feature

Your ability to read and predict your opponents' moves now benefits you beyond the gambling dens. You gain the following benefits:

• You learn a fighting style of your choice.
• You learn a 1st level spell of your choice. The spell chosen uses your Charisma modifier.

At 8th level you can add either an additional fighting style or an addition 3rd level or below spell.

Additional Spell

You have gotten so in tune with the mind of a magic wielder while playing against them. As a result, you learn one 3rd level or below spell of your choice.

Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Blind Fighting

You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn’t behind total cover, even if you’re blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.

Defense

While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Dueling

When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Interception

When a creature you can see hits a target, other than you, within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a shield or a simple or martial weapon to use this reaction.

Protection

When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.

Superior Technique

You learn one maneuver of your choice from among those available to the Battle Master archetype. If a maneuver you use requires your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver’s effects, the saving throw DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice).

You gain one superiority die, which is a d6 (this die is added to any superiority dice you have from another source). This die is used to fuel your maneuvers. A superiority die is expended when you use it. You regain your expended superiority dice when you finish a short or long rest.

Thrown Weapon Fighting

You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon.

In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Unarmed Fighting

Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier on a hit. If you aren’t wielding any weapons or a shield when you make the attack roll, the d6 becomes a d8.

At the start of each of your turns, you can deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to one creature grappled by you.

Top of the Game

14th-level College of the Gambler feature

Your skill is miles ahead of your peers, losing is a thing of the past, but that doesn't mean that you stop training, you gain the following benefits:

• Rolling a 20 on a d20 test, while you still have your reaction, restores one charge of Strategy die.
• Increase the effect of your 3rd level Gaming Prodigy feature.

 

Card Shark

You are one of the greatest Playing Card players around. You gain the following additional benefits:

• When you score a critical hit, creatures damaged must make a Dexterity saving throw with a DC equal to your proficiency modifier + dexterity or charisma modifier + Strategy die. On a failed save, the target is restrained for 1 minute. At the end of every turn, it must attempt the same Dexterity saving throw with the same DC, failing this save causes the creature to take damage equal to the DC.
• You gain an additional +2 bonus to Wisdom (Insight) ability checks.
• You may expend a Strategy die to make Wisdom (Insight) ability checks with advantage.

Gambit King

You are one of the greatest Three Dragon Ante players around.  You gain the following additional benefits:

• When you hit with advantage, you roll a Strategy die, you deal additional fire damage equal to the roll.
• You gain an additional +2 bonus to Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) ability checks.
• You may expend a Strategy die to make Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) ability checks with advantage.

Grandmaster

You are one of the greatest Dragonchess players around. You gain the following additional benefits:

• When you score a critical hit, you gain the effects of Haste until the end of your next turn.
• You gain an additional +2 bonus to Intelligence (Perception) ability checks.
• You may expend a Strategy die to make Intelligence (Perception) ability checks with advantage.

High Roller

You are one of the greatest Dice players around. You gain the following additional benefits:

• When you attack with advantage, you score a critical hit with a d20 roll of 18 or higher, and critically miss on a 2 or below.
• You gain an additional +2 bonus to Charisma (Deception) ability checks.
• You may expend a Strategy die to make Charisma (Deception) ability checks with advantage.