College of the Brush

As the bard's hands dance through the air with their paintbrush, a vibrant surge of energy emanates from them. With a flourish, they summon forth their Inkwell Manifestations, ethereal beings of ink and imagination. The air is alive with the scent of creativity as ghostly tomes, cascades of text, and scholars from the past materialize, each representing a different hue and power. With a mere thought, the bard's mind merges with the spectral ink, experiencing the world through its intangible form. Casting spells with newfound clarity, they bend reality to their artistic will.

In the heat of battle, allies find solace in the Radiant Aura, empowered by the bard's inspiration, their attacks infused with the brilliance of their artistic spirit. Enemies are ensnared by the Cerulean Ripple, struggling to move through the artist's imagined terrain. And in a display of sacrifice, the bard's final masterpiece takes form—a paint simulacrum, a living canvas that mirrors the bard's own abilities and brings their art to life.

The College of the Brush is a testament to the transformative power of art, melding magic and creativity into a captivating symphony that captivates both friend and foe. Their performances are not mere shows but immersive experiences that evoke emotions, weave tales, and shape destinies through the strokes of their brushes and the resonance of their words.

Bonus Proficiencies

At 3rd level, you gain proficiency with painter's supplies and calligrapher's supplies.

Inkwell Manifestation

3rd-level College of  the Brush feature

At 3rd level, your artistic connection with the weave allows you to conjure forth a spectral ink creature known as an Inkwell Manifestation. As a bonus action you can manifest as a Tiny spectral ink creature, hovering in an unoccupied space of your choice within 60 feet of you. The Inkwell Manifestation takes whatever form you prefer.

While manifested, the Inkwell Manifestation can hear and see, and it has darkvision with a range of 60 feet. The mind can telepathically share with you what it sees and hears (no action required).

Whenever you cast a bard spell on your turn, you can cast it as if you were in the Inkwell Manifestation's space, instead of your own, using its senses. You can do so a number of times per day equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

As a bonus action, you can cause the Inkwell Manifestation to hover up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space that you or it can see. It can pass through creatures but not objects.

The Inkwell Manifestation stops manifesting if it is ever more than 300 feet away from you, if someone casts dispel magic on it, if you die, or if you dismiss the Inkwell Manifestation as a bonus action. Once you conjure the mind, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a spell slot of any level to conjure it again.

You may summon an additional Inkwell Manifestation at 6th level and a Third at 14th level. You may control them simultaneously.

Chromatic Manifestations

6th-level College of the Brush feature

At 6th level, your connection with your artistry allows you to infuse your Inkwell Manifestations with chromatic power. As a bonus action, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration feature to modify any of your active Inkwell Manifestations.

Choose one of the following effects for each Inkwell Manifestation, each representing different colors:

• Black Veil (Black): The Inkwell Manifestation emanates a black veil, filling the surrounding area with darkness. Creatures within 15 feet of the Inkwell Manifestation have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight, and they can't see anything beyond 15 feet until the start of your next turn.
• Radiant Aura (White): The Inkwell Manifestation emanates a radiant aura, shedding bright light in a 15-foot radius and dim light for an additional 15 feet. Allies within 15 feet of the Inkwell Manifestation gain a bonus of 1d4 to their attack rolls and saving throws.
• Fiery Embers (Red): The Inkwell Manifestation crackles with fiery embers. Allies within 15 feet of the Inkwell Manifestation may add fire damage equal to your Bardic Inspiration die when they make an attack roll on their turn.
• Cerulean Ripple (Blue): The Inkwell Manifestation emanates a cerulean ripple, creating an area of difficult terrain in a 15-foot radius around it. Enemies that start their turn in the area have their movement speed reduced by half until the start of your next turn.
• Verdant Growth (Green): The Inkwell Manifestation pulses with verdant energy, causing plants to flourish. Allies within 15 feet of the Inkwell Manifestation regain hit points equal to your Bardic Inspiration die at the start of their turn.

The effects of the Chromatic Manifestations last until the start of your next turn or until you dismiss the Inkwell Manifestation as a bonus action.

Additionally, when you cast bard spells using the Inkwell Manifestation's senses, the damage or healing of the spell is increased by a bonus equal to the roll of your Bardic Inspiration die.

Masterpiece Creation

14th-level College of the Brush feature

At 14th level, your mastery over your Inkwell Manifestations reaches its peak, allowing you to transform them into a powerful simulacrum made entirely of paint. As an action, you can sacrifice your active Inkwell Manifestations, causing them to dissolve into swirling colors that form the paint simulacrum.

The paint simulacrum is a magical construct that lasts for 1 hour or until it is reduced to 0 hit points. It appears as a majestic and vibrant painting come to life, reflecting your artistic style and personal flair. The simulacrum is friendly to you and your allies and follows your verbal commands.

The paint simulacrum possesses the following characteristics:

• Its statistics are the same as your own, except it has half the number of hit points you have.
• It can use your Bardic Inspiration feature as if it were you, expending the uses and dice normally.
• It has proficiency in all saving throws and skills that you have proficiency in.
• It can't regain hit points through any means, including magical healing.
• It can move and take actions on its turn as a normal creature.
• It can cast spells using your spell slots, and its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC and spell attack bonus as per your character).

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.