College of the Thespian

Bards of the College of the Thespian are actors at heart - they easily slip between characters, and live for the dramatic arts. Their magic comes from their words and displays, and is often based heavily on disguise and trickery. It is rare that bards of this College are lawful creatures, as the possibilities when you can slip into someone else's skin are endless.

Bonus Proficiencies

You may choose three more skills to become proficient in.

Master Impersonator

Starting at level 3, you can cast the alter self spell once per long rest without expending a spell slot. When using this ability, you can roll a simple Performance or Deception check upon studying a person you are impersonating. Your performance as that person depends on the roll.

You can also mimic the speech of another person or the sounds made by other creatures. You must have heard the creature speaking, or heard the creature make the sound, for at least 1 minute. A successful Wisdom (Insight) check contested by your Charisma (Deception) check allows a listener to determine that the effect is faked. You have advantage on Deception and Persuasion checks while impersonating another person or creature.

Monologuer

Upon reaching level 6, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration die to monologue for one of the following effects:

- You can ask the DM a question, and the DM will answer to the best of their ability based on the things your character already knows, giving you more insight into the problem at hand.

- You can give yourself your own little rallying speech, giving you one inspiration die and advantage on all Wisdom saving throws/ability checks for the next 8 hours.

- You can cast beacon of hope on up to four allies within range by giving them a rousing speech.

- Inspire your fellow party members by giving them a short speech. Doing this grants up to 6 friendly creature (you can include yourself) that are within 30 feet of you temporary hit-points that equal your level plus your charisma modifier. If you use this feature again before the temporary hit-points are expended, remember that temporary hit-points do not stack, they will be replaced with the new set of temporary hit-points.

DM's Intelligence

You can ask the DM a question, and the DM will answer to the best of their ability based on the things your character already knows, giving you more insight into the problem at hand.

Fortifying Delivery

You can cast beacon of hope on up to four allies within range by giving them a rousing speech.

Inspiring Leader

Inspire your fellow party members by giving them a short speech. Doing this grants up to 6 friendly creature (you can include yourself) that are within 30 feet of you temporary hit-points that equal your level plus your charisma modifier. If you use this feature again before the temporary hit-points are expended, remember that temporary hit-points do not stack, they will be replaced with the new set of temporary hit-points.

Pep Talk

You can give yourself your own little rallying speech, giving you one inspiration die and advantage on all Wisdom saving throws/ability checks for the next 8 hours.

Master Actor

At level 14, your proficiency modifier for Performance, Persuasion, and Deception is doubled. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration die to gain advantage on any acting-related Performance, Persuasion, or Deception check.

You have gained the experience as an actor on how to use you words most efficiently to bend the wills and minds of those around you. You may choose two out of the three following options from other Bard classes to use as your own:

-Cutting Words

-Enthralling Performance

-Venomous Words

Cutting Words

When a creature that you can see within 60 feet of you makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a damage roll, you can use your reaction to expend one of your uses of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic Inspiration die and subtracting the number rolled from the creature's roll. You can choose to use this feature after the creature makes its roll, but before the DM determines whether the attack roll or ability check succeeds or fails, or before the creature deals its damage. The creature is immune if it can't hear you or if it's immune to being charmed.

Enthralling Performance

You can charge your performance with seductive fey magic.If you perform for at least 10 minutes, you can attempt to inspire wonder in your audience by singing, reciting a poem, or dancing. At the end of the performance, choose a number of humanoids within 60 feet of you who watched and listened to all of it, up to a number of them equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one). Each target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be charmed by you. While charmed in this way, the target idolizes you, it speaks glowingly of you to anyone who speaks to it, and it hinders anyone who opposes you, avoiding violence unless it was already inclined to fight on your behalf. This effect ends on a target after 1 hour, if it takes any damage, if you attack it, or if it witnesses you attacking or damaging any of its allies.If a target succeeds on its save against this effect, the target has no hint that you tried to charm it.Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Venomous Words

You learn to infuse innocent-seeming words with an insidious magic. A creature that hears you speak can become plunged into fear and paranoia.If you speak to a humanoid alone for at least 10 minutes, you can attempt to seed paranoia and fear into its mind. At the end of the conversation, the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be frightened for the next hour, until it is attacked or damaged, or until it witnesses its allies being attacked or damaged. While frightened in this way, the target is paranoid and tries to avoid the company of others, including its allies. The target seeks out what it considers the safest, most secret place available to it and hides there.If the target succeeds on its save, the target has no hint that you tried to frighten it.Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short rest or long rest.