College of Loss

Most beings experience some sort of crushing loss at one point in their life. Whether it is a loss of honor, power, possessions, health, a relationship, or a loved one, Bards of the College of Loss use the raw emotions from this experience to give their performances a soul and power far higher and greater than other entertainers.

Bards from this College tend toward poetry, song or instrumental skill rather than dancing or acrobatic displays. Some set out to seek justice or revenge for their loss. Others seek redemption and a new life. Still others use their art to aid others suffering a similar loss to move on and find peace and healing. A few simply wish to express their sorrow and heartbreak through mastery of their craft.

The College of Loss is built upon the strength of those who have survived a painful, guilty, or tragic past, embraced it, and now seek to use it to ease both their own and others misery.

Denial

When you join the College of Loss at 3rd level, you learn the Major Image spell. It doesn't count against the number of spells you know and you can cast it once per day without using a spell slot. When you do so, if the illusion is of the thing that you lost, it becomes a Bittersweet Illusion and projects a 10 foot radius Aura of Grief around it. As a bonus action, you can activate one of several effects.

1. All allies within your Aura of Grief gain advantage on any Wisdom saving throws.

2. All allies within your Aura of Grief gain a 5 foot bonus to their speed.

3. All enemies must treat anywhere within your Aura of Grief as difficult terrain.

As a bonus action, you can change between effects.

Anger

Also at 3rd level, you channel all the pain of your loss toward your enemies. When you hit with a weapon attack, you can expend one use of Bardic Inspiration to add the roll to the attack's damage and force the target to make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or be stunned until the end of their next turn. 

Bargaining

At 6th level, you have advantage on all Persuasion checks.

Additionally, you can ignore the verbal, somatic, material components costing under 100 gp for a spell. You do this once per short or long rest, twice at 11th level, and thrice at 17th level.

Depression

Also at 6th level, as an action, your Bittersweet Illusion emanates a wave of music that invokes a deep sadness in those who hear it. All creatures of your choice within 60 feet of your Bittersweet Illusion who can hear it must make a Wisdom saving throw or take 4d6 psychic damage and fall prone. This ability has no effect if a creature is immune to being charmed.

You can use this ability once per long rest, twice at 11th level, and thrice at 17th level.

Acceptance

Starting at 14th level, you have fully accepted your loss, finding healing and peace in your soul. You can cast the Sanctuary spell without expending a spell slot a number of times per long rest equal to your Wisdom modifier. Using your Bittersweet Illusion doesn't end the spell. 

Also, you gain additional effects for your Aura of Grief.

4. All allies within your Aura of Grief at the start of their turn regain hit points equal to half your level.

5. All Allies within your Aura of Grief can see through magical and non-magical darkness as if it were dim light.