College of Fury

Bards from the College of Fury, also known as the Hellsingers, possess abilities as fierce as they are mysterious. On the battlefield, hellsingers will scarcely strike with the same weapon twice, and can manipulate crossbow and sword with a dizzying speed. The manoeuvers they employ are measured and rhythmic in nature, a rhythm seldom heard by common folk. Their tales will often be grim and violent, relating brutal wars, reigns of tyrannical leaders, and great loss of lives; many wonder if they were there to be able to delve so deep in details, details that should have be left unknown and forgotten.

The College of Fury is taught to small groups, often by devils, and these master hellsingers choose their students carefully, for not every mortal can hear the heartbeat of the hells. This constant rhythm empowers the hellsingers' fighting and magical prowesses, a violent tune that haunts every one of them in their waking hours, and in their nightmares. 

Hellsingers are taught to use different weapons at a time and to alternate between ranged and melee assault against even a single opponent, leaving them vastly unpredictable. The more the battle drags on, the more lethal they are, because once they hear the beat, there's little that can be done to save you should you cross one of them. 

Bonus Proficiencies

When you join the College of Fury at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in heavy crossbows. If you play within a setting where your DM allows for firearms, you also gain that proficiency.

If you’re proficient with a simple or martial ranged weapon, you can use it as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells.

Weapon Trickery

At 3rd level, when you use your free object interaction to draw a weapon, you can stow a weapon you were holding as part of the same interaction. Inversely, when you use your free object interaction to stow a weapon you were holding, you can draw a weapon as part of the same interaction.

Rhythmic Fury

Also starting at 3rd level, the heartbeat of the hells resonates clear in your ears, beckoning you to follow it and stay on time as you fight. Every attack you make can build up your Rhythmic Fury. Landing a hit on a creature automatically grants you a Rhythmic charge. If you miss an attack against a creature, you can use your reaction to make a DC 15 Charisma (Performance) check and avoid losing charges on a success. If you don't make an attack roll against a creature on your turn, you can instead use your bonus action to make a DC 15 Charisma (Performance) check and be granted a charge on a success. If you fail to gain Rhythmic Fury on your turn, you lose all charges.

The Rhythmic Fury abilities you can use depend on your current Bard level and your amount of Rhythmic charges. When the conditions are met, you gain the following benefits :

Hell's Heartbeat (3rd-level ability). At 3 Rhythmic charges, when you hit with a weapon attack against a creature, you can add fire, lightning or thunder damage equal to a roll of your bardic inspiration when rolling for damage. Also, you have advantage on Charisma (Performance) checks made to keep your Rhythmic Fury when failing an attack roll against a creature.

Double Slaughter (5th-level ability). At 5 Rhythmic charges, you gain two Rhythmic charges when landing a hit on a creature, instead of one.

Devil's Flight (7th-level ability). At 7 Rhythmic charges, when you use your action to Dash, you can use a bonus action to make one melee weapon attack against a creature you move at least 10 feet towards in a straight line immediately before. On a hit, the target suffers the weapon's normal damage, and additional fire, lightning or thunder damage equal to half your Rhythmic charges (rounded down).

Unholy Mess (11th-level ability). At 11 Rhythmic charges, you can spend 5 charges to use your reaction to fly towards a creature within 30 feet of you that has 10 or fewer hit points left and is also missing hit points (the DM must inform you of such opportunities) and perform a critical finisher that reduces the creature to 0 hit points. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks. You and allies within 30ft gain temporary hit points, and hostile creatures within 10ft suffer fire, lightning or thunder damage, equal to the target's maximum amount of hit dice plus your Charisma modifier.

Additionally, you can use a bonus action on your turn to spend 4 Rhythmic charges and regain an expended bardic inspiration. You can use this feature an amount of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Lethal Cycle

At 6th level, if you use an action on your turn to make a weapon attack, then stow the weapon used in the attack and draw a different weapon immediately after, you can use a bonus action to make a weapon attack with the new weapon. On a hit with the new weapon, you gain an additional Rhythmic Charge. This feature is not applicable if you draw a weapon of the same type you were holding (example : stowing a dagger, then drawing another dagger.)

Song of Endless Torment

At 14th level, you scream to the heavens and summon crystallizing energy that strikes at enemies for an explosive slaughter. As an action, choose a 60-foot tall, 20-foot radius area within 30 feet : up to 4 creatures of CR 3 or lower within the area are struck with energy and must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or become petrified until the end of your next turn. If any creature petrified in such a way is dealt damage, they detonate and are reduced to 0 hit points, dealing 3d6 thunder and 3d6 fire damage to each creature in a 15 foot radius or half as much on a successful Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.