College of Symphonics

While Bards may consist of poets, historians, and students of other professions, it is well known that Bards are the masters of performance, but only to an individual extent. Some Bards have developed a solution, the College of Symphonics, a line of study that focuses on bringing the Band to every single performance with just a little touch of magic.

as found in Sights & Sounds - The Wildous

Virtuoso

When you take this College at 3rd-level, you becomes a true virtuoso, conductor, musician, you name it; you are mastered in the art of playing music. You gain proficiency in 3 additional musical instruments of choice.

Magical Maestro

A Bard, when taking the College of Symphonics at 3rd-level, learns how to magically enchant their music and control their instruments in more particular ways.

As an action, you can spend a Bardic Inspiration dice to conduct an instrument. The effect of “conducting” an instrument is determined by the instrument’s type: Percussive, String, Brass or Woodwind; the effects of conducting are present on the “Conductive Effect table”.

Type	Effect
Percussive	Pick a location within 30 feet, the instrument flies to that location and sounds. Any creature within 15 feet of where it sounds must make a Dexterity Saving Throw against your spell save DC or be knocked prone.
String	Pick a location within 30 feet, the instrument flies to that location and sounds. Roll a Bardic Inspiration die. Any creature within 15 feet of where it sounds gains temporary hit points equal to your roll + your charisma modifier.
Brass	Pick a location within 30 feet, the instrument flies to that location and sounds. Any creature within 15 feet of where it sounds takes thunder damage equal to your roll + your charisma modifier.
Woodwind	Pick a location within 30 feet, the instrument flies to that location and sounds. 1d4 creatures you choose within 15 feet of the instrument must make Wisdom Saving throw against your spell save DC, on a failure they are charmed until the end of their next turn.

Specialized Instrument

A Bard of the College of Symponics may be versed in many different forms and genres of music conducting, but everyone has a preference.

When you reach 6th-level in this College, you pick an instrument type to specialize in, your choice of type will gain additional effects for when you conduct it:
• You now may pick to conduct within 60 feet, and the instrument sounds 30 feet
• The instrument persists for 1 minute and, as an action, you can sound the instrument again.
• As a bonus action you can move the instrument 15 feet.

Depending on the instrument type you also gain type-specific improvements, present on the “Additional Effects table”.

Type	Effect
Percussive	All terrain within 30 feet of the instrument is considered rough terrain until the start of your next turn.
String	Creatures within 15 feet of the instrument when it sounds will heal an amount of hp equal to the temporary hit points instead. If they are full on health, the remaining temporary hit points they would've gained are applied.
Brass	Creatures within 15 feet of the instrument when it sounds must make a Constitution Saving throw against your spell save DC, on a failure they Stunned until the start of their next turn.
Woodwind	Creatures have disadvantage on their Wisdom Saving throws and they stay Charmed until the start of your next turn.

While you have a persistent instrument present, you cannot cast spells that require spell concentration. You may have up to 2 persistent instruments at a time and can dismiss persistent instruments as a free action.

The Big Band

All instruments are considered specialized instruments. You now may have 3 persistent instruments at a time. You may also sound an instrument as a bonus action.

Instrument Types Reference

Below are some instruments and their example instrument type for reference.

Type	Instruments
Percussive	Drum, Dulcimer
String	Lute, Lyre, Viol
Brass	Horn
Woodwind	Bagpipes, Flute, Pan Flute