Retaining the skills of performance, guile, artistry, and beauty, the College of Archers adds archery to the curriculum. The aerial dance of arrows, the lilt they whistle in flight, the dark and somber end to the tune as the volley strikes home. 

To be an expert marksman, a sharpshooter, sniper, deadshot. That is the goal of the lessons of the College of Archers. Hopefully a skill learned in service to the Good against the darkness. But that can't always be the case. As beautiful as the students may be, Evil can be just as comely as it looks to put the blade to your neck.

Vigilance my young students. Be wary. Things are not often as they seem. What is true is your bow and your eyes and your heart. Use them well and they shall serve you well. 

Bonus Proficiencies

When you are accepted into the College of Archers at 3rd level, you gain the following bonus proficiencies: Wisdom (Perception), Intelligence (Nature), and Wisdom (Insight). You gain twice proficiency in Dexterity (Acrobatics).

Expanded Spell List

Starting at level, the College of Archers bard gains access to an expanded list of spells with utility and archery flavor.

EXPANDED SPELL LIST

Bard Level              Spells 

3rd        Fire Bolt, Ray of Frost, Fog Cloud, Hunter's Mark, Blur, Find Traps

5th       Haste, Wind Wall

7th        Banishment, Phantasmal Killer 

9th        Creation, Telekinesis 

11th      Globe of Invulnerability, Sunbeam

13th      Finger of Death, Prismatic Spray

15th      Antimagic Field, Sunburst

17th      Prismatic Wall, Time Stop

 

Bows and Arrows

Starting at 3rd level, you are proficient with longbows.

Additionally, your ranged attacks are made with a +2 bonus. Due to your careful practice and study of anatomy, your bow shots inflict 2 points of bonus damage. 

Given the more martial nature of your college, you have proficiency with medium armor and shields.

Sharpshooter

Starting at 3rd level, you have the Sharpshooter feat. 

Battery of Arrows

Staring at 3rd level, you gain access to magical arrows you can add to your quiver. You can select a type of arrow again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level.

Arrows of Black Energy

You can have two of these arrows per short rest. Arrows of Black Energy carry large charges of lethal necromantic power. 

On a successful hit, Arrows of Black Energy do 10d10 necrotic damage to a single target unless the target makes a DC 15 CON saving throw. On a successful save, the target takes half damage. 

If the target rolls a natural 1 for their saving throw roll, they die immediately regardless of their hit points. 

Arrows of Brimstone

You can have a number of these arrows equal to your CHA modifier per short rest. Arrows of Brimstone explode in a sulphurous fireball on a successful hit. The explosion has an area of effect of 10 feet in a radius around the target. Everything in the blast radius takes 6d10 fire damage unless a successful DEX save is made, halving the damage.

Arrows of Dark and Light

You can have a number of these arrows equal to 3 + your CHA modifier per short rest. Arrows of Dark and Light are just like Elemental Arrows except that the damage type options are force, necrotic, and radiant. The arrows do 1d8 + your CHA modifier of the damage type in addition to the weapon's normal damage and type. This extra damage scales with level, doing 2d8 + your CHA modifier damage at level 7, 3d8 at level 11, and 4d8 at level 15.

Arrows of Hamstringing

You can have a number of these arrows equal to 3+ your CHA modifier per short rest. These arrows are designed to tear an enemy's hamstring, making them hobbled. The enemy must make a DC 15 DEX saving throw on a successful hit or they are hamstrung until they can get before a healer. 

While hamstrung, the enemy is in the prone condition and can only fight at disadvantage.

The DC for saves against this effect scales with level. At 3rd level it's 15, at 7th level it's 17, at 11th level it's 19, and at 15th level it's 21.

Arrows of Paralysis

On a successful hit, these arrows force an enemy to make a DC 15 CON saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The paralyzed party can make a new saving throw attempt at the end of each of their subsequent turns. If they make the save, they are no longer affected.

You have a number of these arrows equal to 3 + your CHA modifier to use per short rest where the quantity resets. 

The saving throw DC for these arrows scales with level. The DC is 17 at level 7, 19 at level 11, and 21 at level 15.

Elemental Arrows

These arrows take on whichever of the five elemental damage characteristics you feel best suit a particular situation. You just name the type before you loose the arrow.

You get a number of these arrows equal to 3 + your CHA modifier. This number resets after a short rest.

The arrows do an additional 1d8 + your CHA modifier damage of the type you indicate before firing. This damage increases to 2d8 + your CHA modifier at level 7, 3d8 + your CHA modifier at level 11, and 4d8 + your CHA modifier at 15th level.

Faerie Arrows

On a successful hit with a Faerie Arrow, the enemy is outlined in a vibrant purple, flame-like nimbus. This effect lasts for 1 minute and, while affected, any of your or your allies' attacks made against the enemy are at advantage. 

You may have a number of these arrows equal to 3 + your CHA modifier per short rest.

Poisoned Points

You can have a number of these arrows equal to your CHA modifier per short rest. Poisoned Points are coated in a fast-acting poison that can prove lethal rather quickly.

The poison initially does an additional 1d8 + your CHA modifier of poison damage. Then the enemy can attempt a DC 15 CON saving throw. If successful, the enemy suffers no more damage. If unsuccessful, they begin to suffer wracking pain and damage that increases every round that they are unsuccessful with their saving throws.

In the 2nd turn of effect, the victim takes an additional 1d4 poison damage and loses 1 points of STR. In the 3rd turn, they take 2d4 poison damage and lose 2 points of STR, rolling their saving throw at a -1 penalty. In the 4th turn, they take 3d4 poison damage and lose 3 points of STR, rolling their saving throw at a -2 penalty. and so on. This agonizing spectacle continues until the enemy makes a save or they run out of hit points or STR, in which case they die.

While under the effects of this poison, the enemy has their movement speed reduced  by half (until they're unable to walk from strength loss) and they make all attacks, saving throws, and ability checks at disadvantage.

Frontline Support

Starting at 3rd level, you can use your Bardic Inspiration die to do your part, cheering on the melee fighters on the fontline.

You are accustomed to being behind the action in battle, watching the barbarians and paladins hacking and slashing, filthy with sweat, grime, and blood. 

Things look much better from a distance. That's why your mother encouraged bow training alongside your music lessons.

But oddly enough, there are feelings of guilt from time to time. Aren't you pulling your weight? You've killed so very many. But you had to figure out a way to help the grunts without getting dirty and smelly. 

That's what inspired the Song of Elan. A nod to the great battle songs and to the bards who sing of mighty heroes and wars won at great cost. The song feeds an empty spot in their souls. A hunger for great things and impossible deeds. Renown. Fame. Wealth. When they imagine themselves in the song, no creature can stand against them.

You can give a Bardic Inspiration die to one of your battle-weary compatriots and they'll know what to do with it. They've got 10 minutes to decide. Offense or defense? An AC boost or a damage roll? A saving throw or an attack roll?

The fact is, your Bardic Inspiration die is of a more martial bent and can be used as such, whereas the die is supposed to be limited to ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws.

Extra Attack

Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. 

Master Archer

Starting at 14th level, you have become such a master of the longbow, and your marksmanship has improved so much, you now have an additional +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls to compliment what you got at 3rd level.