Class Features

As a skald, you gain the following Class Features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per skald level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per skald level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light⁠ armor

Weapons: Simple Weapons, longswords, rapiers, cutlasses, shortswords

Tools: Three Musical Instruments of your choice

Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma

Skills: Choose any three

Equipment⁠

You start with the following equipm⁠ent, in addition to the equipment⁠ granted by your background:

• (a) a Rapier, (b) a Longsword, or (c) any simple weapon
• (a) a pirate’s pack or (b) an entertainer’s pack
• (a) Bagpipes or (b) any other musical instrument (not piano)
• Thick Shirt and a Dagger

Despite its scary title, this school often teaches techniques that empowers an individual's soul through majestic or otherworldly verses and melodies connected to the Underworld. Witnessing a performance from this type of skald can be equally beautiful and haunting. It is said that reciting these verses will leave all who hear it doomed to an eternity in the underworld after death.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you join the School of the Underworld at 3rd Level, you gain proficiency with three Skills of your choice.

 

Haunting Verse

Also at 3rd Level, you learn how to use your wit to distract, confuse, and otherwise sap the confidence and competence of others. 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 Skaldic Verse, rolling a Skaldic Verse 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.

Additional Tale of Legends

At 6th level, you have heard the whispers of the underworld which tell of forbidden abilities and secrets used by ancient legends. You learn two Spells of your choice from any Class (from standard 5e). A spell you choose must be of a level you can cast, as shown on the Skald table, or a cantrip. The chosen spells⁠ count as skald spirit powers⁠ for you but don’t count against the number of skald spirit powers⁠ you know

Power of the Deep

Starting at 14th level, when you make an ability check, you can expend one use of Skaldic Verse. Roll a Skaldic Verse die and add the number rolled to your ability check. You can choose to do so after you roll the die for the ability check, but before the DM tells you whether you succeed or fail.