Some bards are less talented in the ways of song or dance, but instead express their creativity through artwork and painting. Bards that study under the College of the Brush are able to weave their magic into every brushstroke.

Painted Magic

Bards who study the brush have learned to paint new spells into their repertoire. Starting at 3rd level, you gain Bard spells at the Bard levels listed in the Painted Magic Spells table. The spells added this way are thereafter always prepared.

Additionally, you gain proficiency with Painter's Supplies and you may use a paintbrush as your spell casting focus.

Painted Spells

Bard LEVEL	SPELLS
1st	Color Spray, Chromatic Orb
3rd	Alter Self, Blur, Summon Beast
5th	Create Food and Water, Hypnotic Pattern
7th	Greater Invisibility, Hallucinatory Terrain
9th	Passwall, Seeming

Ink Blot

When you choose this college at 3rd level, you learn the ability to bring your artwork to life, quite literally. You can now summon an Ink Blot companion.

Inkblot Companion: As a bonus action, you can magically summon the Ink Blot to you. It appears in an unoccupied space of your choice within 30 feet of you.

The Ink Blot is friendly to you and your companions, and it obeys your commands. See its game statistics in the accompanying Ink Blot Companion stat block.  You can determine the cosmetic characteristics of the Ink Blot, such as its shape, size, etc; your choice has no effect on its game statistics.

Inkblot in Combat: In combat, the Ink Blot shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. When you summon the Ink Blot, you decide what action it will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. Issuing a new command requires no action. If you issue no commands, the Ink Blot will simply attack the closest hostile creature. Once given an order, the Ink Blot continues to follow it until its task is complete.

The Ink Blot remains until it is reduced to 0 hit points, until you use this feature to summon a new Ink Blot, until you die, or until 1 hour has passed, after which the Ink Blot falls apart into a puddle of paint. Anything the Ink Blot was wearing or carrying is left behind when it vanishes.

Painting the Inkblot: When you summon an Ink Blot, you may apply magical paint to it, imparting special properties depending on the color of paint used. You may use only one paint color at a time, but you learn to use more as you become a higher level Bard. You can use two colors as a 5th level Bard, three colors as an 11th level Bard, and four colors as a 17th level Bard. The colors and their properties are as follows:

• Red - The Ink Blot may make an additional attack per attack action on its turn.
• Orange - The Ink Blot gains a +2 bonus to its attack rolls.
• Yellow - The Ink Blot gains a bonus +10 feet to its walking speed and can disengage as a bonus action.
• Green - The Ink Blot gains a +2 bonus to its Armor Class.
• Blue - The Ink Blot gains your choice of a flying speed or a swimming speed equal to its walking speed.
• Violet - The Ink Blot gains 30 feet of truesight.
• Black - The Ink Blot deals an additional 1d6 force damage on its attacks. 
• White - The Ink Blot is summoned with temporary hit points equal to twice your Bard level.

 

Artistic Inspiration

Also at 3rd level, your paintings have lasting value, and keep your allies long inspired. Whenever a creature uses a Bardic Inspiration granted to them by you, they gain Artistic Inspiration. Artistic Inspiration behaves functionally the same as a normal Bardic Inspiration, but the die is a 1d4.

Burst of Color

Starting at 6th level, you have learned how to pour even more of your magic into your paints, making your creations pop -- Sometimes literally. Whenever you summon your Ink Blot, it has an additional 20 hit points. 

Additionally, as an action on your turn or as a reaction when its hit points reach 0, you may command your Ink Blot to move up to 30 feet and explode in a magnificent spray of color. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere of the Ink Blot makes a Dexterity saving throw, taking 8d6 Acid damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one.

Broad Strokes

At 14th level, you are able to paint your creations with supernatural speed. Whenever you would summon an Ink Blot, you instead summon two Ink Blots.