Bard: College of Disguise

Masters of Deception, Illusion, and Theatrical Trickery

Bards of the College of Disguise are performers, spies, and masterful illusionists who blur the lines between reality and deception. Whether posing as nobility, vanishing into a crowd, or spinning illusions so convincing they become legend, these bards use masks, makeup, and magic to weave falsehoods into art. Some work as spies or political infiltrators, while others live for the sheer joy of playing different roles. To them, the world is a stage, and their personas are limitless.

Bonus Proficiencies

3rd level College of Disguise feature

When you join this college, you gain proficiency with Disguise Kits and Deception checks. If you are already proficient in Deception, you can add double your proficiency bonus to checks made with it.

Additionally, you learn the Disguise Self spell and can cast it without expending a spell slot a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum once). You regain all uses after a long rest.

Mimic’s Masquerade

3rd level College of Disguise feature

Your ability to assume new identities extends beyond simple disguises. As an action, you can observe and imitate a creature’s speech, mannerisms, and general personality. If you spend at least 1 minute watching or listening to a creature, you can mimic their voice and posture perfectly.

• Any creature that isn’t familiar with the person you’re imitating is automatically fooled.
• A creature that knows the person well can make a Wisdom (Insight) check against your spell save DC to detect the deception.
• If you cast Disguise Self while using this ability, the spell lasts 1 hour longer than normal.

Illusory Persona

6th level College of Disguise feature

Your illusions take on a life of their own, allowing you to shift identities seamlessly. As an action, you can create a major disguise that lasts for up to 1 hour without requiring concentration. This functions as both Disguise Self and Minor Illusion combined, allowing you to not only alter your appearance but also produce a false voice, fake background noises, or even create the illusion of another person nearby.

Additionally, whenever you make a Deception or Performance check while in disguise, you can roll a Bardic Inspiration die and add the result to your check.

Master of Many Faces

14th level College of Disguise feature

You become a true shapeshifter of identity, seamlessly blending magic, performance, and deception.

• Perfect Impersonation: If you have heard a creature speak and seen them in person, you can spend 10 minutes preparing a disguise that makes you indistinguishable from them.
• This disguise lasts indefinitely until you choose to dismiss it.
• Any magic that would reveal your true identity (such as True Seeing or Detect Magic) requires a DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check to pierce through your deception.
• Illusory Double: As an action, you can create a perfect illusionary duplicate of yourself that moves and speaks as you do. The illusion lasts for 1 minute or until dismissed as a bonus action.
• You can switch places with your illusion as a bonus action, teleporting into its location.
• When an attack is made against you, you can use your reaction to switch places with your illusion, causing the attack to hit the illusion instead.

Roleplaying a College of Disguise Bard

Bards of this college are chameleons, shifting between personas with ease. They may be spies, con artists, revolutionary leaders, or simply performers who enjoy playing every role imaginable. Their abilities make them dangerous infiltrators, shadowy masterminds, or mischievous tricksters depending on their goals.

Mimic’s Masquerade

3rd level College of Disguise feature

Your ability to assume new identities extends beyond simple disguises. As an action, you can observe and imitate a creature’s speech, mannerisms, and general personality. If you spend at least 1 minute watching or listening to a creature, you can mimic their voice and posture perfectly.

• Any creature that isn’t familiar with the person you’re imitating is automatically fooled.
• A creature that knows the person well can make a Wisdom (Insight) check against your spell save DC to detect the deception.
• If you cast Disguise Self while using this ability, the spell lasts 1 hour longer than normal.

Illusory Persona

6th level College of Disguise feature

Your illusions take on a life of their own, allowing you to shift identities seamlessly. As an action, you can create a major disguise that lasts for up to 1 hour without requiring concentration. This functions as both Disguise Self and Minor Illusion combined, allowing you to not only alter your appearance but also produce a false voice, fake background noises, or even create the illusion of another person nearby.

Additionally, whenever you make a Deception or Performance check while in disguise, you can roll a Bardic Inspiration die and add the result to your check.

Master of Many Faces

14th level College of Disguise feature

You become a true shapeshifter of identity, seamlessly blending magic, performance, and deception.

• Perfect Impersonation: If you have heard a creature speak and seen them in person, you can spend 10 minutes preparing a disguise that makes you indistinguishable from them.
• This disguise lasts indefinitely until you choose to dismiss it.
• Any magic that would reveal your true identity (such as True Seeing or Detect Magic) requires a DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check to pierce through your deception.
• Illusory Double: As an action, you can create a perfect illusionary duplicate of yourself that moves and speaks as you do. The illusion lasts for 1 minute or until dismissed as a bonus action.
• You can switch places with your illusion as a bonus action, teleporting into its location.
• When an attack is made against you, you can use your reaction to switch places with your illusion, causing the attack to hit the illusion instead.

Bonus Proficiencies

3rd level College of Disguise feature

When you join this college, you gain proficiency with Disguise Kits and Deception checks. If you are already proficient in Deception, you can add double your proficiency bonus to checks made with it.

Additionally, you learn the Disguise Self spell and can cast it without expending a spell slot a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum once). You regain all uses after a long rest.

Level 3: Cutting Words

You learn to use your wit to supernaturally distract, confuse, and otherwise sap the confidence and competence of others. When a creature that you can see within 60 feet of yourself makes a damage roll or succeeds on an ability check or attack roll, you can take a Reaction to expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration; roll your Bardic Inspiration die, and subtract the number rolled from the creature’s roll, reducing the damage or potentially turning the success into a failure.