Path of the Skald

Skalds launch themselves headfirst into battle, singing songs of glory, brutality, and violence. Their slaughter inspires allies to join, creating a mass fervor of gore and violence that can only be captured in song and tale. A skald will be as at home amid bloody remains as he is atop a table, beating drums, and singing or orating of his companions' conquests. Skalds are the warriors that others look to in their darkest moments to find the inner strength necessary to fight on when all seems lost.

The Music of Battle

Starting when you choose this path at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in performance, proficiency in a musical instrument of your choice, and proficiency in either blacksmith tools (stringed instrument), woodworking tools (woodwind instruments), or tinkers tools (brass instruments). You may spend downtime converting any weapon into an applicable instrument (such as an Axe into a lute, or a pike into a flute). This weapon becomes your magic focus.

Angry Spellcasting

When you reach 3rd level, you augment your rage with the ability to cast spells. You may cast spells while raging, however you may not concentrate on spells while raging. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the bard spell list.

When you reach 5th level, when you make the attack action, you may substitute one of your attacks to cast a bard cantrip.

Cantrips

You learn two cantrips of your choice from the bard spell list. You learn an additional bard cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots

The Skald Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your Bard spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

For example, if you know the 1st-level spell healing word and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast healing word using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher

You know three 1st-level bard spells of your choice.

The Spells Known column of the Skald Spellcasting table shows when you learn more bard spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the bard spells you know with another spell of your choice from the bard spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your bard spells, since you learn your spells through performance and emotion. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a bard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Skald Spellcasting

Barbarian Level	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	— Spell Slots per Spell Level —
			1st	2nd	3rd	4th
3rd	2	3	2	—	—	—
4th	2	4	3	—	—	—
5th	2	4	3	—	—	—
6th	2	4	3	—	—	—
7th	2	5	4	2	—	—
8th	2	6	4	2	—	—
9th	2	6	4	2	—	—
10th	3	7	4	3	—	—
11th	3	8	4	3	—	—
12th	3	8	4	3	—	—
13th	3	9	4	3	2	—
14th	3	10	4	3	2	—
15th	3	10	4	3	2	—
16th	3	11	4	3	3	—
17th	3	11	4	3	3	—
18th	3	11	4	3	3	—
19th	3	12	4	3	3	1
20th	3	13	4	3	3	1

Violent Inspiration

When you enter a rage, you gain a number of inspiration dice equal to the number of rages allotted per long rest. At 6th level the dice are 1d6, at 9th level they become 1d8, and at 16th level they become 1d10. Whenever you score a killing blow or a critical hit on an enemy, you may grant 1 inspiration die to any creature within 30 feet that can see or hear you. They may add this inspiration die to any attack roll, ability check, saving throw, or damage roll until the end of the encounter. You must use the die before the DM has determined the success or failure of the roll, or whether the damage would have killed the target or not.

The Dance of Rage

The act of fighting has become such a marvel for those to enjoy that you dance across the battlefield, often dodging blows like the flow of water. Starting at 10th level, while raging, your unarmored defense becomes 10 + Constitution + performance.

In addition, while raging, your danger sense affects wisdom, intelligence, and charisma saving throws as well. The flow of battle must never be ceased.

Song of Rage

Starting at 14th level, when you begin your rage, any ally within 30 ft that can hear you gains one Violent Inspiration die. While a character has an unused Violent Inspiration die, they gain advantage on saving throws against fear and charm effects, or any effect that would cause a change in their emotional state such as calm emotions.