There is a devil lord who keeps more legal scholars than soldiers- She's lost fewer battles than the most victorious warlords

—Samantha Beckett

 

Few are the mortals that would choose to engage with Infernal law and even fewer would be willing to call themselves a devils’ advocate, but some dare to try. Bards which choose to study the diabolically complex system of infernal law, known as the Lex Diaboli, do so at their peril, often risking their very souls in the process. They must employ every resource, tool, and loophole to protect themselves while simultaneously thwarting their enemies. The risks are incalculable, but so are the potential rewards.

Fiendish Jurisprudence

When you join the College of the Lex Diaboli at 3rd level, you learn to speak, read, and write Infernal.

Additionally, you gain proficiency in the Persuasion skill, or another skill if you already have that proficiency.

Devil in the Details

Starting at 3rd Level, choose one of the following aspects of the Lex Diaboli to specialize in. At 6th level, you can choose a second specialty.

Custody

You specialize in the aspects of infernal law dealing with property, ownership, and imprisonment. When you make an ability check or saving throw to resist or escape being grappled or restrained, you can spend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to roll one of your Bardic Inspiration Dice and add the result to your roll. Additionally, when a creature you can see within 30 feet of you makes an ability check or saving throw to resist or escape being grappled or restrained by one of your spells or effects, you can spend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to roll one of your Bardic Inspiration Dice and subtract the result from the target’s roll.

Supremacy

You specialize in infernal laws concerning structures, hierarchies, and obedience. When you make a saving throw against being charmed, you can spend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to roll one of your Bardic Inspiration Dice and add the result to your roll. Additionally, when a creature you can see within 30 feet of you makes a saving throw against being charmed by one of your spells or effects, you can spend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to roll one of your Bardic Inspiration Dice and subtract the result from the target’s roll.

Terror

You specialize in devilish laws governing psychological and metaphysical terror. When you make asaving throw against being frightened, you can spend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to roll one of your Bardic Inspiration Dice and add the result to your roll. Additionally, when a creature you can see within 30 feet of you makes a saving throw against being frightened by one of your spells or effects, you can spend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to roll one of your Bardic Inspiration Dice and subtract the result from the target’s roll.

Torment

You specialize in the proper applications of punishment and pain. When you take damage, you can spend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to roll one of your Bardic Inspiration Dice, reducing the damage you take by an amount equal to the result + your Intelligence modifier. Additionally, when you deal damage to a creature you can see within 30 feet of you, you can spend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to roll one of your Bardic Inspiration Dice and add the result + your Intelligence modifier to the damage.

Self-Preservation

Beginning at 6th level, when you cast a spell that has a casting time of 1 action, you can change the casting time to 1 bonus action if you choose only yourself as the target or if the range is “Self.”

Unwritten Rules

Starting at 14th level, you realize that the Lex Diaboli supports the axiom that it’s only cheating if you get caught, but even then, it’s up for debate. When you roll one of your Bardic Inspiration Dice, you can roll two dice instead of one and choose either result. You can only do so once per turn. You can use this feature any number of times, but when you roll the same number on both Bardic Inspiration Dice, you can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.