Bards of the College of Spores are unique spellcasters, forgoing traditional instruments and musical performances for the vibrant and potent magic of mushrooms. They wield these fungi with a delicate precision, crushing them to unleash bursts of colored spores, each hue representing a different school of magic, to manipulate minds and alter reality. Their performances are a mesmerizing spectacle of fungal power, a captivating display that leaves audiences not only awestruck but often charmed by the beguiling effects of the spores themselves.

Elara, her fingers stained a kaleidoscope of earthy hues, knelt amidst a circle of flickering fireflies. The air hung thick with the musky scent of damp earth and the subtle, almost metallic tang of crushed mushrooms. A hush fell over the gathered villagers as she raised her hand, a crimson-capped mushroom cradled within. With a gentle squeeze, the cap crumbled, releasing a cloud of vibrant red spores that swirled and danced in the firelight. A wave of heat pulsed outwards, not scorching, but warming, comforting, as the spores imbued the air with a gentle, protective magic. The villagers, their faces etched with worry from the encroaching shadow-beasts, sighed in relief, their fear momentarily dispelled by the College of Spores' unique, comforting magic.

Level 3: Sporecraft

At 3rd level, you can use mushrooms as a spellcasting focus, and when you cast a Bard spell, you can crush a mushroom as part of the casting, releasing colored spores that visually represent the spell's school.

Mushroom Focus: You can use mushrooms as a spellcasting focus for your Bard spells. You must have a pouch or container containing a variety of mushrooms on your person.

Spore Infusion (Visual Flavor): When you cast a Bard spell, you can crush a mushroom as part of the spell's casting. The crushed mushroom releases spores that change color to correspond to the spell's school of magic:

• Abjuration: Blue
• Conjuration: Green
• Divination: Purple
• Enchantment: Pink
• Evocation: Red
• Illusion: Silver
• Necromancy: Black
• Transmutation: Brown

 

Level 3: Beguiling Spores

At 3rd level, when you cast a Bard spell, you can charm creatures within the spell's area, incapacitating them until the end of your next turn.

When you cast a Bard spell that targets a creature or area, you can choose to use your Beguiling Spores. If you do so, choose a number of creatures equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one) that are within the spells area of effect. Each target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your Bard spell save DC or be charmed by you until the end of your next turn. While charmed in this way, the creature is incapacitated.

Level 3: Fungal Versitility

At 3rd level, you can now choose spells from the Druid spell list in addition to the Bard spell list. When using Druid spells, you still use Charisma as your spellcasting ability.

Level 6: Mycelial Resistance

At 6th level, you gain resistance to poison damage and advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and your healing spells restore additional hit points.

• You gain resistance to poison damage and advantage on saving throws against being poisoned.
• Additionally, when you cast a healing spell, the target regains an additional amount of hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).

 

Level 14: Spore Burst

At 14th level, your Beguiling Spores effect is enhanced, allowing for extra damage in the spells area of effect, and you can add poison damage to damage-dealing spells.

When you cast a Bard spell that targets an area, you can choose to enhance the spore release. If you do so, the area of the spell becomes filled with a cloud of toxic spores. Creatures within the area of effect must make a Constitution saving throw against your Bard spell save DC. On a failed save, they take 4d6 poison damage, or half as much damage on a successful one. This cloud of spores dissipates at the start of your next turn. 

Also, when casting a spell that deals damage, you can choose to add 2d6 poison damage to one target of that spell.