Crumpled sheets of paper stained by inky blots and forsaken thoughts often litter the floor wherever the bards of this college go. Though bards often compose music for their performances, composers go a step further; creating elaborate, magical compositions that come to life in a flare of symphonic showing. They bend the ears of their listeners by plucking at their heartstrings, raising their pulse, slowing their breath, rousing them to greater heights, or evoking vivid memories of longing. With each stroke of their quill, they weave magic into the notes and staves on their compositions, entrancing even the most jaded listener.

Level 3: Melodist’s Passion

When you join the College of the Composer at 3rd level, you put pen to paper in the hopes of creating raw emotion in your listeners. You gain proficiency with calligrapher’s supplies. In addition, you also become proficient in one of the following skills of your choice: Insight, Perception, or Performance.

Level 3: Magical Composition

Also at 3rd level, you blend bardic magic into new compositions, unsure of the emotional effect you will produce amongst your listeners. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can create magical compositions by touching a number of blank sheets of paper up to your Charisma modifier. Roll separately on the Magical Composition table for each composition you create to determine the emotion it elicits and its effect. As a bonus action, you may expend a magical composition and one use of your Bardic Inspiration to begin a performance of the piece. The performance lasts for 1 minute or until you are incapacitated, at which point the chosen composition becomes nonmagical. When you begin your performance, and as a bonus action on subsequent turns, you can activate the composition’s effect. A target who cannot hear your performance cannot benefit from or be harmed by its effect. Creating magical compositions requires you to have calligrapher’s supplies on your person, and any composition you create with this feature lasts until it is activated or until the end of your next short or long rest, at which point it becomes a nonmagical sheet of paper.

Magical Composition d8 Composition

• 1 Joyful. A number of allied creatures equal to your Charisma modifier within 30 feet of you gain a +1 bonus to their AC and saving throws until the start of your next turn.
• 2 Panicked. You force a creature you can see within 60 feet of you to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is frightened of you until the start of your next turn.  
• 3 Lethargic. You force a number of hostile creatures equal to your Charisma modifier within 60 feet of you to make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, a creature’s movement speed is reduced by an amount equal to 5 x your proficiency bonus until the start of your next turn. 
• 4 Excited. A number of allied creatures equal to your Charisma modifier within 60 feet of you gain a bonus to their movement speed equal to 5 x your proficiency bonus until the start of your next turn.
• 5 Angered. Make a ranged spell attack as a spectral musical note flies off of the composition, targeting one creature within 60 feet of you. On a hit, the attack deals thunder damage equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration + your Charisma modifier.
• 6 Inspired. A number of allied creatures equal to your Charisma modifier within 60 feet of you can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the next ability check, attack roll, or saving throw they make before the start of your next turn.
• 7 Mournful. You force a number of hostile creatures equal to your Charisma modifier within 60 feet of you to make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, they must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the next ability check, attack roll, or saving throw they make before the start of your next turn.
• 8 Calmed. An ally within 30 feet of you gains a number of temporary hit points equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration + your Charisma modifier.

Level 6: Spectral Symphony

Also at 6th level, your scores come to life in a cloud of musical magic. As an action, you may expend a magical composition you are holding, as spectral music notes and staves rise from the page and orbit within 5 feet of you. The notes and staves can be used in the following ways:

• When you are hit by an attack, you may use your reaction to expand one of the staves in front of you like a spectral shield. Until the start of your next turn, you have a bonus to your AC equal to your Charisma modifier, including against the triggering attack.

• Once per turn, when you deal damage to a creature with a spell of 1st level or higher, you may weave a spectral note into its magic to deal additional thunder damage equal to your bard level. The notes and staves last for 1 hour, until you use them a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, or until you expend a magical composition to use this feature again.

Level 14: Battle Magic

At 14th level, you have become an expert in eliciting the perfect emotion when performing your compositions.

Whenever you roll on the Magical Compositions table, you can roll the die twice and choose which emotion the composition elicits. If you roll the same number on both dice, you can ignore the number and choose any emotion on the table.