Bards of the Dissonant Stage know that not all performances are harmonious. Discord, misdirection, and tension can move a court or a crowd more surely than beauty alone. These bards weaponize disharmony: weaving secrets into song, layering false notes over truth, and turning every aria into a mask that hides a dagger. Their art thrives in intrigue and shadow, where every stage is also a battlefield.

Level 3: Bonus Proficiencies

You gain proficiency with three skills of your choice.

Level 3: Dissonant Aside

Beginning at 3rd level, you learn how to undermine a foe’s presence with nothing more than a whispered cue.

Dissonant Aside (3rd level): When a creature you can see within 60 feet makes an attack roll, ability check, or damage roll, you can use your reaction to expend one use of Bardic Inspiration. Roll the Bardic Inspiration die and subtract the number from the creature’s roll.

Once per turn, when you use this feature, you can choose to twist the moment further: the target’s next attack deals psychic damage instead of its normal type.

Flavor: Your cutting words reverberate in their mind, leaving only dissonance and pain in the echo.

Level 6: Lost Arias

At 6th level, you discover fragments of music not meant for mortal ears — the unfinished or forbidden works of vanished maestros.

You learn two spells of your choice, one from the wizard spell list and one from the warlock spell list. Each spell must be of a level you can cast, as shown on the Bard table, or a cantrip.

The chosen spells count as bard spells for you but don’t count against the number of bard spells you know.

Level 14: Persona Theft

When a humanoid you reduce to 0 hit points dies within 30 feet of you, you may capture a fragment of their persona. Once per long rest, you may adopt that fragment for up to 8 hours. While doing so:

• You can mimic their voice, speech patterns, and mannerisms flawlessly.

• You gain proficiency in one skill or tool that creature possessed (DM’s choice).

Flavor: You fold their presence into your performance, taking their role in the masquerade of intrigue.