College of Last Rites

Bards of the College of Last Rites are famed for their knowledge of funerary practices, including rites and lore, music and song, laments, poetry and eulogies of the many past and present cultures that inhabit the world. But more than that, these bards see themselves as protectors and cleansers of tombs, barrows, graves, wind towers, burial grounds and ossories, and opposers of the practice of necromancy and the scourge of the undead.

They travel the lands seeking knowledge, retrieving funerary icons and relics and restoring them to their original home and always hunting out the corruption of undeath. They are galvanised by their belief that death is the rightful final journey for all mortal creatures and that the practice of the necromantic arts, and in particular the creation of undead, is an inexcusable perversion of life and an insult to all beings who have earned their final resting place for better or for worse.

Warning: a bard of this college may be at odds with an ally who uses necromancy as a regular practice. If that ally uses necromancy to raise undead then there may be serious consequences.

 

Bonus Proficiencies & Forsworn Magic

When you join the College of Last Rites at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with shields, and 1 of either History or Religion (your choice). 

However, bards of this college forswear the use of necromantic magic in all its forms, including the knowing use of items (magical and non-magical) that cause necrotic damage.

Gifts of the Grave

In your study of ancient funerary rites and lore and of the malevolent practices of necromancers, you have gained fragments of lost knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability.

At 3rd level, you gain two Gifts of the Grave of your choice. Your options are detailed at the end of this description. When you gain certain bard levels (6th and 14th), you gain additional gifts of your choice. Additionally, when you gain a level in this subclass, you can choose one of the gifts you know and replace it with another gift that you could learn at the same level. 

Funeral Rites

You perform a special funereal hymn, lament or dirge that is infused with magic. When you perform the rites, which has a casting time of 1 hour, the target of which must be within 10 feet of you throughout the performance, you touch one corpse, and for the next 7 days, the target can’t become undead by any means short of a wish spell.

This ability can't be used again until after a long rest.

Point the Finger

You can cast Eldritch Blast at will. It does not count as one of your bard cantrips.

Shield the Valiant

Using a bonus action, until the effect ends, one willing creature you touch is protected against undead creatures. The effect ends after 10 minutes or if you are incapacitated.

The protection grants several benefits. Creatures of those types have disadvantage on attack rolls against the target. The target also can't be charmed, frightened, or possessed by them. If the target is already charmed, frightened, or possessed by such a creature, the target has advantage on any new saving throw against the relevant effect.

You can't use this effect again until after a long rest.

Gifts of the Barrow

You have furthered your studies, you have gained even greater fragments of lost knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability.

At 6th level, you gain two Gifts of the Barrow of your choice. Your options are detailed at the end of this description. When you gain a level in this subclass, you can choose one of the gifts you know, either of the Grave, the Barrow or the Tomb and replace it with another gift that you could learn of the same level. 

Cleanse the Profane

You can cast the spell Remove Curse once without using a spell slot. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Runes of the Headstone

You can cast Magic Circle once without using a bard spell slot. You can't do so again until after you finish a long rest.

Shroud of the Tomb

Using a bonus action, you shroud yourself in a humming aura of golden scarab beetles that reaches 5' in every direction from you, but it doesn't penetrate through total cover. It lasts for 10 minutes or until you become incapacitated. All non-hostile creatures, including you, gain resistance to necrotic damage while they are in the aura. 

You can't use this effect again until you finish a long rest.

Steely Resolve

You have advantage on saving throws versus being charmed or possessed.

Gifts of the Tomb

You have mastered your studies, you have gained some of the greatest fragments of lost knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability.

At 14th level, you gain two Gifts of the Tomb of your choice. Your options are detailed at the end of this description. Additionally, when you gain a level in this subclass, you can choose one of the gifts you know, from either the Grave, the Barrow or the Tomb and replace it with another gift that you could learn at the same level. 

Darkling Vision

You have the Truesight ability to a range of 15'.

Embalmer's Ward

You have resistance to necrotic damage.

Shining Sun

You can cast Holy Aura once without using a bard spell slot. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.