“Most bards learn to play songs that move hearts.
The Lily learned to play the spaces between them.”

 

The College of Resonant Silence is a divergent sect of the College of Whispers. They are a tradition devoted to mastering the unheard. Where most bards project their power outward, these performers turn their magic inward, resonating through their own hearts and bones until silence itself becomes a weapon.

Resonant Bards, as they are called, believe the Weave (or magical leylines that exist in the fabric of reality) is not a current to be pulled upon, but a frequency to be attuned to. They use their voices, instruments, and emotions to generate Resonance Dice; vibrating motes of psychic sound that can warp perception, still voices, and shape the battlefield without a word.

Unlike their more manipulative cousins, Resonant Bards are perfectionists; artists obsessed with the spaces between notes, the pauses between breaths, and the stillness between heartbeats.

This path trades the gift of inspiration for the discipline of resonance. Rather than empower others, Resonant Bards empower themselves, channeling every echo of emotion into precise, breathtaking control.

Mechanics Summary

• Bardic Inspiration becomes Resonance Dice (RD): a self-focused energy system used to fuel class abilities.

• Spellcasting Method: Resonant Bards return to a known spell list (similar to their Legacy 2014 counterparts), representing a focus on harmonic mastery and rebalancing their action economy and toolkit. This is a balancing effect to reduce base Bard action variety in favor of a heavily tuned personal kit.

• Playstyle Shift: Tactical control and self-empowerment over ally buffs; powerful silence-based effects. There is a focus on psychic-style effects, akin to those of the College of Whispers. Signature skill can conduct a performance for total battlefield manipulation and support, in an all-or-nothing gambit (aka a Final Jeoprody mechanic).

• Complexity Warning: Not advisable for new players and/or new DM's due to complex tracking mechanics. This takes patience and time to adjust, as it has an entirely new approach to bardic playstyle. 

• Minimally Tested Warning: This has not been fielded actively enough for me to justify or claim it is balanced. It is advisable that the player and DM approach this subclass with the idea in mind that it will need tweaking and tuning before being fully effective for your campaign. 

• Gen-AI Use: I utilized generative AI to create snippets and descriptions, as well as to review my work for clarification and continuity. Additionally, it is used for supplemental balancing via RAI/RAW comparisons to official content. All outputs are reviewed and, if necessary, tweaked by me before publication. (I removed so many emdashes...) The overall product of this subclass is a human-created and human-reviewed by me, my player, and another veteran player/DM at our table.

• Author Notes: This was created with the idea in mind that Bards were given a short end of the stick when it came to power scaling and really being able to do the one thing Bards are good at: use their magics to influence the battlefield through performance. I also felt that the 2024 versions were remade into some satirical stereotype. Like, what is 'Finger Guns'? Seriously? Yes, at level 10, they get access to more spell books, but that just takes more away from their unique identity since those are spellbooks from other classes. I also drew inspiration (pun intended) from the redesign mechanic of the 2024 Sorcerers and their spell token system, which I augmented to a system where bards leverage their Inspiration Dice. Finally, names are for flavor, made specifically for the character this was intended for, and thematic references are intended for them as well. Feel free to adapt them for your own use, but I won't modify them since my intended audience is my player, and they are the canonical author of this in-game.

Resonant Performer

At 3rd level, when you join the College of Resonant Silence, your mastery of sound and silence lets you internalize your magic into harmonic frequency rather than shared inspiration.

Your Bardic Inspiration becomes Resonance Dice (RD). These are psychic echoes of your own emotional state that you may expend to amplify your spells, abilities, or personal resonance techniques. You gain a number of Resonance Dice equal to your Charisma modifier. Any abilities that reference the use of Bardic Inspiration should use Resonance Dice instead; essentially, just treat them as one and the same.

You lose the ability to give Bardic Inspiration; instead, your magic is turned inward, creating a personal feedback loop of power and control. Some abilities require you to not only expend your Resonance Die, but also use the roll they generate for ability output.

Your Resonance Die starts as a d6 and increases to a d8 at 5th level, a d10 at 10th level, and a d12 at 15th level.

You regain all expended Resonance Dice when you finish a long rest.

Note: You cannot change core class mechanics in DND Beyond, so continue to use Bardic Inspiration (BI) tokens for tracking purposes. Using BI/RD is considered adaptive action economy, based on the skill for which BI/RD is being used/consumed/expended. Abilities built upon this system have been appropriately labeled in the interface, including Action, Bonus Action, Reaction, and so on. They've also been clearly labeled to specify that it takes an RD to use or cast. Please consider this when using RD and avoid assuming everything is a Bonus Action simply because BI is listed as one in the interface. 

Resonant Techniques

At 3rd level, you gain the feature Resonant Synergy and learn two Resonant Techniques of your choice from the list below.
You learn additional Techniques at later levels: two at 6th level (four known) and two at 14th level (six known).
You cannot select a Technique more than once.

Unless stated otherwise, using a Resonant Technique requires V and S components, and you use your instrument or voice as the Material (M) component.
A Technique that expends a Resonance Die (RD) cannot be used if you have no RD remaining.

Resonant Synergy (Always Known) — Passive

If you possess any feature that normally expends Bardic Inspiration, you may instead expend an equal number of Resonance Dice (RD) to activate that feature. When you do so, any damage or bonus provided by that feature uses your Resonance Die instead of a Bardic Inspiration die.

Selectable Resonant Techniques

Below are the seven selectable Techniques. Choose two at 3rd level, two more at 6th, and two more at 14th.

• Echo Step — 1 RD, Action
• Resounding Defense — Reaction (1 RD optional)
• Silencio — 1 RD, Action
• Sonorous Blades — 1-2 RD, On-Hit
• Stentorian Lance — 1 RD, Action
• Poignant Dread — 1 RD, Action

Echo Step

You blur and vanish, reappearing in an unoccupied space you can see within 15 feet.
Until the end of your turn, you have advantage on Stealth checks, and you may use a Bonus Action to Hide.

Poignant Dread

You send a subtle vibration of dread through a creature you can see, or if they can hear you. You focus on them for one minute, for which the target must then make a Wisdom saving throw.

On a failed save, the target becomes Frightened of you and one other creature of your choice for 1 hour, until the target is attacked or damaged, or until it witnesses its allies being attacked or damaged.

If the creature succeeds on its saving throw, it senses nothing amiss, and the resonance fades unnoticed, like a forgotten heartbeat. It also becomes immune to Poignant Dread for 24 hours.

Resounding Defense

Once per short rest, when you take damage, you may use your Reaction to reduce the damage by your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
If the attacker is within 30 feet, you may expend 1 RD to reduce the damage by the die roll. When you do, the attacker takes psychic damage equal to the Resonance Die roll.

Silencio

You wrap yourself in a veil of bending sound and soft distortion.
Until the start of your next turn:

• You gain advantage on Stealth and Deception checks.

• Creatures have disadvantage on Perception checks that rely on hearing to detect you.

Sonorous Blades

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack you are proficient with, you may expend 1 Resonance Die to deal additional psychic damage equal to the roll.
You may use this Technique only once per turn.

If the target is surprised, frightened, silenced, or unaware of your presence, you may expend 1 additional Resonance Die.
When you do, the target takes extra psychic damage equal to your Charisma modifier, and it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be staggered, unable to take Reactions until the start of its next turn.

Stentorian Lance

You forge a bolt of compressed, soundless resonance and hurl it toward a creature you can see within 60 feet.
The target must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC.

On a failed save:
It takes 1d10 + your Resonance Die + your Charisma modifier psychic damage.

On a successful save:
It takes no damage.

If the target is frightened or charmed by you, it has disadvantage on the saving throw.

L'obbligo di Lily

Through disciplined resonance and the art of perfect stillness, you can perform the sacred aria known as L’obbligo di Lilly.

You gain the L’obbligo di Lilly spell, which allows you to create a psychic field of resonance using spell slots of 3rd level or higher. When you cast the spell, you draw a number of Resonance Dice (RD) equal to the spell slot’s level, plus any you willingly contribute from your RD (Bardic Inspiration) pool, up to your Charisma modifier.

While concentrating on the spell, you sustain one Movement, a distinct performance style that changes how the resonance behaves. Each round, you must use your Bonus Action to maintain the melody. You can change Movements by using your Action instead.

You learn all four Movements below and can switch between them through the L’obbligo di Lilly interface on your character sheet in the Features & Traits > Class Features section. When the spell is not active, keep the 'INACTIVE' object selected. When the spell is active, ensure you select the right movement to apply any base effects to your character sheet, if there are any, and gain access to the optional effects. This is similar to how Barbarians on DND Beyond can use a Dropdown to enter and exit Rage.

• La quiete di Arum — Protection
• Requiem di Pistia — Subtlety
• L’ardore della Maestra — Dominance
• Il sollievo di Calla — Healing

When the performance ends, if you have expended all held RD, you suffer one level of Exhaustion. If any RD remain, they dissipate harmlessly.

INACTIVE

Used for when the Obbligo spell is inactive.

Movement I — La quiete di Arum (Protection)

“The second note given, a steady rhythm that shelters the heart; this is Protector's Stillness.”

A 30-foot radius sphere centered on you becomes enveloped in soft, resonant calm. The air feels heavier, protective; almost warm. While inside the aura, you and your allies gain a +1 bonus to AC and advantage on Wisdom and Charisma saving throws.

This advantage applies only while a creature remains within the aura.

Optional Resonance Die (RD) Effects

The Unstoppable and the Immovable — 2 RD, Action
For 1d4 rounds, you embody your vision of strength. Your AC bonus increases from +1 to +2, you gain temporary hit points equal to the roll of one Resonance Die, advantage on Constitution saving throws, and immunity to the Frightened condition.

You can also use an Action to Taunt a creature (Wisdom save) into attacking you on its next turn.

On Movement Change, this optional effect immediately ends. Any pending Taunt resolves normally before ending.

You imagine the way you perceive him: the unstoppable force and the immovable object. You too can be strong; resonate his strength.

Caesura — 1 RD, Reaction
When an ally within 30 feet takes damage, expend and roll one Resonance Die. Reduce the damage by the result. 

He's thrown himself in front of harm's way to protect those he loves. Weave a caesura and do the same.

On Movement Change:
Any allies within the aura maintain this Movement’s benefits until the start of their next turn.

You become the safe place—the unshakable harmony beneath the storm.

Movement II — Requiem di Pistia (Subtlety)

“The third note given, and the hush between notes where danger dances; this is Flower’s Requiem.”

Your melody twists perception into elegance and deceit, creating a 30-foot-radius veil of melodic distortion. Creatures of your choice within the aura must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be Charmed by you until the start of your next turn, entranced by the rhythm.

You and your allies inside the field gain advantage on Persuasion and Deception checks.

Optional Resonance Die (RD) Effects

Sharper Notes — 1 RD, Reaction
When you or an ally within 30 ft hits a creature currently Charmed by this Movement, you may expend one RD as a Reaction to deal psychic damage equal to the roll. The violent resonance prevents the Charm from ending.

Her words cut just as harshly as her blade. Match her violent melody.

Featherstep Silence — 2 RD, Action
For up to 5 rounds (30 seconds), you transform the Movement’s energy into perfect stillness.

• The Charm field is replaced by a field of Silence, affecting all creatures within 30 ft except yourself. Creatures in the area cannot speak or cast spells that require verbal components.
• You and your allies lose the Persuasion/Deception advantage and instead gain +10 to Stealth and Sleight of Hand checks.
• Any creatures already Charmed by the original effect remain Charmed until this modified state ends or the Movement changes.
• Immediate Trigger Option: You may activate Featherstep Silence immediately upon selecting this Movement, bypassing the base Charm effect. Doing so expends both your Action and Bonus Action for that turn.

Her footfalls were like feathers brushing glass. Her silence was deafening.

On Movement Change:
Any creatures Charmed by this effect lose the condition at the start of their next turn. If Featherstep Silence was used, this movement reverts to its original form. The Silence field and the Stealth/Sleight of Hand bonuses end at the close of your current turn for all who received them. 

The melody glides like a dagger—beautiful, unseen, inevitable.

Movement III — L’ardore della Maestra (Dominance)

“The first note given: the blazing tempo that commands obedience; this is Mistress’ Flame.”

Your song seizes the air, asserting unshakable authority. Each hostile creature of your choice within 30 ft must make a Wisdom saving throw or become Frightened of you until the start of your next turn. While Frightened by this effect, a creature cannot take Reactions and has disadvantage on attack rolls while it can see you. At the start of each of its turns while this Movement is active, a creature that can hear you may repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success.

Optional Resonance Die (RD) Effects

Conductor’s Command — 1 RD, Action
Choose one hostile creature within 30 ft that can understand you. It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell Save DC (with disadvantage if it is Frightened by this Movement) or obey a single verbal command of up to three words on its next turn. The creature repeats the save at the start of each of its turns, ending the compulsion on a success or when it completes the command. The creature cannot be instructed to harm itself or another creature it believes to be stronger than the caster(DM Discretion). 

Her mere presence demanded obedience. Her influence orchestrating like a conductor’s baton.

Punish the Dissonant — 2 RD, Reaction
When a creature within 30 ft succeeds on a saving throw against this Movement or one of your Bard spells, you may expend 2 RD to lash its mind with feedback, dealing psychic damage equal to their rolls.

And if they disobeyed, she would crush them.

On Movement Change:
Frightened creatures lose the condition at the start of their next turn. Any lingering Conductor’s Command effects end immediately.

The conductor raises her hand—and the world obeys.

Movement IV — Il sollievo di Calla (Healing)

“The final note given, soft yet unyielding; this is Little Lily’s Big Promise.”

You gather the echoes of your three melodies and reshape them into grace and crescendo. The field around you hums with gentle, mending resonance that restores courage and breath alike. Choose a number of allies, up to a total equal to your Charisma modifier, who are within 30 feet of you. For each target, select one of the following effects to apply:

• Remove one negative condition currently affecting them (such as blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, paralyzed, or poisoned).
• Grant Bardic Inspiration using your current Resonance Die (d6, d8, d10, etc.)
• Stabilize an ally within 30 ft that is at 0 hit points and dying, restoring them to 1 hit point.

Optional Resonance Die (RD) Effects

Shared Heartbeat — 1+ RD, Action
Target one ally within 30 ft. That creature regains hit points equal to your RD + your Charisma modifier. For each additional RD you expend, choose one additional ally within range to receive the same healing.

The first time you heal a creature this way, spectral lilies bloom at their feet, shedding dim golden light in a 10 ft radius for 1 round before fading.

You were never alone. And neither are they. Share your heartbeat with them.

Restored Harmony — 1 RD, Action
You release a restorative pulse of resonance. All allies within 30 ft may remove one negative condition of their choice.

Persist in the face of adversity. Strip away the falsetto and return their harmony.

Refusal of Silence — 2 RD + Attuned Whisperglass*, Reaction
When an ally within 40 feet drops to 0 hit points or would die, you may use your Reaction to expend 2 Resonance Dice and a Whisperglass Shard or Crystal attuned to the target creature (consumed) to restore the creature to 1 hit point.

This ability can only be used immediately when the creature drops to 0 HP or dies; if the moment passes, the opportunity is lost. It also cannot restore a creature whose body has been destroyed. Additionally, a creature restored by this ability cannot benefit from it again until it finishes a short or long rest.

* - Whisperglass is a custom material. DMs can substitute 100gp Diamond Dust if they don't wish to import it to their world.

Let your breath resonate with the air and harmonize with death. In this moment, your melody refuses its silence.

On Movement Change:
Allies who received Bardic Inspiration from this Movement must make a Saving Throw using the primary ability score of their class (DC 12). On a success, they retain their Inspiration for its normal 1-hour duration. On a failure, the Inspiration fades immediately.

In her song, pain finds its rest and hope learns to breathe again.

The Cadenza of Stillness

At 6th level, your study of resonance reaches a solitary beauty — a stillness so deep that even silence carries your melody. This is your Cadenza, the moment where harmony, emotion, and identity converge into one. Through this discipline, you learn to weave resonance not only around you, but within the minds and memories of others.

You gain the following techniques: Empathic Disruption, Harmonic Interference, and Echo of the Departed. 

Crescendo of Dread

At 14th level, your mastery of resonance allows you to thread truth and terror together into a single note of perfect dissonance—your Crescendo of Dread.

As an Action, you can expend 1 Resonance Die to choose one creature within 30 feet that can hear and understand you. The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell Save DC. On a failure, the resonance of your words burrows into its mind, revealing its darkest fears and hidden guilt.

For the next 10 minutes, the following effects occur:

• The creature is frightened of you.

• Whenever the creature makes an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, roll your Resonance Die and subtract the result from its roll.

• Once per turn, when the creature takes damage, it takes additional psychic damage equal to your Charisma modifier.

If the target succeeds on its saving throw, it instead takes psychic damage equal to your Resonance Die + Charisma modifier, and the Crescendo’s resonance fades harmlessly.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest.

“My voice is no longer a whisper—it’s the echo of every sin you refused to hear.”

Change Log

Version 1.2 Update

This update focuses on balance refinement, consistency improvements, Whisperglass integration, and clarifying the operation of L’obbligo di Lily and its associated Movements. Following internal review and external DM feedback, Version 1.2 introduces a stronger foundation for resonance-based mechanics while reducing unintended power creep.

Resonant Technique Overhaul

Technique Selection System Added

Resonant Bards now choose from six Resonant Techniques, rather than gaining all of them at level 3, allowing specialization and reducing early-level ability creep.

• Level 3: Choose 2 Techniques

• Level 6: Gain 2 more (total 4)

• Level 14: Gain 2 more (total 6)

Techniques Updated for Clarity & Balance

Some Techniques have been rewritten with precise action types, scaling language, and resonance economy in mind.

Notable adjustments include:

Echo Step

• Now grants Hide as a Bonus action until the end of the player's turn to better take advantage of the ADV on Stealth post-cast.

Resounding Defense

• Psychic reflection damage is reduced slightly

• Tweaked RD economy.

Sonorous Blades

• Scaling is now tied to RD size, not static d6 tables. (I messed this up in previous versions.)

• Cleaner rider effect: staggered/no reactions on disadvantaged foes.

Stentorian Lance

• Overhauled to mirror 5e cantrip-scaling logic.

• Now deals 1d10 + RD + CHA psychic on fail; silence rider on frightened/charmed targets.

• No effect on successful save (was previously half damage).

L’obbligo di Lily — Major Revision

The core spell of the subclass has been rebalanced for duration, RD infusion, and scaling.

Removed +1 RD from Instrument Proficiency

This streamlines mental math and eliminates unnecessary complexity and snowballing.

New Non-Linear Scaling Curve

Duration and base RD are reduced at high levels to avoid 18-round orchestras and excessive resource pools. -- Trying to stay away from the one-trick pony design.

Revised Table

Movement Timing Clarified

Added global rules:

• Saving throws occur when a creature enters or starts its turn in the aura.

• A creature that succeeds is immune to that Movement’s base effect for the duration of this casting.

• Movements reset immunity when changed.

This prevents infinite-loop charm/fear reapplication.

Optional RD Effects Rebalanced

Several optional effects were tightened or clarified to bring them in line with spell-level equivalents.

Movement Updates

Movement I — Protector’s Stillness

• Unstoppable & Immovable slightly nerfed on duration (was 1d4+1, now just 1d4).

• Caesura damage reflection removed; now purely defensive only.

Movement IV — Il sollievo di Calla

• Refusal of Silence now:

  • Requires 2 RD

  • Requires a Whisperglass shard attuned to the ally; a custom resource. Feel free to tune this to just be 100gp diamond dust. Whisperglass is for flavor and my world.

  • Works at 40 ft

  • Is a Reaction only

  • Triggers at 0 HP or death within the turn

  • Once/target per rest

This effect is now unique in 5e: a Reaction-based, resonance-only near-death restoration balanced by strict gating.

Additional Improvements

• Ensured all optional RD Effects have defined action types.

• Updated DND Beyond interface mechanics for improved user experience. 

Version 1.1 Update

Release Focus:
Refinement of L’obbligo di Lilly and the four Movements for improved clarity, balance, and thematic cohesion.
This update aligns all entries under a unified formatting standard and corrects RAW/RAI inconsistencies discovered during testing, as well as gaps in clarity and readability issues.

Core System Updates

L’obbligo di Lily (Spell)

• Now cast as a 3rd-level Enchantment spell with duration = 2 × slot level (rounds).

• Resonance Dice (RD) generation clarified: gain RD = slot level + optional infusion up to CHA modifier (+1 if instrument-proficient).

• Concentration, Bonus Action maintenance, and Action to change Movement are standardized.

• Exhaustion rule simplified: 1 level if all RD spent; none if any remain.

• Updated Scaling Table for higher-level slots (3–9).

• Spell text rewritten to be 5e-compliant.

Movement Revisions

Each Movement now follows a consistent template:
Flavor quote → Base Effect → Optional RD Effects → On Movement Change → Flavor close.

Movement I — La quiete di Arum (Protection)

Theme: her brother Arum — the protector.

Changes

• Base: Allies and caster gain +1 AC and advantage on Wis/Cha saves while in the 30 ft aura.

• Removed: constant Frightened immunity (moved into optional effect).

• Optional RD Effects:

  • The Unstoppable and the Immovable (2 RD, Action): enhances AC to +2 for self, grants THP (1d10 + 2), adv on Con saves, Fright immunity, and a Taunt option.

  • Caesura (1 RD, Reaction): reduce damage to an ally by RD roll; if reduced to 0, attacker takes psychic damage = CHA mod.

• Result: defensive but bound to Paladin-aura power level; strong theme retained.

Movement II — Requiem di Pistia (Subtlety)

Theme: her sister Pistia — deception and grace.

Changes

• Base: 30 ft charm field vs Wis save; advantage on Persuasion & Deception checks.

• Optional RD Effects:

  • Sharper Notes (1 RD, Reaction): bonus psychic damage on attacks vs Charmed targets; Charm persists through this instance of damage.

  • Featherstep Silence (2 RD, Action): swap Charm for Silence field; +10 Stealth/Sleight of Hand for allies.

  • Added Immediate Trigger Option (Action + Bonus Action to enter Silence immediately).

• Result: flexible control tool without stacking Charm + Silence; RAW clean and tactically distinct.

Movement III — L’ardore della Maestra (Dominance)

Theme: her mother Hestia — fear and authority.

Changes

• Base: Enemies within 30 ft save vs Wis or be Frightened until the start of the next turn; Frightened targets can’t take Reactions and have disadvantage on attacks while seeing you.

• Removed bonus-action suppression to avoid stacking.

• Optional RD Effects:

  • Conductor’s Command (1 RD, Action): single-target Command effect; Wis save (vs DC); disadvantage if Frightened. Cannot be instructed to harm itself or a creature it believes is stronger than the caster.

  • Punish the Dissonant (2 RD, Reaction): retaliate when a creature succeeds on a save vs your effects; psychic damage = 2RD roll.

• Result: maintains Hestia’s aura of dominance without overshadowing the Fear spell; hierarchical fear theme refined.

Movement IV — Il sollievo di Calla (Healing)

Theme: Calla herself — compassion and hope.

Changes

• Base: Choose CHA mod allies within 30 ft; each may remove a condition, gain Bardic Inspiration (extended range 60 ft), or be revived to 1 HP if unconscious.

• Optional RD Effects:

  • Shared Heartbeat (1 + RD, Action): heal 1 ally for RD + CHA; each extra RD adds one additional target; first use creates spectral lilies.

  • Restored Harmony (1 RD, Action): all allies within 30 ft remove another condition.

  • Refusal of Silence (1 RD Action / 2 RD Reaction): revive ally at 1 HP if dead ≤ 6 s; Reaction mode when ally drops to 0 HP. Each creature can benefit only once per rest, regardless of mode.

• On Movement Change: Bardic Inspiration retention save (DC 12) added.

• Result: balanced support capstone; Reaction upgrade adds cinematic impact without breaking action economy.

Additional System-Wide Adjustments

• Unified Movement formatting (bold headers, italic quotes, consistent “On Movement Change” clauses).

• Clarified all ranges (30 ft / 60 ft explicit).

• Standardized save phrasing: “make a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell Save DC.”

• Rebalanced RD costs (1 = minor, 2 = major tier).

• Added once-per-target clause to prevent repeat abuse of revival effects.

• Corrected spell, feature, and aura language to 5e RAW syntax.