College of Instruments

Every proper bard knows how to play a musical instrument, but the bards of the College of Instruments go further; they seek to become masters of the instruments in which they have chosen to specialize, extracting their true potential and using virtuoso and complex techniques that guarantee them various magical effects depending on the instrument in question.

Level 3: Splendid Musician

At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Performance skill. If you already have proficiency in this skill, you gain proficiency in another skill of your choice.

In addition, you have Advantage on any ability check that involves using or knowing something about a Musical Instrument with which you have proficiency (such as Performance checks, the Utilize action, remembering songs with that instrument, etc).

Level 3: Instrument Mastery

Starting at 3rd level, your mastery of certain instruments' techniques adds new layers to your inspiring music. Choose a type of Musical Instrument in which you have proficiency to be your Mastered Instrument. When using your Bardic Inspiration while wielding a Mastered Instrument, you can apply the Musical Mastery Property associated with that type, as shown in the table below. Following the table are descriptions of each of these properties. If the Musical Instrument chosen to be your Mastered Instrument is not in the table, consult your DM to decide together which of the presented properties best fits the instrument in question.

You can choose from your Musical Instrument proficiencies one additional type of Mastered Instrument at 6th level (2 total) and again at 14th level (3 total). Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can practice and change one of your Mastered Instrument choices.

Musical Instrument	Musical Mastery Property
Bagpipes	Move
Drum	Move
Dulcimer	Scaling
Flute	Persevere
Horn	Convoke
Lute	Improvise
Lyre	Persevere
Pan Flute	Scaling
Shawm	Excellence
Viol	Excellence

 

Musical Mastery Properties

Move: Immediately after the outcome of the d20 Test in which it expended the Bardic Inspiration die occurs, the creature can teleport to an unoccupied space it can see up to a number of feet equal to 5 × the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die.

Persevere: Immediately after rolling the Bardic Inspiration die, the creature gains a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die plus your Charisma modifier.

Scaling: If the creature fails a d20 Test even after using the Bardic Inspiration die, instead of simply expending the die, it can transfer it to another creature it can see within 60 feet that does not have a Bardic Inspiration die. The new creature can then use the Bardic Inspiration die normally. If this second creature also fails a test that applied the die, it can also pass the die to a third creature within 60 feet of it that does not have a Bardic Inspiration die, and so on. The same die can be applied a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier or until it is expended, which occurs when a creature succeeds on the d20 Test in which it was applied. A creature can only receive one die per use of your Bardic Inspiration, and the time limit for applying the die is counted from when the first creature received it.

Convoke: If not in combat, the creature that receives your Bardic Inspiration gains a bonus to its next Initiative roll within 1 hour equal to one roll of your Bardic Inspiration die. If the creature that received your Bardic Inspiration is already in combat, roll one of your Bardic Inspiration dies and add the result to the creature's current Initiative value; Starting at the beginning of the next round, the result of this sum becomes the creature's new Initiative value until the end of this combat.

Excellence: On the d20 roll in which the creature applied the Bardic Inspiration die, a d20 result of 9 or lower is treated as 10.

Improvise: Roll 1d6 and consult the table below. You apply the Musical Mastery Property associated with the result to this use of your Bardic Inspiration.

1	Move
2	Persevere
3	Scaling
4	Convoke
5	Excellence
6	Choose one of the properties above.

Level 6: Idealized Instrument

At 6th level, you have developed a deep connection with the instruments you have specialized in, allowing you to even materialize them from your mind. As a Bonus Action, you can conjure in your hand one example of one of your Mastered Instruments of your choice. You decide the details of the instrument's appearance, but it is clearly magical.

While wielding a conjured instrument, you can use a Bonus Action to change its form to that of another of your Mastered Instruments. You can also change the instrument's form as part of the same Bonus Action in which you use your Bardic Inspiration.

The conjured instrument disappears if you conjure another instrument with this feature, if the instrument is more than 5 feet away from you for 1 minute or more, if its type ceases to be one of your Mastered Instruments, or if you die.

Level 6: Sound of Magic

Also at 6th level, you learn how to modify your magic based on how your instruments produce sound. While wielding a Mastered Instrument, you gain one of the benefits below, depending on whether it is a string, percussion, or wind instrument.

String. When you fail a saving throw to maintain Concentration, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to roll the Bardic Inspiration die and add the number rolled to the saving throw total, potentially turning a failure into a success.

Percussion. When a creature you can see succeeds on a saving throw against one of your Bard spells, once per casting, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to roll the Bardic Inspiration die and subtract the number rolled from the creature's saving throw total, potentially turning a success into a failure.

Wind. When you cast a Bard spell that restores Hit Points, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to have one of the spell's targets of your choice, at the start of their next turn, regain an additional number of Hit Points equal to two rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die.

Level 14: Uninterruptible Solo

At 14th level, your supernatural dedication to music can prevent your performance from ending prematurely. When you are in possession of one of your Mastered Instruments and are reduced to zero Hit Points, but are not immediately killed, you can roll a Bardic Inspiration die and remain conscious even with zero Hit Points for a number of rounds equal to the number rolled. In addition, during this time, even if you regain hit points, you gain the following benefits:

• If during your turn you use your Bardic Inspiration or cast a Bard spell of 1st level or higher, you gain a bonus to your AC and saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier until the start of your next turn.
• Your movement doesn't provoke Opportunity Attacks.
• When you take damage while with zero Hit Points, you immediately roll a Death Saving Throw with Disadvantage instead of taking an automatic failure. In the case of the damage coming from a Critical Hit, you roll two Death Saving Throws with Disadvantage. Successes and failures in this way are counted as usual.

Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a Long Rest.