College of Lies

Bards of the College of Lies know that truth is rarely as useful as belief. These Bards do not merely tell falsehoods; they weaponize doubt, desire, fear, and uncertainty. Their magic coils around a creature’s assumptions, making illusions harder to pierce, enchantments harder to resist, and deception feel more convincing than reality.

A College of Lies Bard might be a silver-tongued spy, a court manipulator, a stage magician, a cult provocateur, or a wandering trickster whose words leave enemies questioning their own senses.

Members of this college excel in high-stakes social encounters, intrigue, infiltration, and magical misdirection. In battle, they do not overwhelm enemies through brute force. Instead, they weaken resolve, protect false realities, and turn an opponent’s own mind into the instrument of defeat.

Level 3: Razor Tongue

You are practiced at concealing falsehoods beneath charm, confidence, and misdirection. A creature has Disadvantage on any Wisdom (Insight) check it makes to determine whether you are lying. This benefit doesn’t prevent magic from revealing the truth.

In addition, when a creature you can see within 60 feet of yourself succeeds on one of the following D20 Tests, you can take a Reaction to roll your Bardic Inspiration die and subtract the number rolled from the test, potentially turning the success into a failure:

• a Wisdom (Insight) check made to determine whether you or a creature you can see within 60 feet of yourself is lying;
• an Intelligence (Investigation) check made to discern or disbelieve an Illusion spell cast by you or by a creature you can see within 60 feet of yourself;
• a Wisdom saving throw made to end an ongoing effect of an Enchantment or Illusion spell you cast.

Rolling the die in this way doesn’t expend one of your uses of Bardic Inspiration.

You can use this Reaction a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, minimum of once, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Level 3: Honeyed Words

You can lace a lie with subtle magic, leaving a creature’s mind vulnerable to your spells.

As a Bonus Action, you can expend one use of Bardic Inspiration and choose one creature you can see within 60 feet of yourself. Roll your Bardic Inspiration die. Until the start of your next turn, the first time the target makes an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw against an Enchantment or Illusion spell you cast, subtract the number rolled from the saving throw.

Level 6: Archbewitcher

Your command of deceptive magic deepens, allowing you to draw renewed inspiration from a mind successfully misled.

You always have Disguise Self and Suggestion prepared. They count as Bard spells for you and don’t count against the number of spells you can prepare.

In addition, once per turn, when a creature fails a saving throw against an Enchantment or Illusion spell you cast with a spell slot, you can regain one expended use of Bardic Inspiration.

You can regain Bardic Inspiration in this way a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, minimum of once, and you regain all expended uses of this feature when you finish a Long Rest.

Level 14: Liarbird

You can make a lie so convincing that a creature’s mind supplies the punishment.

As a Magic action, choose one creature you can see within 60 feet of yourself that can see or hear you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, you impose one of the following false afflictions on the target for 1 minute:

• False Terror. The target has the Frightened condition. You are the source of its fear.
• False Devotion. The target has the Charmed condition. While Charmed in this way, the target can’t attack you.
• False Torment. The target has Disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
• False Binding. The target’s Speed is halved, and it can’t take Reactions.

At the end of each of the target’s turns, it repeats the save, ending the effect on itself on a success. The effect also ends early if you have the Incapacitated condition.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest. You can also use this feature by expending a level 4+ spell slot.