College of Grace

"Actions speak louder than words." For Bards from the School of Grace, this is a way of life. These Bards have learned to express themselves, not through words or songs or even knowledge, but with their movements. Their whirls and twirls serve as a way to captivate their audience, but also to distract and misdirect their foes. Using their skills in diversion and acrobatics makes them skilled various aspects of life, whether it be as pickpockets and bounty hunters or entertainers and heroes. They are not very secretive in their affairs, confident that they will always find a way to escape, but they have been taught to keep their mischief on the down low, as their troupes tend to attract a lot of attention, and they know it's always better to be in peoples' good graces than on wanted posters. Regardless, the acrobatic mavens are known to be able to charm anything, from nobles and soldiers to beasts and savages. But always remain on their good sides as well, or you may end up lighter than you were a second ago.

Bonus Proficienies

When you join the College of Grace at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with shields, all Finesse weapons, and one Dexterity or Charisma skill of your choice.

Battle Dance

At 3rd level, your fighting capabilities are improved by your finesse and acrobatic prowess. As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to begin a Battle Dance. This expended die is held and used for all features involving the Dance for its duration and is fully expended when the Dance ends. Each Battle Dance improves your agility and combat prowess and grants an additional benefit depending on which one you perform. You may change or extend your Dance by expending another use of Bardic Inspiration. As long as you are not wearing medium or heavy armor, you gain the following benefits from all Battle Dances:

• Your speed in increased by 10ft.
• You gain a bonus to any Dexterity-based skill checks and saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier and vice versa.

There are various Battle Dances, each of which provides a different benefit and has a different Finale. A Finale is performed once the the Battle Dance ends. You may also use your action to perform the Finale, ending the Battle Dance early.

Dance of the Blade: When you take the Attack action, you may add your Charisma modifier to your attack and damage rolls. For each successful attack made against an enemy, gain +1 to your AC until the start of your next turn. Finale - Flurry Strike: Move up to a distance equal to your speed and make a weapon attack against enemies you pass by as you move. Roll your Bardic Inspiration die to determine how many enemies you can attack. If you are damaged by an attack of opportunity, this effect ends early.

Dance of the Elementals: Declare a damage type from Fire, Cold, Acid, Thunder, and Lightning at the start of your turn. You gain resistance to that damage type and all your weapon attacks deal additional damage of that type equal to your Charisma modifier. Casting a spell with the same damage type as the one you declared allows you to add your Charisma modifier to the damage roll. Finale - Roar of the Elements: Enemies in a 20ft area must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking damage of the chosen type equal 4 times the number you roll on your Bardic Inspiration die on a failed save and half as much on a successful save.

Dance of the Mesmer: Enemies have Disadvantage on their first weapon attack or damage spell targeted at you. If the attack succeeds, this effect ends and can no longer be applied to that creature. If the attack fails, all subsequent attacks that creature makes against you are made without any modifiers. Finale - Enthrall/Harrow:  A number of enemies equal to you roll on your Bardic Inspiration die must make a Wisdom saving throw or be either Charmed or Frightened by you.

Dance of the Arcane: During your turn, you may cast a Cantrip with a casting time of 1 action as a bonus action. Finale - Mystic Burst: When you cast a leveled spell as an action or bonus action, you may cast the spell without expending a higher level spell slot (e.g. If you cast Dissonant Whispers at 2nd level, you expend a 1st level spell slot instead of a 2nd level one). You may add a roll your Bardic Inspiration die to the attack and damage rolls.

Dance of the Mirrored: When you are hit by an attack or spell, roll your Bardic Inspiration die as a reaction and subtract the value rolled from the damage you would take. On your next turn, add the negated damage to your next successful attack or damage spell. Finale - Reverse the Flow: When you or an ally within 5ft of you is targeted by a weapon attack or spell, you may use your reaction to roll a d20 and your Bardic Inspiration die. If you succeed your roll, you or the target ally ignore all damage/effects and reflect it back to the attacker. Otherwise, you take half damage regardless of the intended target. To succeed against an attack or damaging spell, you must roll higher than the creatures attack roll. To succeed against a spell effect, you must roll higher than the save DC.

Extra Attack

Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Elegant Duo

At 14th level, you can turn your performance into a duet. While an ally is near you and in possession of your Bardic Inspiration die, you may choose to dance with them. While within 10ft of each other while you are performing a Battle Dance, you and your ally gain the +2 to your AC and advantage on Dexterity saving throws. Your partner also gains the base benefits of whatever Battle Dance you perform.