College of War

This Bardic College focuses on weaving the ringing of clashing swords and rhythm of charging soldiers into a magical melody that pervades the ears of foes and meets their bodies in the form of the blades and spells of the Bard and their allies.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you join the College of Swords at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armor and martial weapons.

If you’re proficient with a simple or martial melee weapon, you can use it as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells.

Fighting Style

At 3rd level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if something in the game lets you choose again.

Dueling

When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Battle Tactics

At 3rd level, you learn to perform astounding displays of martial prowess, speed, and wit.

Whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the turn, and if a weapon attack that you make as part of this action hits a creature, you can choose one of the following Battle Tactics to enhance your attack. You can use only one Battle Tactic option per turn. You learn 3 Tactics at level 3, an additional 2 Tactics at level 6, and an additional 2 Tactics at level 14.

Retaliatory Strike. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration and your Reaction to make a melee weapon attack of opportunity to a creature within range from which you just suffered damage. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. If you used a Battle Tactic on your last turn, you are unable to use this Tactic in conjunction with your reaction.

Cleaving Blow. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit and to any other creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of it, and within your weapon's reach. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. All additional targets after the first may make a DEX save against your spell save DC to mitigate and avoid the damage from your Bardic Inspiration die.

Taunting Attack. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. The target makes a INT save against your spell save DC or gains disadvantage on all attacks to targets other than your until the end of your next turn.

Disarm. On a hit with a weapon attack, you may spend a Bardic Inspiration die to  force the target to make a STR save against your spell save DC. On a fail, the target is disarmed and the previously held item or weapon is flung a number of feet away from the target equal to 10 + the number you roll on your Bardic Inspiration die. 

Target Tendons. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. The target then makes CON save against your spell save DC, or falls prone.

Aggressive Distraction. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. The target then makes a WIS save against your spell save DC. On a fail, melee attacks made by allies not already in melee range of the target are made with advantage until the start of your next turn.

Aggressive Distraction. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. The target then makes a WIS save against your spell save DC. On a fail, melee attacks made by allies not already in melee range of the target are made with advantage until the start of your next turn.

Violent Banishment. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. The target then makes a CHA save against your spell save DC. On a fail, the target is banished to a pocket dimension sized appropriately to them until the end of their next turn.

Vigorous Sap. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You gain temporary hit points equal to the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die.

Inspirational Attack. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. The next weapon attack landed by an ally to any creature deals additional damage equal to the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die.

Aggressive Distraction

Aggressive Distraction. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. The target then makes a WIS save against your spell save DC. On a fail, the next melee attack by an ally not already within melee range of the target is made with advantage.

Cleaving Blow

Cleaving Blow. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit and to any other creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of it, and within your weapon's reach. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. All additional targets after the first may make a DEX save against your spell save DC to mitigate and avoid the damage from your Bardic Inspiration die.

Disarm

Disarm. On a hit with a weapon attack, you may spend a Bardic Inspiration die to  force the target to make a STR save against your spell save DC. On a fail, the target is disarmed and the previously held item or weapon is flung a number of feet away from the target equal to 10 + the number you roll on your Bardic Inspiration die.

Inspirational Attack

Inspirational Attack. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. The next weapon attack landed by an ally to any creature deals additional damage equal to the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die.

Retaliatory Strike

Retaliatory Strike. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration and your Reaction to make a melee weapon attack of opportunity to a creature within range from which you just suffered damage. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. If you used a Battle Tactic on your last turn, you are unable to use this Tactic in conjunction with your reaction. 

Target Tendons

Target Tendons. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. The target then makes CON save against your spell save DC, or falls prone.

Taunting Attack

Taunting Attack. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. The target makes a INT save against your spell save DC or gains disadvantage on all attacks to targets other than your until the end of your next turn.

Vigorous Sap

Vigorous Sap. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You regain temporary hit points equal to the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die.

Violent Banishment

Violent Banishment. You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. The target then makes a CHA save against your spell save DC. On a fail, the target is banished to a pocket dimension sized appropriately to them until the end of their next turn.

Extra Attack

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

Tactical Combatant

Starting at 14th level, whenever you use a Battle Tactic option, you can roll a d6 and use it instead of expending a Bardic Inspiration die.