College of Chants

The Bard of the College of Chants are often of humble origin, owing their life to those who live small, gentle lives in small villages, thriving off the land. Within their time there, they learned their local myths, unraveling the tales of creation and destruction in ancient, passing song. Touching into the magical essence in music, they have learned to channel these songs and the powers hidden within their tunes and meaning.

Often, these very same Bards find their souls longing for adventure and venture forth into their world, the magic that courses through them pushing them to new heights. However, in the progress and search of song, the Bards of the College of Chants discover that they can never truly leave their homeland, and that their homeland will never leave them. These Bards often feel the passion of such songs and long to learn and spread the tales of not only their own culture, but of countless others, each with their own Timeless Song of power waiting to be revealed.

Along their adventures, Bards of the College of Chants are fatally flawed in being trusting, especially of other smaller, more humble folks and traditionally despise those of great wealth and power. Anyone who threatens the livelihood and balance that allows peace and tranquility for those of more common blood while likely find an enemy in those who study the Timeless Song.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you join the College of Chants at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with another Instrument, a one-handed melee weapon, and either a skill or tool.

Timeless Song

At 3rd level, you learn how to channel the ancient power of one of the Timeless Songs. You choose one of these songs to inhabit, scaling the song to your Bard level. These songs can be played as an Action by spending one Bardic Inspiration die. Every turn after the song is begun, continuing the song is a Free Action and is maintained as long as you are conscious and have the ability to speak (if a target cannot hear the song, whether by distance or other means, the song is maintained, but the target cannot be affected) or an instrument can be played (requires at least one free hand). Playing the song requires Concentration. When you take damage or otherwise suffer a condition that would break our concentration, you must roll a Concentration check (DC 10) to maintain the song or the song is dropped.

You can still cast spells that are Bard Spells or count as Bard spells (and therefore are cast using an instrument) that do not require concentration.

You can also still attack with a weapon as long as it is one-handed and you still have the ability to play the song.

You learn an additional song at 6th Level and 14th Level.

Timeless Songs:

• Song of the Snake. You sing or play a rhythmic song creating a charming, hypnotizing effect on a target. When the song starts, target a creatures within 60 feet and roll a Performance Check. The target creature has to roll a Wisdom Saving Throw with a DC equal to the total of the Performance Roll. If failed, the target is paralyzed on their turn. At the beginning of each subsequent turn, they can make the same Saving Throw to break out of the spell. If they succeed, the target is unaffected. At 8th level, the player can target two creatures, three at 10th level, and four at 15th level.
• Song of the Bear. You belt a booming, powerful song that emboldens an ally. When the song starts, you can target one ally within 30 feet. Whenever the ally makes a physical attack, they can add 1d6 to the damage total. The die increases to 2d6 at 8th level, 2d8 at 10th level, and 2d10 at 15th level, and 2d20 at 20th level.
• Song of the Owl. You play an slow, ominous tune that enlivens and alerts your allies to their surroundings. All allies within a 20 foot radius gain Darkvision up to 60 feet for the duration of the song and gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. While under the effect of the song, allies within range cannot be surprised. The range of the song increases to 30 feet at 8th level, 40 feet at 10th level, and 60 feet at 15th level.
• Song of the Cat. You play a slow, meticulous song reminiscent on nightly chirps. All allies within a 15 foot radius gain advantage on Stealth Checks and gain Darkvision up to 30 feet for the duration of the song. The radius increases to 20 at 8th level, 30 at 10th level, and 40 at 12th level.
• Song of the Sloth. You play a gentle, ancient lullaby that reminds its audience of a slumbering forest. You roll a Performance Check and select a target within 40 feet of you. The target must make a Wisdom Saving Throw against the total of your Performance Check. If they fail, the target's speed is halved, it takes a −2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and it can't use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn. If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn't take effect until the creature's next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can't, the spell is wasted. On each of the target's turns, they can make a Wisdom Saving Throw against the same DC. If they succeed on any of the Saving Throws, they are unaffected, but the song does not drop.
• Song of the Elephant. You play a melancholic song that stands a testament to humanity, strength, and sorrow. All allies within a 20 foot radius receive 1d4 Healing at the start of your turn and receive advantage on Strength Saving Throws while in range of the song. The healing die increase to 1d6 at 8th level, 1d8 at 10th level, and 1d12 at 12th level.

Song of the Bear

You belt a booming, powerful song that emboldens an ally. When the song starts, you can target one ally within 30 feet. Whenever the ally makes a physical attack, they can add 1d6 to the damage total. The die increases to 1d8 at 8th level, 1d10 at 10th level, and 1d12 at 15th level, and 1d20 at 20th level.

Song of the Cat

You play a slow, meticulous song reminiscent on nightly chirps. All allies within a 15 foot radius gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) Checks and gain Darkvision up to 30 feet for the duration of the song. The radius increases to 20 at 8th level, 30 at 10th level, and 40 at 12th level.

Song of the Elephant

You play a melancholic song that stands a testament to humanity, strength, and sorrow. All allies within a 20 foot radius receive 1d4 Healing at the start of your turn and receive advantage on Strength Saving Throws while in range of the song. The healing die increase to 1d6 at 8th level, 1d8 at 10th level, and 1d12 at 12th level.

Song of the Owl

You play an slow, ominous tune that enlivens and alerts your allies to their surroundings. All allies within a 20 foot radius gain Darkvision up to 60 feet for the duration of the song and gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. While under the effect of the song, allies within range cannot be surprised. The range of the song increases to 30 feet at 8th level, 40 feet at 10th level, and 60 feet at 15th level.

Song of the Sloth

You play a gentle, ancient lullaby that reminds its audience of a slumbering forest. You roll a Performance Check and select a target within 40 feet of you. The target must make a Wisdom Saving Throw against the total of your Performance Check. If they fail, the target's speed is halved, it takes a −2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and it can't use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn. If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn't take effect until the creature's next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can't, the spell is wasted. On each of the target's turns, they can make a Wisdom Saving Throw against the same DC. If they succeed on any of the Saving Throws, they are unaffected, but the song does not drop.

Song of the Snake

You sing or play a rhythmic song creating a charming, hypnotizing effect on a target. When the song starts, target a creatures within 60 feet and roll a Performance Check. The target creature has to roll a Wisdom Saving Throw with a DC equal to the total of the Performance Roll. If failed, the target is paralyzed on their turn. At the beginning of each subsequent turn, they can make the same Saving Throw to break out of the spell. If they succeed, the target is unaffected. At 8th level, the player can target two creatures, three at 10th level, and four at 15th level.

Naturalists

At 6th level, you learn two spells of your choice from either Druid or Ranger. A spell you choose must be of a level you can cast, as shown on the Bard table, or a cantrip. The chosen spells count as bard spells for you but don’t count against the number of bard spells you know.

Songweaver

Starting at 14th level, you, through channeling and playing songs of old, have become one partially with the ancient and powerful essence that pervades them. You can seamlessly shift between these songs in combat without expending a Bardic Inspiration die. As long as you are conscious, have the ability to play the song, and have not broken Concentration, you can play another Timeless Song you have chosen without dropping the song and therefore expending another Bardic Inspiration die. If the song currently has an effect, the effect is dropped and replaced with the effect of the new song. If a Performance check is required, you roll a new one. You can still use the abilities of the new song that starts on your turn even if the song that was dropped has already applied its effect that begins at the start of your turn (for example, the healing of the Song of the Elephant).  Changing songs requires using a Bonus or Main Action.

Additionally, you also receive advantage on Concentration checks pertaining to playing a song.