College of Dissonance

There are transcendental patterns hidden in the din of battle, just as any other aspect of life. Where some see only chaos, others find order, harmony, power. Originally born out of the endless strife of the Blood War, bards of the College of Dissonance are forged in the front lines of conflict, demoralizing their opponents with brutal weapon strikes, savage songs, and intonations of primal fury. Their esoteric heart lies in their recognition, first identified by their progenitor, the archdevil Vanundiz, of the eternal melodies and harmonies of creation reflected in the seemingly endless combat between devils and demons. Life and death, love and hate; balance. 

Bards of this tradition are often lesser devils, or more often tieflings honing their skills as combatants contracted into the Blood War, sowing discord and fear through the ranks of demon-kind. Nonetheless, wherever violence dominates existence, bards of the College, Hellsingers as they are known in the Lower Planes, can usually be found, beating the drums of war or heralding a triumph. Hellsingers thrive on emotion, evoking instinctual reactions in enemies as well as allies, ripping at their foes' flesh and spirit whilst simultaneously emboldening the resolve and vigor of their allies.

Hellsinger - Bonus Proficiencies

When you join the College of Dissonance at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in intimidation, 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.

Into the Fray

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.

Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an Attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the Two-Handed or Versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Two-Weapon Fighting

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

Sow Discord

Starting at 3rd level, you learn to channel your rage into a discordant, violent performance. You learn the thaumaturgy cantrip; it counts as a bard spell for you. Additionally, pick up to three magical effects specified by thaumaturgy to add to your performance.

By consuming both your action and bonus action, for as many rounds as you choose and as long as your performance is not interrupted, you attempt to sow fear and discord in the hearts of enemies within 120 feet that can hear you. For each round that you continue to play the harmonies of the Nine Hells, enemies within range must succeed on a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC or be frightened of you until the round after your performance ends. Frightened targets can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a success. Enemies that critically fail their saving throw must cover their ears until the beginning of their next turn as they impotently attempt to muffle the overwhelming, harsh tones. As part of Sow Discord, the fury in the hearts' of your allies flares; you may still give other characters Bardic Inspiration dice. You are unable to use your reaction during your performance. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it (no action required).

Once you use this feature, you are drained of creative energy, and you can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.

Hateful Thrashing

Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Additionally, when you use this feature, you may cast Vicious Mockery, up to three times per long rest, as a bonus action. If you do, subtract your ability modifier from the damage of your second attack.

Fiendish Heritage

Starting at 12th level, Vanundiz, the forebear of the ways of the College takes notice of your progress in his discipline, teaching you to weave psychogenic energy into your strikes.

You are able to channel your odious magical energies through your weapons, causing creatures hit with your main hand weapon to take additional psychic damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).

Dread Conductor of the Nine Hells

Starting at 14th level, your forays into battle and understanding of its rhythms have transformed you into a veritable incarnation of melodic death. Horrifying sights, smells and sensations burn in the effected creatures mind when you use the Sow Discord feature, which now causes you take on a more devilish and terrifying aspect, as specified in the disguise self spell. When you use Sow Discord and a creature fails its initial saving throw, that creature must succeed on a further Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or find themselves prostrate before a vision of the Nine Hells, causing them to become stunned as their mind's eye is beset on all sides by slavering demons and vicious devils. At the end of each of its turns, each affected creature can make another Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the creature is no longer stunned, however, the creature cannot make another Charisma saving throw against its frightened condition until its next turn.

Additionally, you maintain your devilish appearance after your performance until you finish a short or long rest. While transformed in this way, you have advantage on intimidation and performance ability checks.

Brutal Exuberance

Starting at 14th level, you may use the Sow Discord feature twice before having to finish a short or long rest.