Bard- College of the Contender

Bards that trained with this College revel in personal strength as well as showmanship. Contender Bards often take the roles of strongmen in circuses or carnivals, gladiators in arenas or even just haughty contestants in pit fights for show. They love nothing more than to entertain an audience with their feats of strength.

*credit to one of my players for giving me this idea*

Bonus Proficiencies

At 3rd level when you join this College you gain proficiency in Athletics and Performance checks if you dont already have them; additionally your proficiency bonus is doubled for any Athletics check you make. You also become proficient with Improvised Weapons.

Scrappy

At 3rd level when you join this College your impressive strength is one of your most valuable tools for you in combat. You can make an unarmed strike as a Bonus Action whenever you take the Attack Action and it's stronger, dealing 1d4+ your Strength modifier. They also increase in strength as you level in this class going to 1d6 at 5th level, 1d8 at 11th level and 1d10 at 17th level.

Additionally, whenever you are going to be hit with a melee attack you can use your reaction to attempt to deflect it. Make an Athletics check versus the creature's attack roll. If you roll equal to or higher than their attack roll the attack misses you. If you roll higher than their attack roll by 5 or more you may immediately pull that creature into a grapple provided they are of a size that you are capable of grappling. If you grapple a creature with this reaction any subsequent attacks made against you from that creature this turn are made at disadvantage.

Mantle of Bravado

At 3rd level when you join this College your charisma emboldens your physique. As a bonus action, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to grant yourself advantage on Strength checks and saves for 1 minute. While transformed in this way, whenever you have a Large or smaller creature grappled you can move yourself and the creature your full movement speed instead of half and you can wield them as an improvised weapon so long as you maintain the grapple. Whenever you hit with a creature you are using as an improvised weapon you must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC is determined by the improvised weapon making an Acrobatics check) or you drop the creature; ending the grapple.

The damage a creature being used as an improvised weapon is dealt both to the "weapon" and any creature being hit with it. The damage type is typically bludgeoning unless the creature has extremities that might pierce or slash such as horns or sharp fins. A Small creature deals 1d4 + STR modifier damage, a Medium creature 1d6 + STR modifier and a large creature deals 1d10 + STR modifier damage on a hit.

Extra Attack

At 6th level you can make 2 attacks on your turn whenever you take the Attack Action.

Enchanted Grasp

At 6th level your unarmed strikes and any improvised weapon you wield count as magical for the sake of overcoming resistances to nonmagical attacks. Furthermore, if you attempt to grapple a creature that is immune to the Grappled condition due to having an incorporeal or intangible form you ignore the immunity.

Showstopper

At 14th level whenever you hit with an unarmed strike or an improvised weapon you critically hit on a roll of 19 or 20. Additionally while your Mantle of Bravado is active, you can use your Action to attempt to knock out any creature with a single blow. Make an unarmed attack, on a hit the creature takes damage equal to 4 rolls of your Unarmed Strike damage + your Strength modifier and must make a Constitution saving throw (DC = 8 + your Strength modifier + your proficiency modifier). On a failure, the creature is pushed 15 feet away from you and is rendered unconscious for 1 minute or until it takes damage or another creature uses its action to shake the creature awake or heal it. On a success the creature takes half damage and is only pushed 5 feet.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier and regain any expended uses when you complete a long rest.