College of Theatrics

Bards of the College of Theatrics learn their craft from the one place where it all truly begins: the stage.  These bards are more intertwined with drama and acting than those usually tied to musical instruments or words on the page.  They love being in the limelight, not because they necessarily crave attention, but because it is where their passion truly lies.  There is no such thing as stage fright to a bard of this college.

While the range of experiences is very diverse in this college, with bards having performed in shows for years or merely months, the stage itself ties all these bards together.  Their magic manifests from the shared love and passion, creating a perceived magic that becomes real with each show performed and each bow taken.

A word of warning: do not ask bards of this college about their craft.  They will not shut up.

Call to the Stage

When you join the College of Theatrics at 3rd level, your innate calling to the stage manifests a magical spotlight on you.  You can use your stage presence to call attention to yourself and yourself alone.

As a bonus action, you can choose any number of creatures within 30 feet of you.  All of these creatures must make a Wisdom saving throw against your charisma modifier.  On a failed save, these creatures turn to pay attention to you alone.  They cannot interact with any other creatures around them, except to communicate about you and whatever you are doing.  During this, they can only move towards you or laterally in respect to where you are.  If a creature under this effect takes damage, the effect ends.  Creatures under this effect may repeat their Wisdom saving throws at the end of each of their turns to escape the effect.  The effect ends after one minute for all remaining creatures.

One you use this feature, you can't use it again until you complete a long rest.

Arcane Recital

Also at 3rd level, you can imbue magic directly into the aspects of your performance.  You break into a short performance from a piece you know well.  You choose an aspect of performing, and as you recite the piece into existence, you call upon your magic to aid you in your efforts.  You can expend a bardic inspiration to use this feature.  You choose one of the following stage domains to present to those around you.

Monologue. You speak the words of great acting, creating a moment of vulnerability and self discovery.  You choose a saving throw type and roll your bardic inspiration die.  The next time you make that saving throw, you add the rolled number to your total.

Solo. You sing a piece of great yearning, asking in song for what you truly want.  You may roll the bardic inspiration die and regain the total + your Charisma modifier in hit points.

Dance Break. You display choreography of wonder and skill, creating an aura of impressiveness around you. On your next attack that hits a target, you do additional damage equal to a roll of your bardic inspiration die.

Facial Expression. You act, not in creation of your own scene, but in response to others around you.  The next time a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can reverse the damage onto them.  You roll your bardic inspiration die and do that amount of damage to them in the damage type they intended to hit you with.

Improvisational Recovery

At 6th level, you can use your improv skills to help you save face in rough spots.  When you fail a Dexterity, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw, you can reroll and use the new roll instead.  As well, you get a +2 bonus to all saving throws of these three types going forward.

Whenever you roll a natural 1 on a Charisma saving throw, you completely mess up your performance, embarrassing yourself entirely.  You permanently lose 1 hit point from your total.  You can use a reroll to redo the save, but it does not negate the lost hit point.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once).  You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Enchanting Encore

At 14th level, you can encourage the creatures you are inspiring with a call for an encore.  When a creature other than yourself you inspired with Bardic Inspiration succeeds on a Saving Throw, Ability Check, or Attack roll where they used their Bardic Inspiration, you can use a reaction to call for repeat performance.  The creature gains another Bardic Inspiration die they can use without you expending another use of your Bardic Inspiration.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once).  You regain all expended uses of this feature when you finish a long rest.