College of Jesters

Bards of this college are used to entertaining using the comedy of failure and looking like a fool to inspire confidence in others. Even while not performing, these bards are experts at using failure to their advantage. Whether they fail on purpose to manipulate a situation or just turn genuine failure into inspiration is hard to determine. The effect is the same. These colorful entertainers make others feel better about themselves. One might suggest an idea that sounds so terrible that others avoid that course of action like the plague, when all along the bard wanted them to feel that way. Despite having some skill with weapons for theatrics, one might make a strike at an enemy that misses so terribly that all of their allies chuckle despite being in a dangerous and hopeless situation. These bards could be the most skilled member of a party yet ally and enemy alike would think them a fool because of their charades.

Self-deprecating Humor

At 3rd level, bards of the college of jesters are able to turn failure into inspiration. Anytime you miss an attack, fail a saving throw, or fail an ability check, you can immediately grant an inspiration die to a creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you that can hear you. This inspiration die is called Dunce Die and is a d4, but functions the same as your regular inspiration dice. If you have extra attack, this ability can trigger for each missed attack allowing you to grant multiple Dunce Dice in one turn. Dunce Dice granted with this ability do not come out of your normal pool of inspiration die. Any time you roll a critical fail, this effect triggers and you can target as many creatures as you choose other than yourself within 60 feet that can hear you.

Pratfall

Also at 3rd level, you have learned to take some stage punches as an entertainer. You gain the ability to expend one of your bardic inspiration die as a reaction any time you take damage. Reduce the incoming damage by whatever number you roll on the die. You convincingly take the hit and seem especially hurt which makes follow up attacks seem less necessary as your demeanor is so nonthreatening. Until the beginning of your next turn, you are under the effect of the Sanctuary spell using your spell save DC.

Extra Attack

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

False Humility

At 14th level, you have mastered the art of looking like a failure despite sometimes succeeding. When you roll a 20 on a d20 for any attack, ability check, or saving throw, you can trigger your Self-deprecating Humor ability as if you had rolled a 1 as you perfectly mask your success as an epic failure with some coincidental positive side effects.