College of Strings

The bard college of strings is one of ingenuity, versatility, and precision. Those in the college learn to attune strings to the very resonant frequencies of the weave, allowing them to bend their spells in subtle ways, be it striking or healing from afar, or guiding their allies’ hands.

Strung Focus

When you join the College of Strings at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in longbows, heavy crossbows, and one stringed instrument of your choice. 

At the end of a long rest, you may touch one stringed weapon or instrument that you are proficient in and turn it into your Strung focus. You may use this weapon or instrument as a focus for your bard spells and you may fulfill somatic components of spells with it even with both hands. You cannot be disarmed from your Strung Focus unless you allow yourself to be.

Fighting Style

At 3rd level, you adopt a particular 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 you later get to choose again.

Archery

 

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

 

 

Bardic Versatility

 

You learn one cantrip of your choice from the bard spell list and one cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list that requires a ranged spell attack roll.

 

 

Nocks of Power

Also at 3rd level you learn how to imbue either arrows or the nocks of arrows with flexible magic tuned to your Strung Focus using your bardic inspiration. So long as you are attacking or casting using your Strung Focus, you may expend your bardic inspiration in any one of three ways listed below. You may only use one of the listed options per turn.

 

 

• Raptor Cast. When you cast a spell with range other than self, you may expend one bardic inspiration to strike a point where you cast. Choose a creature within the area of the spell you cast. Make a ranged spell attack against that creature. On a hit, the target takes an additional piercing damage equal to 2 rolls of your bardic inspiration die. This damage counts as magical. 

• Homing Spell. When you cast a spell that requires a ranged spell attack roll and you miss or if when you cast a spell on a target or a group of targets that requires a saving throw where a successful save results in no spell effect and no targets are effected, you may expend one bardic inspiration to attempt to regain it. Roll your bardic inspiration die, you regain a spell slot equal to half the number you roll (rounded down, minimum of 1). You cannot regain a spell slot of a higher level than the one you originally used. 

• Flocking Shot. When you hit a creature with a ranged weapon or spell attack you may expend one use of bardic inspiration to target the same creature with a single target spell that normally has a casting time of 1 action as a bonus action. Roll your bardic inspiration die.  The level of the spell you cast can be no higher than half the number you roll (rounded down, minimum of 1).

 

 

Far-Reaching Inspiration

Starting at 6th level you can use your inspiration to guide your allies’ and your own abilities to greater distances.

When you make a ranged attack roll or cast a spell with range other than self, you may expend one use of bardic inspiration to increase the range by 5 x the number rolled on your bardic inspiration die. An ally that you granted a bardic inspiration die may roll and expend their die to do the same.

Hummingbird Shot

At 14th level you master the ultimate Nock of Power. As an action you may either conjure a magic arrow, or imbue an arrow that you are holding. The arrow has no stats, cannot be targeted, and does not occupy its space. As part of the action used to create the Hummingbird Shot or as a bonus action on any of your subsequent turns, you may have the shot move up to 60 feet and perform one of the following actions.

 

• Seeking Pierce. Make a ranged spell attack against a creature within 5 feet of the shot. On a hit, the target takes 2d10 force damage. Regardless of whether or not the attack hits, you may then move the arrow up to 10 feet and make another ranged spell attack against a different target, dealing the same damage on a hit.

• Harry. The Hummingbird Shot darts about, causing a distraction within a 15 foot radius sphere originating on itself. Any creature of your choice in the area has disadvantage on attack rolls until the start of your next turn.

The shot lasts for one minute and requires concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). At the end of the duration or if the spell ends early, and the shot was made from a real arrow, it returns to your hand, if it is free, or your quiver if it is on your person, otherwise it lands in a space next to you.

The Hummingbird shot can be disrupted by dispel magic or similar effects and counts as a spell of a level equal to half your level (rounded down).

If you used a magic arrow that has a bonus to hit and damage as a +1 arrow, then the attack benefits from that bonus and the magic is not expended. Any additional one time effects such as those of an arrow of slaying, are used up on the first attack like normal.