The
Bard
In the worlds of D&D, words and music are not just vibrations of air, but vocalizations with power all their own. The bard is a master of song, speech, and the magic they contain. But bards are capable of defending themselves in melee if necessary, using their magic to bolster their swords and armor.
Who is the Bard?
The greatest strength of bards is their sheer versatility. Their primary use is as a “Jack-of-all-trades” type support character, having as many proficiencies available as possible. They have wide-ranging knowledge of many subjects and a natural aptitude that lets them do almost anything well. Bards become masters of the talents they set their minds to perfecting, from musical performance to esoteric knowledge.
Many bards prefer to stick to the sidelines in combat, using their magic to inspire their allies and hinder their foes from a distance. Their spells lean toward charms and illusions rather than blatantly destructive spells.
((Last updated: 9.23.2023))
Boons
Banes
The Bard in Numbers
Casting Attribute: Charisma
Attribute Bonus: +1 Charisma
Armour Proficiency: Light Armour, Medium Armour-(College of Valor), Shield Proficiency-(College of Valor)
Weapon Proficiency: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons-(College of Valor)
Base Spell Pool: 40
HP Modification: -10
Bard Mastery Bonuses
New Spells
Spell Damage: +1
Spell Bonus: +1
Attack Bonus: +1
HP: +15
Spell Pool: +20
Rituals
Level 5
Spells & Abilities
Cantrips
Level 1
Level 2
Level 5
Level 6
Level 7
Level 8
Level 9
Subclasses
On Mastery & Subclasses
Subclasses in on the Old Guard server work like specializations of your class and enable players to customize their general class into something more fitting their RP and general play style. While it’s not mandatory, it’s highly recommended to chose a subclass from character creation onwards, since a player needs to earn the subclass from a fitting IC trainer (aka another player) to master it.
That said it’s not crucial to choose a subclass during character creation just to have one, especially if you cannot decide for one, or have the feeling that it just does not fit the backstory of them (e.g. if they’re young and just starting their adventurer’s career).
Changing the subclass (or the class on that account) is also possible that way, as the only thing you need is another player who trains you ICly. All on class, subclass and mastery training can be found here.
All Boons, Banes, Spells, Abilities and Cantrips you find in the specific subclasses sections come on top of everything you see under the basic class above.So you’ll lose nothing by chosing a subclass from the list at any point of time.
College of Glamour
The College of Glamour is the home of bards who mastered their craft in the vibrant realm of the Feywild or under the tutelage of someone who dwelled there. Tutored by satyrs, eladrin, and other fey, these bards learn to use their magic to delight and captivate others.
The bards of this college are regarded with a mixture of awe and fear. Their performances are the stuff of legend. These bards are so eloquent that a speech or song that one of them performs can cause captors to release the bard unharmed and can lull a furious dragon into complacency. The same magic that allows them to quell beasts can also bend minds. Villainous bards of this college can leech off a community for weeks, abusing their magic to turn their hosts into thralls. Heroic bards of this college instead use this power to gladden the downtrodden and undermine oppressors.
Boons
Banes
Spells & Abilities
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 6
College of Lore
Bards of the College of Lore know something about most things, collecting bits of knowledge from sources as diverse as scholarly tomes and peasant tales. Whether singing folk ballads in taverns or elaborate compositions in royal courts, these bards use their gifts to hold audiences spellbound. When the applause dies down, the audience members might find themselves questioning everything they held to be true, from their faith in the Priesthood of the local Temple to their loyalty to the king. The loyalty of these bards lies in the pursuit of beauty and truth, not in fealty to a monarch or following the tenets of a deity.
Boons
Banes
Rituals
Level 5
College of Spirits
Bards of the College of Spirits seek tales with inherent power, be it legends, histories, or fictions-and bring their subjects to life. Using occult trappings, these bards conjure spiritual embodiments of powerful forces to change the world once more. Such spirits are capricious, though; what a bard summons isn’t always entirely under their control.
Boons
Banes
Rituals
Level 5
College of Valor
Bards of the College of Valor are daring skalds whose tales keep alive the memory of the great heroes of the past, and thereby inspire a new generation of heroes. These bards gather in mead halls or around great bonfires to sing the deeds of the mighty, both past and present. They travel the land to witness great events firsthand and to ensure that the memory of those events doesn’t pass from the world. With their songs, they inspire others to reach the same heights of accomplishment as the heroes of old.
Boons
Banes
College of Whispers
Bards of the College of Whispers appear to be like any other bard, sharing news, singing songs, and telling tales to the audiences they gather. In truth, this sect teaches its students that they are wolves among sheep. These bards use their knowledge and magic to uncover secrets and turn them against others through extortion and threats.
Many other bards view them as parasites that use the bards’ reputations to acquire wealth and power. For this reason, these bards rarely reveal their true nature unless they must. They typically claim to follow some other college or keep their true nature secret in order to better infiltrate and exploit royal courts and other settings of power.