College of Guile (5e Subclass)

College of Guile

The College of Guile is one of the bardic colleges for the bard class.

Anyone can tell a lie. It simply isn't true. But what is meant by guile then? It is not simply telling something untrue. Unlike deceit, guile requires a bit more wiliness and wit to twist the truth so it stands distorted and teetering on the edge of untruth. Like the serpent which tricked Eve into eating the fruit, one with guile must be able to pick up on small things and know the truth to twist it effectively. It is probably not a lie, but one inclined to believe it will think it is absolutely true. Then, the beguiled takes the fall. Lies can become truth if they believe hard enough.

Bonus Proficiencies

Starting at 3rd level, when you join the College of Guile you gain proficiency with Insight, Persuasion or Deception. If you are already proficient with those skills, choose you may double the proficiency bonus.

Whisper of the Serpent

Starting 3rd level, your words weave beautiful lies to trip the focus of others. As a bonus action, you can direct an intentional spiel of words woven with magic at a target within 30 feet of you. The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw with Dc equal to your Bard's spellcasting DC. On failure, the target has disadvantage on attack rolls. This effect lasts as long as you expend your bonus action to concentrate and keep talking to maintain it, or until the creature leaves the designated range. You can only focus on one creature at a time. If the target was casting a spell or ritual, their concentration is instead disrupted. This feature has no effect on deafened creatures.

Guile to the Weak

Creating fantasies can also help those weak of will find strength. Starting 6th level, you may use your Whisper of the Serpent on creatures friendly to you within range to instead grant them advantage on attack rolls. This effect remains so long as you maintain your speech by using a bonus action on each of your turns, or until the target is out of range.

Beguiled Inaccuracy

Sometimes all it requires is a bit of a push, or egging, to plant a small seed of doubt, which then blossoms and diverts from one reality, creating another. That is the power of guile. At 6th level, you can get into people's heads and mess with them. You can use your reaction to expend a Bardic Inspiration die, roll the die and subtract a hostile creature’s attack roll or Wisdom (Perception) check by the number rolled.

Fundamental Collapse

Told tastefully, lies become truth and even replace the original truth. Nothing gets inside your head. But you get in everyone else's. At the 14th level, you become immune to magical mind-altering effects. Additionally, your passive Deception permanently has a base equal to 12 + your Charisma modifier. No matter what you say, magic that would determine if you are telling the truth indicates that you are being truthful.

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