College of the Vocalist (5e Subclass)
College of the Vocalist[edit]
Bard Subclass
The College of the Vocalist is a rare group of bards who focus all of their magic into their voice. This allows them to work their spells into new forms that can affect their allies and foes in many ways.
- Vocal Magic
At level 3, you gain the ability to sing over your allies or foes. You gain two verses of your choice from the list below. You also gain one additional verse at levels 6, 14, and 18 respectively. These verses can be started as an action, and maintained as a bonus action. Maintaining a verse requires concentration. To start a verse, choose a volume for how loud you will be singing; this will affect the range of the verse you're singing. Then, you must pass a Performance check. If an enemy wishes to identify the song you're singing, they must pass an Arcana check. These can be found in the table below.
| Volume | Range | Performance DC | Arcana DC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whisper | 10 feet | 10 | 15 |
| Normal | 30 feet | 12 | 12 |
| Shout | 60 feet | 15 | 10 |
The verses available to choose from are as follows:
- Verse of Valor - Grant all allied creatures within range a bonus to all attack rolls equal to half your Charisma modifier, rounded down, while singing this verse.
- Verse of Warding - Grant all allied creatures within range a bonus to AC to half your Charisma modifier, rounded down, while singing this verse.
- Verse of Wounding - Grant all allied creatures within range a bonus to damage rolls equal to half your Charisma modifier, rounded down, while singing this verse.
- Verse of Resilience - Grant all allied creatures within range a bonus to all saving throws equal to half your Charisma modifier, rounded down, while singing this verse.
- Verse of Distraction - Impose a penalty on the first attack roll every hostile creature in range makes by a value equal to half your Charisma modifier, rounded down. Once an enemy is affected by this verse, they cannot be affected by it again for 24 hours.
- Verse of Weakness - Reduce the AC of all hostile creatures in range by a value equal to half your Charisma modifier, rounded down. Once an enemy affected by this verse takes damage, they cannot be affected again for 24 hours.
- Verse of Faltering - Reduce all hostile creatures' saves in range by a value equal to half your Charisma modifier, rounded down. Once an enemy makes a save while affected by this verse, they cannot be affected again for 24 hours.
- Verse of Harmony - Sing out a charming song to all hostile creatures in range. Each creature affected makes a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell Save DC. Creatures that fail are charmed, and creatures that succeed are immune to your Verse of Harmony for 24 hours. Creatures that are charmed may attempt a Wisdom saving throw to shake off the charm as at the end of their turn.
- Vocal Technique
At level 6, your skill at singing has advanced. You gain expertise (double proficiency) in Performance. If you already have expertise in Performance, choose another skill you are proficient in. You now have expertise in that skill.
You also gain access to one of the vocal techniques below. Choose one more technique at level 14.
- Articulate Verse - Your verses are precise to a fault, and have no unnecessary sound or words. Hostile creatures attempting to identify your verse have disadvantage when making an Arcana check.
- Resonant Verse - Your verses ring out and reverberate for a short period of time, even after you have finished singing. You may finish a verse with Resonance that allows it to persist for one more turn after you finish. Doing so frees your voice to commence another verse, or cast a spell. You must complete a long rest in order to use this verse again.
- Haunting Verse - Your voice can cause fear in the weak-minded who seek to do you and your allies harm. Any hostile creature starting their turn within range of your verse must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell Save DC. A failure results in the creature being frightened by your song for one turn. When a creature recovers from the fear, it is immune to your Haunting Voice for 24 hours.
- Healing Voice - Your words are a comfort to those around you and uplift their spirits. Once per long rest you may bestow (half of your Charisma modifier, rounded down)d6 Temporary HP to all allied creatures within range of your verse. This temporary HP lasts until each creature takes a short or long rest.
- Multi-Verse
At level 14, you have now managed to advance your magical songs to an unprecedented level of skill. Gain advantage on your Performance checks to start a verse. Also gain access to one song of your choice from the list below. Gain one more song at level 18. These songs take multiple rounds to activate, as listed. These songs are successfully activated by completing a separate verse for each turn listed. Stringing verses together to make a full song takes more effort and increases the base DC of each verse by 2. Songs can be sung in 3 ways: Maintaining the same volume throughout, starting at a whisper and increasing to a shout, or starting at a shout and decreasing to a whisper. Failing a Performance check to change verses to form a song can be recovered with an increasing +1 to the DC for each failed check. Succeeding in a verse resets any penalties occurred. A song that is interrupted by failing a concentration check must be started over from the beginning. The songs are as follows:
- Song of Triumph: 3 rounds. All allied creatures in range gain bardic inspiration die once per turn, for turns equal to half your Charisma modifier, rounded down.
- Song of Light: 2 rounds. Grant all allied creatures in range 30 ft blindsense, 60 ft darkvision, and a bonus to Perception equal to half your Charisma modifier, rounded down, for 1 hour.
- Song of Endurance: 4 rounds. All allied creatures in range gain HP equal to half your Charisma modifier, rounded down, per turn for 5 turns at the start of their turn. Any HP gained above the creature's maximum HP is converted into temporary hit points that lasts until the creature takes a short or long rest.
- Song of Might: 3 rounds. All allied creatures in range gain a bonus to all attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throw, ability checks and AC for 1 minute equal to half your Charisma modifier, rounded down.
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