Bard

Class Features

As a bard, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per bard level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per bard level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
Tools: Three musical instruments, gaming sets, or tools of your choice
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence or Charisma
Skills: Choose any three

Equipment

You start with 200 gp, in addition to the equipment granted by your background. The following are good starting items for bards:

A rapier, a longsword, or any simple weapon
A diplomat's pack or an entertainer's pack
Musical instruments, gaming sets, or artisan tools you are proficient with
Studded leather armor and a dagger

Table: The Bard
Level	Features	Tricks Known	Bardic Inspiration Die	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	Mana Pool	Max Spell Level
1st	Spellcasting, Bardic Inspiration	—	d6	2	4	2	1st
2nd	Adventuring Tricks, Jack of All Trades	2	d6	2	5	4	1st
3rd	Bard College, Expertise	2	d6	2	6	8	2nd
4th	Ability Score Improvement	2	d6	3	7	12	2nd
5th	Font of Inspiration	3	d8	3	8	15	3rd
6th	Bard College feature	3	d8	3	9	19	3rd
7th	Battle Hymn	3	d8	3	10	23	4th
8th	Ability Score Improvement	3	d8	3	11	29	4th
9th	Universal Secrets	4	d8	3	12	35	5th
10th	Expertise	4	d10	4	13	41	5th
11th	Universal Secrets	4	d10	4	14	47	6th
12th	Ability Score Improvement	4	d10	4	14	50	6th
13th	Universal Secrets	5	d10	4	15	54	7th
14th	Bard College feature	5	d10	4	15	58	7th
15th	Universal Secrets	5	d12	4	16	62	8th
16th	Ability Score Improvement	5	d12	4	16	66	8th
17th	–	6	d12	4	17	71	9th
18th	Universal Secrets	6	d12	4	17	76	9th
19th	Ability Score Improvement	6	d12	4	18	82	9th
20th	Encore	6	d12	4	18	89	9th

Table: The Epic Level Bard
Level	Features	Tricks Known	Bardic Inspiration Die	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	Mana Pool	Max Spell Level
21st	Epic Ability Score Improvement, Universal Secrets	7	d12	5	19	95	9th
22nd	Battle Voice	7	d12	5	19	98	9th
23rd	Bard College feature	7	d12	5	20	102	9th
24th	Universal Secrets	7	d12	5	20	106	9th
25th	Epic Ability Score Improvement, Gestalt Secrets	8	d12	5	21	110	9th
26th	Broadened Horizons	8	d12	6	21	114	9th
27th	Bard College feature	8	d12	6	22	119	9th
28th	Universal Secrets	8	d12	6	22	129	10th
29th	Epic Ability Score Improvement, Legendary Inspiration	9	d12	6	23	140	11th
30th	Bardic Supremacy	9	d12	6	23	152	12th

Spellcasting

^{1st-level Bard feature}
You have learned to untangle and reshape the fabric of reality in harmony with your wishes and music. Your spells are part of your vast repertoire, magic that you can tune to different situations.

Cantrips

You know two cantrips of your choice from the bard spell list. You learn additional bard cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Bard table.

Mana

The Bard table shows how much mana you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend mana from your mana pool. You regain all expended mana when you finish a long rest. The mana costs for spells can be found on the mana cost table.

Spells Known and Reserved

You know four 1st-level spells of your choice from the Bard spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Bard table shows when you learn more bard spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you can cast.

You can keep an additional number of spells equal to your Bard level + your Intelligence modifier as reserved spells. These spells are ones you are familiar with, but cannot readily cast. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can choose one known spell from this class and replace it with one of your reserved spells over the course of 10 minutes, provided they are of the same spell level and are both on the Bard spell list. The reserved spell becomes a known spell, and the known spell is added to your reserved spells.

As a part of a long rest, you can try to familiarize yourself with a spell on the Bard spell list if it is of a spell level you can cast and you saw a creature cast it since your last long rest, if you use a magic item which can cast the spell, or if you can be taught by a creature with the spell known or prepared. You must succeed on an Arcana check using your spellcasting stat with DC equal to 15 + the spell's level to add the spell to your reserved spells.

If you would reserve a spell, and are already at your maximum number of spells you can have reserved, you must replace one of your existing reserved spells.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Bard spells you know and replace it with another spell from the Bard spell list, which also must be of a level for which you can cast. You may add the spell you replaced to your reserved spells.

Spellcasting Ability

Choose Intelligence or Charisma to be your spellcasting ability. Once you make this choice, you cannot change it. You use the chosen ability whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use the chosen ability modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Bard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your chosen ability modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your chosen ability modifier

Ritual Casting

You can cast any bard spell you know as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag.

Spellcasting Focus

You can use a gaming set or a musical instrument as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells.

Bardic Inspiration

^{1st-level Bard feature}
You can inspire others through stirring words or music. To do so, you use a bonus action on your turn to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can see or hear you. That creature gains one Bardic Inspiration die, a d6.

Once within the next hour, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Bardic Inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Bardic Inspiration die at a time.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Spellcasting modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Your Bardic Inspiration die changes when you reach certain levels in this class. The die becomes a d8 at 5th level, a d10 at 10th level, and a d12 at 15th level.

Adventuring Tricks

^{2nd-level Bard feature}
Even when abroad, you are most at home when surrounded by those who love you — or at least tolerate you. You start with two adventuring tricks of your choice. Adventuring tricks are detailed on the Adventuring Tricks page. The Tricks Known column of the Bard table shows when you learn more adventuring tricks. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Adventuring Tricks you know and replace it with another Adventuring Trick that you could learn at that level.

Jack of All Trades

^{2nd-level Bard feature}
You can add half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check you make that doesn’t already include your proficiency bonus.

Bard College

^{3rd-level Bard feature}
You delve into the advanced techniques of a bard college of your choice. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 14th, 23rd, and 27th level.

College of Creation	Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. Altered.
College of Eloquence	As in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
College of Glamour	Xanathar's Guide to Everything. Added 6th level ability.
College of Lore	Player's Handbook. Altered.
College of Satire	Altered
College of Spirits	As in Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft
College of Swords	Xanathar's Guide to Everything. Fighting Styles expanded.
College of Tragedy	As in Tal'Dorei Reborn
College of Valor	Player's Handbook. Added 6th level ability.
College of Whispers	Xanathar's Guide to Everything. Altered.

Expertise

^{3rd-level Bard feature}
Choose two of your skill proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.

At 10th level, you can choose another two skill proficiencies to gain this benefit.

Ability Score Improvement

^{4th-level Bard feature}
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. In addition, you may select a single Feat you meet the prerequisites for.

You may also replace one of your skill proficiencies with a skill proficiency offered by this class at 1st level. The proficiency you replace does not need to be from this class.

Lastly, you can do one of the following, representing a change in focus as you use your skills and magic:

Replace one cantrip you learned from this class's Spellcasting feature with another cantrip from the bard spell list.
Replace one of the skills you chose for the Expertise feature with one of your other skill proficiencies that isn't benefiting from Expertise.

Font of Inspiration

^{5th-level Bard feature}
You regain all of your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you finish a short or long rest.

Battle Hymn

^{7th-level Bard feature}
You gain the ability to use musical notes or words of power to influence the battlefield in myriad ways. As a bonus action, you can start one of the following performances that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet of you gain a benefit based on the battle hymn being performed. A creature must be able to hear you to gain this benefit. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it (no action required).

Power Ballad. You tell a tale of heroic might. Creatures affected by this performance have advantage on Strength saving throws.

Agile Anthem. You weave a story of incredible swiftness. Creatures affected by this performance have advantage on Dexterity saving throws.

Drinking Song. You sing a shanty of unending endurance. Creatures affected by this performance have advantage on Constitution saving throws.

Reasoned Refrain. You discharge a sonnet of logic and reason. Creatures affected by this performance have advantage on Intelligence saving throws.

Mindful Melody. You present a production of bravery and sagacity. Creatures affected by this performance have advantage on Wisdom saving throws.

Existential Encore. You spin an otherworldly tale of the nature of existence. Creatures affected by this performance have advantage on Charisma saving throws.

Universal Secrets

^{9th-level Bard feature}
Your wanderings have taught you many tricks and secrets. At 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 18th, 21st, 24th, and 28th level, choose one of the following:

Magical Secret. You have plundered magical knowledge from a wide spectrum of disciplines. Choose one spell from any class, including this one. A spell you choose must be of a level you can cast, as shown on the Bard table, or a cantrip. The chosen spells count as bard spells for you. When you replace a spell after gaining a level in this class, you may choose to replace your Magical Secrets spell with a new spell from any class and level you can cast instead.

Universal Trick. Whether from watching your fellow adventurers work, from tales of your predecessors, or simply because you are just that talented, you have taken to adopting the techniques of your peers. Choose one talent from any class, including this one. You must meet any prerequisites for those talents, using your levels in this class for level prerequisites. When you replace an adventuring trick after taking a level in this class, you may choose to replace one of your talents from Universal Tricks with a new talent from any class.

Encore

^{20th-level Bard feature}
The heights of your bardic prowess allow you to ride the highs and lows of life to keep the show going. When you or a creature you can see within 60 feet rolls a 1 or a 20 on an attack, ability check, or saving throw, you regain one use of your bardic inspiration.

Epic Level Bard: Epic Ability Score Improvement

^{21st-level Bard feature}
When you reach 21st level, and again at 25th and 29th level, you gain the benefits of an Ability Score Improvement, but your ability score increase can bring an ability score above 20, to a maximum of 24.

Epic Level Bard: Battle Voice

^{22nd-level Bard feature}
You can make your voice boom three times as loud as a normal creature. The range of any spell or effect that requires the target to hear you is doubled.

Epic Level Bard: Gestalt Secrets

^{25th-level Bard feature}
Choose a class other than Bard. Depending on the chosen class, you gain the listed class feature as it appears in that class's table.

Adept: Martial Arts. You use half your Bard levels as Adept levels for the purpose of determining your Martial Arts die.
Arcane Warrior: Mystic Arcanum. You use half your Bard levels as Arcane Warrior levels to determine the additional mana and damage from this feature, and your spellcasting ability modifier to determine the AC bonus from Arcane Deflection.
Artificer: Tool Expertise.
Barbarian: Rage. You use half your Bard levels as Barbarian levels to determine Rage damage and uses.
Bloodhunter: Crimson Rite. You use half your Bard levels as Bloodhunter levels to determine your Hemocraft die and your Primal and Esoteric Rite choices.
Cleric: Channel Divinity. You use half your Bard levels as Cleric levels to determine how many times you can use your Channel Divinity and Harness Divine Power abilities, and the DC for Turn Undead equals your bard spell save DC.
Druid: Wild Shape. You use half your Bard levels as Druid levels for determining the statistics and forms you can take.
Fighter: Action Surge. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Marshal: Commanding Presence. You can use half your Bard levels as Marshal levels to determine the size of your Commanding Presence.
Paladin: Lay on Hands. You can use half your Bard levels as Paladin levels to determine your pool of healing power.
Ranger: Explorer. You gain all the benefits from Deft Explorer or Natural Explorer
Rogue: Cunning Action.
Sorcerer: Manifestation.
Warlock: Pact Boon.
Wizard: Arcane Recovery and Wizard Flair. You may use your Bard levels for the purpose of determining the mana you recover.

Epic Level Bard: Broadened Horizons

^{26th-level Bard feature}
Choose a second subclass from the Bard class. You gain all 3rd-level features from that subclass.

Epic Level Bard: Legendary Inspiration

^{29th-level Bard feature}
When you would grant a creature a Bardic Inspiration die, you can choose to grant that creature two dice instead. The creature chooses whether to use the dice one at a time or simultaneously.

Epic Level Bard: Bardic Supremacy

^{30th-level Bard feature}
Your proficiency bonus increases by 1.