College of Resistance

(This is available on dndbeyond)

Recent history has altered Khovaire's politics in unprecedented ways. New independent nations have emerged, many ruled by races once entirely subject to the human kings of Galifar. Thrane's monarchy was overthrown in favor of theocracy, while Breland's parliament has assumed great power. As a student of the changing tides of history, you know even greater transformation is possible for those willing to rise up and overthrow their rulers. Your bardic abilities position you to lead and support such uprisings.

You know that the combination of vision, determination, unity, and leadership required to create real change is rare, but so is your talent for nurturing such qualities. Like other bards, you seek to captivate the attention of audiences, but your goal is to educate as well as entertain. You inspire would-be rebels to action, showing them a better world is possible and demonstrating strategies by which the old order can be overthrown.

Your abilities as a performer allow you to cover your activities as entertainment and distract prying eyes from your true agenda. When you are among your comrade-in-arms, however, your real work begins. You are most effective as part of a larger faction, such as the Swords of Liberty, one of the goblinoid clans calling themselves the Heirs of Dhakaan, or the militant movement led by the Lord of Blades. If you have yet to join such a resistance group, you are likely seeking contact with one, or planning to form your own

Bonus Proficiencies

When you join the College of Resistance at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armor and shields. You also gain expertise in the Persuasion skill, which means your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses it.

Combat Inspiration

Also at 3rd level, you learn to inspire others in battle. A creature that has a Bardic Inspiration die from you can roll that die and add the number rolled to a weapon damage roll it just made. Alternatively, when an attack roll is made against the creature, it can use its reaction to roll the Bardic Inspiration die and add the number rolled to its AC against that attack, after seeing the roll but before knowing whether it hits or misses.

Protected Comrade

Starting at 6th level, you can magically safeguard the destiny of an ally. As a bonus action, you can expend a bard spell slot to place a protective ward on one ally you touch. Until this ward ends, any bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage the target takes is reduced by an amount equal to 1 + plus the level of expended spell slot. This effect lasts for 1 minute, or until you use this feature again.

When a creature you can see within 60 feet of you hits the warded target with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make a weapon attack against the attacker. If that attack hits, it deals extra psychic damage to the target based on the spell slot you initially expended for this feature. The extra damage is 1d6 for a 1st level spell slot, plus 1d6 for each spell-level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 4d6.

Mantle of Defiance

At 14th level, you have mastered the art of weaving spellcasting and weapon use into a single harmonious act. When you use your action to cast a bard spell, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.