TEXT: ©2016	Wizards	
  1	
  Bard:	Bard	Colleges
  At	3rd	level,	a	bard	gains	the	Bard	College	
  feature.	Here	are	new	options	for	that	feature:	
  the	College	of	Glamour	and	the	College	of	
  Whispers.	
  Playtest	Material	
  The	material	here	is	presented	for	playtesting	and	to	
  spark	your	imagination.	These	game	mechanics	are	in	
  draft	form,	usable	in	your	campaign	but	not	fully	
  tempered	by	design	iterations.	They	are	not	officially	
  part	of	the	game.	For	these	reasons,	material	in	this	
  column	is	not	legal	in	D&D	Adventurers	League	events.	
  College	of	Glamour	
  The	College	of	Glamour	is	open	to	those	bards	
  who	mastered	their	craft	in	the	vibrant,	deadly	
  realm	of	the	Feywild.	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.	The	bards	of	this	college	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.	
  Mantle	of	Inspiration	
  When	you	join	the	College	of	Glamour	at	3rd	
  level,	you	gain	the	ability	to	weave	a	song	of	fey	
  magic	that	enthralls	your	allies	with	vigor	and	
  speed.	
  	 As	a	bonus	action,	you	can	expend	a	use	of	
  Bardic	Inspiration	to	grant	yourself	a	wondrous,	
  otherworldly	appearance.	When	you	do	so,	
  choose	a	number	of	allies	you	can	see	and	who	
  can	see	you	within	60	feet	of	you,	up	to	a	number	
  of	them	equal	to	your	Charisma	modifier	
  (minimum	of	one).	Each	target	gains	2d6	
  temporary	hit	points.	
  	 When	a	target	gains	these	temporary	hit	points,	
  it	can	also	use	its	reaction	to	move	up	to	its	
  speed	toward	you,	without	provoking	
  opportunity	attacks.	It	must	take	the	shortest,	
  safest	path	to	you.	
  	 The	number	of	temporary	hit	points	increases	
  when	you	reach	certain	levels	in	this	class,	
  increasing	to	2d8	at	5th	level,	2d10	at	10th	level,	
  and	2d12	at	15th	level.	
  Enthralling	Performance	
  Starting	at	3rd	level,	you	can	charge	your	
  performance	with	seductive	fey	magic.	
  	 If	you	perform	for	at	least	10	minutes,	you	can	
  attempt	to	inspire	wonder	in	your	audience	by	
  singing,	reciting	a	poem,	or	dancing.	At	the	end	
  of	the	performance,	choose	a	number	of	
  humanoids	within	60	feet	of	you	who	watched	
  and	listened	to	all	of	it,	up	to	a	number	of	them	
  equal	to	your	Charisma	modifier	(minimum	of	
  one).	Each	target	must	succeed	on	a	Wisdom	
  saving	throw	against	your	spell	save	DC	or	be	
  charmed	by	you.	While	charmed	in	this	way,	the	
  target	idolizes	you,	it	speaks	glowingly	of	you	to	
  anyone	who	speaks	to	it,	and	it	hinders	anyone	
  who	opposes	you,	avoiding	violence	unless	it	
  was	already	inclined	to	fight	on	your	behalf.	This	
  effect	ends	on	a	target	after	1	hour,	if	it	takes	any	
  damage,	if	you	attack	it,	or	if	it	witnesses	you	
  attacking	or	damaging	any	of	its	allies.	
  	 If	a	target	succeeds	on	its	save	against	this	
  effect,	the	target	has	no	hint	that	you	tried	to	
  charm	it.	
  	 Once	you	use	this	feature,	you	can’t	use	it	again	
  until	you	finish	a	short	or	long	rest.	
  Mantle	of	Majesty	
  At	6th	level,	you	gain	the	ability	to	cloak	yourself	
  in	a	fey	magic	that	makes	others	want	to	serve	
  you.	As	a	bonus	action,	you	take	on	an	
  appearance	of	unearthly	beauty	for	1	minute.	
  During	this	time,	you	can	cast	command	as	a	
  bonus	action	on	each	of	your	turns,	without	
  using	a	spell	slot.	This	effect	lasts	for	1	minute,	
  and	any	creature	charmed	by	you	automatically	
  fails	its	saving	throw	against	the	spell.	
  	 Once	you	use	this	feature,	you	can’t	use	it	again	
  until	you	finish	a	long	rest.	
  
  ©2016	Wizards	
  2	
  Unbreakable	Majesty	
  At	14th	level,	you	gain	an	otherworldly	aspect	to	
  your	appearance	that	makes	you	look	more	
  fierce	and	lovely.	
  	 In	addition,	through	this	feature,	you	can	cast	
  sanctuary	on	yourself.	If	a	creature	fails	its	
  saving	throw	against	the	spell,	you	also	gain	
  advantage	on	all	Charisma	checks	against	the	
  creature	for	1	minute,	and	it	has	disadvantage	on	
  any	saving	throw	it	makes	against	your	spells	on	
  your	next	turn.	
  	 Once	you	cast	sanctuary	using	this	feature,	you	
  can’t	do	so	again	until	you	finish	a	short	or	long	
  rest.	
  College	of	Whispers	
  Most	folk	are	happy	to	welcome	a	bard	into	their	
  midst.	Bards	of	the	College	of	Whispers	use	this	
  to	their	advantage.	They	appear	to	be	like	any	
  other	bard,	sharing	news,	singing	songs,	and	
  telling	tales	to	the	audiences	they	gather.	In	truth,	
  the	College	of	Whispers	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	hate	the	College	of	Whispers,	
  viewing	it	as	a	parasite	that	uses	the	bards’	
  reputation	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.	
  Venomous	Blades	
  When	you	join	the	College	of	Whispers	at	3rd	
  level,	you	gain	the	ability	to	magically	make	your	
  weapon	attacks	toxic	for	a	moment.	
  	 When	you	hit	a	creature	with	a	weapon	attack,	
  you	can	expend	one	use	of	your	Bardic	
  Inspiration	to	deal	an	additional	2d6	poison	
  damage	to	that	target.	You	can	do	so	only	once	
  per	round	on	your	turn.		
  	 The	additional	damage	increases	when	you	
  reach	certain	levels	in	this	class,	increasing	to	
  2d8	at	5th	level,	2d10	at	10th	level,	and	2d12	at	
  15th	level.	
  Venomous	Words	
  At	3rd	level,	you	learn	to	infuse	innocent-
  seeming	words	with	an	insidious	magic.	A	
  creature	that	hears	you	speak	can	become	
  plunged	into	fear	and	paranoia.	
  	 If	you	speak	to	a	humanoid	alone	for	at	least	
  10	minutes,	you	can	attempt	to	seed	paranoia	
  and	fear	into	its	mind.	At	the	end	of	the	
  conversation,	the	target	must	succeed	on	a	
  Wisdom	saving	throw	against	your	spell	save	DC	
  or	be	frightened	for	the	next	hour,	until	it	is	
  attacked	or	damaged,	or	until	it	witnesses	its	
  allies	being	attacked	or	damaged.	While	
  frightened	in	this	way,	the	target	is	paranoid	and	
  tries	to	avoid	the	company	of	others,	including	
  its	allies.	The	target	seeks	out	what	it	considers	
  the	safest,	most	secret	place	available	to	it	and	
  hides	there.	
  	 If	the	target	succeeds	on	its	save,	the	target	has	
  no	hint	that	you	tried	to	frighten	it.	
  	 Once	you	use	this	feature,	you	can’t	use	it	again	
  until	you	finish	a	short	rest	or	long	rest.	
  Mantle	of	Whispers	
  At	6th	level,	you	gain	the	ability	to	adopt	a	
  creature’s	persona.	When	you	slay	a	creature	
  with	an	attack	or	a	spell	or	a	creature	dies	within	
  5	feet	of	you,	you	can	magically	capture	its	
  shadow	using	your	reaction.	You	can	capture	
  only	the	shadow	of	a	creature	that	is	your	
  creature	type,	such	as	humanoid,	and	your	size	
  (you	can	capture	a	Small	or	Medium	shadow	if	
  you’re	Small),	and	you	can	have	only	one	shadow	
  captured	at	a	time.	
  	 After	you	capture	a	creature’s	shadow,	you	can	
  use	your	magic	to	weave	it	into	a	disguise	that	
  allows	you	to	take	on	its	appearance	and	gain	
  access	to	its	surface	memories.	As	an	action,	you	
  take	on	the	creature’s	appearance	for	1	hour	or	
  until	you	end	this	effect	as	a	bonus	action.	
  	 During	that	hour,	you	gain	access	to	all	
  information	that	the	creature	would	freely	share	
  with	a	casual	acquaintance.	Information	includes	
  general	details	on	its	background	and	personal	
  life,	but	does	not	include	secrets.	The	
  information	is	enough	that	you	can	pass	yourself	
  off	as	the	creature	by	drawing	on	its	memories.	
  	 Another	creature	can	see	through	this	disguise	
  by	making	a	Wisdom	(Insight)	check	opposed	by	
  
  ©2016	Wizards	
  3	
  your	Charisma	(Deception)	check,	though	you	
  gain	a	+5	bonus	to	your	check.	
  	 The	disguise	and	the	knowledge	it	grants	
  disappears	when	this	ability’s	duration	ends.	
  Shadow	Lore	
  At	14th	level,	you	gain	the	ability	to	weave	dark	
  magic	into	your	words	and	tap	into	a	creature’s	
  deepest	fears.	
  	 As	an	action,	you	magically	whisper	a	phrase	
  that	only	one	creature	of	your	choice	within	30	
  feet	of	you	can	hear.	The	target	must	make	a	
  Wisdom	saving	throw	against	your	spell	save	DC.	
  It	automatically	succeeds	if	it	doesn’t	share	a	
  language	with	you	or	if	it	can’t	hear	you.	On	a	
  successful	saving	throw,	your	whisper	sounds	
  like	unintelligible	mumbling	and	has	no	effect.	
  	 If	the	target	fails	its	saving	throw,	it	is	charmed	
  by	you	for	the	next	8	hours	or	until	you	or	your	
  allies	attack	or	damage	it.	It	interprets	the	
  whispers	as	a	description	of	its	most	mortifying	
  secret.	While	you	gain	no	knowledge	of	this	
  secret,	the	target	is	convinced	you	know	it.	
  	 While	charmed	in	this	way,	the	creature	obeys	
  your	commands	for	fear	that	you	will	reveal	its	
  secret.	It	won’t	risk	its	life	for	you	or	fight	for	you,	
  unless	it	was	already	inclined	to	do	so.	It	grants	
  you	favors	and	gifts	it	would	offer	to	a	close	
  friend.	
  	 When	the	effect	ends,	the	creature	has	no	
  understanding	of	why	it	held	you	in	such	fear.	
  	 Once	you	use	this	feature,	you	can’t	use	it	again	
  until	you	finish	a	long	rest.	
  	 	
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/Unearthed Arcana/UA21 - Bard Colleges.pdf