So, I am finally at a point where I am seriously working on all the classes with a lot more attention than previously, and have an example of it I am testing putting up here.

fial is 16 classes, one of which is being used as an example for how to create a class. It took a long while to figure out the approach to this, since I took out Feats and Subclasses, witht he goal of using them in a different way, and I finally cracked it.

It has made making the classes MUCH easier and less taxing, as now I can focus just on the stuff that matters to each class the most, that defines them as a class on Wyrlde. But enough of that. Here’s the bard as it sits right now…

Bard

Foundations
Performing Mystical Tellers of Truth
Abilities	Dex	Per	Cha
Axiom	Sensate	Affinity	Mystical
Spell Cast	Cha	Spell Atk	Per
Hit Dice	d8
HP @ Lvl 1	Your Con modifier + 1d8 or 5.
HP @ Higher Lvls	Your Con modifier + 1d8 / level after 1st
Saving Throws	Dex, Cha
Skills (Pick 3)	Ride	Eavesdrop	Notice
	Insight	History	Persuade
Disciplines	ASI
	Silver Tongue
	Universal Speech
Spell	SIMPLE, RUDIMENTARY, INTERMEDIATE, ADVANCED, EXPERT
Proficiency
Armor Training	BASIC, STANDARD, LIGHT, MEDIUM
Weapon	SIMPLE, BASIC, COMMON, ADEPT, EXPERT
Training
Forte	Inspiration
	Counter Charm
	Mote of Potential
	unknown
	Performative mastery
Veiled	Song of Rest, Terrible Affect, Open
Esoterica	Open
Starting Gear
Kit/Gear	Musician’s Tools, Mule or Donkey
	Instrument (choose 2)
Focus	Instrument
Armor	Leather Cuirass
Weaponry	Dagger
Wealth Bonus	30sp

Introduction

What other entertainer, which performer? Where would you find an artist of such high caliber who would be willing to take the news of the world to the world?

Sure, the Arch Priests have their fancy talking mirrors, but they are priests and have you seen what priests do for a living? Do they do it with panache, and style, to boot?

Who is to take down the history of the world and preserve it? Historians? They can’t agree on a point of view, while we don’t have one, only the way it happened, and we have a duty to the truth, as bitter or sweet as it may be.

For centuries, we have told and retold the history of the Empire, keeping their stories and traditions alive. We have spread the word of edicts and announced the downfalls of Noble Houses. We have recounted the tales of great heroes, and ruinous villains. We have sung and spoke and danced and juggled and performed for the people the living history and myths and legends and wonders of the world we live in.

We are the Voice and Light of the World. Without us, there would only be silence and darkness.

Background

Bards and the Empire are deeply intertwined – no matter the prohibition on them in Sibola, they are the news gatherers, the rumor mongers, the gossip hounds, and the town criers of the world. The few newspapers in circulation are all the work of and intended mostly for Bards, and they are at least half of the secretive Messenger’s guild. Of all the other professions, only Nomads and Envoys come close to the level of importance that Bards have in the daily lives of people – and no one can be more entertaining or more aware than a bard.

Invoking magic through music, dance, and verse, Bards are expert at inspiring others, soothing hurts, disheartening foes, and creating illusions. Bards believe that Everything has a sound if you but take the time to hear, and that remnants of the magic in the world still resound and glimmer on every plane of existence. Bards are The Hall brought to The Hearth and The Field, we are the magic of the moments in between. We are the dancing laughter in the eyes of a child and the wistful longing of the widow in the window.

Bards are the mystical masters of music and song and spoken word, and no others have their gift of gab. Bards have Mojo, the source of their power, the form of their mana, and their spells are called jujus, and when a bard complains about their Mojo being off, it is time to pay attention, for that means they are in trouble.

Almost anything can inspire a new song or tale, so Bards are fascinated by almost everything. They have a wide-ranging knowledge of many subjects and develop an aptitude to do almost anything well. Bards become masters of many things, including musical performance, the workings of magic, and the formation of jests.

Not every singer or poet in a tavern or jester in a royal court is a Bard. Harnessing the Words of Creation requires hard work and some measure of natural talent that most troubadours and jongleurs lack. It can sometimes be hard to spot the difference between these performers and Bards, though. A Bard’s life is spent wandering across the land gathering lore, telling stories, and living on the gratitude of audiences, much like any other entertainer. But Bards’ depth of knowledge, level of musical skill, and mastery of magic sets them apart.

Legend

Bards come in many varieties, but the ones best known and most often spoken about are those who practice the four gifts: Music, Song, Dance, and Oration. The first two are often confused among those who are not bards, as the difference is Music has no voice to accompany it, and Song always has voice, but may not have music. Dance is the rarest of the forms, but because dance on Wyrlde is often formalized and has deeply ingrained meanings, it is used to tell stories and tales, convey news and information, and may or may not have an accompaniment (such as a drum). The three beat cadence of the stomp-stomp-clap movement that always starts a dance of meaning is well known, and all bards are taught the basics of dance as well as an instrument and how to speak in public.

As a result, bards tend to be outgoing, performative, popular, and gifted. One does not survive apprenticeship if one cannot sing or play a tune or move gracefully. It is possible, granted, and many bards will tend to favor a particular approach over others, but all are taught the core parts.

Troubadours, Poets, Danseurs, Minstrels – all of them are Bards, and not all of them can be pinned down to one place. Some join a join a circus, others will compete in the Grand Games, and some, of course, will step out in search of the peculiar glory that is being an Adventurer.

Role

Bards are teachers, storytellers, town criers, news hounds, gossipers, rumor mongers, and more, always focused around the central and underling heart of a Bard: the beauty of truth. Truth is music and song, dance and play, fine words and stirring revelations. Lies, for whatever reason, are an off note, a missed step, a false ring, offbeat and syncopated.

Not that there isn’t a time for that or a place for it, but for most bards, the purpose there is to serve the greatest truth, to spark the idea and to fix the understanding, not to deceive or mislead. Indeed, it was such an act – a humorous and scandalous song about the habits of a particular concubine of the former Emperor that was quite true if embellished – that led to the outlawing of Bards in Sibola.

It is enforced, but rarely and only at the insistence of someone who has been offended in some way by the truth, because, as Bards will tell you, nobles can’t handle the truth.

Pluck a bard like a lyre’s string and they will give a pure note, a true note, and that’s the way they are seen, for good or ill. A bard’s truth is always present, but truth is not always as welcome as they might lie it to be – nonetheless, it is their task and their jo, their role and their place, to observe it, to record it, and to share it in the way and manner that is most useful.

Bards are deeply connected to the dimensional playground called the Faewilde, or the Fairywilde, or Fairyland, or simply just Faerie. Bards are especially honored among the Denizens of that dimension, and will often be able to get away with doing things no one else is able to do. This has caused them to be seen slightly askance by many, as Fae incursions often are not seen as the most pleasant of things.

This has led to Bards being difficult to charm and becoming inured in many respects to the lesser powers of the Fae, even as they have seen the core of their abilities outlawed within the Empire (for charms and enchantments are illegal). Bards are immune to the Charms of the Fae, and are not affected by Glamours used by them.

It also places bards at odds with Witches, on more than a few occasions, and some will say that the reason Witches can be so feared at times is due to the efforts of Bards spreading tales of a less flattering nature. It does not help, either, that Bards can see the true nature of a Fae denizen, while Witches cannot without aid.

Bards are part of the communications net of the world, and even Sibola proper has a College, which is where Bards meet to catch up and learn and practice and retreat. Colleges are a key part of a Bard’s life, and most bards will take a day when stopping in a city to catch up and gather the most recent events, trade songs, and learn new things.

Colleges are always surrounded by Stages, on which different performances are given daily, to educate, inform, and entertain the public at large. Dancing is taught at them, often long before a given dance will appear in some formal stuffy location among the wealthy, and Bards are ever alert to what is enjoyed and what is not.

A Bard College is a Guild Hall and has much the same structure as any other. Bards which are members of the Adventurer’s Guild still have to pay dues and tithes to the College on entry, but are not required to stay there as dedicated Bards may be, and participate in the daily shows.

Bards take the time to listen to everyone, to observe everything, and carry the news and word of it back to Colleges and Dormitories (small colleges in towns and some villages), including the tales of derring do that adventurer’s are known for.

Level	Aspects Gained	Proficiency Bonus	Mana Stored	Weapon Types	Skills Gained
1	Order / Mystery + Forte	0	7		1
2	Esoterica	0	15
3	Veiled Knowledge	0	22	1
4	Discipline + ASI	0	30		1
5	Order / Mystery ++ Forte	+1	27
6	Esoterica	+1	45	1
7	Veiled Knowledge	+1	52		1
8	Discipline + ASI	+1	60
9	Order / Mystery ++ Forte	+2	68	1
10	Esoterica	+2	75		1
11	Veiled Knowledge	+2	82
12	Discipline + ASI	+2	90	1
13	Order / Mystery ++ Forte	+3	97		1
14	Esoterica	+3	105
15	Veiled Knowledge	+3	113	1
16	Discipline + ASI	+3	120		1
17	Order / Mystery ++ Forte	+4	127
18	Esoterica	+4	135	1
19	Veiled Knowledge	+4	142		1
20	Discipline + ASI	+4	150

Aspects

Bards have unique non-magical Disciplines that they can employ without the use of mana. As a result, Bards are sometimes called half-casters, as they do not fundamentally have a true goal in using magic or weapons, and so gain the ability to use those slots for other capabilities if they so choose.

Not all do – most alternate between a weapon skill and a magical skill of some sort – often in a form that lets their Mojo run wild rather than a practiced spell.

Unusual is that certain bits of secret, Veiled Knowledge are fairly common to pass on to newer bards, who then try to master the skills. Chief among them is the Song of Rest, taught by many to Bards who will adventure. But also, as a way to escape tricky situations, there is Terrible Affect.

Few are as willing as Bards to take chances on the Esoterica available; but then, few can get quite as much use out of them.

Disciplines

Skills

All Bards learn Performance, Persuasion, and Culture skills.

Ability Score Improvement

Bards can choose to increase one Ability score by 1 point at 4th level, 8th Level, 12th Level, 16th Level, and 20th Level.

Silver Tongued

Early on in their training, and throughout their apprenticeship, bards are taught to master the use of words and language, tone and intonation, the peculiar gravitas of rhyme and ring, motion and expression, so that they become walking manifestations of whatever it is they are speaking to or about.

Bards learn the power of communication, both that which is spoken, and that which is not. Be it oration, dance, song, or simply music, they are taught to use the tools they are given to influence and shape the world around them.

As a Bard gains Mastery, this discipline improves. You can use this discipline a number of times equal to your CHArisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Beginning at 2^nd level, when you make a CHArisma (Persuasion) or CHArisma (Deception) check, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.

At 4th level, you learn how to use your wit to distract, confuse, and otherwise sap the confidence and competence of others. When a creature that you can see within 60 feet of you makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a damage roll, you can use your reaction to expend one of your uses of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic Inspiration die and subtracting the number rolled from the creature’s roll. You can choose to use this feature after the creature makes its roll, but before the DM determines whether the attack roll or ability check succeeds or fails, or before the creature deals its damage. The creature is immune if it can’t hear you or if it’s immune to being charmed.

At 8th Level, You learn how to use your wit to supernaturally distract, confuse, and otherwise sap the confidence and competence of others. When a creature that you can see within 60 feet of yourself succeeds on an Ability Check or an Attack Roll, you can use your Reaction to expend one of your uses of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic Inspiration die and subtracting the number rolled from the creature’s roll, potentially turning it into a failure.

At 12th level, when the right thing is a verbal attack, you can spin words laced with magic that unsettle a creature and cause it to doubt itself. As a bonus action, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration and choose one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. Roll the Bardic Inspiration die. The creature must subtract the number rolled from the next saving throw it makes before the start of your next turn.

At 16th Level, When you successfully inspire someone, the power of your eloquence can now spread to someone else. When a creature within 60 feet of you adds one of your Bardic Inspiration dice to its ability check, attack roll, or saving throw and the roll succeeds, you can use your reaction to encourage a different creature (other than yourself) that can hear you within 60 feet of you, giving it a Bardic Inspiration die without expending any of your Bardic Inspiration uses.

At 20th Level, you can deal Psychic Damage to that creature equal to the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die plus your CHArisma modifier. You can do this a number of times per day equal to your Charisma score.

Universal Speech

At 10th Level, You have gained the ability to make your speech intelligible to any creature. As an action, choose one or more creatures within 60 feet of you, up to a number equal to your CHArisma modifier (minimum of one creature). The chosen creatures can magically understand you, regardless of the language you speak, for 1 hour.

You can use this discipline a number of times equal to your CHArisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Orders & Mysteries

Bards have the ability to choose to take either a Mystery or an Order. Not all Bards choose to learn the martial skills, nor do all choose to learn the Magical ones. Most spend a bit of time studying both, and at 1st level they must make a choice between a First Order or a Simple Mystery.

Thereafter, at each level, they can choose either an Order or a Mystery at 5th Level, 9th Level, 13th Level, and 17th Level.

When choosing, they must be aware that they can only take the lowest ranked one available to them – many Bards will choose to only learn Simple and Rudimentary Mysteries and indulge themselves in First through Third Orders in a weapon or two they are particularly fond of.

Still other Bards will skip both, and instead use their available slots to choose some additional Esoterica or Veiled Knowledge ability, assuming they can find a teacher for such. This is possible because Bards do gain some initial skill and ability with armor and weapons that they continue to hone.

Forte

Creative Inspiration

Starting at 1st Level, you can supernaturally inspire others.

This inspiration is represented by your Bardic Inspiration die, which is a d6 as a Novice, a d8 as a Professional, a d10 as an Adept, a d12 as a Master, and a d14 as a Grand Master.

Using Bardic Inspiration.

You can use your Bardic Inspiration die in the following ways:

Boost a d20 Test. When another creature within 60 feet of you that you can see or hear fails a d20 Test, you can use your Reaction to give the creature a Bardic Inspiration die. The creature rolls that die and adds the number rolled to the d20, potentially turning the failure into a success.

Heal. Immediately after another creature within 60 feet of you that you can see or hear takes damage, you can use your Reaction to roll your Bardic Inspiration die and restore a number of Hit Points to the creature equal to the number rolled. As a Professional or Higher, you can add an additional person, dividing the total, and an additional person at Adept, Master, and Grand Master

Number of Uses. A Bardic Inspiration die is expended when it’s rolled. You can confer a Bardic Inspiration die a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

At 5th level When you make an Ability Check and fail, you can expend one use of Bardic Inspiration, roll the Bardic Inspiration die, and add the number rolled to the Ability Check, potentially turning it into a success. If the check still fails, the Bardic Inspiration isn’t expended.

At 9th Level you regain all of your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you finish a short or long rest.

At 13th Level when you roll initiative and have no uses of Bardic Inspiration left, you regain one use.

At 17th Level If a creature has a Bardic Inspiration die from you and casts a spell that restores hit points or deals damage, the creature can roll that die and choose a target affected by the spell. Add the number rolled as a bonus to the hit points regained or the damage dealt. The Bardic Inspiration die is then lost.

Countercharm

At 5th level, you gain the ability to use musical notes or words of power to disrupt mind-influencing effects. As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet of you have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed.

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).

At 9th level,

At 13th level,

At 17th Level,

Mote of Potential

At 9th Level, Whenever you give a creature a Bardic Inspiration die, you can utter a note from the Song of Creation to create a Tiny mote of potential, which orbits within 5 feet of that creature. The mote is intangible and invulnerable, and it lasts until the Bardic Inspiration die is lost. The mote looks like a musical note, a star, a flower, or another symbol of art or life that you choose.

When the creature uses the Bardic Inspiration die, the mote provides an additional effect based on whether the die benefits an ability check, an attack roll, or a saving throw, as detailed below:

Ability Check. When the creature rolls the Bardic Inspiration die to add it to an ability check, the creature can roll the Bardic Inspiration die again and choose which roll to use, as the mote pops and emits colorful, harmless sparks for a moment.

Attack Roll. Immediately after the creature rolls the Bardic Inspiration die to add it to an attack roll against a target, the mote thunderously shatters. The target and each creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or take thunder damage equal to the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die.

Saving Throw. Immediately after the creature rolls the Bardic Inspiration die and adds it to a saving throw, the mote vanishes with the sound of soft music, causing the creature to gain temporary hit points equal to the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die plus your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1 temporary hit point).

At 13th level,

At 17th level,

unknown forte (13^th level)

At 13th level,

At 17th Level,

Performative Mastery

At 17th Level, If you perform for at least 1 minute, 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 people within 60 feet of you who watched and listened to all of it, up to a number 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 talks to it, and it hinders anyone who opposes you, although it avoids 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 saving throw, 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 long rest.

Veiled Knowledge

Bards have some Veiled Knowledge available to them that others do not have, and can choose to take advantage of the willingness to teach them when they reach certain levels of mastery.

Song of Rest

Beginning at 3rd Level, you can use soothing music or oration to help revitalize your wounded allies during a short rest. If you or any friendly creatures who can hear your performance regain hit points at the end of the short rest by spending one or more Hit Dice, each of those creatures regains an extra 1d6 hit points.

The extra hit points increase when you reach certain levels in this class: to 1d8 at 7th level, to 1d10 at 11th level, to 1d12 at 15th level, and to 1d14 at 19^th Level.

Terrible Affect

At 7th Level, you learn to infuse innocent-seeming words with an insidious magic that can inspire terror.

If you speak to a humanoid alone for at least 1 minute, you can attempt to seed paranoia in 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 of you or another creature of your choice.

The target is frightened in this way for 1 hour, until it is attacked or damaged, or until it witnesses its allies being attacked or damaged.

If the target succeeds on its saving throw, the target has no hint that you tried to frighten it.

At 11th Level you can affect up to 2 creatures.

At 15th level you can affect up to 3 creatures.

At 19th level you can effect up to 5 creatures.

Although you can use this feature a number of times per day equal to your CHArisma modifier, each time you do, you gain a point of Fatigue, as it is tiring to use.

Veiled Slots

Bards gain additional Veiled slots at 11^th level, 15^th Level, and 19^th Level. Veiled Slots can only be used for Veiled Knowledge.

Esoterica

Bards gain one slot each at 1^st Level, 5th Level, 9^th Level, 13^th Level, and 17^th Level.

Esoterica slots can be used for any Esoterica element or exchanged for Veiled Knowledge slots.

This flexibility in capabilities is one of the main fortes of a Bard – you never know what all they may have up their sleeve to a degree even greater than that of other professions.

Worldscape

Bards are looked to for the latest news, for the most entertaining stories, for the pleasures of art and entertainment, but also for the history of the world, and the knowledge of it. Bards are storytellers at their core, and few these days recall that the very first Mages were Bards, for is not magic linked to the very idea of words themselves, the concepts of that which is spoken or written becoming that which is?