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Hey all! 

Got some more time to iron out the Alternate Bard, and since I've posted every previous update, I thought I'd post this one too! Included are minor changes to the base class, significant changes to subclasses, and some spells!

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Folk Expertise. As not to step on the toes of the Rouge, the Alt Bard's version of Expertise has been limited (much in the way of the Alt Ranger). To compensate, and keep it in line with my Alt Rouge & Alt Ranger, it has been moved to 1st level.

Magical Secrets. This has been limited to spells of 1st-level or higher (sorry if you wanted to take eldritch blast) so as to preserve the "feel" of the Bard.

Countersong. I'm still struggling to balance the math so this isn't too strong or too weak. With this update, you can expend multiple uses of Bardic Inspiration to radically increase your chances of ending an enemy spell. At high levels, one Die will still be useful to counter 1st or 2nd-level spells.

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Fool. This subclass has been tweaked to focus more on movement (and tripping your foes) in place of spellcasting - that is the Loremaster's thing now.

Loremaster. Given Potent Performer at 5th level which works similarly to the Alchemist Artificer's ability to boost specific types of damage and healing. Greater Magical Secrets has been moved up to 11th level and slightly reworked, and they have a new 15th level feature (Wondrous Skill) which allows them (or an ally) to magically succeed on ability checks.

Skald. Some QoL changes allow your voice to be a spellcasting focus while in battle. Simplified Combat Inspiration and Ringing Strikes and gave them a more easy-to-understand and thematic capstone feature (Heroic Ballad).

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Spells. I've added spells from my other homebrew classes: dire wail (Shaman) and sonic wave (Magus). I've also included a new cantrip I created for an especially annoying Gnome Wizard NPC in my home game - glitterbeam.

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Let me know what you think!

~laserllama


P.S. Did you know April Fools Day is this weekend, and a holiday typically celebrated amongst the common folk of the world...

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Comments

Anonymous

I feel like it would benefit significantly from a feature similar to Artificer Infusions or Eldritch Invocations. At the moment it feels just a bit empty

laserllama

Paladin doesn’t have a system like that and it seems to do fine IMO. I could definitely do a “Bardic Songs” feature that could be swapped out, but I don’t know if I need too. An ability like that would also necessitate stealing from what are now subclass exclusive uses of Bardic Inspiration

Anonymous

I think the fool bard 5th level seems a little weak and a bit annoying to run. IMO it would be more appropriate to give them back the old vicious mockery thing and give them more of a tank / taunting speciality