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Bardic Colleges

College of the Avatar (Psionics)

Bards who can tap into a latent psionic talent typically delve into the world of emotion, mastering their inner life to such an extent that they can manipulate and amplify the emotions of others with the same ease that an artist shapes clay. Known as Avatars, these psionic bards vary from tyrants to inspiring leaders who are loved by their followers.

Avatars can bring out extreme emotions in the people around them. For their allies, they can lend hope, ferocity, and courage, transforming a fighting band into a deadly, unified force. For their enemies, they bring fear, disgust, and trepidation that can make even the most hardened veteran act like a shaky rookie.

Psionic Inspiration

Starting at 3rd level, your psionic talent has opened your potential to emit a wave of influence for your allies. Choose one of the following features.

Avatar of Battle. While you aren’t incapacitated, each ally within 30 feet of you who can see you gains a bonus to their initiative rolls equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 0.)

Avatar of Healing. While you aren’t incapacitated, each ally within 30 feet of you who can see you gains temporary hit points equal to half your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier (minimum of 0) when rolling initiative.

Avatar of Speed. While you aren’t incapacitated, each ally within 30 feet of you who can see you can, after rolling initiative, use their reaction and move up to twice their movement speed. Movement during this reaction does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Project Melody

Starting at 6th level, your psionic projections have manifested through your creative abilities. As an action, you can project one of the following melodies: Melody of Command, Melody of Courage, Melody of Fear, Melody of Fury, Melody of Joy, each melody is detailed at the end of this document.

Once you have used this feature, you must complete a long rest before doing so again.

Bestow Vision

Starting at 14th level, your psionic abilities have honed a fine edge and can be projected onto another creature to create crippling detriment. As an action, you can expend any number of Bardic Inspiration dice and create one of the following effects.

Visions of Despair. You force on creature you can see within 60 feet of you to make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, it takes psychic damage equal to the number of bardic inspiration die spent and its speed is reduced to 0 until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage.

Visions of Disgust. You cause a creature to regard all other beings as horrid, alien entities. Choose one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, it takes psychic damage equal to your bardic inspiration die, and for a number of turns equal to the number of bardic inspiration die spent on this ability, takes 1d6 damage for each creature within 5 feet of it at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, the target only takes half the initial damage and suffers no further effect.

Melodies

The melodies are presented in alphabetical order.

Melody of Command. You exert an aura of trust and command that unites your allies into a cohesive unit. You must maintain concentration on this melody as if it were a spell. For the next minute or until your concentration ends, any ally within 60 feet of you on their turn can, as a bonus action, take the Dash or Disengage action or roll a d4 and add the number rolled to each attack they make that turn.

Melody of Courage. You exert an aura of assuredness and confidence. You must maintain concentration on this melody as if it were a spell. Until the end of your next turn or until your concentration ends, you and up to five creatures you can see within 60 feet of you each gain one extra action to use on your individual turns. The action goes away if not used before the end of your next turn. This action may only be used to make one weapon attack, or to take the Dash or Disengage action.

Melody of Fear. You exert an aura of unsettling psychic energy. You must maintain concentration on this melody as if it were a spell. For the next minute or until your concentration ends, any enemy within 60 feet of you that can see you must spend 1 extra foot of movement for every foot it moves towards you. A creature ignores this effect if immune to being frightened.

Melody of Fury. You exert an aura of furious rage. You must maintain concentration on this melody as if it were a spell. For the next minute or until your concentration ends, you and any creature within 60 feet of you has advantage on melee attack rolls.

Melody of Joy. You exert an aura of rejuvenating comfort and distracting mirth. You must maintain concentration on this melody as if it were a spell. For the next minute, or until your concentration ends, each allied creature within 60 feet of you that you can see can roll a d4 when making a saving throw and add the number rolled to the total. Additionally, each creature within 60 feet of you that can see you suffers disadvantage on any checks using the Perception and Investigation skills.