Black Bard Striking the air with a pick of black iron, the bloodied half-orc summons forth a screaming chittarone of pure flame and urges his allies deeper into the fray.

Kneeling in the smoking wreckage of what was once a temple to Heironeous, a triumphant elf sets aside her harp, digs her fingers into the ash and streaks it across her corpse-white face.

As the holy-day celebrations fill the streets above with pious joy, a whistling man drags two trussed children into a hag's lair in the sewers.

Black Bards are the heralds and champions of forgotten or suppressed powers. Some sing the sagas of the fey, whose power and primacy in the souls of men was usurped by younger deities, and urge their listens to remember the rites and sacrifices that are their due. Others find common cause with demons and devils in their eternal war against the gods and seek to stoke the smouldering anger of the downtrodden into flames of rage. A terrifying few hint at depths of time beyond all conceptions of history and the entities awakening from aeons long sleep who laugh at the petty worship of rats by fleas.

Echoes of the Past In the beginning there was not a word, but only sound, pure in its all encompassing roar. As aeons passed, the sound split and fell into rhythm and note, weaving through itself to create the multiverse and the music that thrums through its every fibre. Life rose and danced to the music of creation, waxing and waning, living and dying to its beat. But then came travesty and desecration; in its fear and weakness, life gave rise to gods. The gods were arrogant and blinded by the devotion of their worshippers to their own folly. They ceased to listen and instead began to sing, not in harmony, but to tunes they thought superior. The songs of the gods grew louder and louder, clashing with the true cosmic music in a cataclysm of distortion, but they persisted. Slowly, their lies began to drown out the truth and the multiverse was reordered to their will.

Black Bards hear the echoes of what once was and strive to turn the tide.

Rage Against the Gods

"There is a war for those who hear the whisper. The world around us has failed. The deep woe inside our song is the fear that we can never return to the mythic, primal world that we crave in our deepest soul. The gods are weak and pitiful in their strength over creation; in conquering, they have destroyed us all. Our music expresses disgust with existence and revels in the misery that one finds when the falseness of our lives is revealed. Our music is the essence of damnation forged into shining steel, a gruesome axe that shines its dismal, eerie gleam in the night when all other lights shine no more."



- Warmaster Gaahl Isvind-Weaver

Black Bard Level Proficiency Bonus Features Cantrips Known Spells Known Spell Slots Spell Slot Level Invocations known 1st +2 Patron, Pact Magic 2 2 1 1 — 2nd +2 Corpse Paint 2 3 2 1 1 3rd +2 Plectrum Pact 2 4 2 2 1 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 3 5 2 2 1 5th +3 Corpse Paint Improvement 3 6 2 3 2 6th +3 Patron Feature 3 7 2 3 2 7th +3 d8 Inspiration 3 8 2 4 3 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 3 9 2 4 3 9th +4 Corpse Paint Improvement 3 10 2 5 4 10th +4 Patron Feature 3 10 2 5 4 11th +4 d10 Inspiration 4 11 3 5 4 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 4 11 3 5 5 13th +5 Corpse Paint Improvement 4 12 3 5 5 14th +5 Patron Feature 4 12 3 5 5 15th +5 d12 Inspiration 4 13 3 5 6 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 4 13 3 5 6 17th +6 — 4 14 4 5 6 18th +6 — 4 14 4 5 7 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 4 15 4 5 7 20th +6 Superior Inspiration 4 15 4 5 7

Class Features Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d8 per level

1d8 per level Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier

8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: Light Armour

Light Armour Weapons: Simple Weapons

Simple Weapons Tools: Stringed Instruments

Stringed Instruments Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma

Wisdom, Charisma Skills: Choose three from Arcana, History, Religion, Persuasion, Performance Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: A simple weapon

studded leather armour and a stringed instrument







Patron At first level, you have struck a bargain with an otherworldy being of your choice; the Archfey, the Fiend or the Great Old One, each of which, and the abilities they grant to your character as they level up, are detailed on pages 108 to 110 of the Player's Handbook. Pact Magic Your musical ability and the magic bestowed upon you by your patron have given you a greater understanding of how to pluck the fabric of the cosmos. See chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 for the Warlock spell list, which this class uses. Cantrips You know two cantrips of your choice from the Warlock spell list. You learn additional Warlock cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Black Bard table. Spell Slots The Black Bard table shows you how many spell slots you have. The table also shows the level of those spell slots; all of your spell slots are the same level. To cast one of your spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short or long rest. For example, when you are 5th level, you have two 3rd level spell slots. To cast the 1st level spell Thunderwave, you must spend one of those slots, and you cast it as a 3rd level spell. Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher At 1st level, you know two 1st level spells of your choice from the Warlock spell list. The Spells Known column of the Black Bard table shows when you learn more Warlock spells of your choice of 1st level and higher. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what is shown in the Black Bard table's Slot Level column for your level. When you reach 6th level, for example, you learn a new Warlock spell, which can be 1st, 2nd or 3rd level. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Warlock spells you know and replace it with another from the Warlock spell list, which must also be of a level for which you have spell slots. Spell Casting Ability Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your spells, so use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spell casting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma Modifier when setting the saving throw DC for your spells and when making an attack roll with one:

Spell save DC = 8 + proficiency bonus + Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = proficiency bonus + Charisma modifier. Spell Casting Focus You can use any stringed instrument as your spell casting focus. Some examples include: harp, lute, chittarone, cittern, dulcimer, gittern, koto, lyre, mandolin, balalaika, sitar, zither, and shamisen.







Corpse Paint At 2nd level you may begin to wear Corpse Paint, granting you Expertise in Intimidation (add double your proficiency bonus to Intimidation skill checks).

You may apply Corpse Paint using prestidigitation, thaumaturgy, or grease paint. While wearing it, all know you for a Black Bard.

At higher levels your Corpse paint will allow you to use certain spell like abilities, once per long rest, without expending any spell slots or requiring any components:

Feign Death, but only targeting yourself and able to be used as a reaction, at 5th level.



Fear at 9th level.



Eyebite at 13th level.

Plectrum Pact At 3rd level, your patron bestows upon you the gift of a magical plectrum which reflects their nature in its form. If your patron is an Archfey, your plectrum could be a fallen leaf made of blood amber. If you serve a fiend, it might be a black iron claw.

Your plectrum allows you to summon forth a magical stringed instrument as a bonus action. This instrument also takes a form befitting your patron; perhaps its composed entirely of flame, or maybe it is made of bone and strung with the hair of fey creatures. The instrument disappears if it leaves your hands , if you dismiss it as a free action, or if you die or fall unconscious.

While wielding this instrument, you may grant inspiration to your allies.

Inspiration You can inspire others through the power of your music. To do so, you use a bonus action on your turn to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear you. That creature gains one inspiration die, a d6.

Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one inspiration die at a time.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses after completing a long rest.

Your inspiration die improves to a d8 at 7th level, a d10 at 11th level, and a d12 at 15th level. Superior Inspiration At 20th level, when you roll initiative and have no uses of Inspiration left, you regain one use. Eldritch Invocations Through listening to the songs of elder times, you have learned eldritch invocations; whispers of ancient power that you can give full voice to with you music and wield as magical abilities.

At 2nd level you gain an eldritch invocation of your choice. When you gain certain Black Bard levels, you gain additional invocations of your choice, as shown in the Invocations Known column of the Black Bard table.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the invocations you known and replace it with another invocation that you could learn at that level.

The majority of eldritch invocations can be found on pages 110 and 111 of the Player's Handbook, but some Black Bard specific ones are listed below: Black Anthem Prerequisite: Plectrum Pact Feature.

You can cast Heroism at will without expending a spell slot or material components. You must finish a long rest before you can use this invocation on the same creature again. Lost Legend Prerequisite: 9th level, Plectrum Pact Feature.

You can cast Legend Lore using a spell slot. Spider's Strings Prerequisite: 7th level, Plectrum Pact Feature.

You can cast Locate Creature using a spell slot. After casting it once, you can only target that creature with successive uses of the spell until you complete a long rest. Amplification Prerequisite: Thunderclap cantrip, Plectrum Pact Feature.

Increase the radius of Thunderclap by 5ft. You may select this Invocation multiple times. Echoing Thunder Prerequisite: Thunderclap cantrip, Plectrum Pact Feature.

When you cast Thunderclap, creatures that pass their save still take half damage.





Distortion Prerequisite: Thunderclap cantrip, Plectrum Pact Feature.

When you cast Thunderclap, your allies have advantage on their Constitution saves against its damage and your enemies have disadvantage. Equalisation Prerequisite: Thunderclap cantrip, Plectrum Pact Feature.

When you cast Thunderclap, you may add your Charisma modifier to damage dealt to enemies and subtract your Charisma modifier from damage it deals to allies. The Muse of Pain Prerequisite: Thunderclap cantrip, Plectrum Pact Feature.

As a bonus action, after casting thunderclap, expend one use of inspiration to grant an inspiration die to any number of creatures damaged by the cantrip. Awakening Prerequisite: Thunderclap cantrip, Plectrum Pact Feature.

Allies damaged by your Thunderclap may immediately make a save against any mental effects from which they are suffering. If taking damage would nornally trigger a save, they may make it with advantage. Crescendo Prerequisite: Thunderclap cantrip, Plectrum Pact Feature.

You may cast Thunderwave using a spell slot. When you do, it is modified by all your Invocations that usually modify Thunderclap. The Lute of Grisk Prerequisite: Fiend Patron, Plectrum Pact Feature.

As an action, you may use your plectrum to summon The Lute of Grisk. While wielding The Lute of Grisk, your inspiration die apply as negative modifiers, and you choose when the target applies them. Bachanalian Lyre Prerequisite: Archfey patron, Plectrum Pact Feature

As an action, you may use your plectrum to summon The Bachanalian Lyre. While wielding it, you are drunk. When casting a spell, roll a performance check at DC 20; If succesfull, you summon a pack of Satyrs, as with the spell Conjure Woodland Beings. The Golden Fiddle Prerequisite: Fiend Patron, Plectrum Pact Feature.

As an action, you may use your plectrum to summon The Golden Fiddle. While wielding it, you may challenge any creature wielding an insturment to a musical duel: Make three sets of opposed performance checks; if you win two of the three, you may place them under a Geas. If you win all three, the Gaes lasts until it is dispelled. If your opponant wins, they may do the same to you. The Long Song Prerequisite: 5th level, Plectrum Pact Feature.

You can cast Sending using a spell slot. After casting it once, you can only target the initial target with successive uses of the spell until you complete a long rest. Lord of the Dance Prerequisite: 9th level, Plectrum Pact Feature.

You can cast Raise Dead using a spell slot. You can not cast it again until you complete a long rest.