College of Pain

Bards who elect to learn the ways of the College of Pain know that no spectacle catches the publics eye quite like blood. Appealing to the basest desires for violence and adrenaline is their guiding principle, "risk" a word barred from their vocabulary. Sadists, masochists or often both, these performers don't blink an eye at risking life and limb for the sake of the show --- Friends, foes, and even their own.

Of all the bards, these artists of the macabre and dangerous are the most feared, and for good reasons. Yet none can deny that their methods are effective, and the sweet allure of spectacular death (or just the possibility of it) never fails to catch the eye. Bards of the College of Pain almost always live short lives, preferring to burn bright and go out in an explosive finale rather then slowly fade into the night.

College of Pain Features

Bard Level Feature 3rd Paincasting, Dance with Death, Shock and Awe 6th Insult to Injury 14th The Show Must Go On

Paincasting

When you join the College of Pain at 3rd level, you learn to use pain to fuel your bardic talents.

You may use any object has inflicted at least 5 hit points of damage within the last 24 hours as a spellcasting focus. The damage does not need to have been dealt in one hit or even on purpose.

Dance with Death

When you reach 3rd level, your daredevil attitude has taught you that life is nothing without risk. You specifically seek out the most dangerous tasks, making a show of danger. The threat of death and bodily harm doesn't scare you -- it motivates you.

Whenever you make an ability check for an action that you willingly initiated, you have Advantage on that check if failing it would cause you to lose hit points.

Shock and Awe

At 3rd level, you can inspire people to fascinating acts of violence.

Whenever you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you hits with a weapon attack, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage equal to your inspiration die. If the attack reduces the target to 0 hit points, choose a number of creatures you can see within 30 feet equal to your charisma modifier (Minimum 1). Each of those creatures must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. Those who fail are either Charmed of Frightened by you (Your choice) until the end of their next turn.

Insult to Injury

Art by Dmitry Burmak

Starting at 6th level, you learn to seamlessly blend performance and battle to create artful acts of carnage. You learn the Vicious Mockery cantrip if you don't already know it. When you take the Attack action on your turn and make a melee attack, you may also cast Vicious Mockery as part of the same action.

The Show Must Go On

At 14th level, your dedication to your bringing your bloodstained performances to their end has reached it's peek. You are willing to put your own life on the line to ensure the success of your allies.

When a friendly character you can see within 60 feet would fall to 0 hit points, you may use your reaction to instead reduce them to 1 hit point. For the next minute, you take any damage that character would take. This damage cannot be reduced or prevented by any means.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

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