

This 6th level feature gives you some combat utility in specific situations, granting advantage on saving throws against the charmed and frightened conditions to your allies as an action. This means you'll go from using those bardic inspirations sparingly to using them basically every combat. This 5th level feature turns your bardic inspiration from a long rest recharge into a short rest recharge. Then again at 10th level you get to pick out two additional skills to give a double proficiency bonus.
THE BARDS TALE BARRELS FREE
Perception and Performance are common choices here, but you're free to really customize your bard here. This extra d6 improves as you advance in bard level at 9th level (1d8), 13th level (1d10), and 17th level (1d12).Īt 3rd level bards get to pick two skills to be really skilled in, doubling your proficiency bonus for those skills.

Whenever you or your allies roll hit dice to recover hit points during a short rest, you get to improve that by 1d6 due to your relaxing musical talents. This won't help you maximize specific skills, but it gives you an edge no matter what skill check you attempt.Īlso a 2nd level feature, you essentially get to improve short rests for the entire party.
THE BARDS TALE BARRELS UPGRADE
You get to do this a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier per long rest, and the bardic inspiration dice upgrade at 5th level (1d8), 10th level (1d10), and 15th level (1d12).Īt 2nd level, you get to add half your proficiency bonus to any skills you don't already have proficiency in. The subclass options give you more uses for your bardic inspiration, but this core 1st level feature simply lets you hand out buffs whenever they're needed. As a bonus action, you get to inspire a friendly creature and give them a "bardic inspiration die", a d6 that they can hold onto and then choose to add to a d20 roll (either an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw). Gained at level 1, bardic inspiration is the bard's signature feature that defines the class and you'll be using from your first game to your last. You can play your instrument as part of the somatic components for your spells, and while there's no technical difference between instruments you'll want to pick something that travels well (grand pianos don't fit in the dungeon). Bards use an instrument instead of an arcane focus, spiritual focus, or component pouch. The one part of their spellcasting that deviates from the norm is your spell focus. You have a number of bard spells known and a spell progression of spell slots as you advance in bard level. 5th edition kept the bardic spellcasting pretty simple and in line with the other spellcasting classes. This means your Charisma score dictates your spell attacks and your spell save DC.
THE BARDS TALE BARRELS FULL
Read through our ultimate Bard 5E guide to win your next campaign! But before you begin this guide, check out our awesome bard dice sets so you can play in full character.īefore we get too far into the options and strategies that come with bards, let's go through each of the bard's core features and how they function.īards are full spellcasters that use their Charisma modifier as their spellcasting ability. We composed some tips on what makes the bard class tick in 5th Edition. If you like to control the speed of a fight, bolstering your allies' strength and debuffing enemies to crush them more easily, then this class is for you. Their songs double as spells that aid friends and afflict foes. If so, get some sonnets ready on your character sheet as we go through everything you need to know.īut bards are also much more than just public speaking when it comes to protecting and aiding their fellow adventurers. Bards are the tale weavers, the minstrels of the world of Dungeons and Dragons. Is your character concept a songbird? A storyteller? Do you relish the opportunity to share your party's mythic odysseys with patrons at the inn or tavern you've found on your journey? If so, you might just be a bard at heart.
