Bard
CodexGrace
Bards are the most charismatic people in all the realms. Members of this class are masters of captivation and specialize in a variety of performance types, including singing, playing musical instruments, weaving tales, or telling jokes. Whether performing for an audience or speaking to an individual, bards thrive in social situations. Members of this profession bond and train at schools or guilds, but a current of egotism runs through those of the bardic persuasion. While they may be the most likely class to bring people together, a bard of ill temper can just as easily tear a party apart.
Starting Equipment — Choose One
Hope Feature
Spend 3 Hope to temporarily Distract a target within Close range, giving them a -2 penalty to their Difficulty.
Class Features
Once per session, describe how you rally the party and give yourself and each of your allies a Rally Die. At level 1, your Rally Die is a d6. A PC can spend their Rally Die to roll it, adding the result to their action roll, reaction roll, damage roll, or to clear a number of Stress equal to the result. At the end of each session, clear all unspent Rally Dice.
At level 5, your Rally Die increases to a d8.
Choose one subclass during character creation to define your specialisation within the Bard.
Troubadour
Play the Troubadour if you want to play music to bolster your allies.
Foundation
Gifted Performer
Describe how you perform for others. You can play each song once per long rest:
- Relaxing Song: You and all allies within Close range clear a Hit Point.
- Epic Song: Make a target within Close range temporarily Vulnerable .
- Heartbreaking Song: You and all allies within Close range gain a Hope.
Specialization
Maestro
Your rallying songs steel the courage of those who listen. When you give a Rally Die to an ally, they can gain a Hope or clear a Stress.
Mastery
Virtuoso
You are among the greatest of your craft and your skill is boundless. You can perform each of your “Gifted Performer” feature’s songs twice instead of once per long rest.
Wordsmith
Play the Wordsmith if you want to use clever wordplay and captivate crowds.
Foundation
Rousing Speech
Once per long rest, you can give a heartfelt, inspiring speech. All allies within Far range clear 2 Stress.
Specialization
Eloquent
Your moving words boost morale. Once per session, when you encourage an ally, you can do one of the following:
- Allow them to find a mundane object or tool they need.
- Help an Ally without spending Hope.
- Give them an additional downtime move during their next rest.
Mastery
Epic Poetry
Your Rally Die increases to a d10. Additionally, when you Help an Ally, you can narrate the moment as if you were writing the tale of their heroism in a memoir. When you do, roll a d10 as your
advantage die.