Homebrew DND 2014: A non magic bard (related to the social combat system)

[peterka9]

2014 compatible.
Hi! The bard i not broken, his spells are too much all or nothing. Mine uses effects that scale the 'paralysis' effect of spells like hold person + hypnotic patterns. Instead of all or nothing effects, this class give soft debuff to opponents. More than the bard. Less flashy effects.

I designed it as a base to a modern DND- without magic and it complements my other class, The Mind Master (other post). Modern bard = Pop/Rock star! View it like a martial class with a feel of Guitar Hero.


No healing. Clerics do it better. I replace the spells of a bard by steadier buff/debuff. My design is not to redo the bard. It is not broken. I want a music concept understandable by 80+ years old elders, because this is my (part-time) job to introduce them to roleplay. So, it should be easy to understand to players and harder for DMs. Every turn you can use vicus mockery, correctly sclaed at higher levels + use a inspiration die.

Giving a die to the player is a good way to let them remember about the bardic inspiration die. Since my music is also negative, i'll rename it Influence die. A die of Influence used on an ally is a particularly successful musical effect. A negative die applied is a particularly jarring off-note.

Bard
Control and social influence class (without magic)

Class of social control and influence (nonmagical)

CLASS FEATURES​

Hit Dice: 1d8 per bard level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per bard level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armor: Light armor
• Weapons: Simple weapons
• Tools: Musical instruments of your choice
• Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
• Skills: Choose three from the bard skill list

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LEVEL 1: DISTURBING PERFORMANCE​

You can influence others through speech, music, or presence.

As a bonus action, you can enter a performance. This performance lasts for 1 minute and requires concentration (as if concentrating on a spell).

While performing, you choose one or two forms of expression each turn: Speech or Music.

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VICIOUS MOCKERY (SPEECH)​

Action, 60 feet range

A creature you can see must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or suffer the effects below.

On a failed save:

• The target takes 1d4 psychic damage
• The target has disadvantage on its next attack roll

On a successful save:

• No effect

This damage increases at higher levels:

• 3d4 at 5th level
• 5d4 at 11th level
• 7d4 at 17th level

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BARDIC INFLUENCE (MUSIC)​

As a bonus action, you can grant a Bardic Influence die (d6) to a creature within 30 feet and establish a cognitive link with it. The duration is 1 minute. For a willing ally, the link lasts up to 1 hour if it is renewed each minute.

While the link is active:

• You have advantage on Charisma (Persuasion, Deception, Intimidation, Performance) checks against linked creatures
• The creature can add the die to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw after seeing the d20 result
• A creature can have only one Influence die at a time

Uses: Charisma modifier (minimum 1) + half your bard level
Recovery: Long rest

The die increases:

• d8 at 5th level
• d10 at 10th level
• d12 at 15th level

A creature can end the link using an action. If the link ends, the die is lost. If not renewed, the link ends after 1 minute.

An Influence die applied to an enemy may be added to your Vicious Mockery damage or other class features.

Once per turn, when an Influence die is used, if the result is maximum on the die, you can deal additional psychic damage equal to your Charisma modifier.

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LEVEL 2: JACK OF ALL TRADES​

You add half your proficiency bonus (rounded down) to any ability check you make that doesn’t already include your proficiency bonus.

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LEVEL 2: SONG OF REST​

During a short rest, any creature that spends Hit Dice regains an additional 1d6 hit points.

This increases to:

• 1d8 at 9th level
• 1d10 at 13th level
• 1d12 at 17th level

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LEVEL 3: BARD COLLEGE​

Choose a college. You gain features at 3rd level and again at 6th and 14th level.

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LEVEL 3: EXPERTISE​

Choose two skills. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies. An expertise in representation gives you +2 damage from speech or music representation in combat.

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LEVEL 5: SOURCE OF INFLUENCE​

You regain all expended uses of Bardic Influence when you finish a short or long rest.

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LEVEL 5: THUNDEROUS BREAK​

As an action, you create a wave of sound in a 30-foot radius centered on yourself. Each creature of your choice in the area must make a Constitution saving throw.

On a failed save:

• The creature takes 1d6 thunder damage
• The creature is pushed 10 feet away from you

On a successful save:

• The creature takes half damage and is not pushed

Allies automatically succeed on this saving throw.

Creatures hostile to you that have been affected by a Bardic Influence link within the last minute have disadvantage on this saving throw.

The damage increases to 2d6 at 11th level and 3d6 at 16th level.

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LEVEL 6: COUNTERCHARM​

As an action, you create a protective influence in a 30-foot radius centered on you. Until the end of your next turn, you and friendly creatures within the area have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed.

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LEVEL 7: COGNITIVE DISSONANCE​

Your Vicious Mockery ignores resistance to psychic damage.

Once per turn, when a creature within 30 feet that is linked to you fails an attack roll or saving throw, you can deal psychic damage equal to your Influence die to that creature.

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LEVEL 9: STEADY RHYTHM​

Once per turn, any d20 roll between 1 and 7 becomes an 8.

You may reroll any 1 or 2 on your Influence dice.

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LEVEL 10: TEMPO MASTERY​

Once per turn, when you apply an Influence die to a creature, you can reduce its speed by 10 feet until the end of your next turn.

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LEVEL 11: TIME CONTROL​

Once per turn, when a creature you can see that is linked to you takes a reaction, it must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the reaction is negated. On a success, the reaction is impaired at the DM’s discretion.

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LEVEL 13: RESYNCHRONIZATION​

When you make a saving throw and roll 5 or lower, you can roll a d10 and use the new result.

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LEVEL 14: DOMINANT RHYTHM​

When a creature linked to you misses an attack, you can use your reaction to allow an allied creature to immediately make one weapon attack against it. The ally can move up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

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LEVEL 15: PERFECT SYNCHRONIZATION​

You can treat your Influence die as its maximum value.

Uses: Charisma modifier (minimum 1)

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LEVEL 17: COLLECTIVE RESONANCE​

When you use Resynchronization, one allied creature of your choice within 30 feet can also benefit from the effect until the end of your next turn.

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LEVEL 18: ABSOLUTE DISSONANCE​

For 1 minute, creatures linked to you cannot take reactions immediately. Any delayed actions resolve only on their turn.

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LEVEL 20: MASTER OF INFLUENCE​

If you have no uses of Bardic Influence remaining, you regain 2 uses when you roll initiative.

Your Influence die rolls cannot be lower than half the die’s maximum value.


For the archetypes, use the same and replace the abilities refering to magic:

LEVEL 6 KNOWLEDGE
You get a total of your charisma modifier + your bard level influence points (instead of 1/2 level)

LEVEL 14 VALOR
Whenever you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you may create an influence link, apply an influence die and use it on the same action.


As per the strenght of the class- it is comparable to a vanilla 2014 bard, based on a paradigm your DM will restrain fireball/hypnotic pattern power, and 50% of combats will have creatures with advantages vs charms or good DX/evasion or just basic skirmishing mind (not packing themselves as a phalanx to get blasted by the lore bard fireball at level 6).