Bard Subclass: College of Bones
Description:
It is said the history is written by the victor but what then becomes of the fallen? What becomes of the things they knew, the legends and lore that they kept as not only a people but as an individual? To most, these things are lost to the passage of time but not so to the students of the College of Bones. This order of Bards might regale villagers with stories of fallen heroes, battles with impossible odds and stunning defeats but also of dreadfully powerful spells and highly prized weapons. A student of the College of Bones is part explorer and part historian with a splash of treasure hunter. It is not material wealth that the College of Bones student craves but rather the secret powers and knowledge that have been 'lost' to the dead. These Bards wield arcane might to influence the veil that separates the living from the dead, allowing them to miraculously the spark of life, healing friends and destroying foes with power gained from the grave.
3rd level features:
Bonus Proficiencies: Thieves tools and the history skill. You also learn one additional language of your choice .
Cemetary Gates: you learn the Spare The Dying cantrip @ 3rd level, it does not count against your class cantrip totals, you can cast this spell with a range of 30’ and as a bonus action.
Tales from the Crypt: You gain the ability to cast Speak With Dead as a ritual, once per long rest. This does not count against your spells known totals or count against your spell slots. The amount of times you can perform this ritual increases with your level, 2x at 6th, 3x at 10th, 4x at 14th and 5x at 18th.
6th level feature:
Cacophonous Revival: Using the knowledge you have gained from the nether, you are able to harm your foes while healing yourself. You are able to cast Vampiric Touch as a ranged attack with a range of 60’ as a bonus action. If you so choose, you can instead transfer the stolen life essence to an ally within 60’. You may use spell slots to cast this spell a number of times in the manner listed, it doesn’t count against your total spells known.
14th level feature:
Charnel Crescendo: as a bonus action you may slip between the realm of the living and the dead, taking a ghastly appearance and freezing your foes with terror. The target of your gaze, while within 30’ must make a wisdom save against your spell DC or become paralyzed for 1 minute, so long as you concentrate on the spell. The opponent gets to make a new save roll on each of their turns, a success ends the spell and their next attack / action after ending the spell is at disadvantage. While trapped in the horror of your grim performance, you may expend a bardic inspiration die and deal 8d6 necrotic damage to your foe. You may do so on each of your turns so long as you maintain concentration and they are trapped in your spell. A foe killed by this ability rises as a zombie on the following round and attacks the nearest threat. You have no control over this creature, a penalty for the dark secrets you’ve stolen from the grave. You may only use this once per long rest.
