D&D Next - Classes
Bard
| Level | Prof Bonus | Features | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | -- Spell Slots per Level -- | ||||||||
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |||||
| 1st | +2 | Spellcasting, Bardic Inspiration (d6) | 2 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2nd | +2 | Jack of All Trades, Song of Rest (d6) | 2 | 5 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3rd | +2 | Bard College, Expertise | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 5th | +3 | Bardic Inspiration (d8), Font of Inspiration | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 6th | +3 | Countercharm, Bard College feature | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 7th | +3 | - | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | . | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 9th | +4 | Song of Rest (d8) | 3 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 10th | +4 | Bardic Inspiration (d10), Expertise, Magical Secrets | 4 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| 11th | +4 | - | 4 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 13th | +5 | Song of Rest (d10) | 4 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 14th | +5 | Magical Secrets, Bard College feature | 4 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 15th | +5 | Bardic Inspiration (d12) | 4 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 17th | +6 | Song of Rest (d12) | 4 | 20 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Magical Secrets | 4 | 22 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 22 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20th | +6 | Superior Inspiration | 4 | 22 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Humming as she traces her fingers over an ancient monument in a long-forgotten ruin, a half-elf in rugged leathers finds knowledge springing into her mind, conjured forth by the magic of her song - knowledge of the people who constructed the monument and the mythic saga it depicts.
A stern human warrior bangs his sword rhythmically against his scale mail, setting the tempo for his war chant and exhorting his companions to bravery and heroism. The magic of his song fortifies and emboldens them.
Laughing as she tunes her cittern, a gnome weaves her subtle magic over the assembled nobles, ensuring that her companions' words will be well received.
Whether scholar, skald, or scoundrel, a bard weaves magic through words and music to inspire allies, demoralize foes, manipulate minds, create illusions, and even heal wounds.
Music and Magic
In the worlds of D&D, words and music are not just vibrations o f air, but vocalizations with power all their own. The bard is a master o f song, speech, and the magic they contain. Bards say that the multiverse was spoken into existence, that the words o f the gods gave it shape, and that echoes o f these primordial Words o f Creation still resound throughout the cosmos. The music o f bards is an attempt to snatch and harness those echoes, subtly woven into their spells and powers.
The greatest strength of bards is their sheer versatility. Many bards prefer to stick to the sidelines in combat, using their magic to inspire their allies and hinder their foes from a distance. But bards are capable of defending themselves in melee if necessary, using their magic to bolster their swords and armor. Their spells lean toward charms and illusions rather than blatantly destructive spells. They have a wide-ranging knowledge of many subjects and a natural aptitude that lets them do almost anything well. Bards become masters o f the talents they set their minds to perfecting, from musical performance to esoteric knowledge.