Bard Abilities

Spellcasting Ability: Charisma

At first level, you know 2 cantrips and 4 first-level spells. You have 2 first-level spell slots. You learn a new spell each time you level up.

Each day, you must prepare a set of spells from your list of known spells. If a spell has not been prepared that day, you are unable to cast it. You may prepare a number of spells equal to your Charisma modifier + your level.

Cantrips
'''Blade Ward. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: Self | Duration: 1 round

You extend your hand and trace a sigil of warding in the air. Until the end of your next turn, you have resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage dealt by weapon attacks.

'''Dancing Lights. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 120 feet | Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min

You create up to four torch-sized lights within range, making them appear as torches, lanterns, or glowing orbs that hover in the air for the duration. You can also combine the four lights into one glowing vaguely humanoid form of Medium size. Whichever form you choose, each light sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius. As a bonus action on your turn, you can move the lights up to 60 feet to a new spot within range. A light must be within 20 feet of another light created by this spell, and a light winks out if it exceeds the spell's range.

'''Friends. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: Self | Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min

For the duration you have advantage on all Charisma checks directed at one creature of your choice that isn't hostile toward you. When the spell ends, the creature realises that you used dishonest means to influence its mood and becomes hostile toward you. A creature prone to violence might attack you. Another creature might seek retribution in other ways, depending on the nature of your interaction with it.

'''Light. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: Touch | Duration: 1 hour

You touch one object that is no larger than 10 feet in any dimension. Until the spell ends, the object sheds bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. The light can be colored as you like. Completely covering the object with something opaque blocks the light. The spell ends if you cast it again or dismiss it as an action. If you target an object held or worn by a hostile creature, that creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw to avoid the spell.

'''Mage Hand. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 30 feet | Duration: 1 min | School: Creation

A spectral, floating hand appears at a point you choose within range. The hand lasts for the duration or until you dismiss it as an action. The hand vanishes if it is ever more than 30 feet away from you or if you cast this spell again. You can use your action to control the hand. You can use the hand to manipulate an object, open an unlocked door or container, stow or retrieve an item from an open container, or pour the contents out of a vial. You can move the hand up to 30 feet each time you use it. The hand can't attack, activate magic items, or carry more than 10 pounds.

'''Minor Illusion. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 30 feet | Duration: 1 min

You create a sound or an image of an object within range that lasts for the duration. The illusion also ends if you dismiss it as an action or cast this spell again. If you create a sound, its volume can range from a whisper to a scream. It can be your voice, someone else's voice, a lion's roar, a beating of drums, or any other sound you choose. The sound continues unabated throughout the duration, or you can make discrete sounds at different times before the spell ends. If you create an image of an object – such as a chair, muddy footprints, or a small chest – it can be no larger than a 5-foot cube. The image can't create sound, light, smell, or any other sensory effect. Physical interaction with the image reveals it to be an illusion, because things can pass through it. If a creature uses its action to examine the sound or image, the creature can determine that it is an illusion with a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC. If a creature discerns the illusion for what it is, the illusion becomes faint to the creature.

Vicious Mockery. Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 60 feet | Duration: Instantaneous

You unleash a string of insults laced with subtle enchantments at a creature you can see within range. If the target can hear you (though it need not understand you), it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or take 1d4 psychic damage and have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn. This spell's damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4).

'''Whisper. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 120 feet | Duration: 1 round

You point your finger towards a creature within range and whisper a message. The target (and only the target) hears the message and can reply in a whisper that only you can hear. You can cast this spell through solid objects if you are familiar with the target and know it is beyond the barrier. Magical silence, 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood blocks the spell. The spell doesn't have to follow a straight line and can travel freely around corners or through openings.

First Level
'''Animal Friendship. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 30 feet | Duration: 24 hours

This spell lets you convince a beast that you mean it no harm. Choose a beast that you can see within range. It must see and hear you. If the beast's Intelligence is 4 or higher, the spell fails. Otherwise, the beast must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for the spell's duration. If you or one of your companions harms the target, the spell ends. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can affect one additional beast for each slot level above 1st.

'''Bane. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 30 feet | Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min

Up to three creatures of your choice that you can see within range must make Charisma saving throws. Whenever a target that fails this saving throw makes an attack roll or a saving throw before the spell ends, the target must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll or saving throw. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st.

'''Comprehend Languages. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: Self | Duration: 1 hour

For the duration, you understand the literal meaning of any spoken language that you hear. You also understand any written language that you see, but you must be touching the surface on which the words are written. It takes about 1 minute to read one page of text. This spell doesn't decode secret messages in a text or a glyph, such as an arcane sigil, that isn't part of a written language.

'''Disguise Self. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: Self | Duration: 1 hour

You make yourself – including your clothing, armor, weapons, and other belongings on your person – look different until the spell ends or until you use your action to dismiss it. You can see 1 foot shorter or taller and can appear thin, fat, or in between. You can't change your body type, so you must adopt a form that has the same basic arrangement of limbs. Otherwise, the extent of the illusion is up to you. The changes wrought by this spell fail to hold up to physical inspection. For example, if you use this spell to add a hat to your outfit, objects pass through the hat, and anyone who touches it would feel nothing or would feel your head and hair. If you use this spell to appear thinner than you are, the hand of someone who reaches out to touch you would bump into you while it was seemingly still in midair. To discern that you are disguised, a creature can use its action to inspect your appearance and must succeed on an Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC.

'''Discordant Note. '''Casting Time: 1 reaction | Range: Self (5-foot radius) | Duration: Instantaneous | School: Spirit

As a reaction to being damaged by a creature within melee range of you, you send out a blast of psychic energy into the area immediately surrounding you. Any creature within a 5-foot radius must make a Wisdom saving throw, or suffer 2d8 psychic damage and be knocked prone. For the rest of the round, any creatures caught in the blast have disadvantage on attacks against you. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage but suffers no other effect.

'''Dissonant Whispers. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 60 feet | Duration: Instantaneous

You whisper a discordant melody that only one creature of your choice within range can hear, wracking it with terrible pain. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 3d6 psychic damage and must immediately use its reaction, if available, to move as far as its speed allows away from you. The creature doesn't move into obviously dangerour ground, such as a fire or a pit. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and doesn't have to move away. A deafened creature automatically succeeds on the save. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.

'''Expeditious Retreat. '''Casting Time: 1 bonus action | Range: Self | Duration: Concentration, up to 10 mins

This spell allows you to move at an incredible pace. When you cast this spell, and then as a bonus action on each of your turns until the spell ends, you can take the Dash action.

'''Feather Fall. '''Casting Time: 1 reaction | Range: 60 feet | Duration: 1 min

Choose up to five falling creatures within range. A falling creature's rate of descent slow to 60 feet per round until the spell ends. If the creature lands before the spell ends, it takes no falling damage and can land on its feet, and the spell ends for that creature.

'''Heroism. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: Touch | Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min

A willing creature you touch is imbued with bravery. Until the spell ends, the creature is immune to being frightened and gains temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier at the start of each of its turns. When the spell ends, the target loses any remaining temporary hit points from this spell. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st.

'''Hideous Laughter. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 30 feet | Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min

A creature of your choice that you can see within range perceives everything as hilariously funny and falls into fits of laughter if this spell affects it. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or fall prone, becoming incapacitated and unable to stand up for the duration. A creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or less isn't affected. At the end of each of its turns, and each time it takes damage, the target can make another Wisdom saving throw. The target has disadvantage on the saving throw unless it's triggered by damage. On a success, the spell ends.

'''Illusory Script. '''Casting Time: 1 minute | Range: Touch | Duration: 10 days | Ritual

You write on parchment, paper, or some other suitable writing material and imbue it with a potent illusion that lasts for the duration. To you and any creatures you designate when you cast the spell, the writing appears normal, written in your hand and conveys whatever meaning you intended when you wrote the text. To all others, the writing appears as if it were written in an unknown or magical script that is unintelligible. Alternatively, you can cause the writing to appear to be an entirely different message, written in a different hand and language, though the language must be one you know. Should the spell be dispelled, the original script and the illusion both disappear. A creature with truesight can read the hidden message.

'''Jump. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: Touch | Duration: 1 min

You touch a creature. The creature's jump distance is tripled until the spell ends.

'''Longstrider. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: Touch | Duration: 1 hour

You touch a creature. The target's speed increases by 10 feet until the spell ends.

'''Silent Image. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 60 feet | Duration: Concentration, up to 10 mins

You create the image of an object, a creature, or some other visible phenomenon that is no larger than a 15-foot cube. The image appears at a spot within range and lasts for the duration. The image is purely visual; it isn't accompanied by sound, smell, or other sensory effects. You can use your action to cause the image to move to any spot within range. As the image changes location, you can alter its appearance so that its movements appear natural for the image. For example, if you create an image of a creature and move it, you can alter the image so that it appears to be walking. Physical interaction with the image reveals it to be an illusion, because things can pass through it. A creature that uses its action to examine the image can determine that it is an illusion with a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC. If a creature discerns the illusion for what it is, the creature can see through the image.

'''Sleep. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 90 feet | Duration: 1 min

This spell sends creatures into a magical slumber. Roll 5d8; the total is how many hit points of creatures this spell can affect. Creatures within 20 feet of a point you choose within range are affected in ascending order of their current hit points (ignoring unconscious creatures). Starting with the creature that has the lowest current hit points, each creature affected by this spell falls unconscious until the spell ends, the sleeper takes damage, or someone uses an action to shake or slap the sleeper awake. Subtract each creature's hit points from the total before moving on to the creature with the next lowest hit points. A creature's hit points must be equal to or less than the remaining total for that creature to be affected. Undead and creatures immune to being charmed aren't affected by this spell. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, roll an additional 2d8 for each slot level above 1st.

'''Thunderwave. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: Self (15-foot cube) | Duration: Instantaneous

A wave of thunderous force sweeps out from you. Each creature in a 15-foot cube originating from you must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d8 thunder damage and is pushed 10 feet away from you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn't pushed. In addition, unsecured objects that are completely within the area of effect are automatically pushed 10 feet away from you by the spell's effect, and the spell emits a thunderous boom audible out to 300 feet. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.

Second Level
Alter Self. Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 30 feet | Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

You transform your appearance. You decide what you look like, including your height, weight, facial features, sound of your voice, hair length, coloration, and distinguishing characteristics, if any. You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your statistics change. You also can't appear as a creature of a different size than you, and your basic shape stays the same: if you're bipedal, you can't use this spell to become quadrupedal, for instance. At any time for the duration of the spell, you can use your action to change your appearance in this way again.

'''Bedazzle. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 60 feet | Duration: 1 min

You weave a distracting string of words, causing creatures of your choice that you can see within range and that can hear you to make a Wisdom saving throw. Any creature that can’t be charmed succeeds on this saving throw automatically, and if you or your companions are fighting a creature, it has advantage on the save. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to perceive any creature other than you until the spell ends or until the target can no longer hear you. The spell ends if you are incapacitated or can no longer speak.

'''Blur. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: Self | Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min

Your body becomes blurred, shifting and wavering to all who can see you. For the duration, any creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against you. An attacker is immune to this effect if it doesn't rely on sight, as with blindsight, or can see through illusions, as with truesight.

Calm Emotions. Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 60 feet | Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min

You attempt to suppress strong emotions in a group of people. Each humanoid in a 20-foot-radius sphere centred on a point you choose within range must make a Charisma saving throw; a creature can choose to fail this saving throw if it wishes. If a creature fails its saving throw, choose one of the following two effects. You can suppress any effect causing a target to be charmed or frightened. When this spell ends, any suppressed effect resumes, provided that its duration has not expired in the meantime.

Alternatively, you can make a target indifferent about creatures of your choice that it is hostile toward. This indifference ends if the target is attacked or harmed by a spell or if it witnesses any of its friends being harmed. When the spell ends, the creature becomes hostile again, unless the DM rules otherwise.

'''Find Traps. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 120 feet | Duration: Instantaneous

You sense the presence of any trap within range that is within line of sight. A trap, for the purpose of this ability, includes anything that would inflict a sudden or unexpected effect you consider harmful or undesirable, which was specifically intended as such by its creator. Thus, the spell would sense an area affected by the alarm spell, a glyph of warding, or a mechanical pit trap, but it would not reveal a natural weakness in the floor, an unstable ceiling, or a hidden sinkhole. This ability merely reveals that a trap is present. You don’t learn the location of each trap, but you do learn the general nature of the danger posed by a trap you sense.

Invisibility. Casting Time: 1 action | Range: Touch | Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

A creature you touch becomes invisible until the spell ends. Anything the target is wearing or carrying is invisible as long as it is on the target’s person. The spell ends for a target that attacks or casts a spell.

Magic Mouth. Casting Time: 1 min | Range: 30 feet | Duration: Until dispelled

You implant a message within an object in range, a message that is uttered when a trigger condition is met. Choose an object that you can see and that isn’t being worn or carried by another creature. Then speak the message, which must be 25 words or less, though it can be delivered over as long as 10 minutes. Finally, determine the circumstance that will trigger the spell to deliver your message.

When that circumstance occurs, a magical mouth appears on the object and recites the message in your voice and at the same volume you spoke. If the object you chose has a mouth or something that looks like a mouth (for example, the mouth of a statue), the magical mouth appears there so that words appear to come from the object’s mouth. When you cast this spell, you can have the spell end after it delivers its message, or it can remain and repeats its message whenever the trigger occurs. The triggering circumstance can be as general or as detailed as you like, though it must be based on visual or audible conditions that occur within 30 feet of the object. For example, you could instruct the mouth to speak when any creature moves within 30 feet of the object or when a silver bell rings within 30 feet of it.

Mirror Image. Casting Time: 1 action | Range: Self | Duration: 1 min

Three illusory duplicates of yourself appear in your space. Until the spell ends, the duplicates move with you and mimic your actions, shifting position so it’s impossible to track which image is real. You can use your action to dismiss the illusory duplicates. Each time a creature targets you with an attack during the spell’s duration, roll a d20 to determine whether the attack instead targets one of your duplicates. If you have three duplicates, you must roll a 6 or higher to change the attack’s target to a duplicate. With two duplicates, you must roll an 8 or higher. With one duplicate, you must roll an 11 or higher.

A duplicate’s AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier. If an attack hits a duplicate, the duplicate is destroyed. A duplicate can be destroyed only by an attack that hits it. It ignores all other damage and effects. The spell ends when all three duplicates are destroyed. A creature is unaffected by this spell if it can’t see, if it relies on senses other than sight, such as blindsight, or if it can perceive illusions as false, as with truesight.

See Invisibility. Casting Time: 1 action | Range: Self | Duration: 1 hour

For the duration, you see invisible creatures and objects as if they were visible.

'''Song of Healing. '''Casting Time: 10 minutes | Range: 30 feet | Duration: Instantaneous

You sing a rejuvenating tune, and up to six creatures of your choice that can hear you within range each regain hit points equal to 2d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 2nd.

'''Shatter. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 60 feet | Duration: Instantaneous

A sudden loud ringing noise, painfully intense, erupts from a point of your choice within range. Each creature in a 10-foot-radius sphere centred on that point must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 3d8 thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature made of inorganic material such as stone, crystal, or metal has disadvantage on this saving throw. A nonmagical object that isn't being worn or carried also takes damage if it's in the spell's area. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 2nd.

Third Level
'''Beacon of Hope. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 30 feet | Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min

This song bestows hope and vitality. Choose any number of creatures within range. For the duration, each target has advantage on Wisdom saving throws and death saving throws, and regains the maximum number of hit points possible from any healing.

Haste. Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 30 feet | Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min

Choose a willing creature that you can see within range. Until the song ends, the target’s speed is doubled, it gains a +2 bonus to AC, it has advantage on Dexterity saving throws, and it gains an additional action on each of its turns. That action can be used only to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action. When the spell ends, the target can’t move or take actions until after its next turn, as a wave of lethargy sweeps over it.

'''Hypnotic Dance. '''Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 120 feet | Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min

Your performance, replete with dizzying flourishes, is designed to distract and confuse. Each creature in the area who sees the dance must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes charmed for the duration. While charmed by this spell, the creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0. The spell ends for an affected creature if it takes any damage or if someone else uses an action to shake the creature out of its stupor.

Major Image. Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 120 feet | Duration: Concentration, up to 10 mins

You create the image of an object, a creature, or some other visible phenomenon that is no larger than a 20 foot cube. The image appears at a spot that you can see within range and lasts for the duration. lt seems completely real, including sounds, smells, and temperature appropriate to the thing depicted. You can't create sufficient heat or cold to cause damage, a sound loud enough to deal thunder damage or deafen a creature, or a smell that might sicken a creature (like a troglodyte's stench).

As long as you are within range of the illusion, you can use your action to cause the image to move to any other spot within range. As the image changes location, you can alter its appearance so that its movements appear natural for the image. For example, if you create an image of a creature and move it, you can alter the image so that it appears to be walking. Similarly, you can cause the illusion to make different sounds at different times, even making it carry on a conversation, for example.

Physical interaction with the image reveals it to be an illusion, because things can pass through it. A creature that uses its action to examine the image can determine that it is an illusion with a successful intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC. If a creature discerns the illusion for what it is, the creature can see through the image, and its other sensory qualities become faint to the creature. At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the spell lasts until dispelled, without requiring your concentration.

Nondetection. Casting Time: 1 action | Range: Touch | Duration: 8 hours

For the duration, you hide a target that you touch from divination magic. The target can be a willing creature or a place or an object no larger than 10 feet in any dimension. The target can’t be targeted by any divination magic or perceived through magical scrying sensors.

Slow. Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 120 feet | Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min

You sing a song of lethargy to up to six creatures of your choice in a 40-foot cube within range. Each target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be affected by this song for the duration. An affected target's speed is halved, it takes a -2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and it can't use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn. If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn't take effect until the creature's next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can't, the spell is wasted. A creature affected by this spell makes another Wisdom saving throw at the end of its turn. On a successful save, the effect ends for it.

Tongues. Casting Time: 1 action | Range: 120 feet | Duration: 1 hour

This spell grants the creature you touch the ability to understand any spoken language it hears. Moreover, when the target speaks, any creature that knows at least one language and can hear the target understands what it says.