Difference between revisions of "College of Nightmares"

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===Horror Lore===
 
===Horror Lore===
  
Starting at 3rd level, you have studied the creatures of
+
Starting at 3rd level, you have studied the creatures of nightmares and your obsession has given you a unique understanding when it comes to their behavior and nature.
nightmares and your obsession has given you a unique
 
understanding when it comes to their behavior and
 
nature.
 
  
Choose a type of horror lore: aberrations, undead,
+
Choose a type of horror lore: '''aberrations''', '''undead''', '''monstrosities''', or '''fey'''. You have advantage on all Intelligence based-checks to recall information on creatures of that type. You also have advantage on Charisma-based checks to influence a creature of that type that is not actively hostile to you and understands a language you know.
monstrosities, or fey. You have advantage on all
 
Intelligence based-checks to recall information on
 
creatures of that type. You also have advantage on
 
Charisma-based checks to influence a creature of that
 
type that is not actively hostile to you and understands a
 
language you know.
 
  
In addition, you can speak, read, and write one
+
In addition, you can speak, read, and write one additional exotic language of your choice.
additional exotic language of your choice.
 
  
===Bardic Desperation===
+
===Bardic Bane===
  
Starting at 3rd level, you weave magic with visions of nightmares, lacing it with fear that eats at the mind. As a bonus action, you may spend one use of Bardic Inspiration. The target suffers disadvantage on its next attack roll, saving throw, or skill check. The Target must make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC or suffer psychic damage equal to the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration dice plus your current Bard level, and half on a success.
+
Starting at 3rd level, you weave magic with visions of nightmares, lacing it with fear that eats at the mind. As a bonus action, you may spend one use of Bardic Inspiration to begin a chant of terror focused on one individual that can hear (but not necessarily understand) the Bard. The Target must make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure the target is wracked with dread and uncertainty, receiving a penalty to attacks, checks, and saves equal to the Bard's Inspiration die. The effect ends only when the Bard is out of earshot or their chant is interrupted.
  
 
===Unsettling Presence===
 
===Unsettling Presence===
  
Starting at 6th level, others have an unease in your
+
Starting at 6th level, you are more comfortable with the darkness that others run from. You are immune to fear and have advantage on WIS saves. You gain a new cantrip, '''Death Shroud'''. As an action you can use this special form of '''Disguise Self''' to appear as an undead creature of your choosing. While so disguised the dead are unable to sense your living spark. Lesser undead ignore you unless actively challenged while intelligent undead perceive you as soulless and have disadvantage on insight checks against you. You project a fear aura 10'r. and living beings must make WIS save of be affected with ''Fear''. Fiends, Celestials, Constructs, and Abberations are not affected.
presence. When a number of creatures equal to your
 
Charisma modifier listens to one of your stories or
 
songs for at least 1 minute, the affected creatures must
 
roll a Wisdom Save against your spell save DC or gain
 
disadvantage on Wisdom-based checks for the next 10
 
minutes. If you use an Illusion spell of 1st level or
 
higher to bring your tale or song to life, the target makes
 
their saving throw with disadvantage.
 
This feature cannot be used again until you have
 
completed a short rest.
 
  
===Waking Nightmare===
+
===Gather Nightmares===
  
Starting at 6th level, the stories you weave are filled
+
Starting at 6th level, you learn to wrap yourself in manifestations of primal fear.
with terror and enchantments that have a realness that
 
break the mind.
 
  
When you cast an Illusion or Enchantment spell of 1st
+
By spending one inspiration die, you draw together darkness and terror and wrap it around yourself like a comfortable shawl. The shadows form into dark caricatures of yourself, as if under the effect of a '''Mirror Image''' spell. Whenever one of your images is struck, it lashes out at the attacker and assaults them with visions of their own secret terrors. The attacker must make a WIS save or suffer 3d10 psychic damage and be struck ''Frightened'' for one minute. The attacker may repeat the save as an action if they end their turn with no line of sight to the bard. On successful save the attacker takes no damage and is not frightened. The effect ends when no duplicates remain.  
level or higher, you may choose a number of targets that
 
are affected by the spell up to your Charisma modifier
 
(minimum of 1). Those that fail their saving throw
 
against the spell by at least 5 roll on the Short Term
 
Madness Table (Dungeon Master’s Guide, pg 259),
 
suffering from the effects of Short Term Madness for 1
 
minute, in addition to any effects caused by the spell.
 
The target may make a Wisdom saving throw against
 
your spell save DC at the end of each of its turns and
 
each time it takes damage, ending the effects of short
 
term madness.
 
  
After you use Waking Nightmare, you cannot use it
+
After you use Gather Nightmares, you cannot use it
 
again until you complete a short or long rest.
 
again until you complete a short or long rest.
  
 
===Master of Horrors===
 
===Master of Horrors===
  
Starting at 14th level, you are able to bring your horrors
+
Starting at 14th level, you are able to bring your horrors to life. As an action, you may summon a creature of CR 3 or less. The creature summoned must be the same type as your chosen Horror Lore. The summoned creature appears at a point you can see within 30 feet of
to life. As an action, you may summon a creature of CR
+
you. Roll initiative for the summoned creature, which has its own turns. The creature remains present for 10 minutes and obeys your verbal commands (no action required by you). If no command is given, the creature acts in a way that is within its nature but is friendly toward you and your companions. If you take damage while you control a summoned creature, you must succeed on a constitution saving throw equal to 10 or half of the damage taken (whichever is higher). On a failure, you lose control of the creature, and it becomes hostile towards you.
3 or less. The creature summoned must be the same
 
type as your chosen Horror Lore. The summoned
 
creature appears at a point you can see within 30 feet of
 
you. Roll initiative for the summoned creature, which
 
has its own turns. The creature remains present for 10
 
minutes and obeys your verbal commands (no action
 
required by you). If no command is given, the creature
 
acts in a way that is within its nature but is friendly
 
toward you and your companions. If you take damage
 
while you control a summoned creature, you must
 
succeed on a constitution saving throw equal to 10 or
 
half of the damage taken (whichever is higher). On a
 
failure, you lose control of the creature, and it becomes
 
hostile towards you.
 
  
In addition, when the creature is summoned, you may
+
In addition, when the creature is summoned, you may Roll a Bardic Inspiration die and consult the Living Nightmares table. The creature you summon gains this feature. This roll takes place after you have chosen the point in which the creature will appear.
Roll a Bardic Inspiration die and consult the Living
 
Nightmares table. The creature you summon gains this
 
feature. This roll takes place after you have chosen the
 
point in which the creature will appear.
 
  
After 10 minutes, the creature returns to its native
+
After 10 minutes, the creature returns to its native realm, disappearing from sight.
realm, disappearing from sight.
 
  
Once you use Master of Horrors you can’t use it again
+
Once you use Master of Horrors you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
until you finish a long rest.
 
  
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
!Roll!Living Nightmares!!Effect
+
!Roll!!Living Nightmares!!Effect
 
|+
 
|+
|1||Ensnaring Tendrils || When the creature is
+
|1||Ensnaring Tendrils || When the creature is summoned, it has three inky black tendrils protruding from its body. The tendrils have a Strength of 16, regardless of the creature’s natural Strength. As a bonus action, the creature may attempt to grapple one creature within 10 feet. The creature makes a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (the target chooses the ability to use). On a success, the target is grappled. Up to three targets may be grappled at a time. While grappled, the target takes 1d8+3 bludgeoning damage at the start of each of its turns.
summoned, it has three inky black tendrils protruding
 
from its body. The tendrils have a Strength of 16,
 
regardless of the creature’s natural Strength. As a bonus
 
action, the creature may attempt to grapple one creature
 
within 10 feet. The creature makes a Strength
 
(Athletics) check contested by the target’s Strength
 
(Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (the target
 
chooses the ability to use). On a success, the target is
 
grappled. Up to three targets may be grappled at a time.
 
While grappled, the target takes 1d8+3 bludgeoning
 
damage at the start of each of its turns.
 
 
|+
 
|+
|2||Face of Terror || As a bonus action, the creature can
+
|2||Face of Terror || As a bonus action, the creature can warp its face into such a horrifying visage that makes even the bravest cower in fear. Any creature with in a 15 ft cone must make a DC 15 Wisdom Save or gain the frightened condition for 1 minute. The target may reroll the saving throw at the end of each of its turns and each time it takes damage. In addition, the creature has advantage to attacks targeting a creature frightened in this way.
warp its face into such a horrifying visage that makes
 
even the bravest cower in fear. Any creature with in a
 
15 ft cone must make a DC 15 Wisdom Save or gain the
 
frightened condition for 1 minute. The target may reroll
 
the saving throw at the end of each of its turns and each
 
time it takes damage. In addition, the creature has
 
advantage to attacks targeting a creature frightened in
 
this way.
 
 
|+
 
|+
|3||Insanity of Terror || The creature’s features are so
+
|5||Insanity of Terror || The creature’s features are so terrifying that when it first appears, all creatures within a 20 ft radius must make a DC 15 Wisdom Saving Throw or roll on the Short Term Madness Chart (Dungeon Master’s Guide, pg 259), suffering the effects for 1 minute. A creature with Short Term Madness may re-roll the save at the end of each of its turns.
terrifying that when it first appears, all creatures within
 
a 20 ft radius must make a DC 15 Wisdom Saving
 
Throw or roll on the Short Term Madness Chart
 
(Dungeon Master’s Guide, pg 259), suffering the effects
 
for 1 minute. A creature with Short Term Madness may
 
re-roll the save at the end of each of its turns.
 
 
|+
 
|+
|4||Right Behind You || When the summoned creature is hit
+
|8||Right Behind You || When the summoned creature is hit by another creature with a ranged attack or a (ranged) spell, the creature can use its reaction to teleport up to 60 ft toward the target. The summoned creature may then make one attack against the target, if the target is in the summoned creature’s range.
by another creature with a ranged attack or a (ranged) spell,
 
the creature can use its reaction to teleport up to 60 ft
 
toward the target. The summoned creature may then
 
make one attack against the target, if the target is in the
 
summoned creature’s range.
 
 
|+
 
|+
|5||Shadow Horror || The creature you summoned is one
+
|11||Shadow Horror || The creature you summoned is one with the shadows. When in dim light or darkness, the creature can move without provoking opportunity attacks, and it gains advantage on its first attack on its turn.
with the shadows. When in dim light or darkness, the
 
creature can move without provoking opportunity
 
attacks, and it gains advantage on its first attack on its
 
turn.
 
 
|+
 
|+
|6||Visage of a Friend || As an action, the creature can
+
|12||Visage of a Friend || As an action, the creature can target one creature within a 60 ft radius. The target must pass a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell Save DC as the creature appears as a warped version of someone the target cares deeply about. On a failed save, the target suffers 4d6 psychic damage, half on a success, and disadvantage on all spells and attacks against the summoned creature until the end of their next turn.
target one creature within a 60 ft radius. The target must
 
pass a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell Save
 
DC as the creature appears as a warped version of
 
someone the target cares deeply about. On a failed save,
 
the target suffers 4d6 psychic damage, half on a
 
success, and disadvantage on all spells and attacks
 
against the summoned creature until the end of their
 
next turn.
 
 
|}
 
|}

Latest revision as of 16:37, 12 November 2019

College of Nightmares

You have forgotten to fear the things of the dark, but I will remind you. And you will never forget again. —Vintras Quall, Bard of the College of Nightmares

Orators of Fear

When a Bard from the College of Nightmares rises to a stage to perform, do not expect to be inspired by songs of great heroes and sonnets detailing feats of valor. There will be no stories about the beautiful places in the world, for that is not the purpose of the College of Nightmares. Rather, a Nightmare Bard stands in front of an audience to remind them of fear: fear of the terrors that haunt the earth, stories designed to make the listeners quiver as the horrors come to life around them. In fear, there is control and power. The stories they tell are the ghost stories told around the campfire, songs of creatures who stalk the living for entertainment, and of beings set on the destruction of life. Because their stories are morose and filled with terror, Nightmare Bards are quickly asked to leave any establishment of repute. Yet, by the time they are asked to leave, the seeds of fear have been planted in their audience.

The Bards of the College of Nightmares are students of the macabre, obsessed with knowing and understanding the darkest and most dangerous creatures that haunt the worlds. From this darkness they weave stories, songs and even magic. The most powerful are even said to be able to bring the horrors they know to life…

Horror Lore

Starting at 3rd level, you have studied the creatures of nightmares and your obsession has given you a unique understanding when it comes to their behavior and nature.

Choose a type of horror lore: aberrations, undead, monstrosities, or fey. You have advantage on all Intelligence based-checks to recall information on creatures of that type. You also have advantage on Charisma-based checks to influence a creature of that type that is not actively hostile to you and understands a language you know.

In addition, you can speak, read, and write one additional exotic language of your choice.

Bardic Bane

Starting at 3rd level, you weave magic with visions of nightmares, lacing it with fear that eats at the mind. As a bonus action, you may spend one use of Bardic Inspiration to begin a chant of terror focused on one individual that can hear (but not necessarily understand) the Bard. The Target must make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure the target is wracked with dread and uncertainty, receiving a penalty to attacks, checks, and saves equal to the Bard's Inspiration die. The effect ends only when the Bard is out of earshot or their chant is interrupted.

Unsettling Presence

Starting at 6th level, you are more comfortable with the darkness that others run from. You are immune to fear and have advantage on WIS saves. You gain a new cantrip, Death Shroud. As an action you can use this special form of Disguise Self to appear as an undead creature of your choosing. While so disguised the dead are unable to sense your living spark. Lesser undead ignore you unless actively challenged while intelligent undead perceive you as soulless and have disadvantage on insight checks against you. You project a fear aura 10'r. and living beings must make WIS save of be affected with Fear. Fiends, Celestials, Constructs, and Abberations are not affected.

Gather Nightmares

Starting at 6th level, you learn to wrap yourself in manifestations of primal fear.

By spending one inspiration die, you draw together darkness and terror and wrap it around yourself like a comfortable shawl. The shadows form into dark caricatures of yourself, as if under the effect of a Mirror Image spell. Whenever one of your images is struck, it lashes out at the attacker and assaults them with visions of their own secret terrors. The attacker must make a WIS save or suffer 3d10 psychic damage and be struck Frightened for one minute. The attacker may repeat the save as an action if they end their turn with no line of sight to the bard. On successful save the attacker takes no damage and is not frightened. The effect ends when no duplicates remain.

After you use Gather Nightmares, you cannot use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Master of Horrors

Starting at 14th level, you are able to bring your horrors to life. As an action, you may summon a creature of CR 3 or less. The creature summoned must be the same type as your chosen Horror Lore. The summoned creature appears at a point you can see within 30 feet of you. Roll initiative for the summoned creature, which has its own turns. The creature remains present for 10 minutes and obeys your verbal commands (no action required by you). If no command is given, the creature acts in a way that is within its nature but is friendly toward you and your companions. If you take damage while you control a summoned creature, you must succeed on a constitution saving throw equal to 10 or half of the damage taken (whichever is higher). On a failure, you lose control of the creature, and it becomes hostile towards you.

In addition, when the creature is summoned, you may Roll a Bardic Inspiration die and consult the Living Nightmares table. The creature you summon gains this feature. This roll takes place after you have chosen the point in which the creature will appear.

After 10 minutes, the creature returns to its native realm, disappearing from sight.

Once you use Master of Horrors you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.


Roll Living Nightmares Effect
1 Ensnaring Tendrils When the creature is summoned, it has three inky black tendrils protruding from its body. The tendrils have a Strength of 16, regardless of the creature’s natural Strength. As a bonus action, the creature may attempt to grapple one creature within 10 feet. The creature makes a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (the target chooses the ability to use). On a success, the target is grappled. Up to three targets may be grappled at a time. While grappled, the target takes 1d8+3 bludgeoning damage at the start of each of its turns.
2 Face of Terror As a bonus action, the creature can warp its face into such a horrifying visage that makes even the bravest cower in fear. Any creature with in a 15 ft cone must make a DC 15 Wisdom Save or gain the frightened condition for 1 minute. The target may reroll the saving throw at the end of each of its turns and each time it takes damage. In addition, the creature has advantage to attacks targeting a creature frightened in this way.
5 Insanity of Terror The creature’s features are so terrifying that when it first appears, all creatures within a 20 ft radius must make a DC 15 Wisdom Saving Throw or roll on the Short Term Madness Chart (Dungeon Master’s Guide, pg 259), suffering the effects for 1 minute. A creature with Short Term Madness may re-roll the save at the end of each of its turns.
8 Right Behind You When the summoned creature is hit by another creature with a ranged attack or a (ranged) spell, the creature can use its reaction to teleport up to 60 ft toward the target. The summoned creature may then make one attack against the target, if the target is in the summoned creature’s range.
11 Shadow Horror The creature you summoned is one with the shadows. When in dim light or darkness, the creature can move without provoking opportunity attacks, and it gains advantage on its first attack on its turn.
12 Visage of a Friend As an action, the creature can target one creature within a 60 ft radius. The target must pass a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell Save DC as the creature appears as a warped version of someone the target cares deeply about. On a failed save, the target suffers 4d6 psychic damage, half on a success, and disadvantage on all spells and attacks against the summoned creature until the end of their next turn.