College of Tragedy

College of Tragedy
Official art of Balthasar Bleakskull, a tragedy bard and performer, by Lauren Walsh from Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, page 167.
Mechanical Information
Class	Bard
Historical Information
Notable individuals	Balthasar Bleakskull Braius Doomseed

The College of Tragedy is a path taken by some bards who tell stories of sorrow and pathos. This subclass was created by Matthew Mercer.

Powers and abilities

Poetry in Misery

At 3rd level, the bard who chooses the path of tragedy, "learns to harness the beauty in failure, finding inspiration in even the direst twists of fate". Whenever the College of Tragedy bard or an ally within 30 feet of them rolls a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, they can use their reaction to soliloquize and regain one expended use of the Bardic Inspiration feature.

Sorrowful Fate

At 3rd level, once per short or long rest, the bard can "exploit a foe's peril to instill deep feelings of sorrow and doom". When the bard or an ally they can see forces a creature to make a saving throw, they can expend one use of Bardic Inspiration to change the type of saving throw to a Charisma save instead.

If the target fails this save, the bard rolls a Bardic Inspiration die. The target takes psychic damage equal to the result, and is plagued with regret for 1 minute. If the target is reduced to 0 hit points during this time and can speak, they are magically compelled to utter darkly poetic final words before succumbing to their injuries.

Tale of Hubris

At 6th level, a tragedy bard "learns to weave a magical narrative that draws out the fatal arrogance of your foes". When a creature scores a critical hit against them or an ally within 60 feet of them that they can see, the bard can use their reaction and expend one use of their Bardic Inspiration to target the attacking creature. For 1 minute or until the target suffers a critical hit, any weapon attack against the target scores a critical hit on a roll of 18–20.

At 14th level, the critical hit range of this feature increases to 17–20.

Impending Misfortune

At 6th level, the bard's "words can twist the power of fate to create triumph from the promise of future despair". When they make an attack roll or a saving throw, they can gain a +10 bonus to the roll, but the next attack roll or saving throw the tragedy bard makes is with a −10 penalty. If not used, this penalty disappears after a short or long rest.

This feature can not be used again until the bard finishes a short or long rest, or until they are reduced to 0 hit points.

Nimbus of Pathos

At 14th level, the tragedy bard can touch a willing creature as an action and "empower it with tragic heroism". For 1 minute, the creature is surrounded by mournful music and ghostly singing, granting it the following benefits and drawbacks:

• The creature has a +4 bonus to AC.
• It has advantage on attack rolls and saving throws.
• When the creature hits a target with a weapon attack or spell attack, that target takes an extra 1d10 radiant damage.
• Any weapon attack against the creature scores a critical hit on a roll of 18–20.

When this effect ends, the creature immediately drops to 0 hit points and is dying. This feature can't be used again until the tragedy bard finishes a long rest.

History

Main article: Balthasar Bleakskull's biography

Trivia

• The idea for the subclass originated at a panel at Emerald City Comic Con 2019, where Liam O'Brien claimed he would never want to play a bard. Matt Mercer coined the idea on the spot.
  • Ironically, it would be Sam Riegel, and not Liam, who ended up playing this subclass first, although the latter might have intended to play it in "Choose Their Adventure...Again!" (Sx81), since his character was supposed to be a bard.

References

Art: