So weird to find a channel that appeals to my exact sense of humor while at the same time giving me fun ideas of how to play. 10 out of 10 would twist again
one of my biggest pet pieves about wizards and other extremely intelligent characters is that just because they have 30 INT, doesnt mean that they have any kind of teaching skills cus thats CHA! So i absolutely love the teacher (backseat gamer) bard cus it actually focuses on teaching as a separate ability. also love going full out on harny bard, endorsing the stereotype 110%
I play an artificer with low wisdom, so she's very smart but also stupid. She's easily distracted and very childish, she's just well read and knows how to mix a good potion brew
Glamour bard is my favorite specifically because it allows you to play that stereotype lol. One of my favorite characters is a glamour bard who actually dances to use her inspiration and abilities. Outside of combat she uses her other abilities to make it easier to seduce others for gathering info, making a few gold on the side (not necessarily prostitution but giving various services, I also sometimes flavored song of rest as her just tending to the party with foot or back massages to help them relax since she was proficient in sleight of hand), and in general making the party liked by the town. One of her routines was a ribbon dance that is enhanced using minor illusion to make her appear on fire and play background instrumentals, and prestidigitation turned her black dress to a fiery palette like a resurrecting phoenix.
It always bugs me that Wizards and the like can't get expertise in Arcana, but it's stupidly easy for the Bard to do so. If someone was playing that ultimate nerdy bard, it would fit a LOT better.
My friend has two teenage daughters that play. The younger one wanted to play a bard and the older one told her not to because of the "horny bard" trope. I told her it didn't have to be like that and told her that they could be like Viking skalds or that they could give inspiring speeches, etc. I touched on the idea of dance but couldn't think up of a good enough example. Yours is a MUCH better idea! I can't wait to have an opportunity to use one!
I had a fun concept for a creation bard that, instead of music, revolved around stage magic and circus themes. They'd be wearing a ringmaster outfit with a top hat an a lil cane, perform inspiration by going "and introduciiiinnggg...the mighty Garok!", pull things out of their hat for the creation stuff. Mostly because I imagined them casting invisibility on a party member by throwing a sheet over them, turning to the other members and saying "And now, before your bewildered eyes, I'm going to make Garok disappear!" (and yes, they'd be using prestidigitation every two seconds for confeti and clapping)
I had a bard who’s father ran a circus. He was also a bard. She would dance around the around care-free to give inspiration. Her clothes were based off of ringmasters.
I'm an actual bard, like literally accepted to a bard college in 2015 this is one of many tricks we do, bards are supposed to be more intelligent than wizards, wizards have raw knowledge, divine casters have raw wisdom, others have raw charisma (3.5 sorceress) bards should have all 3 of these beyond their respective classes sure a cleric might dutchess better than a Bard but a bard knows what wild plant to add before the sutchering begins, a sorcerer might be more charismatic but the bard recovers better form a faux pass, they might not know the fable the wizard knows but they do know the guy who made a whole Stand-up special about the intricacies of the subject so they know the truth behind the writing. Bards are supposed to be better than anyone at anything just because they know so much of so much
For some reason I just totally geek out on circus themed things in D&D. My bard accidentally made a pact with an inter-dimensional “dark circus” ringleader and multi-classed into warlock from it, and it’s been so much fun! Campaign going on for little over a year and a half now (with a long 5 episode prequel campaign too).
@@TaakoBadger I play in a pathfinder 2e campaign that is an "oops all bards" campaign. We have a mime, a clown, an animal tamer, and a pyrotechnics expert as our group. And we go and do missions for the travelling circus we are part of. A group of all bards (at least in PF) works WAY better than people seem to think! While we all have our specialties, can all cover for each other on a failure being jack of all trade type characters.
I made my bard a dancer, so happy I did :)) but she also fits the characteristics of the second character, much betrayal, much sad, much horny but is scared of feelings and commitment 😂
I'm a literal bard, like accepted to a bard college before I turned 14 this is how we actually operate, we are meant to be raw forces, people should have to roll to be a bard. We are comparable to sorcerers, an anomaly, my parents have a 127 and 129 iq respectively, but out of 5 successful 9+ total pregnancies I was born my iq was tested at 149 I fucking know everything but I'm shit at like daily activities? I mastered nuclear physics in less than a month scoring silver at a national competition we are meant to be all that but like unless strangers subsidize my life I can't do anything, in short bard is supposed to mean aspergers We are too intelligent yo liberals alone, I have talked my way out of felony charges, I can make meth (not that I have outside lab settings with federal permission) in an instant, we are meant to be the annoying cunt who always has something to say that is secretly helpful but like yeah font tell us or we will get a big head.
That's a fair interpretation. My personal favorite one I ever made was in the style of a Skald. Instead of song or dance, his perform checks were him reciting the Poetic Edda in order to inspire his friends to acts of heroism. And then I took a few levels in Barbarian because battle rage. Also the name 'Bardbarian' is just too punny for me not to use. XD
Well going back to the Celtic myths… Bards were the Lore Keepers and storytellers ( teaching people the lore). They knew the history, politics, laws, and goings on of the day. So in my campaign world, there are lots of Lawful Good and Lawful Neutral Bards. In my main kingdom Lawful Good Monks, multi class into Bards, and vice versa and they become the Mediators and Judges. They wander from village to village managing disputes, and overseeing trials, acting as the judges and lawyers.
I'd throw some Clerics in there. Not to make it a theocracy, but because Clerics feel like they'd also be teachers and mediators. I have a College of Elegance bard that I'm working on and want to dip Order Cleric, he's very fastidious and meticulous almost to the point of seeming cold or aloof, but really he just wants to help people and he values other people's time as much as he values his own. Which is pretty darn highly.
If memory serves me right, studying to become a fully fledged bard irl took 12 years and was a big step in pagan religious practice. If you know better, cool, because I can't find me sources anymore and I'm quoting from memory.
@@natanoj16 The distinction between bards and fili isn’t very clear, as early modern usage conflates them, and many scholars think the distinction was artificially applied by later Christian scholars when there wasn’t any historically.
I was thinking of homebrewing a capoeira bard that would essentially be dance fighting so it would give them a buff in some form to give them better melee abilities. It's only a concept so no idea how I'd work it yet but the idea intrigued me
Bard focus on dancing. Now, in the real world there are dance that also Martial Art. Sooo ... would capoeira bard, Lezginka(rev: Rasputin in The King's Man) bard, Silat(yes it's often part of traditional dance) bard, Taijiquan bard workable ? would the skill effect stacks ? Capoeira bard will have with them their Berimbau, Lezginka will have their Panduri, Silat can bring their Serunai, and Taijiquan can have their GuZheng(as reference to Kung Fu Hustle). And then, are the use of these instrument stacks with proficiency in dancing and Martial arts ?
Some other bard idea for not just singing: - Oratory (like the ones in The Adventure Zone: Ethersea): Bards whose ability is essentially just firm, clear, inspirational or intimidating speech. Bards who speak spells into life and command magic in a loud, authrative voice. - Art: Bards whose spell catalyst is a brush or pen or quill, who draw and paint spells into life with dynamic motions in the air, or summon ink-based creatures from enchanted pages, or weave ethereal colour pigments together as elemental spells. - Sculpture: A more engineer-style bard who meticilously sculpts and crafts beatiful magical items into existance with tools and measurements, kind of like a bard/artificier hybrid. Bards whose magical items gain power not through complex incantations or rare materials, but by sheer force of artistic purity. - Fashion: A bard whose catalyst is a thread and needle, who weaves spells into their clothing and carries scraps of magically imbued fabrics with them to cast spells. A bard who can _literally_ "weave" magic into existance using their skill with sewing and stitching. - Cookery: A good idea for a healer/buff focused bard who literally cooks magic into their dishes, whipping up fabulous meals or drinks enchanted with spells that they or their party can consume to gain benificial effects. Chefs and mixologists who make a show out of their craft and use that showey-ness to inbue their creations with magic. - Comedy: Clowns, jesters, stand-up comedians and improv crews who's magic comes from making others laugh and by directing comedy. Their offensive spells could come in the form of insults, jabs and bad puns that deal pyshcic damage while their buffs and inspiriation could be hearty, inspiring jokes that raise the morale of their party members. Pretty much any performing art or sufficiantly skillful craft can be translated into a bardic ability, both to flavour existsing subclasses or create new ones. Bard is one of my fave classes because of how versatile it is in this way.
There's a webtoon/manhwa called "Karina's Last Days" featuring that exact art-bard concept. The titular Karina is a magical artist who expends her life force to bring her paintings to life. She was abused and abandoned by her family throughout her life, and art was the only thing that gave her peace - but it's also killing her, and the story depicts her final days as she rediscovers the joys of life.
i love the idea of a painter bard who can copy the spells of monsters and legendary heros by painting portraits for them, like Relm from FF6! or a comedian Pink dragonborn who has a harmless bubbles breath weapon
I just made my first D&D bard and it is a philosopher (like greek pre-socratic ones) that uses rhetoric and logic (and sometimes, sarcasm) to mock their opponents and persuade people
@@SwitchFeathers He was being trained to be an advisor to the local power at Bard's College, but he was caught stealing from a noble in a party. Instead of defending himself, he insulted the noble. He was kicked from college the next day and wandered alone. After being robbed, beaten up and being thrown to the local well, now he is in a party and "safe". I hope.
Playing my first 5E bard in a new campaign and made him a storyteller. The DM, during the first session, put me on the spot by filling a room with children and townspeople and had the Mayor request a story… I. Went. Off. The table was totally invested in my off the top story and by the end of it the DM had given me inspiration. A traveling storyteller bard is a TON of fun.
I actually have an anti-horny bard! He was a fighter, multiclassed into bard. He has a partner and a daughter and inspired people by being Team Dad(tm).
I actually love the idea of an anti-horny bard who loved and got burned so many times that he swore off sex and romance entirely. He may have great sway over people, but deep down, he's cynical and alone.
I have an anti-horny bard that i described in another comment rogue 1, lore bard 3, warlock 2, Lore Bard for the rest. The skill checks are insane with expertise in 6 skills, and he's basically a mostly reformed con artist.
I had an idea for a anti-horny bard: Barbog the Nutless. He is a half-orc who lost his junk to a stray arrow. His music is basically the blues, and he took the college of swords. his goal is to learn the regenerate spell to regain his "lost leg" take the Dual Wielder feat and the two weapon fighting style and use drumsticks (maces)
My older sister ended up doing something very similar to your teacher-bard concept! She was an int-heavy Warlock of a Death God, and hung around with an Orator bard NPC who was guiding them to various treasures over the course of the campaign. When she decided to multiclass into Lore Bard, she flavored it as taking her existing otherworldly knowledge, pairing it with the lecturing skills she was picking up from the NPC, and essentially becoming a knowledge-seeker with a flair for dramatically revealing information when it mattered most. It's been a fun little arc!
Yeah I was just double checking that while watching. You'd think they'd just give Performance as an automatic bonus proficiency, since it doesn't generally have much actual use -- most social encounters are based on Deception or Persuasion or even Intimidate, most skill problems are around Intelligence or Dexterity skills, I think the only actual core use of Performances is as a side hustle to make money.
"Eloquence bard, brought to you by people who read Greek mythology during recess" me, looking at my greco-roman-styled-philosopher eloquence bard: how was this known? Loved the video, I recently found your channel and it is magnificent. Thanks for all your hard work!!
Sword dance was the first thing I thought of when I realized bards don't have to play music on the battle field too. Milo from triangle strategy fits your battle field dancer description perfectly (and she also uses a fan as her weapon!) Dancer of the Boreal Valley from dark souls 3 and Riju from BotW also kinda fit, although they are probably more college of swords
SO! I had a concept of an warforged bard that has holes all over his body, and when he dances the holes function like a wind instrument, and this class is PERFECT for it, so thank you! I just watched your tiefling video, so maybe the horns could have grown to be a wind instrument and work the same way too, and i think thats neat. You're literally inspiring me, loving your videos!
Look up the Phantom Troupe from HunterxHunter. One of the members is very similar to your idea! Except instead of being a robot, he's a human man from a tribe that practiced extensive body modification in order to fill the body with musical holes. (Terrifying, I know - but he hides the holes by dressing like a mummy a lot of the time.)
@@Kihen9 A good option to add more "flavor" to your bard, would be working in Monk or Swashbuckler Rouge elements that would give it a psudo-Valor subclass to allow a "dance" to become an offensive/defensive ability beyond the connected spell.
I think the reason your channel seems to be growing so quickly is because your videos are amazing, your ideas are incredible, and who doesn’t love free stuff?!
I've always loved the idea of a Bard as an old adventurer gone into retirement, now playing the role of a mentor. Their Bardic Inspiration is them giving tips abput form and technique and the likes.
Being an ex-professional dancer and playing Bard in my current campaign makes me wish I had seen this video earlier. It's frigging brilliant!! I'm going to find a way to add some of your suggestions to my bard.💛💚💙💜🧡❤
just took a look at the description and saw the dancer bard, and ive actually been thinking about that for some time now cus i began playing dancer in ffxiv. normally not a fan of bard, but really think this would be an amazing subclass. definitely setting a reminder for this premier to hear more of your thoughts on it
A bard that dances in melee combat could be done with a college of swords bard. A teacher bard could be done with a college of lore bard. I agree with Dungeon Dudes that eloquence bards and lore bards are the 2 best bard subclasses.
I made a valor bard that was an entertainment gladiator, he acted out scenes in a theater with other actors as a form of retelling battles of old. One day he had enough of acting it out and quit his job, leaving on an adventure to do it for real. His inspiration was flavored as his actual movements and showboating inspiring his allies. That sword move was pretty gool, it inspired the fighter to do something, too. That spell was performed in such a flashy way the wizard couldn't help but contribute to the spectacle. Stuff like that. He is to this day my favorite character I've played, and all he really was is John Cena quitting his career to go kick some actual ass.
I've always wished the Bard class was similar to how Fire Emblem bards/dancers work: a pure support unit who uses performance to directly enable their teammates to do better by providing resources. This might be increased movement, advantage/buffs on rolls, debuffing/distracting enemies, or even "sharing" mana with casters or actions with martials.
My bard is a dancer bard. He's a swords bard that dual wields scimitars and multiclass splashed with barbarian. His performance is similar to what you get if you YT search Russian or Asian sword dancing. His flourishes fit the dancing across the battlefield motif, and the barbarian rage is flavored more as him going into a kind of focused trance as he weaves through enemies humming a tune that he's moving to.
i love bards in D&D so much they are the joy in my life haha, I found a bard subclass someone homebrewed on D&D beyond called collage of the kitchen and these bards COOK to perform and I just fell in love with it X'D never got to play it but one day I will play it :) your collage of dance design is SO pretty btw I love her!
I’ve never played dnd, but I like fantasy stuff so I like watching these stuff. The last one reminds me of Dancers in Fire Emblem. Enabling other characters to make another turn Dancer.
My first character I’ve made is a bard, and I wanted to lean into a non-cliché bard that is more than just a musician with a stapled on backstory, and frankly, the subclasses aren’t very good (but not bad) at flavoring them as anything but a classy musician except for the newer (and not that strong) collage of Spirits - honestly, you’ve done a great job at remixing and overcoming cliches of dnd classes, monsters, and races and I’m happy your channel is getting the recognition it deserves seeing how much catered homebrew you create - thank you!
I watched this on my lunch break at the office.... I did not expect to snort mayonnaise out my nose from laughing so hard. WHY and HOW did you make this so funny... I am mortally in danger of dying of embarrassment.
This was really fun to watch and some good ideas that I'm gonna borrow. Very excited to see the the bard and fan weapons. I'm looking forward to more videos.
The bard concept that's been living in my head for days now is an older-middle-aged half-orc woman who tells incredible stories. She can weave a narrative in a few words that would bring you to tears, although in battle she relies more on limericks and poems. Narratively, her high charisma and ability to influence people is played as her just being a sweet old lady who most people are naturally disarmed by (college of eloquence ftw). However, she is lowkey also multiclassed into a warlock, because her ex-husband (an archfey) tricked her into a pact. Her character arc involves her battling through the fantasy legal system's inscrutable layers of red tape to try to finalize her divorce AND break the pact, while her former husband/patron makes pathetic puppy-dog eyes at her from the Feywild and tries to get in the way of her finally breaking free. Eventually, when you threaten her friends enough, she drops the sweet old lady act, invokes her Pact of the Blade, pulls out the massive greatsword from her patron/ex-husband, and starts swinging. I'm glad I found this video because it gave me the push to make my dreams a reality and finish character creation with her. Heldi Grimtusk, coming soon to a poetry slam near you.
I love that! I’m playing a bard warlock now too and love it (though the warlock class was almost accidental from story beats we hit, but I don’t regret it).
Wow that was great and worth the wait! I will check out the free stuff you made! Really awesome Dungeons and Dragons content. D&D with a Twist is a series I will look forward to seeing again.
Two twists I took when playing a Bard. 1. Bard, College of Lore. At 6th level took Animate Dead with class feature Magical Secrets. Bag(s) of holding + bunch of raised skeletons= pocket army. Had a homebrewed deity bards worshipped. 2. Bard, College of Swords. Built to be a commando or assassin. Since Bard is basically a rogue without sneak attack gaining some martial maneuvers. Spells were focused on aiding in stealth, infiltration, espionage.
As a mental health counselor, I'm like the real world equivalent to a bard, inspiring people to overcome challenges in their life, healing from deep wounds from the past, and like magic helping people see things that they could never have imagined for their future.
I'm not a huge fan of the bard as they're often played, but I do really like red mages and dancers from jrpgs. Great content and I love the split of humor and incredible advice
I just started playing my first bard recently and I'm very proud to say that they're an oral storytelling-based harengon Lore bard. The stories they tell are Aesop's Fables to lean into the fun of playing a beast race! I also wanted them to be shy so if I was being intimidated by being an introvert playing a 20 Charisma character I had a good reason (they light up when they tell stories though!), and they're not at all horny cause I'm asexual and that was just NOT something I wanted to do 😅 Glad I managed to lean away from the stereotypes at least! Video was great overall! Loved the use of gifs and the "turn the beat around" joke killed me. Well done and I'm looking forward to the next one! ❤️
I just spent my day watching all of your videos. I have absolutely fallen in love with your videos! You have inspired so many new characters and your google docs have all been saved (and the art is *chef's kiss*). Thank you thank you thank you for making this pure ART!
Best character idea: A bard that uses the Dancer archetype, who is literally a Broadway musical character! They can and will break out into song and dance numbers regularly
A joy to watch, made me laugh. I’m so hecking excited to see what else you come up with. ALSO!!!!! Finally a subclass for my cancan dancer!!!! I need to make her now!!!!
I made a bard based off old adventure games, like monkey island: Charming, but bumbling Tries to avoid conflict and seems cowardly, but steps up when he's needed the most Seems like an idiot but comes up with clever solutions And the universe seems to favor them with luck and magical effects ( how his spells work )
Love these ideas! Especially since I'm planning to play variation on a Kenku who is a (flightless) hummingbird Bard and I love the idea that she could incorporate fans and dance to at least feel like she's flying.
DMing my first campaign. One of my players didn't feel inspired to create a character, so I created some for her. The one she chose was the character I based off of the character from your flavour text on The Thousand-Feathered Fan. Dancer Queen and her Monk lover were murdered in a fire by her subjects because of her love for someone from a lower social standing. Princess survives the burning castle, but losing her voice from smoke inhalation. Recalling her mother's fan dances, she channels her bardic magic through her dance, and travels to find her mother's long lost treasures, the Thousand-Feathered Fan being both the mother's and the Princess' most treasured item. Love your videos! Thanks for the inspiration!
Disclaimer: Bards don't need the performance skill; Only musical instruments serve as arcane focus'; You WILL get proficiency with a musical intrument and start with one. 5e claimed one thing and did the opposite.
Im playing an eloquence bard rn I have persuasion and deception but didn’t pick up performance. So he can lie or convince anyone but got made fun of on the street when he played his guitar.
Or, you can say, "I'm the DM" and designate something you feel is appropriate. Have a set of paints as focus for an art-based Bard that paints their spells into reality. Quill and ink for a writer or poet. You can have the Bard be a scholar as mentioned in the first example and use INT for class features instead of CHA, like the way Warlocks are often homebrewed. INT and CHA have no impact on combat stats other than rare saving throws anyway.
My favorite character ever was an Half-orc viking-esque bard performing the war horn wielding a two-handed axe and throwing axes. His lifelong goal was to have an undead army/band to play "metal" with and through leadership (3.5e) gained a cleric follower to raise an undead orchestra. He had a full marching band of mindless musicians and low level bards. He lead the charge into the fray sounding his inspiring war horn and invoking the God of War. The unofficial theme song was raining blood by slayer. He used most of his skill point in various athletics skills. Was fun and everyone loved him.
Cannot believe I came across such a stellar channel after my first trial campaign I will be ANNOYING AS HELL in these comment sections thank you so much
Best moment of me playing a bard, was my rolls giving me the most comedic out-of-combat roleplay. Everytime I had to look/search something or talk, they were super low (literal search for a map in a room had the DM going "you kept looking at the same wall and probably the same particular brick for some reason"). Made it a blast for the kids playing with us.
My favourite bard was a newspaper reporter, travelling with the party and sending home snippets of what they did. It started off as a minor background point to my character. However, after one particularly amusing battle (where we caused just slightly less damage than we averted) I posted a little write up in our discord where I'd twisted things to make it sound like we really did nothing wrong. The DM ran with it and I started writing tales of our battles back home and rolling charisma checks to see how well I came off - we gained a little fame, some offers of free drinks when we were in certain taverns...and also a target painted on our back.
I’ve been playing a bard that was a burlesque dancer found in a tavern preforming and enchanting the crowd by her soon to be new party so I really like the idea of the dancer subclass
I have a new favorite channel. I set a few goals of things I wanted to do to trigger dopamine in my ADHD brain that's not shopping, and one of them was improving my D&D playing, and learning to DM. This was perfect to trigger that dopamine and I immediately shared it to my D&D group.
I was brainstorming and researching for my next character and I want to pitch a dance bard that uses a rope dart or meteor hammer as a weapon, because using that already kind of looks like dancing. The DnD version of that is a martial weapon though so I may need to multiclass with fighter. Also, it's so cool to see how far you've come! I noticed you sounded much more subdued in this one and then you said this is your first. I love your content and I'm proud of your growth, Pointy Hat!❤
We finally finished the Lost mines of Phandelver and next month were gonna play The Wild Beyond The Witchlight campaign and IM GONNA PLAY YOUR DANCER BARD!! I'M SO EXCITED, IVE BEEN WAITING TO PLAY IT SINCE I FIRST SAW THE VIDEO!!!🎉🎉
Man, I'm glad you've found your style with more recent videos. If you ever want for an easier video for a break, I'd love to see you visit bards again in the future with these documents cleaned up.
I made a character once who was a bard, but instead of charming people with song and dance he was more "The Art of the Deal" sort of bard. He was a diplomat that used his knowledge of the places he visited and his silver tongue to charm other kingdoms into peace deals or trades that would favor his kingdom over those he was convincing. He was more about social interactions when gathering information and was very much the "bad cop" in interrogation situations as he later multiclassed into fighter since sometimes he couldn't talk his way out of a bad situation. He was a lot of fun to play and I wish I could play another bard like him.
As someone who just started into a campaign with an illusionist / deceiver type bard, I really feel your urge to come up with fresh ideas to combat stereotypes. And your approaches are all great.
My bard is an opera singer who was classically trained in violin. She also is the main healer and got some cleric spells. Her college is college of eloquence. She was built for a curse of strahd campaign and her build was to maximize radiant damage.
The dancing bard reminds me of my favourite PC. She was a gnome bard, wielding a... whip, and using dance and a lot of Command spells to manipulate people both in battle and outside. She was a very domineering person whose presence was far, far larger than her phisical stature, and I loved her so much
I've come across the channel a month or so ago idk. so many ideas I gathered, remade or just phantasized about, it's all so cool! I had to track down the origins, even the first one is amazing :) I hope to see the channel grow to the first million subscribers, the only thing it takes is time, as this is 10/10 content right here
I remember making a Valor Bard who came from a College where war dance was learnt, in accordance with the use of a whistling sword (built with tiny rings and hollow parts who made different sounds depending on how the striking and moving was made). Loved the character alot!
A player told me that they needed help leveling their bard so I immediately went looking for Pointy hat. I love your stiff and how you do stuff outside the same-old same-old
I've done something similar with Bards, focusing on entertainment/performance. I had jugglers (great with thrown objects and catching), contortionists (which mostly just confused or fascinated folks), dancers, playwrights (like Shakespeare), tightrope walkers, acrobats, actors, and stage magicians (slight of hand and practical illusions). It was part of a homebrewed campaign, where they sailed in to ports appearing to be pirates and then burst out into performances to sell tickets. The thing is, they were part of a secret mission to regain a kingdom from a Duke (the late king's brother), led by their captain (the escaped prince). But they were just a plot tool to get the players' characters to join up and begin adventuring. Still, they were alot of fun to use and each had a flamboyance to them.
I had the idea for a Bard where he was a blacksmith. In everything he made, there a was a story. Every change in the metal, every curve, every striation. It all told it's own life story, it's own world, and every emotion that the maker was feeling as he crafted, multiple sometimes, but an overall sense.
This was a GREAT first video! You are a FANTASTIC POINT HAT! And this was just the right time to see this, as I'm super-interested in bards, lately. You're timing is impeccable!
I'm so excited to try this class! I've always wanted to have a bard that dances rather then sings, but wasn't sure how to do that. This is fantastic it looks amazing and I can't wait to show this off! Thank you!
I love playing a valor or lore bard as a butler to one of the other PCs. He fusses over them with healing and buffing, and handles all of the party’s traveling needs as a majordomo instead of an over excited bard of many horns.
So weird to find a channel that appeals to my exact sense of humor while at the same time giving me fun ideas of how to play. 10 out of 10 would twist again
Just a reminder your not as original as you think
EXACTLYYYY
X2, this is the kind of things DnD books should have more of it.
Giggity!
Dude the jokes are exactly my style
This is crazy how calm and quiet Pointy Hat is from a year ago. Now he speaks in his mic not caring his parents hear him! 😂
Ikr😮
one of my biggest pet pieves about wizards and other extremely intelligent characters is that just because they have 30 INT, doesnt mean that they have any kind of teaching skills cus thats CHA! So i absolutely love the teacher (backseat gamer) bard cus it actually focuses on teaching as a separate ability.
also love going full out on harny bard, endorsing the stereotype 110%
I play an artificer with low wisdom, so she's very smart but also stupid. She's easily distracted and very childish, she's just well read and knows how to mix a good potion brew
Glamour bard is my favorite specifically because it allows you to play that stereotype lol. One of my favorite characters is a glamour bard who actually dances to use her inspiration and abilities. Outside of combat she uses her other abilities to make it easier to seduce others for gathering info, making a few gold on the side (not necessarily prostitution but giving various services, I also sometimes flavored song of rest as her just tending to the party with foot or back massages to help them relax since she was proficient in sleight of hand), and in general making the party liked by the town. One of her routines was a ribbon dance that is enhanced using minor illusion to make her appear on fire and play background instrumentals, and prestidigitation turned her black dress to a fiery palette like a resurrecting phoenix.
As much as it feels great to go against the grain with D&D characters, so too does it feel good to shamelessly play into stereotypes.
I prefer horny bard to be miraculously castrated in a series of unfortunate events
It always bugs me that Wizards and the like can't get expertise in Arcana, but it's stupidly easy for the Bard to do so. If someone was playing that ultimate nerdy bard, it would fit a LOT better.
My friend has two teenage daughters that play. The younger one wanted to play a bard and the older one told her not to because of the "horny bard" trope. I told her it didn't have to be like that and told her that they could be like Viking skalds or that they could give inspiring speeches, etc. I touched on the idea of dance but couldn't think up of a good enough example. Yours is a MUCH better idea! I can't wait to have an opportunity to use one!
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I had a fun concept for a creation bard that, instead of music, revolved around stage magic and circus themes. They'd be wearing a ringmaster outfit with a top hat an a lil cane, perform inspiration by going "and introduciiiinnggg...the mighty Garok!", pull things out of their hat for the creation stuff.
Mostly because I imagined them casting invisibility on a party member by throwing a sheet over them, turning to the other members and saying "And now, before your bewildered eyes, I'm going to make Garok disappear!"
(and yes, they'd be using prestidigitation every two seconds for confeti and clapping)
I had a bard who’s father ran a circus. He was also a bard. She would dance around the around care-free to give inspiration. Her clothes were based off of ringmasters.
I'm an actual bard, like literally accepted to a bard college in 2015 this is one of many tricks we do, bards are supposed to be more intelligent than wizards, wizards have raw knowledge, divine casters have raw wisdom, others have raw charisma (3.5 sorceress) bards should have all 3 of these beyond their respective classes sure a cleric might dutchess better than a Bard but a bard knows what wild plant to add before the sutchering begins, a sorcerer might be more charismatic but the bard recovers better form a faux pass, they might not know the fable the wizard knows but they do know the guy who made a whole Stand-up special about the intricacies of the subject so they know the truth behind the writing. Bards are supposed to be better than anyone at anything just because they know so much of so much
THIS IS AMAZING WHAT???
For some reason I just totally geek out on circus themed things in D&D. My bard accidentally made a pact with an inter-dimensional “dark circus” ringleader and multi-classed into warlock from it, and it’s been so much fun! Campaign going on for little over a year and a half now (with a long 5 episode prequel campaign too).
@@TaakoBadger I play in a pathfinder 2e campaign that is an "oops all bards" campaign. We have a mime, a clown, an animal tamer, and a pyrotechnics expert as our group. And we go and do missions for the travelling circus we are part of. A group of all bards (at least in PF) works WAY better than people seem to think! While we all have our specialties, can all cover for each other on a failure being jack of all trade type characters.
I made my bard a dancer, so happy I did :)) but she also fits the characteristics of the second character, much betrayal, much sad, much horny but is scared of feelings and commitment 😂
I'm a literal bard, like accepted to a bard college before I turned 14 this is how we actually operate, we are meant to be raw forces, people should have to roll to be a bard. We are comparable to sorcerers, an anomaly, my parents have a 127 and 129 iq respectively, but out of 5 successful 9+ total pregnancies I was born my iq was tested at 149 I fucking know everything but I'm shit at like daily activities? I mastered nuclear physics in less than a month scoring silver at a national competition we are meant to be all that but like unless strangers subsidize my life I can't do anything, in short bard is supposed to mean aspergers
We are too intelligent yo liberals alone, I have talked my way out of felony charges, I can make meth (not that I have outside lab settings with federal permission) in an instant, we are meant to be the annoying cunt who always has something to say that is secretly helpful but like yeah font tell us or we will get a big head.
That's a fair interpretation. My personal favorite one I ever made was in the style of a Skald. Instead of song or dance, his perform checks were him reciting the Poetic Edda in order to inspire his friends to acts of heroism. And then I took a few levels in Barbarian because battle rage. Also the name 'Bardbarian' is just too punny for me not to use. XD
That’s just leliana from orlais though
Well going back to the Celtic myths… Bards were the Lore Keepers and storytellers ( teaching people the lore). They knew the history, politics, laws, and goings on of the day. So in my campaign world, there are lots of Lawful Good and Lawful Neutral Bards. In my main kingdom Lawful Good Monks, multi class into Bards, and vice versa and they become the Mediators and Judges. They wander from village to village managing disputes, and overseeing trials, acting as the judges and lawyers.
I'd throw some Clerics in there. Not to make it a theocracy, but because Clerics feel like they'd also be teachers and mediators. I have a College of Elegance bard that I'm working on and want to dip Order Cleric, he's very fastidious and meticulous almost to the point of seeming cold or aloof, but really he just wants to help people and he values other people's time as much as he values his own. Which is pretty darn highly.
If memory serves me right, studying to become a fully fledged bard irl took 12 years and was a big step in pagan religious practice. If you know better, cool, because I can't find me sources anymore and I'm quoting from memory.
Are you talking about the Filli or the Drwuid? (Or how it is spelled (no not modern druid))
@@ga22by a Bard was specifically not well studied. The Filli on the otherhand had the education you mention ^_^
@@natanoj16 The distinction between bards and fili isn’t very clear, as early modern usage conflates them, and many scholars think the distinction was artificially applied by later Christian scholars when there wasn’t any historically.
I think the Dancer subclass is easily one of your best, and so intuitive for Bards that I’m shocked it’s not in the game already
fr as a dancer i was shocked that dance isnt a typical bard strength canonically 😭😭
I was thinking of homebrewing a capoeira bard that would essentially be dance fighting so it would give them a buff in some form to give them better melee abilities. It's only a concept so no idea how I'd work it yet but the idea intrigued me
Maybe treat it as if it were a monk multiclass or something
Bard focus on dancing.
Now, in the real world there are dance that also Martial Art.
Sooo ... would capoeira bard, Lezginka(rev: Rasputin in The King's Man) bard, Silat(yes it's often part of traditional dance) bard, Taijiquan bard workable ? would the skill effect stacks ?
Capoeira bard will have with them their Berimbau, Lezginka will have their Panduri, Silat can bring their Serunai, and Taijiquan can have their GuZheng(as reference to Kung Fu Hustle).
And then, are the use of these instrument stacks with proficiency in dancing and Martial arts ?
Totally
Some other bard idea for not just singing:
- Oratory (like the ones in The Adventure Zone: Ethersea): Bards whose ability is essentially just firm, clear, inspirational or intimidating speech. Bards who speak spells into life and command magic in a loud, authrative voice.
- Art: Bards whose spell catalyst is a brush or pen or quill, who draw and paint spells into life with dynamic motions in the air, or summon ink-based creatures from enchanted pages, or weave ethereal colour pigments together as elemental spells.
- Sculpture: A more engineer-style bard who meticilously sculpts and crafts beatiful magical items into existance with tools and measurements, kind of like a bard/artificier hybrid. Bards whose magical items gain power not through complex incantations or rare materials, but by sheer force of artistic purity.
- Fashion: A bard whose catalyst is a thread and needle, who weaves spells into their clothing and carries scraps of magically imbued fabrics with them to cast spells. A bard who can _literally_ "weave" magic into existance using their skill with sewing and stitching.
- Cookery: A good idea for a healer/buff focused bard who literally cooks magic into their dishes, whipping up fabulous meals or drinks enchanted with spells that they or their party can consume to gain benificial effects. Chefs and mixologists who make a show out of their craft and use that showey-ness to inbue their creations with magic.
- Comedy: Clowns, jesters, stand-up comedians and improv crews who's magic comes from making others laugh and by directing comedy. Their offensive spells could come in the form of insults, jabs and bad puns that deal pyshcic damage while their buffs and inspiriation could be hearty, inspiring jokes that raise the morale of their party members.
Pretty much any performing art or sufficiantly skillful craft can be translated into a bardic ability, both to flavour existsing subclasses or create new ones. Bard is one of my fave classes because of how versatile it is in this way.
There's a webtoon/manhwa called "Karina's Last Days" featuring that exact art-bard concept. The titular Karina is a magical artist who expends her life force to bring her paintings to life. She was abused and abandoned by her family throughout her life, and art was the only thing that gave her peace - but it's also killing her, and the story depicts her final days as she rediscovers the joys of life.
i love the idea of a painter bard who can copy the spells of monsters and legendary heros by painting portraits for them, like Relm from FF6!
or a comedian Pink dragonborn who has a harmless bubbles breath weapon
I just made my first D&D bard and it is a philosopher (like greek pre-socratic ones) that uses rhetoric and logic (and sometimes, sarcasm) to mock their opponents and persuade people
@@Skaxarrat This character sounds utterly insufferable and I say that as the highest complement, fantastic concept!
@@SwitchFeathers He was being trained to be an advisor to the local power at Bard's College, but he was caught stealing from a noble in a party. Instead of defending himself, he insulted the noble.
He was kicked from college the next day and wandered alone. After being robbed, beaten up and being thrown to the local well, now he is in a party and "safe".
I hope.
Playing my first 5E bard in a new campaign and made him a storyteller. The DM, during the first session, put me on the spot by filling a room with children and townspeople and had the Mayor request a story… I. Went. Off. The table was totally invested in my off the top story and by the end of it the DM had given me inspiration. A traveling storyteller bard is a TON of fun.
That sounds awesome!
I actually have an anti-horny bard! He was a fighter, multiclassed into bard. He has a partner and a daughter and inspired people by being Team Dad(tm).
I actually love the idea of an anti-horny bard who loved and got burned so many times that he swore off sex and romance entirely. He may have great sway over people, but deep down, he's cynical and alone.
I have an anti-horny bard that i described in another comment rogue 1, lore bard 3, warlock 2, Lore Bard for the rest. The skill checks are insane with expertise in 6 skills, and he's basically a mostly reformed con artist.
Soy bard. Not very rock and roll, kids
I had an idea for a anti-horny bard: Barbog the Nutless. He is a half-orc who lost his junk to a stray arrow. His music is basically the blues, and he took the college of swords. his goal is to learn the regenerate spell to regain his "lost leg" take the Dual Wielder feat and the two weapon fighting style and use drumsticks (maces)
Team daddy
Dance Bard just announced for 2024 PHB.
Pointy Hat is now an oracle.
My older sister ended up doing something very similar to your teacher-bard concept! She was an int-heavy Warlock of a Death God, and hung around with an Orator bard NPC who was guiding them to various treasures over the course of the campaign. When she decided to multiclass into Lore Bard, she flavored it as taking her existing otherworldly knowledge, pairing it with the lecturing skills she was picking up from the NPC, and essentially becoming a knowledge-seeker with a flair for dramatically revealing information when it mattered most. It's been a fun little arc!
If you had transitioned into a skillshare ad right at 2:15 i wouldn't even have gotten mad
"What unifies all bards is their use of performance"
Yet funny enough they can do everything they do with no proficiency in performance.
Yeah I was just double checking that while watching. You'd think they'd just give Performance as an automatic bonus proficiency, since it doesn't generally have much actual use -- most social encounters are based on Deception or Persuasion or even Intimidate, most skill problems are around Intelligence or Dexterity skills, I think the only actual core use of Performances is as a side hustle to make money.
anyone that doesnt take perfermoance in their 12 proficiency isnt doing it right
I audibly gagged when the whisper "ASMR" happened.
Also, creation is pretty mush a mobile dance party with animating performance and what not.
FR! Straight up almost chucked my phone from the visceral disgust
"Eloquence bard, brought to you by people who read Greek mythology during recess"
me, looking at my greco-roman-styled-philosopher eloquence bard: how was this known?
Loved the video, I recently found your channel and it is magnificent. Thanks for all your hard work!!
When you want to be the brain and the face of the party.
Sword dance was the first thing I thought of when I realized bards don't have to play music on the battle field too. Milo from triangle strategy fits your battle field dancer description perfectly (and she also uses a fan as her weapon!) Dancer of the Boreal Valley from dark souls 3 and Riju from BotW also kinda fit, although they are probably more college of swords
SO! I had a concept of an warforged bard that has holes all over his body, and when he dances the holes function like a wind instrument, and this class is PERFECT for it, so thank you!
I just watched your tiefling video, so maybe the horns could have grown to be a wind instrument and work the same way too, and i think thats neat. You're literally inspiring me, loving your videos!
Look up the Phantom Troupe from HunterxHunter. One of the members is very similar to your idea! Except instead of being a robot, he's a human man from a tribe that practiced extensive body modification in order to fill the body with musical holes. (Terrifying, I know - but he hides the holes by dressing like a mummy a lot of the time.)
@@Drekromancer Where do you think i got the idea xD
Whoa, that's a dope characrer concept!
@@Kihen9 A good option to add more "flavor" to your bard, would be working in Monk or Swashbuckler Rouge elements that would give it a psudo-Valor subclass to allow a "dance" to become an offensive/defensive ability beyond the connected spell.
Warforged bard but he plays an electric guitar and uses his head as an amp by plugging his guitar into it
I think the reason your channel seems to be growing so quickly is because your videos are amazing, your ideas are incredible, and who doesn’t love free stuff?!
I've always loved the idea of a Bard as an old adventurer gone into retirement, now playing the role of a mentor. Their Bardic Inspiration is them giving tips abput form and technique and the likes.
Being an ex-professional dancer and playing Bard in my current campaign makes me wish I had seen this video earlier. It's frigging brilliant!! I'm going to find a way to add some of your suggestions to my bard.💛💚💙💜🧡❤
Proud backer of the Hexbound kickstarter and I am super happy with it. Can’t wait to see this vid tomorrow!
The college of lore would screech “THE MITOCHONDRIA IS THE POWERHOUSE OF THE CELL” for all of their vocal component spells.
just took a look at the description and saw the dancer bard, and ive actually been thinking about that for some time now cus i began playing dancer in ffxiv. normally not a fan of bard, but really think this would be an amazing subclass. definitely setting a reminder for this premier to hear more of your thoughts on it
Oops! Leave it to me to not realize that it'd show the video description with the premiere! We'll call it a sneak peek!
A bard that dances in melee combat could be done with a college of swords bard. A teacher bard could be done with a college of lore bard. I agree with Dungeon Dudes that eloquence bards and lore bards are the 2 best bard subclasses.
@@pointyhatstudios its really cool looking back on your first video and seeing how the way you voice out your commentaries has improved
This video aged well. "College of dance"
I made a valor bard that was an entertainment gladiator, he acted out scenes in a theater with other actors as a form of retelling battles of old. One day he had enough of acting it out and quit his job, leaving on an adventure to do it for real. His inspiration was flavored as his actual movements and showboating inspiring his allies. That sword move was pretty gool, it inspired the fighter to do something, too. That spell was performed in such a flashy way the wizard couldn't help but contribute to the spectacle. Stuff like that. He is to this day my favorite character I've played, and all he really was is John Cena quitting his career to go kick some actual ass.
So crazy that two years later the new core rule book puts out a College of Dance Bard.
I've always wished the Bard class was similar to how Fire Emblem bards/dancers work: a pure support unit who uses performance to directly enable their teammates to do better by providing resources. This might be increased movement, advantage/buffs on rolls, debuffing/distracting enemies, or even "sharing" mana with casters or actions with martials.
I literally immediately started thinking "wait he's just making Zevran for the horny bard." Lmfao.
Right I was about to say why did he do him dirty like that and then I read your comment and realized that he did him justice with it. So go DA:O
I did not realize how absolutely brand new this channel is. I'm definitely commenting on every video to boost metrics.
I’m actually played a bard who’s apart of the College of Creation who’s disconnected from the world. So he has a high Wisdom & Charisma!
My bard is a dancer bard. He's a swords bard that dual wields scimitars and multiclass splashed with barbarian. His performance is similar to what you get if you YT search Russian or Asian sword dancing. His flourishes fit the dancing across the battlefield motif, and the barbarian rage is flavored more as him going into a kind of focused trance as he weaves through enemies humming a tune that he's moving to.
ive been running a bard that uses visual arts like drawing or painting for her magic
i love bards in D&D so much they are the joy in my life haha, I found a bard subclass someone homebrewed on D&D beyond called collage of the kitchen and these bards COOK to perform and I just fell in love with it X'D never got to play it but one day I will play it :) your collage of dance design is SO pretty btw I love her!
Big respect for coming up with college of dance a year before WoTC put it out in the UA for one dnd😊
I’ve never played dnd, but I like fantasy stuff so I like watching these stuff.
The last one reminds me of Dancers in Fire Emblem. Enabling other characters to make another turn Dancer.
My first character I’ve made is a bard, and I wanted to lean into a non-cliché bard that is more than just a musician with a stapled on backstory, and frankly, the subclasses aren’t very good (but not bad) at flavoring them as anything but a classy musician except for the newer (and not that strong) collage of Spirits - honestly, you’ve done a great job at remixing and overcoming cliches of dnd classes, monsters, and races and I’m happy your channel is getting the recognition it deserves seeing how much catered homebrew you create - thank you!
2:10 Gotta say the strength behind "PUZZLE" made me realize Bards are terrifying because that hit me for at least 3d6 force damage.
I watched this on my lunch break at the office.... I did not expect to snort mayonnaise out my nose from laughing so hard. WHY and HOW did you make this so funny... I am mortally in danger of dying of embarrassment.
This was really fun to watch and some good ideas that I'm gonna borrow. Very excited to see the the bard and fan weapons. I'm looking forward to more videos.
The bard concept that's been living in my head for days now is an older-middle-aged half-orc woman who tells incredible stories. She can weave a narrative in a few words that would bring you to tears, although in battle she relies more on limericks and poems. Narratively, her high charisma and ability to influence people is played as her just being a sweet old lady who most people are naturally disarmed by (college of eloquence ftw). However, she is lowkey also multiclassed into a warlock, because her ex-husband (an archfey) tricked her into a pact. Her character arc involves her battling through the fantasy legal system's inscrutable layers of red tape to try to finalize her divorce AND break the pact, while her former husband/patron makes pathetic puppy-dog eyes at her from the Feywild and tries to get in the way of her finally breaking free. Eventually, when you threaten her friends enough, she drops the sweet old lady act, invokes her Pact of the Blade, pulls out the massive greatsword from her patron/ex-husband, and starts swinging. I'm glad I found this video because it gave me the push to make my dreams a reality and finish character creation with her. Heldi Grimtusk, coming soon to a poetry slam near you.
That’s one of the coolest dnd backstories I have ever seen
I love that! I’m playing a bard warlock now too and love it (though the warlock class was almost accidental from story beats we hit, but I don’t regret it).
Wow that was great and worth the wait! I will check out the free stuff you made! Really awesome Dungeons and Dragons content. D&D with a Twist is a series I will look forward to seeing again.
I'm glad it was worth the wait!!
Two twists I took when playing a Bard.
1. Bard, College of Lore.
At 6th level took Animate Dead with class feature Magical Secrets. Bag(s) of holding + bunch of raised skeletons= pocket army. Had a homebrewed deity bards worshipped.
2. Bard, College of Swords.
Built to be a commando or assassin. Since Bard is basically a rogue without sneak attack gaining some martial maneuvers. Spells were focused on aiding in stealth, infiltration, espionage.
this was amazing, really loved the art and the whole design of the video
comming from the future to say that bards in dnd one may have a dance subclass
As a mental health counselor, I'm like the real world equivalent to a bard, inspiring people to overcome challenges in their life, healing from deep wounds from the past, and like magic helping people see things that they could never have imagined for their future.
I'm not a huge fan of the bard as they're often played, but I do really like red mages and dancers from jrpgs. Great content and I love the split of humor and incredible advice
I just started playing my first bard recently and I'm very proud to say that they're an oral storytelling-based harengon Lore bard. The stories they tell are Aesop's Fables to lean into the fun of playing a beast race! I also wanted them to be shy so if I was being intimidated by being an introvert playing a 20 Charisma character I had a good reason (they light up when they tell stories though!), and they're not at all horny cause I'm asexual and that was just NOT something I wanted to do 😅 Glad I managed to lean away from the stereotypes at least!
Video was great overall! Loved the use of gifs and the "turn the beat around" joke killed me. Well done and I'm looking forward to the next one! ❤️
I just spent my day watching all of your videos. I have absolutely fallen in love with your videos! You have inspired so many new characters and your google docs have all been saved (and the art is *chef's kiss*). Thank you thank you thank you for making this pure ART!
Loved it! Loved the whole dance-fighting interpretation, been trying to find a way to incorporate that. Will definitely use this.
Best character idea:
A bard that uses the Dancer archetype, who is literally a Broadway musical character! They can and will break out into song and dance numbers regularly
Awesome explanation and exploration of the class! Amazing job!
I'm here a year later to say that the "ASMR" clip at 4:50 made me feel violent urges. I hated that sound so much. So much.
A joy to watch, made me laugh. I’m so hecking excited to see what else you come up with.
ALSO!!!!! Finally a subclass for my cancan dancer!!!! I need to make her now!!!!
I wasn't gonna watch your entire archive today, but they're all way too good. It's no surprise you got over 100k as fast as you have.
I made a bard based off old adventure games, like monkey island:
Charming, but bumbling
Tries to avoid conflict and seems cowardly, but steps up when he's needed the most
Seems like an idiot but comes up with clever solutions
And the universe seems to favor them with luck and magical effects ( how his spells work )
Antonio apparently prophecied the College of Dance two years before the 2024 PHB.
You spoke my imagination into existence with the Dancer homebrew. I’ve been hoping that this was a thing. Thank you so much!
Love these ideas! Especially since I'm planning to play variation on a Kenku who is a (flightless) hummingbird Bard and I love the idea that she could incorporate fans and dance to at least feel like she's flying.
Just watched all your videos! Really looking forward to more :-) As a Slam Poetry Bard I loved this video and your new perspective on the class!
DMing my first campaign. One of my players didn't feel inspired to create a character, so I created some for her. The one she chose was the character I based off of the character from your flavour text on The Thousand-Feathered Fan. Dancer Queen and her Monk lover were murdered in a fire by her subjects because of her love for someone from a lower social standing. Princess survives the burning castle, but losing her voice from smoke inhalation. Recalling her mother's fan dances, she channels her bardic magic through her dance, and travels to find her mother's long lost treasures, the Thousand-Feathered Fan being both the mother's and the Princess' most treasured item.
Love your videos! Thanks for the inspiration!
Disclaimer: Bards don't need the performance skill; Only musical instruments serve as arcane focus'; You WILL get proficiency with a musical intrument and start with one.
5e claimed one thing and did the opposite.
Technically, for a dancing bard castanets could be a great musical instrument fit.
Im playing an eloquence bard rn I have persuasion and deception but didn’t pick up performance. So he can lie or convince anyone but got made fun of on the street when he played his guitar.
College of Spirits would like a word.
@@annasolovyeva1013 Or Zills.
Or, you can say, "I'm the DM" and designate something you feel is appropriate. Have a set of paints as focus for an art-based Bard that paints their spells into reality. Quill and ink for a writer or poet. You can have the Bard be a scholar as mentioned in the first example and use INT for class features instead of CHA, like the way Warlocks are often homebrewed. INT and CHA have no impact on combat stats other than rare saving throws anyway.
My favorite character ever was an Half-orc viking-esque bard performing the war horn wielding a two-handed axe and throwing axes. His lifelong goal was to have an undead army/band to play "metal" with and through leadership (3.5e) gained a cleric follower to raise an undead orchestra.
He had a full marching band of mindless musicians and low level bards.
He lead the charge into the fray sounding his inspiring war horn and invoking the God of War. The unofficial theme song was raining blood by slayer.
He used most of his skill point in various athletics skills.
Was fun and everyone loved him.
Cannot believe I came across such a stellar channel after my first trial campaign I will be ANNOYING AS HELL in these comment sections thank you so much
I love how you can breakdown tactics and intent instead of just mechanics devoid of any useful context!
It’ll be interesting to see how this stacks up against the official one coming out later this year
💃
Love this subclass and all the awesome character ideas. Can't wait to use it in my games and to see more of this series and your content.
I do like the new takes with backstory included. I want to explore the capability of a class and this helps a lot. Very fun sub class
Love how he basically interpreted a new subclass.
Tho his might be better than the one from wotc.
I've never actually played dnd but as someone who is writing a comic and just loves writing fantasy in general, this kind of videos are very inspiring
Omg I love the homebrew, I feel like I've needed this for ages but was too lazy to make it myself, thank you this was perfect
Can’t believe this was your first vid. This is really good and made me wanna think about more twists.
Best moment of me playing a bard, was my rolls giving me the most comedic out-of-combat roleplay. Everytime I had to look/search something or talk, they were super low (literal search for a map in a room had the DM going "you kept looking at the same wall and probably the same particular brick for some reason"). Made it a blast for the kids playing with us.
My favourite bard was a newspaper reporter, travelling with the party and sending home snippets of what they did.
It started off as a minor background point to my character. However, after one particularly amusing battle (where we caused just slightly less damage than we averted) I posted a little write up in our discord where I'd twisted things to make it sound like we really did nothing wrong. The DM ran with it and I started writing tales of our battles back home and rolling charisma checks to see how well I came off - we gained a little fame, some offers of free drinks when we were in certain taverns...and also a target painted on our back.
I’ve been playing a bard that was a burlesque dancer found in a tavern preforming and enchanting the crowd by her soon to be new party so I really like the idea of the dancer subclass
I have a new favorite channel. I set a few goals of things I wanted to do to trigger dopamine in my ADHD brain that's not shopping, and one of them was improving my D&D playing, and learning to DM. This was perfect to trigger that dopamine and I immediately shared it to my D&D group.
I was brainstorming and researching for my next character and I want to pitch a dance bard that uses a rope dart or meteor hammer as a weapon, because using that already kind of looks like dancing. The DnD version of that is a martial weapon though so I may need to multiclass with fighter.
Also, it's so cool to see how far you've come! I noticed you sounded much more subdued in this one and then you said this is your first. I love your content and I'm proud of your growth, Pointy Hat!❤
We finally finished the Lost mines of Phandelver and next month were gonna play The Wild Beyond The Witchlight campaign and IM GONNA PLAY YOUR DANCER BARD!! I'M SO EXCITED, IVE BEEN WAITING TO PLAY IT SINCE I FIRST SAW THE VIDEO!!!🎉🎉
Man, I'm glad you've found your style with more recent videos. If you ever want for an easier video for a break, I'd love to see you visit bards again in the future with these documents cleaned up.
I made a character once who was a bard, but instead of charming people with song and dance he was more "The Art of the Deal" sort of bard. He was a diplomat that used his knowledge of the places he visited and his silver tongue to charm other kingdoms into peace deals or trades that would favor his kingdom over those he was convincing. He was more about social interactions when gathering information and was very much the "bad cop" in interrogation situations as he later multiclassed into fighter since sometimes he couldn't talk his way out of a bad situation. He was a lot of fun to play and I wish I could play another bard like him.
As someone who just started into a campaign with an illusionist / deceiver type bard, I really feel your urge to come up with fresh ideas to combat stereotypes. And your approaches are all great.
My bard is an opera singer who was classically trained in violin. She also is the main healer and got some cleric spells. Her college is college of eloquence. She was built for a curse of strahd campaign and her build was to maximize radiant damage.
The dancing bard reminds me of my favourite PC. She was a gnome bard, wielding a... whip, and using dance and a lot of Command spells to manipulate people both in battle and outside. She was a very domineering person whose presence was far, far larger than her phisical stature, and I loved her so much
This made me totally rethink the style of bard I’m currently playing, thanks.
I've come across the channel a month or so ago idk. so many ideas I gathered, remade or just phantasized about, it's all so cool! I had to track down the origins, even the first one is amazing :) I hope to see the channel grow to the first million subscribers, the only thing it takes is time, as this is 10/10 content right here
I remember making a Valor Bard who came from a College where war dance was learnt, in accordance with the use of a whistling sword (built with tiny rings and hollow parts who made different sounds depending on how the striking and moving was made). Loved the character alot!
So happy i found this channel. Every twist is genuinely so fun
Thank you for the flavor of bard performance alternatives with your art and home brewing. You are super funny and talented.
Really interesting take on the bard, plus I love the characters you created 🤩
The dancing bard is a subclass I’ve been hoping to see. Can’t wait to read it over.
A player told me that they needed help leveling their bard so I immediately went looking for Pointy hat. I love your stiff and how you do stuff outside the same-old same-old
I've done something similar with Bards, focusing on entertainment/performance. I had jugglers (great with thrown objects and catching), contortionists (which mostly just confused or fascinated folks), dancers, playwrights (like Shakespeare), tightrope walkers, acrobats, actors, and stage magicians (slight of hand and practical illusions). It was part of a homebrewed campaign, where they sailed in to ports appearing to be pirates and then burst out into performances to sell tickets. The thing is, they were part of a secret mission to regain a kingdom from a Duke (the late king's brother), led by their captain (the escaped prince). But they were just a plot tool to get the players' characters to join up and begin adventuring. Still, they were alot of fun to use and each had a flamboyance to them.
@0:34 I came out to have a good time and I’m honestly feeling so attacked right now.
I had the idea for a Bard where he was a blacksmith. In everything he made, there a was a story. Every change in the metal, every curve, every striation. It all told it's own life story, it's own world, and every emotion that the maker was feeling as he crafted, multiple sometimes, but an overall sense.
Gosh that Nisa Bard idea is just the cutest thing!! Good ideas overall on the video btw.
This is literally the perfect channel for me… I’ve been wishing I had vids that were like this!!
This was a GREAT first video! You are a FANTASTIC POINT HAT!
And this was just the right time to see this, as I'm super-interested in bards, lately. You're timing is impeccable!
I'm so excited to try this class! I've always wanted to have a bard that dances rather then sings, but wasn't sure how to do that.
This is fantastic it looks amazing and I can't wait to show this off! Thank you!
I’m play a College of Swords Bear Bard. He has a sun sword, trumpet, and focuses spell casting on debuffing enemies. He’s so fun too play
I love playing a valor or lore bard as a butler to one of the other PCs. He fusses over them with healing and buffing, and handles all of the party’s traveling needs as a majordomo instead of an over excited bard of many horns.