Bard Subclass Design

Creating subclasses for the spellcasting classes is a tricky proposition. Access to full casting (spell slots equal to a cleric or wizard) consumes an enormous amount of a class’s total power budget. You have little space for additional benefits.

When building a subclass, you have three basic approaches. One path adds benefits on top of the class’s existing features. For example, a subclass feature could provide a damage bonus to a class’s spells or attacks. This kind of feature provides a net increase in the class’s power. The character’s existing features grow more powerful. Classes without spellcasting, or with reduced casting, usually have subclass features designed this way.

For classes like the bard, subclasses are best designed by giving new ways to use their existing features. This method makes it more likely that you can keep a class’s power in line.

The alternate path is to give new uses for existing resources. For a caster, you might give a feature that allows them to spend spell slots or some other resource to create effects. If you balance the feature to make an efficient use of the resource, the character’s raw power remains mostly the same. Flexibility does make a character useful across more situations, so you have to keep in mind how a feature overlaps with other classes and character archetypes.

This approach is most useful when balancing combat abilities. A character is limited to one action per turn (usually!), so adding more options that compete with existing ones usually keeps a character balanced.

The final approach is for a subclass to give a new set of features that expands the scope of its class. This style gives a class new benefits but balances them so that they are equal to the at-will abilities of the class. The character gains broader features but their power level remains the same.

Performative Arts

Luckily, the Bardic Inspiration class feature gives you a flexible mechanic that you can use to express a subclass’s flavor. Looking at the existing bard subclasses, many of them give additional ways to use that mechanic. In its base form, it provides a bonus to ability checks, attack rolls, or saving throws. You can express a particular subclass’s specialization by expanding its application to more situations or finding new ways to use the mechanic.

Best of all, it’s easy to understand the balance for a new use of Bardic Inspiration. The core mechanic gives you the chance to turn a success into a failure. In terms of power, it has high utility for players but it is limited by the power of the outcome you have shifted. A 3rd-level character might turn a missed attack into a hit, but the attack still deals damage typical for that level.

When thinking of balance, then, treat a use of Bardic Inspiration as roughly equal to an at-will attack that a character of a given level can use. Importantly, a new use of bardic inspiration should have some element of scaling. A character’s at-will attacks improve with level, so the benefits of Bardic Inspiration should have an innate improvement. Conditions, penalties and bonuses, and similar effects are good options.

Generalist to Specialist

Traditionally, bards have been the most flexible character class in the game. They have magic, fighting ability, and skills. A bard subclass typically provides a character the chance to specialize in a specific area. Where other classes tend to specialize within their area, bards can gain lesser versions of features reserved for other classes.

This design approach is flavorful, but keep in mind that the bard should always have some weakness compared to the class or archetype they dabble in. Since the bard has full access to spellcasting, they already have plenty of power to wield. The subclass is a great place to give features that broaden the bard’s abilities without giving a significant power up.

Features and Structure

Here is how the bard subclass structure breaks down by level and typical features.

3rd Level: Specialization

Both the College of Valor and College of Lore grant additional proficiencies at 3rd level that speak to their flavor. This feature highlights the bard’s ability to master new things and develop a broad skill set. Tools, weapons, armor, and skills are all good options to expand the bard’s capabilities.

If proficiencies don’t work with your concept, consider adding cantrips from other classes or other, at-will features. The bard subclass should give the character broader talents without increasing their raw power.

Both subclasses also give new uses for Bardic Inspiration. These benefits are tricky to balance, as the core mechanic already covers most rolls that characters make. The College of Valor improves a character’s damage, which is probably about as much of a strict damage buff you want this mechanic to confer. In comparison, the College of Lore’s ability to grant a penalty to an opponent, as opposed to a bonus to an ally, keeps the power level consistent but adds a notable expansion to Bardic Inspiration’s use. You can design new uses of Bardic Inspiration that don’t require a die roll, though try to allow the die to play some sort of role in the effect.

You can also create a limited use feature or a static benefit to something that is not in the bard’s core competency. This approach allows the bard, usually a generalist, to specialize in a specific area. For example, the College of Swords gives the bard limited access to the Fighting Style feature. Dabbling in other classes is a good model for the bard. If you can find similar ways to cross over between classes, be sure to do so in a way that augments something outside of the bard’s core competency. In this case, the College of Swords gives the bard better close combat ability but keeps the bard lagging behind the fighter’s AC and hit points.

6th Level: Deeper Specialization

6th level is a good place to emphasize the subclass’s specialization, the key distinction that allows this specific bard to focus on a specific approach or mechanic. Extra Attack is a great example of a 6th-level bard feature. It allows a combat-focused bard to keep pace with a fighter or barbarian, while still preserving the drawback of their lower AC and hit points.

This is also a good spot to introduce a wholly new mechanic that reflects a bard specialization that sits outside of an existing class. In general, this effect should be equivalent to the at-will power a character of the bard’s level can wield. For a limited use effect, look at a benefit that is about equivalent to a 1st or 2nd level spell. The narrower the ability, the more powerful you can make it, but avoid anything that feels better than a 3rd or 4th level spell.

14th Level: Grand Finale

The bard’s 14th level ability is a tricky one to get right. Ideally, this feature rewards the bard for pursuing their specialization. The College of Valor gives an attack as a bonus action when casting a bard spell, allowing the bard to use their weapons even when they turn to their magic. The College of Lore grants the bard unmatched flexibility in using Bardic Inspiration for their own benefit.

Other subclasses give limited use abilities that represent the bard’s mastery of their chosen specialization. Remember, since the bard is already a full casting class this benefit should be balanced with what the bard can already do. If the bard regains the feature on a short rest, keep it equal to about a 2nd or 3rd level spell. For something that requires a long rest to regain, limit it to about a 3rd or 4th level spell.

Bonus Topic: Narrow and Broad Design

A few Patreon backers asked about how broadly applicable a subclass design should be. Does it make more sense to create something that has a specific, narrow role, or a subclass that has a tool kit applicable across many situations?

The answer comes down to the role played by a subclass. Any of the full casters, such as the cleric or druid, have enough power in their core class that they can afford to have narrower subclasses. Since spells can be useful in any situation, you can trust a player to cover a variety of situations with their spell selection. Their subclass can be narrow, as a full caster that misses out on a subclass still has plenty of power to draw on.

The other classes depend more on their subclass to provide power. For example, the barbarian needs their subclass to give a boost to their Rage equal to about +1d6 damage per round. Make that benefit too narrow, or forgo it in place of something more situational, and the subclass lags behind its peers.

For a class that needs its subclass to deliver added power, consider nesting a specialization within a feature that grants the power it needs. Going back to the barbarian example, a rage benefit might give a static benefit against all creatures and an added benefit in the barbarian’s specialty. A giant slayer barbarian might get a damage bonus against all creatures and double that bonus against Huge or larger foes.