Subclass Bard College of Spirits

What Is the College of Spirits?

The College of Spirits channels random spirit effects through Bardic Inspiration. Channeler at Level 3 grants the Guidance cantrip, while Spirits from Beyond turns every use of Bardic Inspiration into a chance to channel one of ten random spirits — each with its own effect — which you then unleash on a target of your choice. Empowered Channeling at Level 6 adds a damage/healing boost to spellcasting and grants an always-prepared Spirit Guardians.

Class Features

Progression Overview

LEVEL	FEATURE
3	Channeler, Spirits from Beyond
6	Empowered Channeling

Level 3

Channeler

Guiding Whispers. You know the Guidance cantrip. It has a range of 60 feet when you cast it.

Spirits from Beyond When you take a Bonus Action to give a creature a Bardic Inspiration die, you can call forth the powers of a random spirit. To determine the spirit you channel, roll the Bardic Inspiration die and refer to the Spirits from Beyond table. The spirit remains channeled until you unleash it or until you finish a Long Rest.

Controlled Channeling. As a Bonus Action, you can expend a use of your Bardic Inspiration and channel a specific spirit. When you do so, choose the spirit from the Spirits from Beyond table rather than rolling. The chosen spirit's corresponding number must be less than or equal to the highest number on your Bardic Inspiration die; for example, if your Bardic Inspiration die is a d8, you can choose to channel any spirit up to (and including) the Shade.

Unleashing a Spirit. As a Magic action, you can unleash one of your channeled spirits. Choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of yourself as the spirit's target. The spirit then takes effect; if a spirit's effect requires a saving throw, the DC equals your Bard spell save DC.

Spirits from Beyond Table

ROLL	SPIRIT	EFFECT
1	Beloved	The target regains Hit Points equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die plus your Charisma modifier.
2	Sharpshooter	The target takes Force damage equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die plus your Charisma modifier.
3	Avenger	Until the end of your next turn, any creature that hits the target with a melee attack roll takes Force damage equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die.
4	Renegade	Until the end of its turn, the target can use its Reaction to teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
5	Fortune Teller	The target has Advantage on D20 Tests until the start of your next turn.
6	Wayfarer	The target gains Temporary Hit Points equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die plus your Bard level. While the target has these Temporary Hit Points, its Speed increases by 10 feet.
7	Trickster	The target makes a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes Psychic damage equal to two rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die and has the Charmed condition until the start of your next turn. On a success, half damage only.
8	Shade	The target has the Invisible condition until the end of its next turn or until it makes an attack roll, deals damage, or casts a spell. When the invisibility ends, each creature in a 5-foot Emanation from the target must succeed on a Constitution save or take Necrotic damage equal to two rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die.
9	Arsonist	The target makes a Dexterity saving throw, taking Fire damage equal to four rolls of your Bardic Inspiration die on a failed save or half as much on a success.
10	Coward	The target and each creature of your choice in a 30-foot Emanation from the target must succeed on a Wisdom save or have the Frightened condition until the start of your next turn. While Frightened this way, Speed is halved (round down) and the creature can take either an action or a Bonus Action, not both.

Level 6

Empowered Channeling You gain the following benefits.

Power from Beyond. Once per turn, when you cast a Bard spell with a spell slot that deals damage or restores Hit Points, roll 1d6. Add the number rolled to one of the spell's damage rolls or to the total Hit Points it restores.

Spiritual Manifestation. You always have the Spirit Guardians spell prepared. In addition, you gain one 3rd-level spell slot that can be used only to cast Spirit Guardians. You regain this spell slot when you finish a Long Rest.

Playstyle Notes

The College of Spirits is the randomized utility Bard. Spirits from Beyond decouples Bardic Inspiration from its normal use — every time you'd hand out an Inspiration die, you also bank a channeled spirit to unleash later as a Magic action. Rolling gives you one of ten outcomes (healing, damage, buffs, teleport, fear, or invisibility with a damage burst), while Controlled Channeling lets you trade the randomness away by spending a full Inspiration use to pick a specific spirit up to your current die's number — a d6 Bard can only reach Wayfarer, while a d10 Bard (Level 5+) can reach Coward.

Empowered Channeling at Level 6 layers a free 1d6 damage/healing rider onto spellcasting once per turn, and backs it with a dedicated Spirit Guardians slot that doesn't compete with your normal spell slots — giving the College of Spirits a durable AoE damage aura alongside its spirit-channeling identity.