College of Masks

Through acts of great performance and with the utilization of their magical disguises, members of the College of Masks have learned to draw on the powers of the creatures they portray. The masks they carry with them represent the faces of various persons and creatures one might encounter in the world, and portraying them is everything to these bards. They perform these creatures so well that they are able to take on part of their characteristics when portraying them, giving the bard some of their abilities to use for themselves.

College of Masks Features
Bard Level Feature
3rd Bonus Proficiencies, Concealing Persona
6th Intangible Guise
14th Myriad of Masks

Bonus Proficiencies

When you join the College of Masks at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the disguise kit, and the Deception skill. You also gain proficiency with one of the following tools: leatherworker’s tools, woodcarver’s tools, or painter’s supplies.

Concealing Persona

Also at 3rd level, you learn how to craft and maintain magical masks depicting creatures and people of various types and power. While you are wearing a mask, you can draw on some of the power of the mask’s persona, granting yourself unique benefits. The list of available masks can be found at the end of this subclass.

Any benefits gained from a mask is present only for as long as you wear that particular mask. If a mask grants you the knowledge of new spells, you only know them as long as you wear the mask, and you must expend a spell slot to cast them unless stated otherwise or if the spell is a cantrip. These spells count as bardic spells for you as long as you are wearing the appropriate mask, and any new cantrips doesn’t count against your number of cantrips known.

When you join this College, you learn how to create 2 masks of your choice, and you learn a 3rd at 6th level and a 4th at 14th level. When you learn to create a new mask, you may replace a previously learned mask with a new one.

Creating a mask requires 8 hours of work and 50 gold pieces worth of materials. When you have created a mask, the mask is uniquely tied to you, meaning that no other creature can use the masks you have crafted. These masks offer more potent abilities when you reach 6th level with this class in addition to those already granted by the mask, as you gain a greater understanding of the nature of the various creatures depicted on your masks.

Equipping a mask requires a bonus action, as does switching masks.

Intangible Guise

Starting at 6th level, while you are wearing a mask you can use an action and expend a Bardic inspiration die to cast disguise self without expending a spell slot. The spell remains in effect for 1 hour, until you dismiss it as an action, or until your mask is removed.

Myriad of Masks

At 14th level, your masks can meld together, creating new visages. You can now wear two masks at the same time, letting them merge together, giving you the benefits of both while wearing only one. If you use your bonus action to switch out a mask, you can only switch out one of the two masks you are wearing.

Masks

The masks are presented in alphabetical order.

Beast. Jagged paint marks a set of snarling fangs and rough fur on this wooden mask, making it look like a wild animal. While wearing this mask, you know the primal savagery cantrip. You also know the spells animal friendship, longstrider and speak with animals. Upon reaching 6th level, you move with an primal unpredictability, making you harder to hit. While you are not wearing heavy or medium armor, you may add a bonus to your AC equal to half of your proficiency bonus, rounded down.

Dragon. Hard scales formed from shining metals gives this mask the appearance of dragon scales. While wearing this mask, you can speak, read, and write Draconic, and you have advantage on Charisma checks against draconic creatures, such as dragons, wyverns and kobolds. You also have advantage on Intelligence checks to recall information about dragons. Upon reaching 6th level, you gain an eerie control over the nature of your mask. As an action, you may change the color of the metals on the masks to one from the list below, gaining resistance to the damage type associated with the chosen color.

Color Damage Type
Black Acid
Blue Lightning
Green Poison
Red Fire
White Cold

Dryad. Green leaves and bright flower petals create a motley of natural colors on this face of a beautiful dryad. While wearing this mask, you can speak, read, and write Sylvan. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep. You also know the cantrip druidcraft. Upon reaching 6th level, you gain a greater understanding of the nature of the dryad’s innate magic. You know the spells barkskin and pass without a trace, and you can cast one of these once per short rest without expending a spell slot.

Fiend. Horns, teeth, and hide made from leather, obsidian, and iron, create a mask reassembling a fiendish character. While wearing this mask, you can speak, read, and write Abyssal and Infernal, and you have advantage on Intelligence checks to recall information about fiends. Upon reaching 6th level, you take on more of the physical stature of a fiend. While wearing this mask, you have resistance to cold and fire damage.

Mage. A mask made out of flowing cloth in hues of blue and purple, reassembles the face of a humanoid figure. Sparks trail at the ends of the fabric, giving off a faint glow. While wearing this mask, you know the spells expeditious retreat, grease, magic missile and unseen servant. Upon reaching 6th level, you also know the spells blur, rope trick and scorching ray.

Phoenix. Red and golden plates of metal and fabric makes it look as if this mask is made out of sharp feathers. While wearing this mask you embody part of the rebirthing features of the phoenix. You have advantage on death saving throws, and should you be subjected to an effect that would turn you to ash or otherwise pulverize you, your body remains intact. Upon reaching 6th level, you are under the effects of the death ward spell the first time you put on this mask after you have finished a long rest.

Shadow. A smooth, black mask made of leather and marked with gray stitches makes a visage of a shadowy figure. While wearing this mask, shadows seem to pull at the edges of your body, giving you proficiency in the Stealth skill. You also have advantage on Stealth checks while in dim light. Upon reaching 6th level, you can use an action to pull a long knife made of solidified darkness out of the shadows. You are proficient in this weapon. The knife uses the stats of a dagger, but is considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances and immunities, and you use your Charisma when rolling to hit and determining damage. If you drop or throw away the knife, it will disappear after one minute of leaving your hand. You can dismiss the knife as a free action, even if you are not currently touching it.

Warrior. Pieces of leather strung together with metal rings shape this mask into the face of a hardened warrior. While wearing this mask, you have proficiency with martial weapons. Upon reaching 6th level, you have proficiency with heavy armor while wearing this mask.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Aaralyn’s Stolen Notes to Velea Copyright 2018 Anne Gregersen Author Anne Gregersen