College Of Skalds

The College of Skalds is not an institution per se. Rather, it is a body of people dedicated to the living memory of Nordic heroes and leaders. As such, skalds have an amazing capacity to remember things and moreover can be equally cutting in their verse should someone incur their wrath.

Odins Runesongs

When you join the college of skalds, you learn the secrets of runes. You begin with two runes. You can permanently lose a spell slot to learn an additional rune of the appropriate level. See the table below for the level of spell required to learn a rune.

Additionally, at 10th level instead of learning spells from another class you gain knowledge of two additional runes, gaining another rune at 14th and again at 18th level. You can have 1 rune active at 3rd level, 2 at 6th level, 3 at 14th and 4 at 18th level.

College of Skalds

Rune Level	Spell Slot Sacrificed
1st	1st
2nd	2nd
6th	3rd
10th	4th
14th	5th

Bard Level	Runes Known	Runes Active
3rd	2	1
6th	2	2
14th	3	3
18th	4	4

Additionally, you gain access to Odin’s 18 songs in the bardic spell list. You gain proficiency with woodcarver’s tools and smith’s tools; if you already have proficiency in these tools you can pick another tool.

Skalding Words

Also at 3rd level, you learn how to use your wit to distract, confuse, and otherwise sap the confidence and competence of others. When a creature that you can see within 60 feet of you makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a damage roll, you can use your reaction to expend one of your uses of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic Inspiration die and subtracting the number rolled from the creature’s roll. You can choose to use this feature after the creature makes its roll, but before the DM determines whether the attack roll or ability check succeeds or fails, or before the creature deals its damage. The creature is immune if it can’t hear you or if it’s immune to being charmed.

Lord’s Liege

Skalds are valued by lords everywhere for their value in recording and spreading their heroic deeds. At 6th level, you gain proficiency in the Persuasion skill. If you are already proficient in it, you gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Insight, Intimidation, or Performance. Your extensive knowledge causes you to gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws. If you already have this proficiency, you instead gain proficiency in Intelligence of Constitution saving throws (your choice).

Rimur

At 14th level, you exalt an ally with epic poetry that makes them seem majestic and fierce. As a bonus action, you initiate the ally’s majestic presence for 1 minute or until you cannot be heard. For the duration, whenever any creature tries to attack your ally for the first time on a turn, the attacker must make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, it can’t attack the ally on this turn, and it must choose a new target for its attack or the attack is wasted. On a successful save, it can attack the ally on this turn, but it has disadvantage on any saving throw it makes against the ally’s spells on your next turn.

Once the ally assumes this majestic presence, you can’t create another rimur until you finish a short or long rest.