Bards of the College of Asperity learn to choose words with the intention to unsettle and gnaw at the minds of their enemies. With the right insult, comment, or look, these bards are capable of bringing even mighty warriors to their knees through the burden of self-doubt.
When you join the College of Asperity at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill. If you're already proficient in that skill, you instead gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Deception, Insight, or Persuasion. When you make a Charisma (Intimidation) check and roll a 5 or lower on the d20, you can roll your Bardic Inspiration die and add it to the total, without expending a use of your Bardic Inspiration.
Also at 3rd level, you learn the Vicious Mockery cantrip. If you already know this cantrip, you learn a different bard cantrip of your choice. When you cast Vicious Mockery, its damage dice use the same die size as your Bardic Inspiration. Furthermore, when a creature fails its saving throw against this spell, you can expend a use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause it to be poisoned for 1 minute. A creature that can't be poisoned can still be affected in this way unless its Intelligence is 4 or lower.
A creature poisoned in this way makes a Wisdom saving throw against your bard spell save DC at the start of each of its turns. On a failed save, the creature takes psychic damage equal to one roll of your Bardic Inspiration die. On a successful save, it's no longer poisoned.
Starting at 6th level, you learn the Ray of Enfeeblement spell if you don't already know it. In addition, you can cast the spell as a bonus action, without requiring verbal components or concentration. Once a creature has been hit or affected by the spell when cast in this way, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
By 14th level, your spells and needling remarks cut more easily into your enemies. charmed, frightened, and poisoned creatures have disadvantage on saving throws against spells you cast.
In addition, whenever a creature that you can see within 30 feet of you targets you with an attack, you can use your reaction to use your Countercharm feature. When you do, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your bard spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature becomes either charmed by or frightened of you (your choice) until the start of your next turn. If the target becomes charmed, it must choose a new target or lose the triggering attack; if the target becomes frightened, it makes the triggering attack roll with disadvantage. Once a creature succeeds on this saving throw, it's immune to this effect for 24 hours.
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