Bards of the College of the Black Parade turn mourning into a march that keeps the living moving. Their music does not command the dead; it gives grief a rhythm, steadies frightened allies, and makes retreat feel like a procession rather than a rout. In battle, they are protective support performers who blunt harm and help companions reposition.
A funeral march for the fallen, and a marching song for those who remain.
Protective support and mobile battlefield morale
At a glance
Hit die d8
Charisma
DexteritySubclass of Bard
When a creature you can see within 60 feet takes damage, you can take a Reaction and expend one use of Bardic Inspiration to reduce that damage by the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die plus your Charisma modifier (minimum reduction of 1). The protected creature can then move up to 10 feet without provoking Opportunity Attacks. This movement must end in a space it can occupy.
When you give a creature Bardic Inspiration, you can let it hear the marching rhythm of your music. Until the start of your next turn, that creature can move through the space of any willing creature, and its Speed increases by 10 feet. This does not allow it to end its turn in another creature’s space.
While a creature has one of your Bardic Inspiration dice, it has Advantage on saving throws it makes to avoid or end the Frightened condition. In addition, when you or an ally within 30 feet succeeds on a saving throw to avoid or end the Frightened condition, you can use your Reaction to grant that creature Temporary Hit Points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). You can grant these Temporary Hit Points only once per turn.
As a Bonus Action, you begin a solemn chorus that lasts for 1 minute, ending early if you have the Incapacitated condition. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest. When the chorus begins, choose up to six creatures you can see within 30 feet of yourself. Each chosen creature gains Temporary Hit Points equal to your Bard level. While the chorus lasts, when a chosen creature within 30 feet of you would be reduced to 0 Hit Points but not killed outright, you can take a Reaction and expend one use of Bardic Inspiration to cause it to drop to 1 Hit Point instead. Once a creature benefits from this protection, it can’t benefit from it again until it finishes a Long Rest.
CharismaDexterityHit pointsAs a Bard: d8 Hit Die per Bard level.
Saving throwsAs a Bard: proficiency in Dexterity and Charisma saving throws. No additional saving throw proficiencies.
TrainingNo additional proficiencies. You retain the Bard’s armor, weapon, tool, and skill proficiencies.
ResourceBardic Inspiration: features expend uses of this Bard class resource according to the Bard’s normal rules.
MulticlassingThis subclass grants no new ability-score prerequisites or proficiencies beyond those of the Bard. It uses Bardic Inspiration, which follows the Bard’s normal number of uses and recovery rules.
You use the Bard’s normal Spellcasting feature and spell progression.
This subclass grants no additional spells or spell slots.
Bards of the College of the Black Parade turn mourning into a march that keeps the living moving.
Their music does not command the dead; it gives grief a rhythm, steadies frightened allies, and makes retreat feel like a procession rather than a rout. In battle, they are protective support performers who blunt harm and help companions reposition.
You play as a protective support Bard.
Keep allies within reach, use Procession’s Measure to blunt a dangerous hit and reposition its target, and time Bardic Inspiration so its movement benefit helps the group keep pace. Your strongest protection rewards awareness and teamwork rather than dealing extra damage.
Aspiring members often begin by learning funeral songs, keeping memorial records, and accompanying experienced performers on journeys to sites of loss.
Initiation usually requires a public performance for a grieving community, offered without payment or demand for praise. The colleges teach that the music honors the dead but serves the living.
People often welcome these Bards at funerals, disaster sites, and hospitals, but their black costumes can make them seem like ill omens.
Veterans and refugees may trust them quickly; the bereaved may need time before accepting their music.
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