You can plant suspicion and unease with unnerving ease. You can use an action to frighten a creature into isolation after several minutes of conversation.

When a humanoid dies within 30 feet of you, you can capture its shadow with your reaction and later imitate its appearance and voice for a time.

When an ally fails a roll, she casually offers a few velvet words, a hand on the shoulder, and an unnerving confidence that makes success feel inevitable.

She steps into a room as though the room belongs to her, fixes one target with those red eyes, and turns a promise into a threat without raising her voice.

She smiles as if hearing a private joke, then lets that smile vanish into a colder expression that makes enemies reconsider their courage.

You know three cantrips of your choice from the bard spell list.

You can use a musical instrument, a song, a speech, or any other artistic flourish as your spellcasting focus. Charisma is your spellcasting ability.

You know four 1st-level bard spells of your choice.

You gain proficiency in three skills of your choice.

You can use Bardic Inspiration a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier per long rest. A creature that hears you can add the die to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw within 10 minutes.

You can add half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check that does not already include your proficiency bonus.

You can rest to regain some of your allies' lost strength. Any creature that spends a Hit Die during a short rest regains extra hit points equal to your Bardic Inspiration die.

Choose one skill and one musical instrument or other bardic specialty. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for checks with the chosen skill, and your proficiency is doubled for checks with the chosen specialty. At 10th level you choose two more.

At 3rd level, you join the College of Whispers. You learn how to weaponize reputation, dread, and secrets.

When a creature uses your Bardic Inspiration die, it can also use that die for a damage roll with a weapon attack, adding psychic damage equal to the number rolled.

You gain an Ability Score Improvement. Many bards would raise Charisma or take a feat.

Your Bardic Inspiration die becomes a d8, and you regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Your Bardic Inspiration die increases to a d8.

You can counter magical and mental disturbances with a performance or force of will, ending charm and fear effects on allies more easily.

You gain proficiency with one skill of your choice and one musical instrument or other bardic specialty of your choice? No, at this level the College feature grants Mantle of Whispers, which lets you capture a humanoid's shadow after its death and wear its persona for 1 hour.

You gain an Ability Score Improvement.

Your Bardic Inspiration die becomes a d10.

At 10th level, you gain two additional Expertise choices.

You learn two spells from any class. These spells count as bard spells for you.

Your Song of Rest die becomes a d10.

You gain an Ability Score Improvement.

You gain an Ability Score Improvement.

Your Bardic Inspiration die becomes a d12.

You gain access to a third round of Magical Secrets, learning two more spells from any class.

You gain a feature that lets you force a creature to defend itself by making others believe your chosen lie about it, briefly granting you immense leverage over a target's identity and reputation.

Your Song of Rest die becomes a d12.

You gain a third round of Magical Secrets, learning two more spells from any class.

You gain an Ability Score Improvement.

You can always find a place to perform, and people are predisposed to listen. In any civilized settlement, you can usually secure modest accommodations, food, or a stage in exchange for a performance.