As an action, you project a soothing performance that helps allies withstand fear and charm effects.

You can inspire others through stirring words or music. As a bonus action, choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet that can hear you, granting it one Bardic Inspiration die. A creature can add the die to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes within 10 minutes. The die is a d12 at 15th level. You have 5 uses, equal to your Charisma modifier, and regain all uses on a short or long rest.

When you grant Bardic Inspiration, your words can sting with impossible certainty. The target subtracts the die from its next saving throw against one of your spells or features before the end of your next turn.

You can twist the air with summer-fey magic to teleport in a burst of seasonal brilliance.

You are a d8 Hit Die class. At 1st level you gain proficiency with light armor, simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, and shortswords, plus three musical instruments of your choice.

You know two cantrips from the bard spell list, and you know and can prepare a number of bard spells from the bard spell list as shown on the bard table. You use Charisma as your spellcasting ability.

You gain proficiency in any three skills of your choice.

You can add half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check that doesn't already include your proficiency bonus.

You can use a musical instrument or a charming performance to help allies recover. When any friendly creatures can hear your performance during a short rest, they regain additional hit points equal to one Bardic Inspiration die.

Choose a Bard College. You gain features from that college at this level and again at levels 6 and 14.

You may choose to become a powerful specialist in a pair of skills, doubling your proficiency bonus with them.

Beginning at 3rd level, your Bardic Inspiration can take the form of sharply honed language. When a creature adds your Bardic Inspiration die to a Charisma check, it can roll the die after seeing the d20 but before the DM says whether it succeeds or fails, and can treat a roll of 9 or lower on the Bardic Inspiration die as a 10.

Starting at 6th level, when you roll initiative and have no uses of Bardic Inspiration remaining, you regain one use.

You gain a second pair of skills with Expertise, doubling your proficiency bonus with them as well.

Starting at 10th level, you learn two additional spells from any class, known as Magical Secrets.

At 10th level you also gain a third pair of Expertise skills.

At 10th level your Bardic Inspiration die improves to d10.

At 14th level, your Bardic Inspiration becomes a thing of irresistible consensus. Creatures can use your die on Charisma checks after seeing the roll, and any die roll of 9 or lower becomes a 10. When a creature fails an ability check while benefiting from your Bardic Inspiration, it can keep the inspiration die.

You learn two more spells from any class.

At 14th level your Bardic Inspiration die improves to d12.

At 18th level you learn two final spells from any class.

At 20th level, when you roll initiative and have no Bardic Inspiration uses remaining, you regain two uses instead of one.

You are a trusted member of a guild, and can gain access to powerful contacts, lodging, and support among fellow artisans and merchants who respect your craft and reputation.