Homebrew:College of the Requiem
(OOC: This is an implementation of the College of the Requiem subclass from Tasha's Crucible of Everything Else volume 1)
Base Class: Bard
Bards of the College of the Requiem, often called lamenters, eulogists, or requiem singers, regardless of whether or not their requiem involves any singing, dedicate themselves to all things pertaining to death. This branches out into several different paths as some prefer funerary rites, while others keep the unnatural undead at bay. Other requiem singers still, have been known to turn this power to the bolstering of undeath, and as such, you can even see requiem singers in the armies of evil rulers that rely on the dead to bolster their ranks.
Bards of this college are a varied bunch, turning their talents to the requiem of the dead for different reasons.
In Eberron, a requiem singer could be found amongst the ranks of Karrnath's death knights and skeleton soldiers. While a requiem singer could just as easily be found in Thrane, trying to hold off the undead of Karrnath.
In Faerun, requiem singers that bolster undead are not uncommon in Thay amongst those that wish to serve but choose not to become true Thayan wizards. And organizations like the Harpers always could use more requiem singers to keep the hordes of undead away from civilized lands.
In Theros, bards of this college might be tasked with keeping the returned from running amok in the various city-states, while a group of returned could in turn be led by a particularly charismatic returned who is themself a requiem singer.
In Ravnica, city of guilds, the guild most likely to have a member turn to this particularly niche style of music is the Rakdos. Music has long been a part of the demonic carnarium and leading the dead in a song and dance like grim puppets suits the sense of humor of the Rakdos quite well. However, the Golgari and Orzhov guilds wouldn't be too far a stretch for one of this college as well.
Requiem Magic
3rd-level College of the Requiem feature
You learn the two cantrips spare the dying and chill touch. You learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the College of the Requiem Spells table. These spells count as a bard spell for you, but don't count against the number of bard spells you know.
| Bard Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | gentle repose, ray of enfeeblement |
| 5th | animate dead, magic circle |
| 7th | aura of life, blight |
| 9th | antilife shell, danse macabre |
Dealing with Death
3rd-level College of the Requiem feature
Spells cast by you can affect the undead as though they weren't undead. Additionally, when a creature uses bardic inspiration granted by you, if they are undead or are using it against an undead creature, they can roll the inspiration die twice and use the higher result.
Moment of Silence
6th-level College of the Requiem feature
When a creature within 60 feet of you is reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to cast the silence spell with a radius of 60 feet, centered on the creature, which will last until the start of your next turn. The silence lasts for up to one minute, still requiring concentration. Once you have used this feature, you may not do so again until you finish a long rest.
Rest in Peace
6th-level College of the Requiem feature
When you use your Song of Rest feature during a short rest, you can create a magical barrier to protect you and your allies for the duration of the short rest. Undead creatures cannot willingly come within 60 feet of you by nonmagical means, unless you permit them to do so. If an undead creature tries to use teleportation or interplanar travel to do so, it must first succeed on a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. Undead that are already within 60 feet of you when you use this feature are immune to this effect. Once you have used this feature, you may not do so again until you finish a long rest. Additionally, when undead creatures would regain hit points from your song of rest feature, they can also gain temporary hit points equal to the amount of hit points gained.
| A bard that can bore you to death and then raise you from it. Wonderful. |
| TASHA |
Death's Grip
14th-level College of the Requiem feature
As an action on your turn you can cast one of the following spells without requiring material components: mass suggestion (only being able to target undead creatures), finger of death, or raise dead. Once you have used this feature for any of these options, you may not do so again for any of them until you finish a long rest.