When I first came to Oberlin, I was worried that it might be difficult to make friends and find people who shared interests with me. I had never been particularly extroverted, and especially not around new people, and when I arrived on campus for first-year orientation Oberlin felt massive, full of unfamiliar faces and places.
By the first week of class, I had already found a D&D group, and we had our first session scheduled. Whatever witchcraft they use to put together the PAL groups had worked like a charm, and within a month of arriving at Oberlin I had a group of seven friends, all drawn together by our shared love of Tabletop Roleplaying Games. That campaign we started the first week of class is still running to this day, and as the end of our last semester and our final sessions approach, I've realized just how many doors have been opened and friendships forged around the game table in my time at Oberlin. To that end, I offer the first in a set of D&D 5th Edition subclasses designed to pay homage to all the many facets of the Oberlin experience.
Enjoy!
College of Oberlin Bard
All bards draw on the magic of the world around them, whether they shape it through song, dance, poetry, or another artistic medium altogether. Bards of the College of Oberlin, however, know that this magic is strongest where many artists gather together, and they have learned to channel the centuries of latent creativity that musicians and performers have imbued into the essence of Oberlin College.
Study Break
3rd level College of Oberlin Feature
You have learned to invoke your mystical connection to Oberlin’s campus to find quiet places to study and practice wherever you go. As an action, you can transport yourself to a magical demiplane that resembles one of the following spaces. You can remain inside the demiplane for a number of hours equal to twice your proficiency bonus, after which you return to the space you previously occupied. You exit the demiplane early if you use your bonus action to leave it or if you drop to 0 hit points.
Robertson Practice Room. This demiplane resembles a small practice room. It is always slightly warmer or colder (your choice) than you would really like, and the comforting sounds of other musicians practicing surround you. If you spend at least 1 hour practicing a musical instrument in this demiplane, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Bard level, and you have advantage on Charisma (Performance) checks until you finish a long rest.
Mudd Womb Chair. This demiplane resembles a spherical chair with a deep cavity large enough to comfortably fit a single person, surrounded by a quiet library. If you spend at least 1 hour studying in this demiplane, you gain proficiency with one skill or tool of your choice until you finish a long rest, and you have advantage on Intelligence (History) and Intelligence (Arcana) checks until you finish a long rest.
You can use this feature once, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest.
Community of Inspiration
3rd level College of Oberlin Feature
Your time at Oberlin has taught you to take inspiration from the people around you. Whenever an ally you can see or hear uses one of your bardic inspiration dice on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can gain a bardic inspiration die if you don’t have one already.
Beyond the Campus
6th level College of Oberlin Feature
Your connection to Oberlin’s community now extends beyond the boundaries of its campus. When you use your Study Break feature, you can now travel to one of the following demiplanes.
Slow Train Cafe. This demiplane resembles a table at a cozy cafe with excellent scones, surrounded by the chatter of a busy morning. If you spend at least 1 hour studying or relaxing in this demiplane, and consume at least 1 cup of coffee, you gain advantage on saving throws against Exhaustion until you finish a long rest.
Blue Rooster Bakery. This demiplane resembles a small bakery with a truly dazzling selection of baked goods. If you spend at least 1 hour deliberating about what pastries to buy, you can add 1d8 to the healing rolls of your spells and abilities until you finish a long rest.
For Ewe Fiber Arts. This demiplane resembles a wonderful knit and crochet shop with truly so many different kinds of yarn for sale. If you spend at least 1 hour perusing the yarn or chatting with the staff, you gain advantage on all ability checks using tools until you finish a long rest. If you are wearing any hand-knitted clothing or equipment, your Armor Class increases by 2 until you finish a long rest.
Locus of Community
14th level College of Oberlin Feature
Your connection to the people and places around you has grown stronger over the years you have spent at Oberlin. When you use your Study Break feature, you can transport a number of willing companions equal to your Charisma modifier to your chosen demiplane. Those companions also gain the benefits of that demiplane, and if you all spend at least an hour together inside the demiplane, your hit point maximum and current hit points each increase by 10 until you finish a long rest.
