Harlequin

They say that the first “harlequin” was a certain Alichino (“bentwings”), a malebranche escaped from Inferno and rumored to have started roaming the Kingdom with a company of street actors, bringing villages an unprecedented type of performance with colorful costumes, gibes, take-downs, pranks, and pirouettes. His showy attire and dark, mask-like face paved the way for all future Harlequins, the costumed characters of the Comedy of Art, performers of canovaccio shows on stage and street, each with a typical, caricatural name, personality, and appearance.

Harlequins are so widespread that every city or region has its typical masks; many thespian companies stage harlequinades, whose best actors are celebrated and sought-after by prestigious theaters; meanwhile, scores of playwrights are penning increasingly elaborate costumed shows. 

Bards, comedians, acrobats, and entertainers who favor this kind of show over more classical musical performances are now generically known as “harlequins”, and are members of College of Carnival, an informal union of such artists, mimes, and actors.

Harlequinades have a host of different masks and their best actors are always inventing new ones. Though staged all year round, these shows are typical of Kingdom's Carnevale.

The most famous of these masks are Hunterine and Redmoustache; Skillet and Ovenbird; Doctor Longjohns; Redingotte and his Minions; Scroogey and the Waifs; Calandron, and many others. Harlequins are free to invent or modify their masks and choose their names and special characteristics.

A typical tool used by harlequins is the slapstick, a perfectly harmless truncheon-like object that emits a loud clacking noise, distracting spectators and making them laugh.

The Harlequin Table

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Battle Hymns
1	+2	Art Speciality, Bardic Inspiration (d6), Battle Hymn, Spellcasting	1
2	+2	Jack-of-All-Trades, Showoff, Varied Expertise (1)	1
3	+2	College of Carnival, Slapstick, Unarmored Defense	1
4	+2	Ability Score Improvement, Bardic Legend, Battle Hymn Focus	2
5	+3	Bardic Inspiration (d8), Font of Inspiration, Key Change	2
6	+3	Honeyed Words, Silence Please, Varied Expertise (2), Widely Known	2

Class Features
As a harlequin, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per harlequin level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per harlequin level after 1st

Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
Tools: Two musical instruments of your choice, or 1 musical instrument and any other tool
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
Skills: Choose any three

Equipment
You begin the game with 135 silver which you can spend on your knave's starting weapons, armor, and adventuring gear. You can only purchase shoddy quality equipment.

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Level 1

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Art Speciality
No bard is complete without their instrument. Be it a flute, a lute, or even your own voice, you learn how to make art your greatest weapon for influencing the battlefield. For the purposes of spellcasting, any musical instrument that you have proficiency with counts as a spell focus. Although spells can be cast without these instruments, only targets that are able to perceive your performance can benefit from this feature. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, choose one of the following to be your Art Specialty.

Percussion (Casabas, Castanets, Drums, Maracas). Any instrument played by being struck or scraped (either by other instruments or against each other) qualifies as a percussion instrument. When using this musical art as a spell focus, you double the ranges of bard spells from the sound school. A sound spell that has a range of touch increases its range to 30 feet.

String Instruments (Harp, Lute, Lyre, Violin, Dulcimer). String instruments are played by plucking and twanging strings. When using this musical art as a spell focus, whenever you cast a bard spell from the movement or teleportation school you can target an additional creature within 15 feet of you.

Visual (Calligraphy, Dance, Light Manipulation, Shapes). There are many ways to undertake a visual performance whether through illustration, illusion magic, or legerdemain. When using this art as a spell focus, whenever you cast a bard spell you may choose to make an ally able to see you the point of origin of that spell. You must be able to see any targets of the spell.

Voice (Humming, Insults, Oration, Singing). When using this musical art as a spell focus, you have advantage on checks made to maintain concentration on a bard spell.

Wind Instruments (Flute, Horn, Ocarina, Trombone, Bagpipes). Any instrument played by passing air through it qualifies as a wind instrument. When using this musical art as a spell focus, whenever you cast a bard spell you can make a Deception or Performance check. Any observers with a passive Insight score equal to or less than the result of your check do not see or hear you cast the spell. Once you have used this feature three times, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.

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Bardic Inspiration (d6)
You have a preternatural ability to inspire those around you. You can use a bonus action to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear or see you. That creature gains one Bardic Inspiration die, a d6.

Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the outcome of the roll is announced. Once the Bardic Inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Bardic Inspiration die at a time.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

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Battle Hymn
Like music, battle can be wild and chaotic, and through the sensible use of formula and talent order can be brought with a dedicated change of tune. You learn a battle hymn. It can be expressed in any way you like—a special leitmotif in your music, a change in pitch, or even a more advanced version of your favorite art.

Once at the start of your turn, you can activate a battle hymn by expending a use of Bardic Inspiration (no action is required). Performing a battle hymn requires your concentration, as though you were casting a spell. Once activated, a battle hymn continues until you lose concentration or the start of your next turn.

The number of battle hymns you know are listed in the Battle Hymns Known column of the Harlequin table. Whenever you gain a harlequin level, you may swap one battle hymn you know for a new battle hymn.

Audience. Unless stated otherwise a battle hymn does not have a target until you choose one, and each targets a single creature within 30 feet. You may choose to target a creature at any point, but after targeting a battle hymn its target cannot be changed.

Sustained Song. When you have an activated battle hymn but have not chosen a creature to benefit from it yet, at the start of your turn when it would end you can instead choose to sustain the battle hymn until the start of your next turn without expending a use of Bardic Inspiration.

Table: Battle Hymns

Harlequin Level	Battle Hymns
1st - 4th	Harmony of Pain. The creature gains a number of temporary hit points equal to your Bardic Inspiration die. Overbearing Rhythm. An attacker targeting the creature has disadvantage on its attack roll. Song of Clarity. At the start of the creature’s turn, if it is not at 0 hit points the creature may expend and roll one of its hit dice to regain hit points.
5th - 6th	Bastions of Justice. The creature gains a bonus to saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum +1). Call to Arms. The creature can roll one additional weapon damage die on its weapon attacks. If the creature makes weapon attacks on its next turn and misses, you can sustain this battle hymn without expending a use of Bardic Inspiration. Placid Tones. The creature gains a knack die on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma checks.

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Spellcasting
You have developed a talent for creating magic through artistic expression, whether that be a melody made enchanted or a dance that unlocks power from beyond the mortal realms.

Table: Harlequin Spellcasting

Level	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	1st	2nd	3rd
1st	2	4	2	-	-
2nd	2	5	3	-	-
3rd	2	6	4	2	-
4th	3	7	4	3	-
5th	3	8	4	3	2
6th	3	9	4	3	3

Cantrips
At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the bard spell list. You learn additional bard cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Harlequin Spellcasting table.

Spell Slots
The Harlequin Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st-level and higher. To cast one of these bard spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

Spells Known at 1st-Level and Higher
You know four 1st-level spells of your choice from the bard spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Harlequin Spellcasting table shows when you learn more bard spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st- or 2nd-level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the bard spells you know and replace it with another spell from the bard spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Ritual Casting
You can cast any bard spell you know as a ritual if it has the ritual tag.

Spellcasting Ability
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your bard spells, as your magic is fueled by how you express your inner self upon the world. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a bard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier 

Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus or Art Speciality as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells.

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Level 2

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Jack-of-all-Trades
Whenever you make an ability check with a skill or tool you are not proficient with, you add half your proficiency bonus (rounded down).

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Showoff
Choose one skill you are proficient with. You gain a knack die on checks made using the chosen skill. 

In addition, when you succeed on an Acrobatics or Athletics check to climb, balance, leap over danger, or otherwise physically overcome an obstacle, a number of allies equal to your proficiency bonus gain advantage on the same check made to overcome the same obstacle.

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Varied Expertise (1)
Choose one skill or tool you are proficient with. You gain a knack die on checks made using the chosen skill or tool.

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Level 3

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College of Carnival
You gain proficiency with the disguise kit, weaver's tools, and one type of gaming set.

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Slapstick
When you are attacked by a creature, you can use your reaction to expend one of your uses of Bardic Inspiration, to distract the opponent, which must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be charmed until its next turn and lose its current attack.

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Unarmored Defense
While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Charisma modifier.

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Level 4

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Ability Score Increase
You can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or increase two ability scores of your choice 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

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Bardic Legend
No one is a true artist until others appreciate their work. Through the course of your career as a bard your talent can attract to your doorstep both the most curious of fans and also the vilest of enemies. 

You write a bardic tale of your adventures. Your bardic legend takes whatever form you like. When you enter a settlement and spend a day playing or recounting the tale, the reputation of you and your allies starts to grow. In addition to receiving local quests suited to the exploits detailed in your bardic legend, when you rest in a settlement that knows your bardic legend you and your allies regain all spent Hit Dice over the course of a long rest. In addition, you gain a knack die on Notoriety checks made in the settlement.

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Battle Hymn Focus
As soon as battle commences your mind focuses on inspiring your allies. At the end of another creature’s turn, you can use your reaction to activate a battle hymn. This battle hymn replaces any currently activated battle hymns. Replacing an activated battle hymn does not require expending a use of Bardic Inspiration if it has no target yet.

In addition, choose one of the following.

• Your battle hymns no longer require concentration.
• Your battle hymns can affect a number of additional creatures equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
• You learn an additional battle hymn that does not count against the number of battle hymns you can know. When choosing this battle hymn, you may also select from one of the following:

Heaven’s Blessing. When the creature benefits from your Bardic Inspiration, it rolls the Bardic Inspiration die twice and uses the higher result.

Ode of Blood. If the creature is dying, it continues making death saving throws but stops being incapacitated for up to 3 rounds. The creature becomes incapacitated if it takes any damage, and it dies if it fails its last death saving throw. Once a creature has benefited from this battle hymn, it can’t benefit from it again until it finishes a short or long rest.

Willful Serenade.  Until the end of the combat, the creature ignores up to 4 levels of fatigue or strife it is suffering from (how much of each to ignore is determined by the creature).

Whenever you gain a harlequin level, you may change your Battle Hymn Focus. If you change your Battle Hymn Focus, you forget the additional battle hymn.

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Level 5

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Bardic Inspiration (d8)
Your Bardic Inspiration die increases to d8.

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Font of Inspiration
You regain all expended uses of Bardic Inspiration whenever you finish a short rest.

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Key Change
You can use a bonus action to switch instruments and change your Art Speciality. Once you have used this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

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Level 6

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Honeyed Words
You learn to weave magic directly into your very words and gesticulations. When you cast a bard spell, you can replace any vocalized components with speech and any seen components with gestures. Any observers with a passive Insight score equal to or less than your passive Deception score or passive Persuasion score do not see or hear you cast the spell. If you are making a Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion check as part of your speech or gestures, the effects of the spell occur before the check is made.

Once you have used this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.

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Silence Please
You can cast the silence spell with this feature, a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier. When you cast any spell that requires a verbal component, you can replace it with a somatic component. Also, your Bardic Inspiration targets don't need to hear you, as long as they can see you.

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Varied Expertise (2)
Choose one skill or tool you are proficient with. You gain a knack die on checks made using the chosen skill or tool.

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Widely Known
You do not have disadvantage on Notoriety checks made outside the area described by your Notoriety rating.