The Street Beat

Bards of the Street Beat are lyrical tacticians, masters of flow, rhythm, and poetic precision. In alley corners, palace courts, or enchanted cipher circles, they turn verses into violence and bars into brilliance. Their Rap Books are sacred grimoires, filled with punchlines so sharp they cut reality and rebuttals so clean they steal spells from the air.

(3rd Level)

Cipher Initiate

Rap Book

You create and maintain a magical Rap Book, a lyrical codex of punchlines, flows, and counter-rhymes. It serves as:

• Your spellcasting focus, and
• A repository for battle bars, verses you compose over time.

During each long rest, you can scribe 1 verse into your Rap Book by spending 10 minutes writing or freestyling. A verse can take one of the following forms:

• Punchline: When you hit a creature with a Bard spell or weapon attack, you may expend a Bardic Inspiration die to deal psychic damage equal to the die and inflict Disadvantage on their next saving throw before the end of your next turn.
• Simile Slam: When an ally you can see is hit with an attack, you may use your reaction to shout a metaphorical retort (“Took that like a brick through glass!”). The attacker must succeed a Wisdom save or have -2 to their next attack roll and be unable to make opportunity attacks until the start of your next turn.

You can have a number of prepared verses = your Charisma modifier (min 1), and you can swap them out daily. You may only use one verse per round.

Sample Rap Book Verses (for Daily Prep)

• "Like a blade on beat, I cut deep": Next melee hit deals bonus psychic damage and reduces target speed by 10 ft.
• "Words that loop like fate": Next spell you cast can target one additional creature within 10 ft.
• "Caught that jab like a weak retweet": When hit by a ranged weapon attack, use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attacker’s next attack.

Flow State

When you expend a Bardic Inspiration die on a creature, choose one effect:

• You or the ally gain advantage on the next Performance or Intimidation check before your next turn.
• The next spell you cast that targets only that creature can’t be counterspelled unless the opposing caster makes a Charisma check vs your Spell Save DC.

This effect represents your lyrical rhythm controlling the tempo of the scene, disrupting enemy timing and reinforcing ally presence.

(6th Level)

Rebuttal Artist

You master the art of improvised counters and disrespectful interruptions.

• Verbal Reversal: When a creature casts a spell or uses a feature within 30 ft of you, you can use your reaction to counter with a bar. Roll a Bardic Inspiration die:
• If the result is equal to or greater than the level of the spell or CR of the creature (rounded down), the effect is weakened:
• Targets gain advantage on saving throws against it,
• Or it deals half damage or has its duration halved (DM’s discretion based on effect).

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.

Freestyle Flow

When you roll initiative and have no Bardic Inspiration dice left, you regain 1 die immediately.
Also, if you roll max on any Bardic Inspiration die, you can use one Rap Book verse that round without expending a die.

(10th Level)

Deadly Delivery

You perfect the cadence and momentum of your verses.

Whenever you expend a Bardic Inspiration die on a creature, you may:

• Immediately move up to 10 ft without provoking opportunity attacks,
• Or impose Disadvantage on Concentration checks made by that creature until the end of your next turn.

In addition, you gain Expertise in either Performance or Intimidation (your choice). If you already have both, choose one Bard spell with a verbal component, it now ignores the need for concentration the first time you cast it each long rest.

(14th Level) 

Synergy (Great Composition Example)

At 14th level, when you gain your Great Composition, a Street Beat bard might create:

“Final Round” Signature Verse Performance

Once per long rest, you can deliver your ultimate bar, a verse charged with the rhythm of fate and the fury of freestyle. As an Action:

• All creatures of your choice within 30 ft must make a Wisdom saving throw.
• On failure, they are silenced (no verbal spellcasting or speech) and suffer disadvantage on attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
• Allies within range are immune to fear and gain temporary HP = your Bard level + Charisma modifier.
• If you spent a Bardic Inspiration die as part of this, all creatures that failed the save are also taunted, gaining disadvantage on attacks against targets other than you.

Flavor it as a moment of freestyle transcendence, the battle stops to listen.