Apocalypse bards are masters at conjuring forth the ancient powers of eldritch gods, summoning forth their otherworldly might to wreak havoc on the mortal realm. All who hear their aberrant harmonies fear and revere them—they understand that with a single whisper, these bards can cause the end of all things. Apocalypse bards are often found on the front lines of battle, their music serving as a rallying cry for their allies and a death knell for their enemies. With each stanza they produce, a member of the College of the Apocalypse draws closer to the ultimate revelation of the horrors that lie beyond the veil. Many fear the day when they will finally succumb to the madness that gnaws within their mind.
As they progress in their studies, members of this bard college gain the ability to summon forth devastating powers with their music. They can call down swarms of pain, tear open rifts in reality, and unleash waves of madness upon their foes. They know the apocalypse is coming, for they are the ones bringing it
Endless Symphony
When you join the College of the Apocalypse at 3rd level, and again at 6th and 14th level, you gain another use of your Bardic Inspiration feature. In exchange, your Bardic Inspiration die doesn’t change at 5th level, remaining a d6; it becomes a d8 at 10th level, and a d10 at 15th level.
Eldritch Choir
At 3rd level, you understand how to use your bardic magic to conjure forth the power of the Great Ones. You learn two Eldritch Melodies of your choice, which are detailed under "Eldritch Melodies" below. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class. You can use a melody as an action, expending one use of your Bardic Inspiration. After you use a melody, you can’t use that melody again until you finish a short or long rest. If a melody requires a saving throw, it uses your spell save DC. For a creature to become affected by one of your melodies, it must be able to hear you when you take the action.
You learn one additional Eldritch Melody of your choice at 6th and 14th level.
When you finish a long rest, you can delve into what lies beyond the veil, replacing one or more melodies you know with another one. Each time you attempt to replace a melody, make a DC 17 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, you lose control over your mental journey into the void; you gain one short-term madness, don’t replace that melody, and you can’t replace any other melodies until you finish a long rest.
Knowledge from Beyond the Stars
At 6th level, the maddening revelations that haunt your mind guide you through the treacherous void. You learn to speak, read, and write Deep Speech.
Additionally, whenever you make an Intelligence check that relates to the cosmos or the eldritch, you gain a bonus on that check equal to one roll of your Bardic Inspiration die (this doesn’t expend the die).
Devouring Maw
Starting at 6th level, your words can call beings from beyond the veil. When a creature that possesses a Bardic Inspiration die from you is targeted by an attack, it can use its reaction to expend the die, summoning an eldritch maw that engulfs and protects it. Until the start of its next turn, it gains a bonus to its AC equal to the number rolled. If this causes the triggering attack to miss, the targeted creature can choose to be ripped through space by the maw, teleporting it to a point within 30 feet of it that it can see; if it does so, it loses the bonus to its AC.
Song of the Apocalypse
Starting at 14th level, you learn the spell divine order: transcend. It doesn't count against the number of spells you know. You can also cast it once without expending a spell slot, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you cast the spell in this way, the apocalypse flows through you; damage can't break your concentration on this spell, and you automatically succeed on the saving throws to keep control over the spell.
