College of Dance Bard Subclass for DnD 5e (First Look)
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Dungeons & Dragons is about to experience a major shakeup, with the launch of the new 2024 Player’s Handbook, with the core rules introducing a number of new rules and features for the fifth edition of the popular TTRPG. Many of those changes involved a complete overhaul of the existing DnD 5e classes, including three new subclasses: the Circle of the Sea for Druids, the Path of the World Tree for Barbarians and the the College of Dance for Bards.
For DnD 5e Bards, this new subclass opens up a completely new style of gameplay that allows players to introduce the art of dance into their combat and magic, something which hasn’t ever appeared in any edition of the game.
So just what is the College of Dance all about? Below, we get footloose and fancy free and break out everything you need to know about this new subclass.
What is the College of Dance Bard Subclass?
The College of Dance Bards is a new subclass officially introduced in the 2024 Player’s Handbook that allows Bards to tap into the power of dance and movement to unleash a number of powerful new abilities.
First introduced in Unearthed Arcana Players Handbook Playtest 6 (which was released back in June 2023), the subclass has been modified slightly since the One D&D playtest, with the 3rd level feature “Inspiring Movement” now a 6th level ability.
In the official rules, the subclass’ description is as follows:
Bards of the College of Dance know that the Words of Creation can’t be contained within speech or song; the words are uttered by the movements of celestial bodies and flow through the motions of the smallest creatures. These Bards practice a way of being in harmony with the whirling cosmos that emphasizes agility, speed, and grace.
As with the other three official subclasses featured in the 2024 Player’s Handbook, Bard’s are able to access the College of Dance when they reach 3rd level.
What Features do College of Dance Bards get?
Bards who have studied with the College of Dance favor movement rather than the song and speech which has typified the class. Because of this, they’re able to use dance to outmanuever enemies and help better position allies. In many ways, this new subclass is similar to the DnD 5e Monk in that it’s all about physicality on the battlefield.
College of Dance Bards are able to access their subclass features at Level 3, 6 and 14 as follows:
Level 3: Dazzling Footwork
While you aren’t wearing armor or wielding a Shield, you gain the following benefits:
Dance Virtuoso. You have Advantage on any Charisma (Performance) check you make that involves you dancing.
Unarmored Defense. Your base Armor Class equals 10 plus your Dexterity and Charisma modifiers.
Agile Strikes. When you expend a use of your Bardic Inspiration as part of an action, a Bonus Action, or a Reaction, you can make one Unarmed Strike as part of that action, Bonus Action, or Reaction.
Bardic Damage. You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack rolls of your Unarmed Strikes. When you deal damage with an Unarmed Strike, you can deal Bludgeoning damage equal to a roll of your Bardic Inspiration die plus your Dexterity modifier, instead of the strike’s normal damage. This roll doesn’t expend the die.
Level 6: Inspiring Movement
When an enemy you can see ends its turn within 5 feet of an ally of yours who is within 60 feet of you, you can use your Reaction and expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to move up to half your Speed. Then roll your Bardic Inspiration die, and the ally can move up to a number of feet equal to 5 times the number rolled. None of this feature’s movement provokes Opportunity Attacks.
Level 6: Leading Evasion
When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and you take only half damage if you fail. If any creatures within 5 feet of you are making the same Dexterity saving throw, you can share this benefit with them for that save. You can’t use this feature if you have the Incapacitated condition.
Level 6: Tandem Footwork
When you roll Initiative, you can spend one use of your Bardic Inspiration if you don’t have the Incapacitated condition. When you do so, roll your Bardic Inspiration die, and choose a number of creatures within 60 feet of yourself (you can choose yourself), up to a number equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one creature). Each of them gains a bonus to their Initiative equal to the number rolled.
Level 14: Irresistible Dance
You always have the Otto’s Irresistible Dance spell prepared. You can cast it without expending a spell slot. Once you cast the spell in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a Long Rest. You can also restore your use of the feature by expending four uses of your Bardic Inspiration (no action required).
Is the College of Dance Bard subclass worth playing?
Let’s face it, the College of Dance isn’t going to be for everyone (although neither are Bards for that matter), but the idea does have some potential. The features of the class have more in common with the Brazilian martial art of Capoeira or the Japanese Kenbu “sword dance” than a Bard who does a jig and occasionally hits something.
Instead, imagine a Bard whose rapier flourishes follow an intricate series of courtly dance steps, an acrobat who cartwheels and flips across the battlefield or a juggler whose spinning blades arc through the air. The possibilities are as limitless as player’s imagination.
So while the College of Dance might not be your speed, it does have potential and it’s great to see Wizards of the Coast take the class in a new direction beyond music and speech. It remains to be seen, however,
You can find the College of Dance Bard subclass in the new 2024 Player’s Handbook (which is available for pre-order now on D&D Beyond and Amazon). Below is also a recent video from DnD YouTuber Ginny Di, which offers more info on the new subclass.
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Cameron Nichols is a Senior Editor who lives in Boston, Massachusetts, and has been playing D&D since the early 90s, when he was introduced by his older brother and cut his teeth on AD&D 2nd Edition. Since then he’s played virtually every RPG he could get his nerdy little mitts on (including a weird Goth phase in the early 2000s when he rocked Vampire: The Masquerade pretty hard). His favorite D&D campaign setting is the Forgotten Realms and his favorite character to play was a Half-Orc Barbarian named Grug (who was unfortunately devoured by a gelatinous cube).
