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Tournament arcs are a staple of the fantasy genre for good reason.
A ranking of all the official Bard subclasses from worst to best.
Running a tournament can be a challenge, especially for medium or large groups.
Savra Sunstar and Jander Sunstar by Andrew Mar
Here’s how to keep them engaged during what is meant to be a hyped-up event.
There might also be skill-focused competitions as part of the tournament.
Performing Arts
A bard might be given a specific theme to compose around, using their performance skill.
Volo, Guide to Monsters by Zoltan Boros.
The execution of their piece would requirechecks using their instrument proficiency, with acrobatics for choreography.
Characters might have bonuses or penalties to recall knowledge related to their character’s backstory and history.
Use the extra time this earns to describe the stronger competitorsthat the party will be facing later.
Volo, Guide to Monsters by Zoltan Boros.
Can you feel the love in this session tonight?
Pretty sure that’s how that song goes.
The party can resolve this by working out the trick and exposing it to the judges.
An Orc Monk Of the Four Elements Unleashes A Ki-Fueled Attack By Sam Keiser
They can cheat overtly, hitting below the belt and using banned items or spells.
Literal Magic
Somewhere away from the stage, a spellcaster is concentrating on empowering their chosen combatant.
Spells like Enhance Ability have no visual component but give a massive edgein most competition tweaks.
Their chosen participant might not even know they’re being given an unfair edge.
The party needs to find and stop the spellcaster.
This is especially fitting in illegal and underground sports.
Deadly Visit by Scott Murphy
Master D&D foreshadowing & weave a campaign your players won’t forget.
