PHB 6 Class Review: Bard

 So, with the exception of the Monk, the classes presented in the latest UA are all revisions of classes that got new versions in previous UAs.

Rather than comparing these to both the 2014 versions and the previous versions, I'm going to just go feature-by-feature and take them on their own terms, perhaps commenting on changes I've noticed. (The UA also helpfully includes notes about what they've changed since the previous version).

We'll start with the Bard, which was among the first classes to be looked at.

1st level:

Bardic Inspiration has returned a little to the original design - you need to use a bonus action on your own turn rather than a reaction to grant the Bardic Inspiration, though the target has an hour to make use of it. However, the quality-of-life change that allows the user to know whether a d20 test has failed before they use the die has been retained from the previous version.

    So, I think this winds up working all right. I liked being able to use this as a reaction, because it cuts down on players forgetting they have Bardic Inspiration, but this is still an improvement over the 2014 version.

Now, Spellcasting has transformed profoundly - unlike the previous playtest version, you have no restriction on your spell schools. But beyond that, you now pick the Arcane, Divine, or Primal spell lists and get unfettered access to your choice.

Additionally, while they're (for some reason) continuing to describe the spells you can use as your "prepared" spells, functionally the Bard is back to learning spells permanently, only being able to swap a spell out when they level up. However, you simply have a number of prepared/known spells, rather than having to have spells of the right levels for each of your spell slots.

Finally, all Bards automatically learn Vicious Mockery, which is now a Bard-only spell and its damage has been bumped up to a d6 (with tier scaling).

    So, the openness of the spell lists will be kind of huge. You can be a very effective healer if you choose the Divine spell list, and you can have powerful damage spells with the Arcane one. I do wonder a bit how many Bards will pick the Primal list, which I think has a less clear mechanical identity.

2nd level:

Bards get Expertise in two of your skill proficiencies. Both instances of Expertise are bumped up a level.

Jack of All Trades gets a subtle nerf - you add half your proficiency to ability checks that use a skill proficiency you lack and don't otherwise use your proficiency bonus. 

    Notably, this means that you no longer apply this bonus to straight ability checks, such as a Strength check to lift something, or your Initiative rolls (which are technically just Dexterity checks).

3rd level:

As before, and in all versions, this is the level you get your first subclass features.

4th level:

Interestingly, the feature is called "Ability Score Improvement" even though ASIs are technically a feat, and you can of course take a feat.

5th level:

Font of Inspiration still upgrades your recharge on Bardic Inspiration to short rests instead of only long rests, but there's a new part as well: once per turn, if you are out of Bardic Inspiration, you can expend a spell slot of any level to get one back.

    I doubt it will often be worth it to use this latter feature, at least until high levels when you have tons of 1st level spells you aren't using, but it's a nice little buff that lets you do Bard stuff more often.

6th level:

Another subclass feature.

7th level:

Countercharm is way better than it used to be. Rather than having to use your action to keep it up and running, you now get to use a reaction to let yourself or any creature you can see within 30 feet reroll their save when they fail against the Charmed or Frightened condition, and that save is made with advantage.

    While this isn't strictly better given that you can only benefit one creature per round, I see this being used far, far more often. It's bumped back a level, but I think this feature is much better than the old one.

8th level:

ASI/Feat

9th level:

Expertise in two more skills (bumped up from 10).

10th level:

Magical Secrets is redesigned - you now get all three spell lists to choose from.

    So, with this, Bards become by far the class with the most spells to choose from in the game - anything that isn't class-specific. They're still a "spells known" rather than prepared caster (whatever phrasing they bafflingly choose to use) so you won't be able to make use of the full benefit of that fact, but you're going to be able to grab basically everything. Jack of All Trades indeed!

11th level:

Actually nothing (other than 6th level spells).

12th level:

ASI/Feat

13th level:

Just 7th level spells.

14th level:

Your final subclass feature.

15th level:

8th level spells.

16th level:

ASI/Feat

17th level:

9th level spells.

18th level:

Superior Inspiration now grants you two uses of Bardic Inspiration when you roll initiative and are out, rather than one.

    So, obviously this is twice as good as it was previously (also, you'll actually prefer to be all out when combat starts rather than having one left) and you're getting it two levels earlier.

19th level:

ASI/Feat

20th level:

Words of Creation is the new capstone feature. You get Power Word Heal and Power Word Kill always prepared (and of course not counting against spells known/prepared,) and on top of that, you can now target a second creature with either spell if the second target is within 10 feet of the first.

    So, these are both pretty appropriate Bard spells, and frees you up to learn any of the other massive 9th level spells like Wish, True Resurrection, Meteor Swarm, or what-have-you. Double-casting Power Word Kill could certainly be a very exciting thing to pull off in a climactic fight, but I think the possibility of putting two unconscious allies at max HP with a single action is probably even more exciting.

So, looking at the Bard overall, I think we can call the general vibe here a buff. I think the only lost feature is Song of Rest, which was always nice but not exactly a game-changing feature. The spellcasting change is the most amazing - you will have access to practically every spell in the game at level 10.

And I think that flexibility might encourage people to try the Bard out - I know I've often struggled to conceive of how I would play one, given that so many of its powerful spells are concentration ones, and their casting is geared more around crowd-control and buffs rather than direct damage or healing. Now, you can play a Blaster Bard or a Healer Bard or all manner of Bards.

We'll see if they keep it.