Music is often seen as a thing of beauty, creativity, and freedom, of free-mindedness, of expression, of creation. Diresingers hate all of these things, or at least view them with disdain. It’s the fervent hope of the dirgesinger that one day all music will be drowned out with monotone chanting and atonal wails.
Despite often initially appearing bland or harsh, dirgesingers may naturally be happy or sad, humorous or severe, as with anyone else. In fact, many dirgesingers use their sharp minds to craft an alarmingly charismatic persona, likably drawing in others who also tend to view every cloud as a threatened hailstorm. As a result, many dirgesingers naturally find themselves the leaders of cults or covens, and many are elected into political office in lands where such a thing is possible.
When making a dirgesinger, ask yourself: Why is the world so dark and bleak? And why are you most interested in making it darker and bleaker? Do you smile and laugh just to draw others in, or do you genuinely find amusement in your mirthless existence? Or, if you choose to only be severe, what cause drives you to keep living and keep sharing the good company of misery?
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features | Arcana Tricks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Spellcasting, Mind-numbing Chant, Battle Dirge | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Eldritch Blast, Arcana Tricks, Widely Learned | 1 |
| 3rd | +2 | Invocation | 1 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Increase, Battle Dirge Focus | 1 |
| 5th | +3 | Endless Dirge | 1 |
| 6th | +3 | Extra Blast | 1 |
| 7th | +3 | Invocation | 1 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Increase, Dirge the Depths | 2 |
As a dirgesinger you gain the following class features.
Hit Dice: 1d8 per dirgesinger level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per dirgesinger level after 1st
Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
Tools: One tool of your choice, and your voice as an instrument
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills: Choose any three
You begin the game with 110 gold which you can spend on your character’s starting weapons, armor, and adventuring gear. You can select your own gear or choose an equipment package from the bard or warlock class. Also consult the Suggested Equipment section of your chosen background.
Spellcasting
At 1st level, you find magic in chanting and long monologues, often using words suffused with arcane power learned from a dark patron or ancient tome of magic. This feature functions as the bard Spellcasting feature, with the following changes:
You may use the bard or warlock spell list when learning cantrips or spells, and all count as dirgesinger spells for you.
You use Intelligence as your spellcasting ability and to calculate your spell attack modifier and spell save DC. You cast spells using an arcane focus. While you are able to speak and not in an area with no sound (such as the radius of a silence spell), you may use your voice as an arcane focus.
Mind-Numbing Chant
At 1st level, your monotone speech and shrill wails can weaken the resolve of even the staunchest opponent. You gain a pool of Chant dice equal to your Intelligence modifier. These dice begin as d4s. These dice are expended when used and recharge at the end of a long rest.
When a creature you can see makes an initiative check, ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, you may use your reaction to expend one Chant die. This causes the creature to take a penalty to the check equal to one roll of the Chant die. To use this feature you must be within 60 feet of the target creature, you must be able to see it and it must be able to hear you, and you must not be surprised.
You may decide to use this feature after the d20 is rolled but before the Narrator announces the results of the check.
At 5th level your Chant die increases to d6, at 10th level it increases to d8, and at 15th level it increases to d10. You may combine your dirgesinger levels with bard or warlock levels when determining the die size of this feature.
Battle Dirge
At 1st level, you can find the chaotic tune of battle and other activities and force them into a steady beat with your voice. You learn one battle dirge, and additional battle dirges at levels where a bard would learn a new battle hymn. It can be expressed in any way you like—strange intonations in an ongoing monologue, a rise and fall in the volume of your constant muttering, and so forth.
Once at the start of your turn, you can activate a battle dirge by expending a Chant die (no action is required). Performing a battle dirge requires your concentration, as though you were casting a spell, and is sustained as long as you maintain concentration on it. You may select a target for your battle dirge at any time (no reaction is required), at which point the battle dirge takes place immediately and your use of the battle dirge is expended. You may not target yourself with your battle dirges.
A creature that does not want to be affected by your battle dirge may make an Intelligence saving throw against your spell save DC. On a success the creature is unaffected.
Whenever you gain a dirgesinger level, you may swap one battle dirge you know for a new battle dirge.
Audience
Unless stated otherwise a battle dirge does not have a target until you choose one, and each targets a single creature within 30 feet.
Lost Hit Dice
If a battle dirge causes a creature to lose hit dice and the creature does not have enough hit dice to spare, all excess hit dice are rolled and the creature receives the olled value in damage.
Ongoing Dirges
Most battle dirges have ongoing effects (which range from one turn to ten minutes), which you are not required to maintain concentration for. A creature may not be under the effects of more than one battle dirge from the same dirgesinger at a time.
For battle dirges with effects that only go away at the end of a long rest or a short rest (and that include other long-term costs, such as death saves or fatigue), the creature may be targeted by other battle dirges, but it may not be targeted by the same battle dirge until it has recovered from the effects of the first dirge.
| Dirgsinger Level |
Battle Dirge |
|---|---|
| 1st-4th |
Mind-Rattling Spell: You cause the target creature’s spell to surge with mind-rattling power. Whenthe target creature casts a spell that deals damage, you may cause it to reroll all 1s and 2s on the damage dice, adding to the total damage rather than replacing the initial rolls. Alternatively, when the target creature casts a spell that doesn’t deal damage and requires a save, you cause its save DC to be increased by an amount equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded down). For the next minute, the target is unable to concentrate or cast that same spell again. Frantic Dash: You cause the target creature’s movement, jump height, and jump distance to be tripled for one turn and you cause attacks of opportunity against the creature to be at disadvantage. The creature’s movement speed then becomes 0 for two turns and the creature loses 2 hit dice. Final Defense: You cause a target creature to take no damage from an attack, but it takes a level of Strife and Fatigue instead. Strained Aim: You cause a target creature to triple the range of its ranged weapon attack. The creature also has advantage to hit and does not receive disadvantage for long-range shots. Then, for the next minute, all of the creature’s attacks with ranged weapons are reduced to one-third their usual distance and only add half of the creature’s proficiency bonus to hit. Breath of Death: You cause a creature that was reduced to 0 hit points to roll a number of hit dice equal to its proficiency bonus (without losing or expending them), gain the total as hit points, and remain standing. If the creature has a reaction, it may move up to half its movement speed without provoking attacks of opportunity as a reaction. The creature then has its death saves set to 2 failures until the end of its next long rest and becomes Doomed if it is reduced to 0 hit points before then. Fallible Beauty: You cause a creature to have advantage on all Culture, Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion checks for the next minute. The creature then is treated as if it were Charmed by all other creatures for the next 10 minutes. |
| 5th-8th |
Desperate Strike: You cause the target creature’s weapon attack, natural weapon attack, or unarmed strike to become a critical hit. For the next minute after, all creatures gain an expertise die on attacks that aren’t spells against the target creature. Forgetful Genius: You cause a target creature to double its proficiency bonus, expertise die roll, and skill speciality roll on one skill check. The creature then loses proficiency, all expertise die, and all skill specialties on that skill the end of its next short rest. Healing Overclock: You cause a creature casting a spell or using an ability or feature that heals to heal itself (or others) for twice the normal amount. Then, the next three spells (or abilities) that the creature uses to heal itself (or others) heal only the minimum amount possible. Spells of a lower spell level than the boosted spell, or abilities and features gained at a lower level than the boosted ability or feature, only add half a point toward the three needed to recover from this dirge. Spell Burnout: You cause a creature casting a spell to cast it at the highest spell level available to the creature’s class or archetype (even if the creature doesn’t have access to spells of that level yet). The creature then loses hit dice equal to the level the spell was cast at, becomes vulnerable to damage from spells, and is unable to cast cantrips or spells as rituals until the end of its next long rest. Utterly Maddened Attacker: You cause a creature to gain advantage on all its attacks and have its critical hit range with all attacks increase by 1 for the next minute. However, the creature must use every type of action available to it to attack creatures within its reach or range; if there are no creatures within its reach or range to attack, it must move toward the nearest creature to it and begin attacking. Whenever the target creature misses with an attack, it takes damage equal to its proficiency bonus. |
| 9th-12th |
Frantic Activity: For a number of turns equal to half your proficiency bonus, you cause the target creature to take two bonus actions on its turn, each of which may be a single attack with a weapon, unarmed strike, natural weapon, cantrip, or other ability already usable with a bonus action. Then, for a number of turns equal to your proficiency bonus, the target creature may only take an action or bonus action, not both, on its turns and may not make more than one attack as an action or bonus action. Blinding Stillness: You cause a creature to gain truesight for as far as it can see for the next minute. The creature only benefits from this truesight while willingly moving. At all other times it is Blinded in all of its senses, even senses that do not require sight. For example, while using a move action or a Cunning Action to move, the creature would have truesight. While using an action or reaction to attack or cast a spell, even if while splitting up a move action, the creature would be Blinded unless the creature is explicitly using an attack, maneuver, or spell that includes willing movement. |
| 13th-16th |
Rested Burnout: You cause a creature to gain the benefits of a short rest instantly. The creature may not benefit from short rests and recovers only the minimum amount from all healing effects until the end of its next long rest. Bleeding Aim: You cause a creature that missed a weapon or spell attack to reroll, neither benefitting from advantage or hurting from disadvantage with this new roll. If the creature misses the attack with this second roll, it loses 2 hit dice. Strained Resistance: You cause a creature that failed a save to succeed instead, but gain a level of Fatigue and Strife. |
| 17th-20th |
Reactive Overburn: You cause a creature, for one round, to be able to take any number of reactions. The creature takes 2 damage when it takes its second reaction, which is doubled when it takes its third, doubled again for its fourth, and so on. When the creature has an opportunity to take a reaction, it is magically forced to, even if doing so would reduce it to 0 hit points. Stone of Stumbling: You cause a creature to add an expertise die to its Armor Class against every attack for the next minute. During this time all of the creature’s movement speeds are reduced to 0 and the creature may not willingly move. The target creature gains the ability to Trip as a reaction when another creature enters or tries to leave its threatened area, but it must use its reaction to trip the first creature that triggers this effect. |
At 2nd level, your chanting and mumbling becomes infused with dark power. This functions as the Eldritch Blast warlock feature.
You may choose one of the options normally available to warlocks, or you may choose the following:
You can use an action to focus mind-melting chanting and wailing on a creature within 60 feet. The creature must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or take force damage equal to your Proficiency Bonus and become Confused until the beginning of your next turn. Creatures that succeed on this save are Rattled instead and take no damage.
You must be able to speak and the target creature must be able to hear you for this effect to work.
At 2nd level, your time spent leading the unfaithful and peering into dark voids has granted you boons. You learn one bard Adventuring Trick or one warlock Secret of Arcana, using your dirgesinger levels to meet level requirements. You learn an additional Arcana Trick at your eighth level in dirgesinger.
Adventuring Tricks that use song and music instead use chanting or monologuing with your voice as the instrument, but otherwise function as normal.
Also at 2nd level, your wide breadth of study leaves you with at least a little knowledge on almost anything. You gain an expertise die in the following skills: Arcana, Culture, History, Nature, and Religion. The largest expertise die that you may have for any of these skills is 1d10.
At 3rd level, you learn further dark secrets. You learn one warlock Invocation that you meet the level prerequisites for, using your dirgesinger levels in place of warlock levels. You learn an additional invocation at your 7th dirgesinger level.
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Also at 4th level, as soon as battle commences your mind focuses on manipulating the creatures before you. At the end of another creature’s turn, you can use your reaction to activate a battle dirge. This battle dirge replaces any currently activated battle dirge. Replacing an activated battle dirge does not require expending a use of Mind-Numbing Chant if it has no target yet. In addition, choose one of the following.
Whenever you gain a dirgesinger level, you may change your Battle Dirge Focus.
At 5th level, you regain all expended uses of Mind-Numbing Chant whenever you finish a short rest.
At 6th level, your Eldritch Blast becomes more vicious. If you know Eldritch Ray, Eldritch Scythe, Eldritch Whip, or Eldritch Disturbance, follow the rules detailed in the Warlock section of the Adventurer’s Guide.
If you know Eldritch Chant, at 5th level you may target two creatures with one use of Eldritch Chant. This increases to three creatures at 11th level, and four creatures at 17th level. If a creature succeeds on its save against Eldritch Chant, you may target it again with additional uses of Extra Blast.
In addition, when a creature fails its save against Eldritch Chant you may choose to roll one Chant die, expending it. The creature is Confused for a number of rounds equal to the number rolled.
At 8th level, the range of your battle dirges increases to 60 feet and your Prestige increases by an amount equal to half of your proficiency bonus. In addition, choose one of the following features:
You learn to weave an almost musical beat into your chanting and muttering, perhaps even using instruments to accent your dirging—not to create music, of course, but just to make your noise that much more effective. Choose one of the following; while using the appropriate instrument to accent your chanting, your battle dirges are improved in the following ways:
Your speech reverberates the very fabric of reality, removing the need for sound for your chants to be effective. You are able to use spells and other features that require sound without speaking, or when muted, unable to speak or breathe, or in an area with no sound (such as the radius of silence).
However, if a feature or spell normally requires a creature to hear it and you choose not to produce sound, you must be able to see the target creature to use that feature or spell.
To multiclass into the dirgesinger motif class, a character must meet both of the following prerequisites:
Multiclassing into dirgesinger grants the following proficiencies: hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords. You also learn one skill of your choice and gain proficiency in your voice as a musical instrument.
Combine your total bard and dirgesinger levels when determining the number of spells you know and the highest level of spell you may learn, using the bard Spellcasting chart. You may use Intelligence as your bardic spellcasting ability.
You gain inspiration die as a separate pool of resources from your chant die. Inspiration die may be used to fuel battle hymns and chant die may be used to fuel battle dirges, but not the other way around. However, you combine your total bard and dirgesinger levels when determining the number of battle dirges and battle hymns you know, using the Bard chart; whenever you would learn a new battle hymn, you may choose to learn a new battle dirge instead, and you may swap one for the other whenever you change the hymns or dirges you know. You may have a battle hymn and a battle dirge started at the same time, even though both require concentration.
Features that modify your battle hymns and battle dirges don’t modify the other unless the feature explicitly states otherwise.
Combine your total warlock and dirgesinger levels for Extra Blast.
Combine your total warlock and dirgesinger levels when determining how many spells you know and how many spell slots you have, as well as the level of spell you can learn and how many cantrips you know, using the Spellcasting table for bards. You never gain spell slots of 6th level or higher in this way, and gaining warlock levels does not grant you spell points. You still only learn spells from the warlock spell list when taking warlock levels.
Combine your total warlock and dirgesinger levels to meet level requirements for invocations.
At no action cost on your turn, you may convert spell slots into spell points using the warlock Spell Points table. These spell points may not be converted back into spell slots but may be used to power warlock features and invocations, such as Eldritch Elementalism.
Some invocations and features, such as Eldritch Elementalism, cost spell points to activate and end when you take a short or long rest. If you activate these invocations or features using spell points converted from spell slots, these invocations and features last until you take a long rest instead. Similarly, invocations and features that refresh after you spend a certain number of spell points (such as Eldritch Prism) may also refresh after you spend a certain number of spell slots with a total spell point value equal to or greater than that feature.