This is a reworking of the Oiran class to be suitable for an Occidental setting like Greyhawk. This is a bard archetype. NB spell-songs still have the OA flavour, they would need updating if this class is ever actually used.

COLLEGE OF SONG

Adherents of the College of Song master the art of magic through song.

Songs of Magic
3rd-level College of Song feature

You no longer cast spells in the traditional manner, instead you sing your songs and their effects “pulse” every round you maintain the song. You may sing a spell you know a number of times per day as your known spells count. Each spell-song uses 1 count per spell level. For example, a 2nd level spell-song would consume 2 uses of your spells known count to sing.

As an action, you sing a song of magic. So long as you maintain the song the effects trigger at the start of your turn. You must be able to be heard for the song to take effect and each has an effective range of 30 feet. For example, your allied kensai could start 20 feet from you gain the benefits of Whistling Warsong and then move another 30 feet. They would lose the benefit of the song if they were not within range at the start of your next turn. When picking a song, you have the option of permanently converting it into a dance. This means allies

You maintain a song as if it were a concentration spell, however, you can use your Performance skill for your saving throw instead of your Constitution saving throw. You may decide from round to round if you are affected by your songs or not you may also swap songs at the start of your turn. If you do this your song persists until the end of your current turn.

Examples of converted spells follow, however, the player and the DM should work together to modify spells appropriately. The rule of thumb is that a spells damage/healing affect should be reduced to its minimum die but this pulses per round. For example, a fireball song would not do 8d6 on the first round, but instead, do 1d6 fire damage per round the song is sung, or even 2d6 if we assume the average combat in 5e is 3 rounds.

Song Weaver
6th-level College of Song feature

You can now start a second spell-song combining them to create a new song that chains the effects of both into a single song.

Barritone/Soprano
14th-level College of Song feature

You can now start a third song combining all three to create a new song that chains the effects of all into a single song. In addition, the effects of your songs now continue until the end of your next round if they are interrupted for any reason – so long as you make a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration, otherwise they end immediately. If you restart the song before the end of the next round it continues as normal.

SONG LIST

Agilmente’s Aria of Eagles

An aria that allows your group to levitate for a short time. This functions as the levitate spell except it affects the whole party. You also gain the following level-based bonuses:

At 10^th level the song also acts as a fly spell that effects the whole party.
At 15^th level the song has the added benefit of a freedom of movement spell that also affects the whole party.

Refrain, Aria of Everywhere. You may use dimension door or misty step.

Amaterasu’s Light

You recall the creation story of Zipang and how both the land, kami and people are sons and daughters of Amaterasu. The song provides bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. You also gain the following level-based bonuses:

At 5^th level the light provides you and your allies the benefit of a see invisibility
At 10^th level the light provides you and your allies the benefit of a daylight
At 15^th level the light provides you and your allies the benefit of a true seeing

Anthem of Thunder and Pain

A wave of thunderous force sweeps out from you. Each creature of your choice in a 30-foot cube originating from you must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d8 thunder damage and is pushed 10 feet away from you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t pushed.

In addition, unsecured objects that are completely within the area of effect are automatically pushed 10 feet away from you by the spell’s effect, and the spell emits a thunderous boom audible out to 300 feet. You also gain the following level-based bonuses:

At 5^th level the song provides you and allies resistance to lightning and thunder damage.

Refrain. You shoot a ray of electricity from your fingers that has a range of 20 feet. The electrical discharge does half your level in d6 damage to a single target. At 5^th level It then arcs to one other target within 20 feet doing half damage. At 10^th level it arcs to two targets and at 15^th level additional targets all of which must be within 20 feet of the original target. The target can make a Dexterity saving throw to halve the damage.
The Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale, it has the same effect as a storm of vengeance

Chords of Dissonance

All enemies who can hear your singing take 1d8 + CHA modifier in thunder damage.

Refrain. You focus your songs into a cone of thunder that has a range of 30 feet. The booming song does half your level in d8 damage to a single target and is deafened for 1 minute. The target of this attack can make a Constitution saving throw to half the damage and avoid being deafened. If deafened, the target can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turn to end the condition.

The Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale, it has the same effect as a 9^th level dissonant whispers

Denon’s Dissension

A harsh dissonance that assails the minds of all nearby creatures, draining their magical power. A target must make a Constitution saving throw or lose a spell it is Concentrating on. You also gain the following level-based bonuses:

At 10^th level roll 1d10, the target loses a random memorised spell of the level rolled (0 representing cantrips which would be suppressed for the duration of the song). This also affect innate spellcasting of creatures where a random at-will or daily spell would be affected. Roll an appropriate die to determine which spell use is lost or suppressed. For example, a drow has an at will and 1/day spell list. Roll a 1d4 (the closest die to the number of class of spells it can cast) – on a 1 an at-will spell is suppressed, on a 2 a 1/day spell is lost on a 3 or 4 nothing happens.
At 15^th level the song also acts as a feeblemind

Fujin’s Speed

While singing this song the party are as swift as horses doubling their speed. At 10^th level the listeners speed is tripled.

Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale, it has the same effect as an astral projection

Guardian Rhythms

A mystic tune that offers your group protection from magic and increases their armour class. It provides your party with +1 AC. You also gain the following level-based bonuses:

At 5^th level the song provides you and your party protection from evil as the spell.
At 10^th level the song provides you and your party protection from poison as the spell.
At 15^th level the song provides you and your party protection from energy as the spell.

Refrain. You shoot a ray of energy at a target up to 60 feet away that does half your level in d6 energy damage. The exact effect is based on the energy type, but the target gets a saving throw as noted to halve the damage:
- Acid. You shoot a target with acid. It takes acid damage the first round and then again, the following round. The saving throw is Constitution based.
- The ray causes the target to also become fatigued on a failed Constitution saving throw halving their speed and imposing a -2 AC. This secondary effect ends if the target is exposed to heat or the creature can repeat the saving throw to end the effect at the end of its turn.
- Instead of a ray you choose a point within 60 feet which ignites in a 20-foot spherical fireball. The saving throw is Dexterity based.
- The target is also poisoned for 1 minute on a failed Constitution saving throw.
- This does ¾ your level in damage instead of half. The saving throw is Constitution based.

Hachiman’s Battle Hymn

All allies who can hear your singing gain a boon (+1d6) which they can use at any time during this encounter so long as you maintain the song. This boon die increases to 1d8 at 5^th level, 1d10 at 10^th level and 1d12 at 15^th level.

Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale, it has the same effect as a foresight spell but has a duration of 1 minute.

Hachiman’s Whistling Warsong

An ancient war song that speeds your attacks and raises your armour class and strength. All allies within range gain the follow benefits but gain a level of exhaustion at the end of the song. From level 10 the target is no longer exhausted, but the target can’t move or take actions until after its next turn, as a wave of lethargy sweeps over it.

Advantage on Strength checks – ability checks, saving throws, skill checks.
Speed is doubled,
It gains a +1 bonus to AC (+2 at level 10),
It has advantage on Dexterity saving throws,
and it gains an additional action on each of its turns. That action can be used only to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action.

The Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale, all side effects are removed.

Hymn of Restoration

The geiko can perform a song of healing, each ally who hears the song regains 1d6 + CHA modifier hit points. If the target is at full hit points it gains this as temporary hit points. You also gain the following level-based bonuses:

The die increases to 1d8 at 5^th level, and cures one disease or one of the following conditions – blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned. Each additional pulse of the song allows the target to repeat the saving throw and end an additional effect or condition.
The die increases to 1d10 at 10^th level, and, in addition to the previous benefits, removes 1 level of exhaustion, charmed, petrified, curse (including attunement to a cursed item), any reduction in one ability score or an effect that reduces the listeners hit point maximum. Each additional pulse of the song allows the target to repeat the saving throw and end an additional effect or condition.
The die increases to 1d12 at 15^th level, and, in addition to the previous benefits, brings the listener back from the dead so long as the target has not been dead for more than 10 days. The target comes back with 1 hp but is otherwise fully restored. This song takes 1 hour to sing and exhausts 20 ki to use – this song of life is draining even for the most experience oiran.

Refrain. You make a Charisma (Performance) check and heal a target in range equal to the number rolled on the Performance check.
The Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale, it has the same effect as a power word heal or mass cure wounds

Outside of combat this song drains 1 ki per round of usage.

NB: An unconscious target is not affected by this song as they are unaware of their surroundings. To heal an unconscious target the oiran must be touching the target while singing the hymn, use a Refrain or Finale! version of the or use a healing related secret song.

Izanaga’s Disenchanting Melody

A melody that strips the magical effects from everyone in your group. Each ally may repeat a saving throw against an ongoing magical effect. You make a Charisma (Performance) check you and any creature within 30 feet of you (including yourself) that you chose may use your Performance check result in place of its saving throw.

Kei’s Lugubrious Lament

A sad song that calms the aggressive nature of many creatures. You attempt to suppress strong emotions in a group of people. Each humanoid in a 20-foot-radius sphere centred on a point you choose within range must make a Charisma saving throw; a creature can choose to fail this saving throw if it wishes. If a creature fails its saving throw, choose one of the following two effects.

You can suppress any effect causing a target to be charmed or frightened. When this spell ends, any suppressed effect resumes, provided that its duration has not expired in the meantime.

Alternatively, you can make a target indifferent about creatures of your choice that it is hostile toward. This indifference ends if the target is attacked or harmed by a spell or if it witnesses any of its friends being harmed. When the spell ends, the creature becomes hostile again, unless the DM rules otherwise.

Leiko’s Locating Lyric

A clairvoyant chorus which points you towards a specific target or otherwise gives insight into a future event. Once before the song ends, the target can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to one ability check of its choice. It can roll the die before or after making the ability check. The song then ends for the target. You also gain the following level-based bonuses:

At 5^th level the song provides you with insight as the augury
At 10^th level the light provides you and your allies the benefit of a locate
At 15^th level the light provides you and your allies the benefit of a find the path

The Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale, it has the same effect as a gate

Note of Solitude

You attempt to send one creature that you can see within range to another plane of existence. The target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be banished.

If the target is native to the plane of existence you’re on, you banish the target to a harmless demiplane. While there, the target is incapacitated. The target remains there until the spell ends, at which point the target reappears in the space it left or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied.

If the target is native to a different plane of existence than the one you’re on, the target is banished with a faint popping noise, returning to its home plane. If the spell ends before 1 minute has passed, the target reappears in the space it left or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. Otherwise, the target doesn’t return.

You may spend additional uses of Oiran Music uses to target additional creatures.

Psalm of Coolness/Warmth/Vitality

This psalm surrounds your group in an aura of fire, granting them protection from cold, as well as harming anything that attacks them. This song only has level-based effects:

At 5^th level the song provides you a fire/cold shield as the spell fire shield.
At 10^th level the song also provides the shield to your allies.
At 15^th level the shield provides you and your allies the benefit of a regenerate spell and provides protection against radiant damage and does necrotic damage instead of fire/cold damage.

Shauri’s Sonorous Clouding

This sonnet surrounds your body with a light fog, allowing you to slip by many creatures undetected. You are invisible as the spell. You also gain the following level-based bonuses:

At 5^th level the song provides you and your party the effects of are invisibility.
At 10^th level the song grant’s you greater invisibility.
At 15^th level the song provides you and your party the effects of greater invisibility.

Solon’s Song of the Sirens

An enticing melody that charms the target, allowing you to command it. This acts as the charm person spell. You also gain the following level-based bonuses:

At 5^th level the charm affects all humanoids that can hear you.
At 10^th level the song provides the effects of a compulsion

The Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale, it has the same effect as a geas

Song of Clarity

All spellcasting allies can cast an additional cantrip as part of their Cast a Spell action on their turn. Increase the spell level by 1 at 5^th, 10^th, 15^th level. For example, at 15^th level your spellcasting ally can cast a bonus cantrip, 1^st level, 2^nd level or 3^rd level spell per round.

The Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale, your allied spell caster may cast a second spell of any level it knows (not necessarily memorised) – including already cast spells.

Song of Rest

You can use soothing music or oration to help revitalize your wounded allies during a short rest. If you or any friendly creatures who can hear your performance regain hit points at the end of the short rest by spending one or more Hit Dice, each of those creatures regains an extra 1d6 hit points. The extra hit points increase when you reach certain levels in this class: to 1d8 at 9th level, to 1d10 at 13th level, and to 1d12 at 17th level.

Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale, it has the same effect as a catnap

Song of Unmaking

Your song affects constructs rattling them to their mechanical core. Make a Performance check and apply the result as force damage to all constructs within 30 feet of you. This damage bypasses any resistances and counts immunity to force as resistance.

Sugaware and the Secrets of Calligraphy

You use your performance to help an ally succeed at a task. The ally gets a +1d4 bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as it continues to hear your performance. This increases to 1d6 at 5^th level, 1d8 at 10^th level and 1d10 at 15^th level.

The Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale, it has the same effect as an skill empowerment

Sujin’s Aquatic Ayre

The song either creates a single 30-foot sphere bubble or individual cloud of air bubbles around each of your allies – your choice. The song allows you and your allies to breath underwater for as long as you maintain the song. You also gain the following level-based bonuses:

At 5^th level, while singing you decide which effect is active – water breathing or water walking (as the spell). This may change from round to round.
At 10^th level your song allows you and your allies to swim as the spell.
At 15^th level the song has the added benefit of a freedom of movement spell that also affects the whole party.

The Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale, it has the same effect as a watery sphere

Taiko of Doom

You use your performance to foster a sense of growing dread in your enemies. Each creature that can hear you of your choice must make a Charisma saving throw. Whenever a target that fails this saving throw makes an attack roll or a saving throw before the spell ends, the target must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll or saving throw. You also gain the following level-based bonuses:

The die increases to 1d6 at 5^th level and one target is affected as a crown of madness
The die increases to 1d8 at 10^th level, and, in addition to the previous benefits, the target are affected as a fear
The die increases to 1d10 at 15^th level in addition to the previous benefits.

The Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale, it has the same effect of a weird

The 84 Warnings Against the Oni

You gain the ability to use musical notes or words of power to disrupt mind-influencing effects. As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet of you have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed. A creature must be able to hear you to gain this benefit. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it (no action required).

The Chaos of the Ghost Cat of Arima

A chaotic chorus that causes your group to randomly teleport short distances as the blink spell.

The Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale, it has the same effect as a teleport

The Foolish Tengu and the Irreverent Samurais

Creatures of your choice within range perceives everything as hilariously funny and fall into fits of laughter if this song affects it. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or fall prone, becoming incapacitated and unable to stand up for the duration. A creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or less isn’t affected. At the end of each of its turns, and each time it takes damage, the target can make another Wisdom saving throw. The target has advantage on the saving throw if it’s triggered by damage. On a success, the spell ends,

The Story of the 42 Ronin

You can use your performance to inspire courage in your allies (including yourself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to perceive your performance. An affected ally receives a +1d4 on saving throws against being charmed and frightened as well on attack and weapon damage rolls. You also gain the following level-based bonuses:

The die increases to 1d6 at 5^th level, the creature is immune to being frightenedand gains temporary hit points equal to your Charisma ability modifier at the start of each of its turns.
The die increases to 1d8 at 10^th level, and, in addition to the previous benefits, 2d10 + CHA ability modifier in temporary hit points and the saving throw bonus affects all conditions.
The die increases to 1d10 at 15^th level, and, in addition to the previous benefits, gain a +2 bonus to AC.

The Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale with a single perfect note that surrounds your target with an aura of invulnerability (as the invulnerability spell).

The Story of the Enchanting Kitsune

You can use your performance to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with you. You weave a distracting string of words, causing creatures of your choice that you can see within range and that can hear you to make a Wisdom saving throw. Any creature that can’t be charmed succeeds on this saving throw automatically, and if you or your companions are fighting a creature, it has advantage on the save. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to perceive any creature other than you until the spell ends or until the target can no longer hear you. The spell ends if you are incapacitated or can no longer speak. You also gain the following level-based bonuses:

From 5^th level you may also paralyse a fascinated creature as the appropriate hold
From 10^th level you may also affect a fascinated creature with a suggestion as the suggestion or mass suggestion spell as appropriate.
From 15^th level, you may also dominate a fascinated creature as the appropriate dominate

Tsuki-Yomi’s Lucid Lullaby

A quiet lullaby that causes your target to fall into an enchanted sleep. This song sends creatures into a magical slumber. Roll 5d8; the total is how many hit dice of creatures this spell can affect. Creatures within 30 feet of a point you choose within range are affected in ascending order of their hit dice (ignoring unconscious creatures).

Starting with the creature that has the lowest hit dice, each creature affected by this song falls unconscious until the song ends, the sleeper takes damage, or someone uses an action to shake or slap the sleeper awake. Subtract each creature’s hit dice from the total before moving on to the creature with the next lowest hit die. A creature’s hit die must be equal to or less than the remaining total for that creature to be affected.

Legendary creatures, Undead and creatures immune to being charmed aren’t affected by this spell.

You also gain the following level-based bonuses:

From 5^th level you may add your Performance skill as a bonus to the roll.
From 10^th level you use d10s instead of d8s.
From 15^th level you use d12s instead of d10s.

Tsuki-Yomi’s Melodic Binding

This melody encompasses all nearby creatures in magical bonds, slowing their attack speed. Each target of your choice that can hear you must make a Wisdom saving or become slowed. An affected target’s speed is halved, it takes a −2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and it can’t use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature’s abilities or magic items, it can’t make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn. If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn’t take effect until the creature’s next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can’t, the spell is wasted. A creature affected by this spell makes another Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, the effect ends for it.

The Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale, it has the same effect of a time stop

Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees

Your performance is so effective that you can cause enemies to die from joy or sorrow. The targets must make a Wisdom saving throw or suffer 1d4 psychic damage. You also gain the following level-based bonuses:

Refrain. Your song does psychic damage to targets of your choice within 30 feet of you equal to half your level in d4y damage.
The Finale! When this song is ended as part of a finale, a single target must repeat the saving throw or die, on a success they suffer the effects of a power word kill

COLLEGE OF SONG: The Balladeer (aka the EQ bard)