Cutting Words

Cutting Words is a Reaction available to the College of Lore Bards. This ability allows these Bards to distract and confuse their foes, potentially causing attacks to miss, or ability checks or saving throws to fail.

Description

Use your wit to distract a creature and sap its confidence. It receives a -1d6 penalty to Attack roll, Ability check, or Saving throw.

Properties

Cost:

Reaction + Bardic Inspiration Charge

Details:

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

At Higher Levels

• At Bard Level 5, the Cutting Words penalty increases to -1d8
• At Bard Level 10, the Cutting Words penalty increases to -1d10

How to learn

Classes:

• Class level 3: College of Lore

Notes

• Unlike in D&D 5th Edition Rules, Cutting Words cannot be applied to damage rolls. However, it can be applied to Saving Throws (which is normally available only to Eloquence Bards).
• In most cases using this action will cause the caster to make a verbal quip or insult the target, drawing on the same pool of dialogue options as  Vicious Mockery. These remarks are fully voice acted, including for characters who don't normally have access to the action.