Bardic Whispers from the Other Side: A Look at the College of Spirits for 5e D&D

Bardic Whispers from the Other Side: A Look at the College of Spirits for 5e D&D

May 28, 2025

The newest Unearthed Arcana from Wizards of the Coast continues to embrace the eerie with the College of Spirits, a Bard subclass that channels tales from beyond the veil. These Bards don’t just tell stories—they invoke them, drawing power from ghostly legends, haunted artifacts, and whispers from the other side. In this post, we explore how the College of Spirits redefines the Bard’s role at the table, offering unique mechanics and rich roleplay hooks for any campaign steeped in the supernatural. For those who prefer to listen in, we’ve included the full transcript of our YouTube video breakdown and analysis below.

College of Spirits Bard (UA 2025)

Dave:
Hello, and welcome to Nerdarchy: For Nerds, By Nerds. I’m Nerdarchist Dave, joined by my favorite co-conspirator in subclass scheming—

Ted:
Nerdarchist Ted. Greetings, adventurers, character builders, and lovers of spooky subclasses! Tonight, we’re cracking open the crypt that is Unearthed Arcana: Horror Subclasses 2025 from Wizards of the Coast. Six dark-themed fan-favorite subclasses—from Bard to Warlock—have been revised and reanimated. We’re here to dissect them, compare them, and maybe scream a little about balance.

Dave:
Whether you’re looking to terrify your table, min-max a shadow sorcerer, or just geek out about spooky builds, you’re in the right place. So settle in, light a candle, and let’s get unsettling with College of Spirits.

🎻 Intro to the Subclass

Dave:
This is a revision of the original College of Spirits Bard. Bards of this college conjure legendary, long-dead spirits using occult trappings to influence the world once more. But those spirits are capricious—the bard doesn’t always control what they summon.

Ted:
We’ve seen the original in play at our table. It was strong and fun, especially when multiclassed with Cleric for some added flavor. Let’s dig into what’s new.

🔮 Level 3 – Channeler Features

Dave:
You get Channeler at level 3 with two features:

Guiding Whispers: You learn the Guidance cantrip and can cast it at a 60-foot range.
Spiritual Focus: You gain proficiency with a gaming set—playing cards. You can use those cards, a crystal, orb, candle, or ink pen as your spellcasting focus.

Ted:
This is a flavorful start. Guidance at range is super useful. I love the tarot card imagery here with the gaming set. You could definitely roleplay the spirit whispering advice as the bonus—something nudging your hand, whispering from beyond.

👻 Level 3 – Spirits from Beyond Table

Dave:
Also at 3rd level, Spirits from Beyond lets you expend Bardic Inspiration as a bonus action while holding your focus. You roll your bardic die (starting as a d6, scaling up) and consult a d12 table to determine the effect.

Ted:
Then you choose a creature within 30 feet as the target. The spirit immediately acts on them. Some effects require a saving throw against your Bard spell save DC.

Dave:
Let’s run through some of these:

1. Beloved: Heal the target for Bardic die + Charisma modifier.
2. Sharpshooter: Force damage equal to Bardic die + Charisma modifier.
3. Avenger: Enemies that hit the target take force damage.
4. Renegade: The target can teleport 30 feet as a reaction.
5. Fortune Teller: The target gains advantage on all d20 tests.
6. Wayfarer: Temp HP + speed boost.
7. Trickster: Psychic damage + charm (Wis save).
8. Shade: Invisibility + necrotic damage burst (Con save).
9. Arsonist: Fire damage (Dex save).
10. Coward: Frightens multiple targets, limits their actions.
11. Brute: Thunder damage + knockdown (Str save).
12. Controlled Channeling: You choose the effect instead of rolling.

Ted:
It’s a really fun, unpredictable table, but most results are solid. The 12 is fantastic. And you choose the target after you roll, so it’s not wasted. That’s a great design choice.

🔥 Level 6 – Empowered Channeling

Dave:
You get two things here:

Power from Beyond: When you cast a Bard spell that deals damage or heals, roll a d6 to add to either the damage or healing.
Spiritual Manifestation: You always have Spirit Guardians prepared and can cast it once per long rest without a slot. You can also modify it once per rest so allies within its area gain half cover.

Ted:
That’s baller. Spirit Guardians is already one of the best cleric spells, and giving allies +2 AC on top of it? That’s wild. It’s thematic and strong. Definitely gives off big Morty from Dresden Files vibes—channeling ghosts while also being surprisingly competent.

🔁 Level 14 – Mystical Connection

Dave:
You roll on the Spirits from Beyond table twice and choose which result you want.

Ted:
It’s nice, but as a capstone, I would’ve liked more. Maybe let them always pick any result instead of rolling—or give them a new spirit effect altogether.

Dave:
Agreed. It’s solid, but not mind-blowing. Still, the table is good enough that even a double roll is valuable.

🧠 Final Thoughts

Ted:
This subclass was already strong. The revision gives it more flavor and utility without overcomplicating things. I’m a fan.

Dave:
I’d play this. I liked the original, and this one just feels tighter. The Guidance buff, Spirit Guardians, the tarot angle—it all clicks.

Ted:
What do you think? Do you like this new version of the College of Spirits? Have you played the original? Let us know in the comments.

Both:
Thanks for joining us in the crypt tonight. Whether you’re now haunted by balance questions or inspired to conjure your own ghostly allies, these horror subclasses definitely bring the flavor.

If you liked what you saw, smash that like button like a warlock pact gone wrong—and subscribe so you don’t miss the next time Wizards straps fresh souls—I mean, subclasses—for us to discuss.

Until next time: Stay nerdy.

Whether you’re weaving ghost stories in candlelit taverns or invoking ancient spirits on the battlefield, the College of Spirits Bard brings spectral style and haunting versatility to any D&D party. It’s a subclass that rewards creativity, narrative flair, and a love of the unknown. Don’t forget to watch our full discussion in the video above—and scroll down for the complete transcript so you can revisit the finer details anytime. Let us know how you’d bring a Spirit Bard to life in your next haunted adventure!