In other threads it comes up from time to time that a player wants to have a character that is a musician but using a fighter or rogue type class. This got me to thinking, do any of you play in worlds where there are non-bard musicians as either PCs or NPCs? In my worldbuilding I try to create two musicians for every bard so that bards are special but you can't assume every musician is a bard. I expect you would agree not every priest is a Cleric and not every Man-at-Arms is a Fighter. Likewise not every scout is a Ranger nor is every hermit a Druid, and not every low-life thief or bandit is a Rogue. The only class that really breaks this trend are the Magic User classes, because if you are not a Wizard, Sorcerer, Warlock or Witch, you're not casting any spells to appear to be anything like one of them.
So aside from the Bards in your campaigns, how many musicians do you encounter?
Some examples of the musicians in my campaigns are village reeves or tavern performers, members of a caravan or a hunter that spends time away from home.
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In settings I play in I would say there may be one bard on every 50 musicians, much like there is one ranger among every 50 combatants in the outskirts or clerics amongst priests. To me having class levels means you are rather unique, after all you make magic happen with your performances.
Glad to hear it. I just get the impression that in many settings every musician is in fact a Bard and that shouldn't be so. As I pointed out, other classes have mundane versions and Bards should be like that. I typically signify that an NPC might be a bard rather than a musician because they have better manners or indicate a noble purpose rather than just trying to earn coin to pay the bills.
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Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
In other threads it comes up from time to time that a player wants to have a character that is a musician but using a fighter or rogue type class. This got me to thinking, do any of you play in worlds where there are non-bard musicians as either PCs or NPCs? In my worldbuilding I try to create two musicians for every bard so that bards are special but you can't assume every musician is a bard. I expect you would agree not every priest is a Cleric and not every Man-at-Arms is a Fighter. Likewise not every scout is a Ranger nor is every hermit a Druid, and not every low-life thief or bandit is a Rogue. The only class that really breaks this trend are the Magic User classes, because if you are not a Wizard, Sorcerer, Warlock or Witch, you're not casting any spells to appear to be anything like one of them.
So aside from the Bards in your campaigns, how many musicians do you encounter?
Some examples of the musicians in my campaigns are village reeves or tavern performers, members of a caravan or a hunter that spends time away from home.
I play PC's who are musicians and not bards. Performance is a method of setting a lifestyle and meeting NPC's in the lifestyle. It's also a great cover for a thief or assassin looking for marks. I've also played PC's who are a different class and called themselves bards to make a different style than 5e promotes.
Most musicians are not bards and bards don't need to make music to make magic. ;-)
It should also be pointed out that not every bard is necessarily a musician. They could be writers, diplomats, carnival ringmasters, etc.
Sort of but not quite. Every bard in DnD is a musician because they all gain proficiency in musical instruments as part of the class.
The difference is a bard CAN use an instrument as a focus (which does nothing more than replace components) but is not required to use an instrument for inspiration or magic. The class can leave home with a spell component pouch just fine and never play a tune, or learn nothing but spells with no material component. Bard abilities aren't dependent on music like a common perception.
I have an Eladrin Sorceress (Wild Magic) from the Feywild who has the Entertainer background and whose whole career has been as a Performer - she plays a lyre, sings, recites poetry, can dance. She wrote most her own songs and poems. Her spells are almost all Enchantments - charm, control, psychic damage - most of which are also on the Bard's spell list.
You might say that she Presents as a Bard. :)
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In other threads it comes up from time to time that a player wants to have a character that is a musician but using a fighter or rogue type class. This got me to thinking, do any of you play in worlds where there are non-bard musicians as either PCs or NPCs? In my worldbuilding I try to create two musicians for every bard so that bards are special but you can't assume every musician is a bard. I expect you would agree not every priest is a Cleric and not every Man-at-Arms is a Fighter. Likewise not every scout is a Ranger nor is every hermit a Druid, and not every low-life thief or bandit is a Rogue. The only class that really breaks this trend are the Magic User classes, because if you are not a Wizard, Sorcerer, Warlock or Witch, you're not casting any spells to appear to be anything like one of them.
So aside from the Bards in your campaigns, how many musicians do you encounter?
Some examples of the musicians in my campaigns are village reeves or tavern performers, members of a caravan or a hunter that spends time away from home.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
In settings I play in I would say there may be one bard on every 50 musicians, much like there is one ranger among every 50 combatants in the outskirts or clerics amongst priests.
To me having class levels means you are rather unique, after all you make magic happen with your performances.
Glad to hear it. I just get the impression that in many settings every musician is in fact a Bard and that shouldn't be so. As I pointed out, other classes have mundane versions and Bards should be like that. I typically signify that an NPC might be a bard rather than a musician because they have better manners or indicate a noble purpose rather than just trying to earn coin to pay the bills.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
It should also be pointed out that not every bard is necessarily a musician. They could be writers, diplomats, carnival ringmasters, etc.
I play PC's who are musicians and not bards. Performance is a method of setting a lifestyle and meeting NPC's in the lifestyle. It's also a great cover for a thief or assassin looking for marks. I've also played PC's who are a different class and called themselves bards to make a different style than 5e promotes.
Most musicians are not bards and bards don't need to make music to make magic. ;-)
Sort of but not quite. Every bard in DnD is a musician because they all gain proficiency in musical instruments as part of the class.
The difference is a bard CAN use an instrument as a focus (which does nothing more than replace components) but is not required to use an instrument for inspiration or magic. The class can leave home with a spell component pouch just fine and never play a tune, or learn nothing but spells with no material component. Bard abilities aren't dependent on music like a common perception.
I have an Eladrin Sorceress (Wild Magic) from the Feywild who has the Entertainer background and whose whole career has been as a Performer - she plays a lyre, sings, recites poetry, can dance. She wrote most her own songs and poems. Her spells are almost all Enchantments - charm, control, psychic damage - most of which are also on the Bard's spell list.
You might say that she Presents as a Bard. :)