Originally, I was going to try to learn how to play the ukulele and re-do “Twa Corbies” for this article, but apparently, you can only learn that instrument in an hour if you have some minuscule fraction of ability to begin with. The last time I tried to sing in public, the guy running the karaoke turned off my mic. Okay, to be clear, obsession with bards aside, I have all the musical and rhythmic talent of a harmonica in a clothes dryer. Extra Credit: Bringing Custom Music to the Table Of course, if your DM is more whimsical (or forgiving), bards always have the option of a flamethrower guitar or a guitar shotgun (if your group allows the guitar shotgun, let me know if you’re looking for a player). Musical bows are either dedicated instruments or converted hunting bows that are also a stringed percussion instrument with the addition of a resonator. Played as a form of meditation, by some accounts, this instrument could also be used as an effective bludgeoning weapon, making it easier to smuggle into areas where characters are expected to disarm. The shakuhachi is a nearly two-foot-long flute with a heavy, bulbous tip. Using real world examples, bards could be familiar with a shakuhachi or a musical bow. More spectacularly, bards may have access to instruments that serve a secondary function as weapons (or vice-versa). These real-world examples can be a great illustration of and justification for Bardic Inspiration and similar powers for those groups that prefer to have detailed or evocative descriptions of these powers in action. Horns, fifes (single-tube pipes), drums, and bagpipe music are all well-known accompaniments to ancient battles, providing everything from marching cadence to tactical signaling. Songs are great for this purpose, as they can be scattered earlier in a campaign (or even a session) in the background, providing foreshadowing or clues for players without necessarily being obvious about doing so.įor a more grounded approach, you can also consider bringing in more martial applications of music. Jemisin continue to use ancient stories, songs, and phrases in this way to flesh out the worlds of their novels (in particular, Jemisin’s Stone Lore could drive an entire campaign just by itself). Musical Plot LinesĪll over the world, since long before the advent of widespread literacy, song, poetry, and performance have been used to remember the history of nations and heroes there’s no reason why in games such epics (and the rascals who know them well) can’t provide context for the rivalry between royal families, hints about the weaknesses of an ancient evil stirring after centuries of slumber, or even direct instructions as to how to make it through a trapped dungeon. This article explores a few ways that bards can uniquely add to your game. There’s nothing wrong with that if your group enjoys following the exploits of your own personal pratfalling Mata Hari, but bards have a lot of potential to deepen gameplay in other ways. If your table is anything like mine, bards are primarily known for romancing their way out of combat encounters, only to have to then combat their way out of those romance encounters when plans inevitably go awry. Image Courtesy of Pixabay “I’d like to teach the world to sing, but they’re all tone deaf.”
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