D&D 5E Bards and perform

[Illyunkas De’lorinth]

I’m curious has anyone houseruled that bards can use perform to aid someone? For instance instead of allowing an inspiration dice the performance helps the rogue think clearly when disabling a trap? Also what do you guys think of a bard that wants to use perform and stealth together? Should it be allowed? Should it grant disadvantage? Should any creature have advantage? There are some rules implied for making sounds when invisible so I assume the same could apply when the bard is behind cover and was never seen in the first place. Logically a sound could help point someone in the right direction, but doesn’t immediately mean that person knows exactly where the source of the sound is. I’m curious because I want to know exactly how much room I have as a bard to do things just for fun. I’m also completely ok with this thread becoming a discussion about bards and performance.

 

[jaelis]

I probably wouldn't allow you to use a performance check to gain the benefit of an inspiration die, without actually spending an inspiration die.

In general, I guess I'd restrict performances to situations where they make conventional sense. If you're trying to impress, entertain, or even convey information, a performance check would make sense. Not so much for disabling a trap or hiding. In this regard, I'd treat perform like any other skill.

 

[Illyunkas De’lorinth]

I’d think that music or entertainment can easily aid someone who wants to disable a trap though. People in the real world tend to listen to music to help them think clearly and work on things like art or mechanics. I’d agree that it shouldn’t aid stealth, but should I still be allowed to attempt stealth while performing and have some sort of penalty? I may be wrong but being aided by a party member and using an inspiration die are completely different. Inspiration adds to the roll where aiding, if I’m correct, grants advantage on the d20 roll.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

There's already a mechanic for a bard inspiring someone. I don't require a performance check to do so. In fact Performance is really just used to gauge how well they perform, not inspire. Much like a wizard does not need to make an Arcana check while casting a spell.

 

[iserith]

I’m curious has anyone houseruled that bards can use perform to aid someone? For instance instead of allowing an inspiration dice the performance helps the rogue think clearly when disabling a trap? Also what do you guys think of a bard that wants to use perform and stealth together? Should it be allowed? Should it grant disadvantage? Should any creature have advantage? There are some rules implied for making sounds when invisible so I assume the same could apply when the bard is behind cover and was never seen in the first place. Logically a sound could help point someone in the right direction, but doesn’t immediately mean that person knows exactly where the source of the sound is. I’m curious because I want to know exactly how much room I have as a bard to do things just for fun. I’m also completely ok with this thread becoming a discussion about bards and performance.

This just falls under the rules for Working Together (Basic Rules, page 59). The DM has to decide if (1) the task is one the bard could perform alone and (2) whether the assistance is actually productive. The exact nature of the assistance is not specified under the rules, so it's possible a bard's performance could allow the PC leading the effort to roll with advantage. In short, the DM has to make this call with each and every instance it comes up, based on the situation that is unfolding at the time.

 

[Illyunkas De’lorinth]

I figured, I just wanted to see if anyone had input about how they would make the call. I’m curious if any of this is even worth attempting.

 

[iserith]

I figured, I just wanted to see if anyone had input about how they would make the call. I’m curious if any of this is even worth attempting.

I would say it's worth attempting if there's no cost for failure but be prepared for the DM to rule against you. The best you can do is state a clear approach to the goal of helping out another PC and wait for the DM to respond.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

I figured, I just wanted to see if anyone had input about how they would make the call. I’m curious if any of this is even worth attempting.

I don't know if you've played any second edition Exalted, but one of the big problems with that game is that there are far too many ways to gain bonuses to a task, such that nothing is ever challenging unless the GM goes out of their way to artificially inflate the difficulty numbers.

I think this idea is heading in that direction. We already have a mechanic for bards being able to inspire people, and PCs already succeed at most tasks most of the time, so giving bards an additional mechanic whereby they can help people succeed is kind of unnecessary.

 

[ad_hoc]

I figured, I just wanted to see if anyone had input about how they would make the call. I’m curious if any of this is even worth attempting.

Absolutely not.

I feel like it would be weird for anyone at the table to suggest it.

In order to Help the character needs to be able to perform the action and it needs to be a circumstance where help makes sense.

Performing is not lockpicking and lockpicking is (most of the time) a one character job.

 

[ethandrew]

I figured, I just wanted to see if anyone had input about how they would make the call. I’m curious if any of this is even worth attempting.

Tugger (The Rogue): Hmm, this locked door looks like a doozy. Lothar, drop me a beat.
Lothar (The Bard): [drums his fingers along the wooden body of his lute in a rhythmic pattern]
Tugger: [Nods his head in time with the beat] Yeah, this lock stands no chance now.


Yeah, it just doesn't add up for me.