D&D 5E How can i obtain a proficiency in a musical instrument if im not a bard

[Ashrym]

@Son of the Serpent what class were you actually playing? A rogue who starts with criminal or urchin has double proficiencies in thieves' tools so gets another tool proficiency in lieu. Monks or bard can start with the proficiency.

Multiple backgrounds offer it up, including he obvious entertainer if that's how you see the character. One of the entertainer's subroutines in instrumentalist. I doubt a DM would stop you from swapping a tool proficiency for an instrument in any background because that's no different than a custom background.

I mentioned the feat not being the way to go is because downtime allows tools. The rule is downtime doesn't allow skills.

Just remember, the next time you want to kick that musician's butt in a tavern brawl, not all musicians are bards. Sometimes they are monks.

 

[Salthorae]

I don't think this is true for 5e. I'm familiar with the concept of 'tendays' as a unit of time in FR, but I think now that's just a vestige of past editions. I don't remember anything in the PHB or DMG mentioning it.

For 5e, unless a word has been specifically defined, it retains its plain English meaning. So a week in the rules always refers to 7 days.

Well... I don't know about the PHB, but the first published adventure for the 5e starter set has this in the glossary:

Tenday. In the Forgotten Realms, a week is ten days long and called a tenday. Each month consists of three
tendays — thirty days total.

Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide also has this section:

Time in the Realms
Although a number of means exist for marking the days and the passage of time during a year, nearly all folk in Faerûn have adopted the Calendar of Harptos. Even the cultures and races that don’t favor this method of marking time are aware of it, with the result that it is recognized across nearly all races, languages, and cultures.

A year on Toril consists of 365 days. In the Calendar of Harptos, the year is divided into twelve months of thirty days, loosely following the synodic cycle of Selûne, the moon. A month is made up of three tendays, also known as rides. Five annual holidays, falling between the months, complete the 365-day calendar. Once every four years, the Calendar of Harptos includes Shieldmeet as a “leap day” following Midsummer.

When I search dndbeyond for "tenday" I see references to it in all these adventures on the first page of search results:

• Dragon Heist
• Princes of the Apocalypse
• Tales from the Yawing Portal
• Sleeping Dragon's Wake
• Storm Lord's Wrath
• Dragon of Icespire Peak
• Tomb of Annihilation
• Hoard of the Dragon Queen
• Dungeon of the Mad Mage
• Baulder's Gate: Descent into Avernus

So... since Forgotten Realms is the default setting, I assume that a week refers to the FR "week" which is a tenday?

But you play it how you want it!

 

[Hriston]

The XGtE downtime training rules quoted up thread refer to “workweeks”, which are defined as five days, not seven and not ten, so that’s a total of 50 - INT mod x 5 days to learn a tool or language at 5 gp per day.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

The XGtE downtime training rules quoted up thread refer to “workweeks”, which are defined as five days, not seven and not ten, so that’s a total of 50 - INT mod x 5 days to learn a tool or language at 5 gp per day.

excellent!
so if you have an int of 20 its only 25 days and 25 gold. pure excellence.

 

[Azzy]

So... since Forgotten Realms is the default setting,

Actually, it isn't. The only default setting-ish in 5e is the "D&D Multiverse" which includes multiple settings.

 

[Hriston]

excellent!
so if you have an int of 20 its only 25 days and 25 gold. pure excellence.

Well, not sure if you made a typo, but that would be 125 gp total, if I understand the XGtE rules correctly. I don’t have that book myself and prefer the PHB rule for downtime training anyway.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Given that they turn you into a fully competent player of the instrument in 2 and a half months, they are also stunningly effective. So, don't complain too much

That is true! I imagine this must be some sort of ultra-intensive instrument boot camp, probably with you living with me instructor and practicing 24/7.

 

[Hriston]

That is true! I imagine this must be some sort of ultra-intensive instrument boot camp, probably with you living with me instructor and practicing 24/7.

I realize you’re joking, but I’m pretty sure it calls out spending eight hours per day, so that’s a forty hour week. Even with only an average Intelligence, it gives you full proficiency in just 400 hours, which I suppose is part of why I like the PHB rule better.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

lj

Well, not sure if you made a typo, but that would be 125 gp total, if I understand the XGtE rules correctly. I don’t have that book myself and prefer the PHB rule for downtime training anyway.

it was a typo. apparently i missed the 1 with my ring finger. woops . for a featless skill 125 is great! small price to pay for having the ability to do something really well you've never done before out of the blue and having it be permanent.

 

[BlivetWidget]

<snip>
So... since Forgotten Realms is the default setting, I assume that a week refers to the FR "week" which is a tenday?

But you play it how you want it!

Thanks for the thorough research, I guess you can tell I don't play modules!

BUT... the existence of a tenday in the flavor doesn't change the meaning of "week" for the rules (though I'll admit the LMoP quote could be confusing). As far as the game rules are concerned for downtime and spell durations, a week is the common English meaning of week (7 days), and a workweek is the common English meaning of workweek (5 days).

Xanathar's Guide to Everything: Resolving Activities
Most downtime activities require a workweek (5 days) to complete. Some activities require days, weeks (7
days), or months (30 days).