D&D 5E Bards Should Be Half-Casters in 5.5e/6e

[FrogReaver]

I mean, the stuff you quoted, even bolded, explicitly talks about things that aren't music: "a master of song, speech, and the magic they contain." Which, sure, it means there's some music in there. But it also means there's some stuff that's explicitly not music. That would seem to conform to what Jayoungr said, that they're walking back from Bards being 110% musical ALL the time, even when helping people concentrate or sneak around. That their magic can involve words alone. The music stuff is already baked in (getting three instrument proficiencies and Song of Rest), so everything else can, at least in theory, be covered by the "magic [speech] contain[s.]"

I don’t know how anyone reads the passage I quoted and comes away with bards aren’t primarily musical.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I don’t know how anyone reads the passage I quoted and comes away with bards aren’t primarily musical.

It reads to me as "they have some music, and they have some not-music. How much of each thing you do is up to you, because the Bard's greatest strength is versatility."

 

[Parmandur]

Incorrect. The second part was added 200 years after “Jack of all trades” entered the English lexicon, and is not a necessary component of the saying. “Jack” simply refers to the common man. It just means “a chap who can turn his hand to many things”.

"Jack" still implies mediocrity. See also, previous attempts to make a true Jack of all trades Bard.

 

[Parmandur]

Just going to have to mention that the full saying is actually a compliment.

A Jack of all trades, and master of none
Is often better than the master of one.

I.E. a generalist who can contribute well in many different aspects can be more valuable than a specialist who can do one thing very well, but then cannot contribute in anything else.

The second doublet was added in the 21st century, to subvert the usual meaning, which again is being capable of passable mediocre work at a bunch of tasks.

 

[Faolyn]

So, wait, your definition of a "jack of all trades" means that the person who is being a jack of all trades doesn't get to actually be actually good at anything, but has to be relatively mediocre at everything? That's clearly not how things do or should work.

Jack of all trades, master of none.

 

[jayoungr]

Kind of sounds like the same musical song fluff to me. But what do I know?

They haven't ruled out the idea that bards can deal in magical music. They're just offering other options alongside it for those who find the idea silly. If "songs" were a core class feature of the bard, they would be basically saying you have to be a music-making bard, whereas now they're saying you can be one but other types of bard also exist.

I don’t know how anyone reads the passage I quoted and comes away with bards aren’t primarily musical.

The key word is primarily. The passage you quoted leaves the door wide open for the creation of a non-musical bard. Giving the bard core class features called "songs" would counteract that.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

They haven't ruled out the ideas that bards can deal in magical music. They're just offering other options alongside it for those who find the idea silly. If "songs" were a core class feature of the bard, they would be basically saying you have to be a music-making bard, whereas now they're saying you can be one but other types of bard also exist.

The mechanic can be called 'song' but still be poetry or tap dance or whatever. Also I really don't get people who dislike bards singing and still want to play bards. That's like wanting to play wizard but disliking that they read books.

 

[Aldarc]

Jack of all trades, master of none.

Not being a master doesn't necessarily relegate one to base level mediocrity.

 

[jayoungr]

The mechanic can be called 'song' but still be poetry or tap dance or whatever.

If it doesn't have to be music, then why not just call it something else?

Also I really don't get people who dislike bards singing and still want to play bards. That's like wanting to play wizard but disliking that they read books.

I guess they just have a different image of what's important about being a bard.

 

[Parmandur]

They haven't ruled out the ideas that bards can deal in magical music. They're just offering other options alongside it for those who find the idea silly. If "songs" were a core class feature of the bard, they would be basically saying you have to be a music-making bard, whereas now they're saying you can be one but other types of bard also exist.


The key word is primarily. The passage you quoted leaves the door wide open for the creation of a non-musical bard. Giving the bard core class features called "songs" would counteract that.

It's more of a Platonist approach to the Bard: the Bard resonates with, like, cosmic harmonies, man, to effect change in the world.