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<blockquote data-quote="Kobold Stew" data-source="post: 6629078" data-attributes="member: 23484">Hey -- welcome to the boards.there is an overlap, for sure, but I don't think you're &quot;wasting a proficiency&quot;. (Compare the bard, where a musical instrument is the spell casting focus, but you can apparently just hold it up in one hand to gain the benefit, and you don't need proficiency; that's an additional factor, and it does show some confusion in the rules about music for sure.)Every table might explain the difference differently. Certainly I can understand someone being a technically competent guitarist but not being good in front of crowds; I'm probably the reverse in that I have sung songs in front of audiences, but there is no objective way to demonstrate that I have been playing my mandolin for 20 years. So I get how they're separate. And I like the thought of bards not all being automatic performers, that that becomes a character choice.The best part about your dilemma, though, is that if you don't like these explanations, you're dealing with the rules that the PHB gives you explicit authorization to tinker with: you can alter backgrounds, make your own, and freely swap proficiencies. If you don't want your character to be an instrumentalist, say he used to travel a lot and take proficiency in vehicles (land). Or whatever. Custom backgrounds are a way for the rules to give everyone two tools/languages, two skills, and one other bonus ability. Develop the story you want, and then mix and match to produce what you want. (PHB p. 125).Hope this helps.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Kobold Stew, post: 6629078, member: 23484"] Hey -- welcome to the boards. there is an overlap, for sure, but I don't think you're "wasting a proficiency". (Compare the bard, where a musical instrument is the spell casting focus, but you can apparently just hold it up in one hand to gain the benefit, and you don't need proficiency; that's an additional factor, and it does show some confusion in the rules about music for sure.) Every table might explain the difference differently. Certainly I can understand someone being a technically competent guitarist but not being good in front of crowds; I'm probably the reverse in that I have sung songs in front of audiences, but there is no objective way to demonstrate that I have been playing my mandolin for 20 years. So I get how they're separate. And I like the thought of bards not all being automatic performers, that that becomes a character choice. The best part about your dilemma, though, is that if you don't like these explanations, you're dealing with the rules that the PHB gives you explicit authorization to tinker with: you can alter backgrounds, make your own, and freely swap proficiencies. If you don't want your character to be an instrumentalist, say he used to travel a lot and take proficiency in vehicles (land). Or whatever. Custom backgrounds are a way for the rules to give everyone two tools/languages, two skills, and one other bonus ability. Develop the story you want, and then mix and match to produce what you want. (PHB p. 125). Hope this helps. [/QUOTE]

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