D&D 5E Perform versus Musical Instruct Proficiency

[Oofta]

Yeah, I got that. I'd probably just let the other two make checks as normal, and then say that the person who was proficient in both the Perform skill and the Harp did slightly better than both of the others. (Unless there was a compelling reason not to. Maybe one of the others is using a magical instrument? Maybe one of them rolled a nat-20? Maybe the double-proficient harpist has a hangover, or is playing someone else's instrument? I can think of a dozen reasons off the top of my head.)

I should clarify. A swing of +1d20 will most likely govern any skill check or proficiency bonus, and it seems weird to nullify the specialist's proficiencies with a bad roll. ("Specialist" being someone who is skilled in both Perform and the harp.) Even with Advantage, the odds of the specialist getting out-performed by a lucky roll seems unfairly high. And playing a harp isn't really a test of luck....it's almost purely a test of skill.

Maybe allow a roll with a minimum of 10 for the specialist? Or 15 because they have advantage? I think the person who has just proficiency in the tool should have a chance to win, but I agree a single roll even with advantage can be quite the swing. But that's true of a lot of things D&D.

Like I said before, the person who has never picked up a harp before doesn't stand a chance winning a contest for playing the harp IMHO.

 

[iserith]

There is a harp and singing competition in the village. Three PCs enter. All are the same level and have the same charisma.

Tim (PC 1) has proficiency with the harp and proficiency with performance. Tom (PC 2) has proficiency in harp, but not performance. Tam (PC) has proficiency in performance, but not harp. The DM asks all three players to describe their performances and all three independently give similar descriptions.

As a DM, how would you handle the situation? All three make the same roll because they're all proficient in something relevant and have the same bonuses? Or does Tim get an advantage for having both performance and harp proficiency? If so, what is that bonus?

I ask for a Charisma check and the players add the skill proficiency they think applies best given what they described. Tam and Tom have disadvantage because this is a harp AND singing competition.

 

[Undrave]

Nothing, the contest gets interrupted by Team Rocket Goblins and everybody fights instead THERE! Solved that problem and nobody is none the wiser...

 

[Oofta]

Nothing, the contest gets interrupted by Team Rocket Goblins and everybody fights instead THERE! Solved that problem and nobody is none the wiser...

No matter what the question in D&D is, the answer is always MOAR GOBLINS!

 

[Umbran]

Tam gets proficiency bonus for singing, dancing, poetry, etc, but not if he just plays the harp

Why not?

"Your Charisma (Performance) check determines how well you can delight an audience with music, dance, acting, storytelling, or some other form of entertainment."

Performance is not singing specific. Any music will do. It is a little weird, that having the skill means you can pick up any and all instruments and play them, but... weapon proficiency means you can pick up any of a large class of weapons, both melee and ranged, so I am not sure it is out of line.

I'd probably go with giving proficiency bonus and advantage to the one with both perform and the harm proficiency, the other two just get proficiency bonus.