I can't tell from the text about how this feature is intended to be used. It does not state "pick one" anywhere so is it that the player can decide which option is best every time they cast a spell if the have that instrument? What's to stop them carrying around the three physical instruments and using the best option every time (or maybe that's the intent)? Is it limited by proficiencies?
Level Up (A5E) Question on bard's Art Specialty
Wondering the same myself.
Haven't found anything definitive in the Adventure guide. But looking at the pregenerated bard they put out, it lists only "Voice specialty".
And at level 5, with "Key change", you can change it as a bonus action once per short.
So to me that looks like its a choice, and you have to pick one at level 1.
And even at level 5, your still limited by proficiencies, I'm assuming.
Haven't found anything definitive in the Adventure guide. But looking at the pregenerated bard they put out, it lists only "Voice specialty".
And at level 5, with "Key change", you can change it as a bonus action once per short.
So to me that looks like its a choice, and you have to pick one at level 1.
And even at level 5, your still limited by proficiencies, I'm assuming.
Yeah I would assume if you don't have proficiency in any string instruments, for example, then you just can't use that one. That is a problem with voice and visual then in that every bard always (or never?) gets those since there's no additional proficiency required for "vocal performance".
Mike Myler
Have you been to LevelUp5E.com yet?
Yup! Whenever you finish a short or long rest, choose one of the following to be your Art Specialty.
(and then Key Change lets you do it much more quickly)
Faolyn
(she/her)
Love it! That sounds so much better than choose one, that's it, and not nearly as OP as having access to all at once.
So how which of these options is active has been cleared up by the updates to the adventurers guide (after short or long rest you can switch) but I'm still confused about which of these options can be taken. Is proficiency in an instrument of the category a prerequisite to being able to pick that option? If so, is the implication that "Visual" and "Voice" are always available as there are no instrument proficiencies for either of those listed anywhere? Or is it the reverse and "Voice" and "Visual" (or at least one of the examples listed) "musical instrument proficiencies" that need to be taken via whatever feature that might grant it? If its the latter, that's a pretty big leap to take to get to 'shapes' when choosing a musical instrument proficiency.
