Trombone-toting bards?

[Sejs]

Take Improved Unarmed Strike so you can kick ass and toot your own horn at the same time!

I've wanted to do a bard with similar concept, though using a violin instead of a trombone.

Improved Unarmed Strike and Superior Unarmed Strike. Mmhm.

 

[MrFilthyIke]

My half-orc bard I made when 3E first came out play the drum and didgeridoo.

 

[Wik]

Trombone bard!? That's friggin' AWESOME.

Combat Trombone? Even friggin' AWESOMER.

All that being said, he'd get no respect in our group. Well, even less respect than bards USUALLY get. Times, like, FIVE.

 

[kenobi65]

Back in the days of the RPGA's Living City campaign, I played a bard from the Moonshaes who played the Uillean pipes.

From a mechanical standpoint, the disadvantage of a trombone (or, for that matter, most wind instruments) to a bard is that playing it occupies *both* of your hands *and* your mouth.

 

[der_kluge]

Sackbuts didn't come into popular use until the late 15th century, so a "middle-ages" sort of campaign with a sackbut in it would be a bit of an anachronism.

A simple valveless trumpet or horn would be a much more appropriate type of brass instrument.

In fact, the "bard as minstrel" itself is a bit of an anachronism, since written music wasn't even codified until about the 10th century.


From Wiki:

While musical life was undoubtedly rich in the early Medieval era, as attested by artistic depictions of instruments, writings about music, and other records, the only repertory of music which has survived from before 800 to the present day is the plainsong liturgical music of the Roman Catholic Church, the largest part of which is called Gregorian chant. Several schools of polyphony flourished in the period after 1100. Alongside these schools of sacred music a vibrant tradition of secular song developed, as exemplified in the music of the troubadours, trouvères and Minnesänger.

Much of the surviving music of the 14th century in European music history is secular. By the middle of the 15th century, composers and singers used a smooth polyphony for sacred musical compositions such as the mass, the motet, and the laude; and secular forms such as the chanson and the madrigal. The invention of printing had an immense influence on the dissemination of musical styles.

Complex music didn't even originate until the Baroque era. 17th century kinds of stuff. When canons and gunpowder were already well established weapons and knights in armor were things of yore.

In a medieval campaign, such as how D&D is portrayed, a "bard" would mostly likely sing, and play a simple stringed instrument. Horns were almost exclusively used as a fanfare for kings. The "purpose" of a bard, if there were one, is to convey story and information through song, almost exclusively. Playing a trombone makes that sort of difficult.

If nothing else, this thread has gave me a new appreciation for the bard's role...

 

[Wik]

Thank you, Captain Buzzkill.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Thank you, Captain Buzzkill.

I couldn't hear him over the awesome sound of 77 marching gnome trombonists!

/march

 

[interwyrm]

Sackbuts didn't come into popular use until the late 15th century, so a "middle-ages" sort of campaign with a sackbut in it would be a bit of an anachronism.

And the rapier didn't come into use until the 16th century...

Were you trying to make a point?

 

[findar]

Some people may think this foolish for D&D, but nothing says that your bard can't introduce a little jazz into the fantasy world.

 

[Wolfwood2]

Back in the days of the RPGA's Living City campaign, I played a bard from the Moonshaes who played the Uillean pipes.

From a mechanical standpoint, the disadvantage of a trombone (or, for that matter, most wind instruments) to a bard is that playing it occupies *both* of your hands *and* your mouth.

Common misconception.

You can have all of your Perform ranks in "Trombone" and still use Inspire Courage or Inspire Heroics or Song of Freedom via singing and shouting poetry in combat, neither requires a Perform check.

True you'll still need to use your trombone for other bardic music applications, but that tends more towards out of combat stuff.