D&D Bard (Extra Credit)

[Conchobear]

Hey guys, so my DM is making another group using 5e so I thought I'd roll out another character I've had in mind.
As the title suggests, it's a bard. Being a musician I see this as a way to really bring my character alive.
As I have the free time, I'm writing out different songs my bard will sing and will be bringing my guitar to the sessions.
Is this a good idea or will I run into problems?
Most will be short or background music or quick verses before battle to bolster morale.

Has anyone done this before?

[LibraryOgre]

Hey guys, so my DM is making another group using 5e so I thought I'd roll out another character I've had in mind.
As the title suggests, it's a bard. Being a musician I see this as a way to really bring my character alive.
As I have the free time, I'm writing out different songs my bard will sing and will be bringing my guitar to the sessions.
Is this a good idea or will I run into problems?
Most will be short or background music or quick verses before battle to bolster morale.

Has anyone done this before?

Personally, I would find it disruptive, though I will frequently drop song lyrics (from recognizable songs) into the session, especially when I'm a bard.

However, I've done similar things before, including writing epic poetry about one of the adventures we went through.

http://mymegaverse.org/nexx/tsr/Bloodstone.htm

But that was submitted to the DM out of game, and I spent some time and money promoting a concert for it...

[Slipperychicken]

Is this a good idea or will I run into problems?

That depends on how good you are


If it were me, I'd want to play something calm, quiet, and unobtrusive, such that people sitting right next to you could easily ignore, talk over it, and do math while you play. Maybe practice a few simple bits for occasions like wandering, fighting, being in a creepy place, hanging out somewhere peaceful, mourning someone's loss, and keeping watch. Also find a few amusing effects like one to play in response to amusing failure*, something to play during funny antics.

*(On cello, I usually do this by playing three tritones, each one a half-step lower than the last, holding out and vibrating the last one. It's hilariously easy on cello, but don't know how hard this is to do on guitar.)


The final fantasy victory theme is mandatory, as no victory is complete without it. Bits of video-game music might come in handy (for example, if someone is jumping on enemies or references Mario, it might be fun to play a few seconds of the Mario theme). If you see your fellow players humming music to themselves, it can be a nice touch to learn it and start playing along with them next time.