Musical Proficiency

There are now well over 50 musical instruments for bard players to choose from. Although such a large selection is nice, players might wonder if they have to spend a proficiency slot for each instrument they wish their bards to master. Fortunately, the answer is "no."

The instruments in Table 20 have been broken down into convenient categories and grouped appropriately into an indented outline format. A number in parenthesis appears after each level that contains subentries. This is the number of proficiency slots that must be spent in order to gain proficiency in all instruments indented beneath that level. For example, for five proficiency slots, a character can become proficient in all wind instruments; for only three slots he can limit himself to becoming proficient in all instruments in the flute family. Those instruments that don't have a number next to them cost a single slot to gain.

Note that proficiency in an instrument or category includes not only those instruments listed, but any others in his campaign world that fall into the same category. Thus, if a bard spends two slots to gain proficiency in bagpipes, he isn't limited to just the dudy and zampogna. He knows how to play any bagpipe that exists in his campaign world.

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