Heads Up: New DMG errata significantly improved Instruments of the Bards

[Keravath]

In the previous printings of the DMG the interpretation of the Instruments of the Bards was that only spells with a material component could benefit from the effect of imposing disadvantage on saves for spells causing the charmed condition. This limited the applicability to hypnotic pattern and animal friendship.

The updated errata for Instruments of the Bards states:

[New] Instrument of the Bards (p. 176).
The final paragraph is replaced with the following: “You can play the instrument while casting a spell that causes any of its targets to be charmed on a failed saving throw, thereby imposing disadvantage on the save. This effect applies only if the spell has a somatic or a material component.”

http://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/downloads/DMG-Errata.pdf

This now means that almost all charm spells can now be used by bards with such an instrument with disadvantage in non-combat situations and with a straight roll instead of advantage on saves against opponents in combat.

[sesimie]

Nice my DMs just sanctioned me using this Change.

So Charm Person. Crown of Madness. Hypnotic Pattern. Dominate Person, Dominate Monster, Dominate Beast, Animal Friendship are affected by this change.

Do spells like Friends, Suggestion, Enthrall, count as well?

[HappyDaze]

I can't wait to hear the arguments that the instruments can be played with one hand since they're implements and the rules say implements only require one hand. Next up, the arguments that that the instrument can be played really softly and makes no more noise that any other spell with verbal components.

[Coffee_Dragon]

I can't wait to hear the arguments that the instruments can be played with one hand since they're implements and the rules say implements only require one hand. Next up, the arguments that that the instrument can be played really softly and makes no more noise that any other spell with verbal components.

Lightly tapping the instrument with one finger counts as playing because RAW there are no requirements of rhythm, timbre, volume or anything else and a DM who house rules otherwise hates people.

[Foxhound438]

I can't wait to hear the arguments that the instruments can be played with one hand since they're implements and the rules say implements only require one hand. Next up, the arguments that that the instrument can be played really softly and makes no more noise that any other spell with verbal components.

I just need a harmonica of the bards so I don't have to use any hands

[HappyDaze]

Lightly tapping the instrument with one finger counts as playing because RAW there are no requirements of rhythm, timbre, volume or anything else and a DM who house rules otherwise hates people.

And next come air guitar of the bards...

[OvisCaedo]

Well, it applies to more spells now, at least, though also has a much more specific input requirement. I wonder how many things this would change in terms of handedness...? I suppose not a lot, off hands tend to not matter much when casting a spell. Do bards often use shields...?

[Chronos]

Huh, I'd never noticed the implication that the spell needed to be one with an M component.

Then again, the bard in my group has one of these, and I don't think she ever noticed the charm bonus at all (or at least, it's never come up). But on reflection, she hasn't cast many charm spells to begin with. It's still a great item, just for the added spells.

sesimie, it can't apply to Friends, because that doesn't have a save to begin with to impose disadvantage on. Enthrall and Suggestion, by the rules as written, wouldn't work, because they don't actually impose the Charmed condition, but you could reasonably ask your DM for a houserule, because they're at least charm-like, in that they don't work on creatures immune to charm. This request would probably be easier if they've also already ruled that the elvish resistance to charm also applies to those effects.

[Eriol]

I just need a harmonica of the bards so I don't have to use any hands
Just FYI, if you think a harmonica doesn't need at least one hand to be played, you obviously haven't played one before. I think you may be confusing it with a Kazoo.

But on the topic of the Instruments, I dunno. I generally DM from the "until it becomes a massive problem, let the players do what's plausible" perspective. Most "strict rule" stuff like this IMO only actually comes up when there's other "issues" with either the player or the DM, and there's need to go stricter RAW to "resolve" the dispute. For most players/tables, this is a nuance that wouldn't really come up.

[Warlawk]

Just FYI, if you think a harmonica doesn't need at least one hand to be played, you obviously haven't played one before. I think you may be confusing it with a Kazoo.


There is a neck harness specifically for holding a harmonica that sees extensive use for "one man show" street musicians and such. Maybe telling someone they "obviously haven't played one" or something equally condescending when you're blatantly wrong is generally considered bad form.

[BloodSnake'sCha]

And next come air guitar of the bards...


It reminds me of my Warcry bard. The group needed to remaind me that it is the middle of the night when I started playing my music in battle.

[Tanarii]

There is a neck harness specifically for holding a harmonica that sees extensive use for "one man show" street musicians and such. Maybe telling someone they "obviously haven't played one" or something equally condescending when you're blatantly wrong is generally considered bad form.
Yeah I got a laugh out of that too. Being able to play a harmonica hands free is fairly common way to combine it with guitar playing.

[Luccan]

I can't wait to hear the arguments that the instruments can be played with one hand since they're implements and the rules say implements only require one hand. Next up, the arguments that that the instrument can be played really softly and makes no more noise that any other spell with verbal components.

May I introduce you to pppp? Softer, even, than most verbal components.

[Zilong]

May I introduce you to pppp? Softer, even, than most verbal components.

As a choral musician, anything with four or more p's in the dynamics translates as: "Just don't sing here." Composers trying to be all fancy there.

[Solusek]

I can't wait to hear the arguments that the instruments can be played with one hand since they're implements and the rules say implements only require one hand.

I'm gonna get my DM to create a custom harmonica instrument of the bards so my bard can play it with no hands!

https://i.imgur.com/f2NBnHk.jpg

[BloodSnake'sCha]

I'm gonna get my DM to create a custom harmonica instrument of the bards so my bard can play it with no hands!

https://i.imgur.com/f2NBnHk.jpg

How did your bard lost his hands?

[Chronos]

Back when I was in the band, we had one piece that ended on an fff, and then went into a crescendo from there. The director tried to tell us "No, you still need to maintain control over your instruments", but to me, that's the composer clearly saying "just blast this part as hard as you possibly can, and don't worry about details like control".