Entertainer bards

[Jaryn]

This is probably a really stupid question, but if you're a bard who takes the entertainer background do you have to take four musical instrument proficiencies or can you swap the final one for a different tool?

[Man_Over_Game]

Interestingly enough, anyone can modify any background to suit their needs. The rules for it are at the start of the Background section in the PHB. So if you want the Entertainer background to grant you a different tool, you just...do it!

Basically, it boils down to this:

Pick a background feature. Pick 2 skills. Pick 2 in any combination of Languages or Tools.

Do that, and you're allowed to make any background in any way that you want.

[Chronos]

But don't custom backgrounds call for DM approval?

In any event, even using the standard Entertainer background, yes, you get instrument proficiency from both background and class, so you can substitute any other tool.

[Man_Over_Game]

But don't custom backgrounds call for DM approval?

In any event, even using the standard Entertainer background, yes, you get instrument proficiency from both background and class, so you can substitute any other tool.

Maybe, in the same way that choosing your class calls for DM approval.

Custom Backgrounds are not a variant rule, and they're even AL official. In fact, it's one of the few things that AL allows outside of your PHB+1 selection (that is, you can use a third book to determine your background features).

The only thing the book says you need approval on for your background is if none of the background features suit what you're looking for, and to work with them to come up with one that does.

[Jaryn]

Awesome, thank you for the help!