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Using an instrument for Bardic Performance

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If a Bard is using an instrument, say a bagpipe with Perform(Wind) or a lute with Perform(Strings), are both of his hands occupied as long as he maintains the song?
Say the Bard is wielding a short sword and then decides to begin using Inspire Courage. Does he need to drop or sheathe his short sword, draw his bagpipe, and then keep both of his hands occupied with the instrument in order to maintain the song? Or can he use the Bardic Performance as long as he has the instrument on his person without needing to take actions to pull it out? Can he still cast spells with somatic components and wield the sword all while activating and maintaining the song?

If he is using an instrument, he's hosed, but since no application of bsrdic performance requires an instrument (and the vast majority don't even require a perform check), there's no reason for him to do so.
The Exchange

It's an unfortunate aspect that makes perform oratory , perform dance and perform sing the go to options when leveling up. Not until the higher levels of versatile performance do people start taking ranks in perform wind instrument or perform drums.

If its a casting bard I do them the courtesy of presuming their instrument forms the somatic and verbal components for spells... But yeah, I pretty much always do oratory, compedy, singing and acting ... Bt that has as much to do with the type of bard I like playing as anything else.

I wouldn't even fuss with putting ranks in perform. You don't really need them for anything.
Zhayne wrote:
I wouldn't even fuss with putting ranks in perform. You don't really need them for anything.

Unless you have Versatile Performance.

Then you use your Performance score instead of two social skills, meaning a two for one skill point boost.
Zhayne wrote:
I wouldn't even fuss with putting ranks in perform. You don't really need them for anything.

Countersong is based on Perform check. Not that it is particularly common, but it is not exactly unheard of either.

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