stephen parlin @smparlin@TheEdVerse In the Realms, how are bards viewed differently than talented musicians/orators of equal or greater ability in their art? Can the avg person really differentiate?
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 28, 2020
2)
…quality or worse” without thinking much about it. It does matter when guilds or court or noble-sponsored positions/jobs are involved. It also depends on the experience and tastes of the average person.#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 28, 2020
3)
Average villager living in a village on a back country road? Average Waterdhavian citizen who goes to a lot of clubs that hire musical entertainment? They’ll have different standards/have heard less or more to judge by.#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 28, 2020
How Ed Greenwood explained it all is pretty much how I think most of us, DM/GMs view it.
The only thing I would add is that, the Bard class has spells, feats, and abilities no mere town Bard or traveling Minstrel has.
Of course, a “musically inclined” wizard, warlock, sorcerer, cleric, druid, etc could make themselves look like a Bard; but, when the heat comes, their true colors/identities will be revealed and then, as the saying goes “the jig is up”.
If a party “hired” them to be their Bard for all the benefits to battle, etc that a true Bard would bring to the party and then find they are getting none of that with their singing spellcaster, those who survive may have some pointed (as in ‘at actual swordpoint’) questions for the sham Bard.