[RPG] Is it possible for a bard to use an instrument to cast spells while holding a weapon in each hand

barddnd-5espellcastingweapons

I am playing a bard in 5e. Is it possible to use an instrument to cast spells while holding a weapon in each hand? (If I am correct that you need the instrument to cast bardic spells.)

Best Answer

This is a complicated issue. To start with, you don't need to use an instrument to cast spells - necessarily.

You can use a musical instrument (found in chapter 5) as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells.

So, what does it mean to use a spellcasting focus?

A character can use a component pouch or a spellcasting focus (found in chapter 5) in place of the components specified for a spell.

So you can use an instrument instead of the actual material components when casting any spell that requires material components. However:

A spellcaster must have a hand free to access these components—or to hold a spellcasting focus—but it can be the same hand that he or she uses to perform somatic components.

So no, you can't use an instrument to cast spells while holding two weapons - you have to have a hand free. The really important point here, though, is that not every spell has material components. Similarly:

If a spell requires a somatic component, the caster must have free use of at least one hand to perform these gestures.

So if a spell requires a material component or a somatic component (or both), then you're out of luck, you'll need a free hand. On the other hand, if a spell only has verbal components (which is the case for many spells on the Bard spell list) then you can cast it while holding a weapon in each hand.

Finally, it's definitely worth taking a look at the War Caster feat, which among other things, grants you this benefit:

You can perform the somatic components of spells even when you have weapons or a shield in one or both hands.

This would allow you to cast spells with somatic components while holding your weapons, although you'd still be out of luck for spells with material components.