The five string banjo is tuned to a G chord, which makes it easy to play in the key of G. All those great `banjo licks` - slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, etc. need the open G tuning of the banjo. If we have to play in the key of A, the most common way is to use a capo. Place your capo on the second fret and retune your fifth string to an A, now you are tuned to an open A. Most people have a sliding fifth string capo or spikes installed, which makes it much easier to retune the fifth string.
Here is a Shubb fifth string Capo and a standard Shubb capo, just so you know what I`m talking about.
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