Bard question, bugs?

[Plume]

I was reading some of the newbie guides (specifically here: http://www.project1999.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14926) and it says bards are "getting better" but (essentially) "broken".

This was an old post (more than 4 years ago it seems), so is this still true? And if so, in what ways ... like what skills/abilities/class-defining traits are affected?

I played EQ back in the day on Luclin, and my main was a bard. I'm kind of interested in returning to the game. I putzed around with P99 a while back, but I didn't get into it seriously (I was still kind of all about WoW). But setting everything up again, seeking an IP exemption so I can play with my SO, going through the sheer physical demands... I'd like to know what I'm getting into before I jump in with both feet.

Thanks for any info or tips you can give me in this regard... I really appreciate it. :)

[Masakizt]

Casting songs bug out alot where the casting bar disappears as though youve missed a note, but it is still casting.

[Peacocky]

If I knew it was that bad, I'd stick with monk. Just my advice, also there is no manasong icon on buff effect as one of few bugs.

[Masakizt]

There is a list somewhere here on the forums where fellow bards had compiled a list of all things not quite right, no idea where to find it nowadays though

[Wrench]

If I knew it was that bad, I'd stick with monk. Just my advice, also there is no manasong icon on buff effect as one of few bugs.

on the pulsed song? how the hell would an icon make sense for that? might aswell complain about not getting an icon when you get healed

[Plume]

There is a list somewhere here on the forums where fellow bards had compiled a list of all things not quite right, no idea where to find it nowadays though

Was this (http://www.project1999.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-29535.html) the list you were referring to?

Doesn't seem to have been updated since 2011, would the like have a more current list?

[Plume]

If I knew it was that bad, I'd stick with monk. Just my advice, also there is no manasong icon on buff effect as one of few bugs.

For me it's kind of bard or nothing. I may piddle around with alts but I really got hooked on the "force multiplier" aspect of the character. Bards (outside of kiting) really aren't crazy powerful on their own. But played right they can turn even a mediocre trending towards bad group into a successful operation.

Plus... I mean you have a toon who can dual wield in plate mail while casting spells while moving. That's amazing.

I was post-epic and getting into raiding when I played Plume on Luclin, but just as I was moving towards the end-game some upstart little company decided to turn their RTS into an MMO and a lot of the people I knew were eager to check it out, so Tadd and I made the switch. But that's what I'd like to get back to.

I tried to go back to EQLive, but a) Jumping into a 65th lvl bard was too steep of a learning curve for me to really want to get a handle on and b) I had no idea what had happened with all the expansions I'd missed and I wasn't keen on spending booku bucks on a game I wasn't sure I'd still enjoy.

[Plume]

Thanks for all the replies so far. I'm going to do some more forums searches and whatnot, see what sorts of details I can dig up.

A lot of these discussions seem to be from the same time-frame, several years ago. Is this going to be the most current information, or have they addressed it since then?

And a follow-up.. the devs, have they addressed these bugs since then?

[falkun]

there is no manasong icon on buff effect as one of few bugs.

Not a bug. The L32 song does not add a buff, its instant mana when it goes off (so you can get twice the mana regen by singing it twice per tick (ticks are 6sec, cast is 3sec). The L55 mana song in Kunark and the L20 and 32 songs in Velious will be standard buffs, but the current set up allows you to twist the 55 and the 32 mana songs: 55-32-32-32-32-55-32-32-32-32-etc.

The issues that annoy me:
Bard debuffs should stack with everything (bard + orb of tishan ftw).
Missed notes stop casting but leave songs greyed out after BoH clicky.
Melodious Truncheon is not unresistable.

I think they fixed the aggro transfer to allow swarm kiting, but I haven't tried that out yet.

Honestly bards are in a pretty damn good place on P99 and I love mine!

**EDIT**
Was this (http://www.project1999.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-29535.html) the list you were referring to?

Doesn't seem to have been updated since 2011, would the like have a more current list?
http://www.project1999.com/forums/showpost.php?p=630384&postcount=1
Although that bard has been banned for RMT, his issues list is still largely accurate.

[Peacocky]

For me it's kind of bard or nothing. I may piddle around with alts but I really got hooked on the "force multiplier" aspect of the character. Bards (outside of kiting) really aren't crazy powerful on their own. But played right they can turn even a mediocre trending towards bad group into a successful operation.

Plus... I mean you have a toon who can dual wield in plate mail while casting spells while moving. That's amazing.

I was post-epic and getting into raiding when I played Plume on Luclin, but just as I was moving towards the end-game some upstart little company decided to turn their RTS into an MMO and a lot of the people I knew were eager to check it out, so Tadd and I made the switch. But that's what I'd like to get back to.

I tried to go back to EQLive, but a) Jumping into a 65th lvl bard was too steep of a learning curve for me to really want to get a handle on and b) I had no idea what had happened with all the expansions I'd missed and I wasn't keen on spending booku bucks on a game I wasn't sure I'd still enjoy.

Very nice, still a n00b to me. :)

[webrunner5]

You have to remember, a word I sort of hate is "Classic", every class is broken on here. That is why the original EQ kept having patches. I play every class on here. And each one has its pain in the ass issues or moments compared to what I see when I play live or the Sleeper, old EQMac, now belly up, whatever.

So picking on one class on here and saying it sort of sucks I am not going to play it it pretty silly. And to be honest without Melody on here, most people that play them suck also on them, including me. :eek:

So play a Bard if that is what you want, and if there is really a bug with them do a bug report. They do fix things in patches that are wrong on here. It might take 6 months, but a lot of goofy things are NEVER going away, it was "Classic". Damn I said that dirty word again. :( Enjoy the game.