Bards - CHA and DEX
 

I have about 158ish CHA and 120ish DEX. Not great, but this is my first and only character.

My understanding is CHA makes mez and lull resist less often, and charm not break early as often. But mez can never break early for bards I believe. I haven't noticed a huge difference with CHA while charming either (though it might be hard to notice since it is a 3 tick duration max anyway). I also haven't really had the chance to use lull much. Mostly just mez.

DEX just makes you miss notes less often, but you don't miss notes that often if you just keep your instrument skills up.

Is there a confirmed formula with how these two stats actually help? Do they really help enough to take them over STA or HP? Or even STR so I can carry more copper? :P

CHA doesn't have anything to do with mez resists. Very important for lull if you'll pulling, and the charm thing isn't a big deal regardless because even with 200 CHA your charm lasts like no time at all. I'm not even sure if CHA affects charm tbh.

Both CHA and DEX are considered in calculation of missed notes (if this server is like live).

EDIT: Oh uhm. Always go for STA/hp gear before DEX and CHA as a bard. Bard gear has lots of DEX and CHA and you'll get to where you need to be anyway.

I see, so CHA is useless beyond the point where missed notes are not an issue (unless you need to lull). And DEX is useless beyond the point your missed notes are not an issue, unless you want to proc a weapon more often?

Useless is going kinda far imo...

I'm of the opinion that missed notes don't even matter at all, because unlike with casters they don't cost you mana or even time (bard fizzle is instant). CHA and DEX still comparably important for a bard, especially dex once you get epic. I say comparably because stats mean less for bards than other classes... STR, AGI, STA, INT... you're not gonna see much difference in what you're capable of imo.

Mez is dependent on your level in relation to enemy level, as well as enemy MR. Mez songs lower mr, and if you're having trouble mezzing something (but can get it mezzed at least once), you can use a wind instrument. Instrument does nothing for song except increase the amount MR is debuffed once it lands. This is good to know but good luck finding a situation where the extra mr debuff from your flute is necessary lol.

Also please always keep in mind that swarm kiting utilizes charm. If you're not charming, you're not swarming and you shouldn't get swarming confused with AE kiting. There's like an epidemic of bard ignorance 'round these parts and it's painful for actual classic bards to witness.

I've seen your comments about it; I just call it kiting. But, really, word usage and meanings change over time. Don't get too upset about it :P

Thank you for the info!

You dare use a synonym? ON THESE FORUMS?

Be gone you ignorant twerp!

Agree. Both are pests

I disagree with Faerie. I don't know what class he/she plays, but my experience has been the higher my cha got, the better my mez resist rate was, the better my charm resist rate was, the less likely my charm would break early, all of the very intuitive things that you would just assume happen as your cha goes up.

I don't find cha useless at all. If anything, lately I've been questioning the usefulness of dex. I don't think I've had more than 3 or 4 missed notes in months and my dex has been steadily dropping as I've gotten more stupidly itemized planar gear that is mostly str and agi. I think instrument skill level (which is tantamount to level) has more to do with that than anything. Maybe when you're level 20 having 200 dex is more important than when you're 60. I'd concede that.


Keep in mind, when I say "my experience" I mean "it's seemed to me" and that's very subjective/could be incorrect. I have no numbers or data.


As far as "do missed notes matter," I mostly agree about them not really being too big a deal, but when you've got five mobs charging you that need to be mezzed asap, a missed note can make a difference. Timing is everything.

My information is from serious research done by old school bards in old school EQ. Mostly from The Concert Hall. I tried to search for it, but the "Advanced search" button doesn't work on TCH anymore and basic searches seem to be limited to 20 results...

Maybe some other old bards could chime in with their research.