Making Half-Elf Bard...startings stats?

[mreynert]

Originally Posted by firesyde424 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

If you want an argument that you have a real shot of winning, get into a fight with a monk about who's the better pulling class. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Unfortunately even if this is the case you may end up stuck in camp while the monk pulls because the cleric yells at you if the mana cables start to lose slack.

[mitic]

Originally Posted by mreynert [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Unfortunately even if this is the case you may end up stuck in camp while the monk pulls because the cleric yells at you if the mana cables start to lose slack.

if the bard is hasting the group, using MR/FR/PR-songs vs caster mobs, slowing and doting the mobs during the fight, clerics wont realy need him as mana battery [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.] (if the group has enough dps, that is)

[mreynert]

Originally Posted by mitic [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

if the bard is hasting the group, using MR/FR/PR-songs vs caster mobs, slowing and doting the mobs during the fight, clerics wont realy need him as mana battery [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.] (if the group has enough dps, that is)

Oh no no no...that only means the pulling isn't good enough...cleric still has mana, expand the borders!

[firesyde424]

Originally Posted by mreynert [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Unfortunately even if this is the case you may end up stuck in camp while the monk pulls because the cleric yells at you if the mana cables start to lose slack.

Well, there is that. But you won't need to worry about it till level 32. I seem to remember the range of the group regen songs being very small until the AoE HP/Mana regen songs came out. You could take a few steps out from the group to where the mob was being tanked and the cleric would complain because he wasn't getting mana song any more.

[Dangergirl]

Monk and bard in grp monk will always end up pulling casue bard + mana for grp heals slows and dps will flow the exp faster that way.

Was just in a sol b grp where monk was new to the zone, bard lull split the camps then monk took over.

[taamas]

I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents, and offer what little knowledge I remember from my Bard days.

I played a raiding Bard from Kunark to PoP. I stopped midway through PoP because EQ got stupid and boring, but I digress. I was pretty much the only Bard in our guild for that span of time, believe it or not. So, I had my work cut out for me every raid night. Honestly, I don't remember what I put my starting points into. Hell, I don't even remember where I leveled besides kiting hill giants in Frontier Mountains and grouping in Karnor's Castle lol. Anyways, I'm pretty sure I didn't put any points into CHA, nor did I gear for it at all (besides CHA bonuses on Bard set gear of course). For the amount of times I played CC for exp groups, I don't feel it affected mezzing in the slightest. I'd get occasional resists, but nothing that ever wiped the group, much less killed a single person. I didn't do much charming though, so CHA never really mattered to me.

What I have a feeling I dumped my creation points into (and what I geared for) was STR/STA/DEX. I had some grand notion back then that I was *actual* melee DPS lol, hence the STR. I was always in the thick of it with melee, and consequently the Bard Epic was the best thing to ever happen to that character. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.] I did have lots of DEX though, and that probably contributed to my playstyle the best. I prided myself on keeping up 4 buff songs when I wasn't CCing. DEX will help counter song fizzles, which ruin your rotation and mess with your rhythm.

In summary, my personal view of the Bard class was to provide support utility for the group/raid, while throwing in some melee DPS. Hindsight is always 20/20, and knowing what I know now, I would dump all my points into STA/DEX if I ever rolled a Bard again. But again, that would be to complement my playstyle, which was a grouping/raiding player. If you were more of a casual/solo player, spreading out the points to incorporate CHA may be beneficial if you plan on charm soloing (which I never did).

I'm really surprised I don't have carpal tunnel though.

[nalkin]

In another thread someone mentioned this cha gear:

platinum star ruby veil +9
(2X) electrum star ruby ring +14
platinum cat's eye neck. +9
(2X) golden cat's eye bracer. +14
crude stein +15
siryn hair hood +13

could anyone name anymore cha gear? And is there alot available in Kunark/Velious?