Bard - late/end game grouping?

[borgy95]

Hi,

I've rolled a bard and im blasting through the 10-20 stages having a great time... the spell weaving is alot of fun.

My worry is that later in the game i'm gonna be stood there strumming on my guitar putting buffs out with little-to-no pewpew on the mobs?
How does the Bard pan out later in game?

I like melee w/ casting so if i can keep that mix this would be ideal - perhaps a PAL or RNG would be better suited for this?
I hesitate on a RNG cos they just seem to be casting handicapped Druids.


cheers

[Tecmos Deception]

In a normal group a bard is probably swapping between weapons and instruments. It's usually only on raids where a bard needs to sing resist songs that you'll be stuck sitting around with a drum out, or in downtime that you'll have a lute out while you sing hp/mp songs, etc.

If you love twisting songs and being busy on your bard, other classes will probably bore you!

[borgy95]

Thanks tecmos,

Could you explain a bit more to me about the instrument/weapon swapping?
What are the situations that call for this?

I probably won't engage in much swarm kiting i prefer playing the game via the grouping/duo (w/SHM) path... Which brings me to consider RNG-WIZ-PAL.

I'm so indecisive on class choice! :o

[Sobee101]

Hey bud not sure if this is what your asking but it still maybe a bit of helpful information.

Q: Is there a way to hot key a bards instruments so you dont have to go into the Persona screen to switch them?
A: Yes. First, get three open inventory slots (With no bags on those slots). Have your weapons equipped, and put two instruments in the empty inventory slots. Leave one of the slots empty. Now, go to a free hotkey page. An easy way to do this is by pressing shift+6, which will take you to the sixth page. Move your mouse pointer to the "Melee 1" slot in your inventory screen. Click and hold over the slot until the button pops up and is on your cursor. Drag the cursor over to the first hotkey slot in the bottom left of your screen. Position the cursor so the top left of the button is in the middle of the hotkey slot, and click your mouse once to set that slot to Melee 1. Repeat this process for Melee 2, the two instrument inventory slots, and the empty inventory slot. You will now be able to switch easily between weapons and instruments, without going to the Persona screen.

This was taken from the wiki page here " http://wiki.project1999.com/Bard at the bottom has some helpful hints/tricks.

[Tecmos Deception]

Whether you are swapping instruments in and out depends on what you're fighting and your group, really. Gotta consider whether the bit of damage you do from melee is more important for your group at the time than doubling (or more) your regen songs or resists or snares or whatever.

[borgy95]

Whether you are swapping instruments in and out depends on what you're fighting and your group, really. Gotta consider whether the bit of damage you do from melee is more important for your group at the time than doubling (or more) your regen songs or resists or snares or whatever.

Right ok, and this sums up exactly what i thought the BRD life will be once I had a basic insight to the mechanics.

Thanks tecmos...

[Tecmos Deception]

Of course if you can get your singing shortsword, then you get a 1.8 mod on all of your songs (even ones that previously were unaffected by any instrument) AND can bust out like 20 DPS of melee! :)

[Calibix]

Of course if you can get your singing shortsword, then you get a 1.8 mod on all of your songs (even ones that previously were unaffected by any instrument) AND can bust out like 20 DPS of melee! :)

Breath of Harmony/Guardian's Mace on low 50 mobs you can do 20 dps melee only!, just saying! Best dps is still stacking 6 dots and instrument swapping. That's like 45-50ish depending on your instruments.

@OP

Once you get to 50+, and really the whole way up, in group your going to be dual wielding 90% of the time. The main things your going to be asked to do won't overly be affected by swapping instruments in. Snare and haste can't be modded until you get an epic. Mana song isn't affected by instruments outside of the hp on cantana. Lull, Mez, Charm, and Fear all irrelevant outside of MAYBE the lowered MR on mez. So that really only leaves dots, which are filler in groups if at all, and primarily a solo thing where your trying to maximize your limited damage potential. The only spell I routinely swap for is Angstlitch's Assonance because pulling with a 71% slow is sweet. Other than that, its lute during down times, and drum for travel.

Bards are really more casters with some melee imo. They are very unique for the unique classes of EQ. They are a lot of fun if you enjoying being able to be pretty effective in any makeup ( have the most fun in random duo/trios than full groups) if your willing to be adaptable with your songs/playstyle.

[borgy95]

@Calibix thanks for that explanation really insightful... My spats of altitis saw me going down the route of a ENC but you've re-invigorated my hope in a bard also i just love plate... So i may just class hop again :)

[fastboy21]

i often choose to use lute instead of dual wielding when grped with shaman as main healer, if shaman is canni'ing to keep up. With lute and cantana/shield going shaman can almost canni constantly without any issues.

if party is full mana then i switch to dps mode...which is generally pathetic for bard, but is better than nothing.