Bard stats

[Coridan]

So what's really the best place to focus stats on a Bard? I pumped it mostly into charisma (and I think the leftover went to stamina) on my wood elf bard. I'm level 22 now and with items I have 146 Charisma, but I hear that mez, lull and eventually charm are the only things affected by it, which isn't really a lot of songs. Certainly not as important as Int/Wis for other casters.

So what stats should I focus on raising? I've pumped up my strength by about 10 points for damage and carrying capacity, my Agi is about 98 and my Dex is 103. I got a runed bone fork so my saves are pretty decent now; just don't know what I should be building really, I'm all over the map.

[Nightbear]

Dex/Cha/HP
Later on Resists>All if you end up raiding.
Even some minor Magic Resist isn't bad for pulling or kiting while leveling up.

[webrunner5]

I would have done a LOT into strength. How are you going to wear plate gear and loot anything with like 80 strength?? :p

[falkun]

resists, they are your most important stat. After that, HP > CHA > STA. But don't pump money into your bard until 50+. Kite nekkid with a <5pp drum/horn/flute/lute until planar, get an imbrued platemail set, some decent weapons for under 2k, and then start on resist gear. Bards are one of the least gear dependent classes in the game (except epic, that thing is game-changing).

[Swish]

I would have done a LOT into strength. How are you going to wear plate gear and loot anything with like 80 strength?? :p

WR bags for everything else, its not so bad.

[Tenlaar]

#1- HP
#2- Saves
#3- AC

[Coridan]

My bard is my main and I don't solo, I hate it. I enjoy grouping, all my money goes into him cuz he is my main lol. I am in no rush to 50, mostly enjoying leveling in a variety of areas.

I am surprised at the variety of answers I am getting here

[Coridan]

I would have done a LOT into strength. How are you going to wear plate gear and loot anything with like 80 strength?? :p

I have 3 wt reduction bags (10%, 25% & 65%) and two str boosting spells I can twist to keep my str about 115

[Hezron]

Bards are the jack of all trades. Just go over to the melee subforum and check the post on bard roles to see. Your stat priority will differ based on what role you are playing towards hence the variety of answers. This is the real appeal of a bard as your main!

[portbitch69]

dex so u dont miss a note when trying to start a song

[indiscriminate_hater]

if you're thinking end-game, i'd go full DEX and remaining STA. CHA is easy to come by with gear, can throw it on if/when needed. at end-game grouping you'll prob be a dex monkey for proc stuff (tish orb etc.).

you could even do full STA and remaining DEX since most end-game bard pieces have a ton of DEX

[Adcid]

Strength, strength, strength...

When swarm kiting none of your stats will make a difference unless twisting. Typically you'll keep dentons on for the most part because of the range. In that case, boosting your strength and bag space to continue pulling longer will work best becoming encumbered sucks for swarm kiting.

[Tenlaar]

Strength, strength, strength...

When swarm kiting none of your stats will make a difference unless twisting. Typically you'll keep dentons on for the most part because of the range. In that case, boosting your strength and bag space to continue pulling longer will work best becoming encumbered sucks for swarm kiting.

My bard is my main and I don't solo, I hate it. I enjoy grouping

[Getsmurfed]

Charisma only has an effect on lull resists. Mez and charm are level biased checks. Charisma only a good stat if you plan on splitting pulls, and at high end IE HS East, reets juggs, a bunch of shit in Velious charisma servers no purpose because you will not in any form reliably land lulls.

Dex? It's slather over every piece of decent gear for a bard, helps in missed notes and that's it. It's nice to have, nothing to cry over if you replace a gear with dex on it.

Stamina? HP and resists are the most important stats for a bard. You have no useful gains from any other stat (other than maybe cha and dex). Raiding you are nothing more than utility. Manasong, resists, atk buffs for melee, DS songs for tanks, possibly FTE esp if in VP. In almost every scenario in the raid scene having the biggest HP pool you can gather, and as much resist gear you can find is the most useful route you can go.

[Getsmurfed]

/facepalm.

If I ever see a bard that went strength I'm going to cry inside. Do you really need carry weight that bad? Why not just spend some time and get some plat. Tink Bags OP.

[sulpher01]

DEX then STA... Bards damage is awful, no amount of STR will save you.

[o07Smurf]

On a very practical level, Strength is the way to go. You'll thank me later when you're wearing full plate.

[Adcid]

/facepalm.

If I ever see a bard that went strength I'm going to cry inside. Do you really need carry weight that bad? Why not just spend some time and get some plat. Tink Bags OP.

Its all about how much you can carry and the weight of plate armor for low level bards. At end game, the gear your receive will adjust your stats accordingly, so it comes down to what makes your life easiest. Reducing the amount of trips to the bank and increasing carry > the minimal effect Dex, CHA, or STA would have.

[webrunner5]

On a very practical level, Strength is the way to go. You'll thank me later when you're wearing full plate.

Most Bards seem to be Heffers. :cool: And their starting strength sucks. :eek: So unless you want to wear cloth instead of the pretty blue plate, ADD Strength lol. :)

[falkun]

If you are grouping, your primary roll should be pulling/CC. In which case HP, resists, CHA matter most. HP+resists to get those pulls back to camp before you die, CHA to have better lulls/mezzes (although equipping the appropriate instrument will likely be more powerful than any stat increases you can achieve). Dex would be next for missed notes, with STR trailing that for encumbrance (lol @ STR for bard melee).

Grouping bards can't go wrong with fairly balanced stats (at least for STR/STA/DEX/CHA; you can virtually ignore AGI/WIS/INT). If there's anything to stack, its resists then HP. But again, a lot can be made up for with generous instrument swapping (how much carpal tunnel do you want?).

[Tenlaar]

So unless you want to wear cloth instead of the pretty blue plate, ADD Strength lol. :)

Pfft, a full suit of lambent is a clear sin of somebody who is doing it wrong.

[Itap]

You obv don't know FashionQuest > all.