When and Where to Start Bard Kiting?
 

So, there is some debate about what a good level is to start bard kiting. Assuming you can kite with the level 2 song despite its low range, what level ranges would people kite, and what level ranges would you seek alternative means of EXP? I had success kiting at level 2, but now that I'm level 5 and the song is only doing 3 damage, it's somewhat of a tougher prospect - also, grabbing monsters can be hard because many monsters around my level are peaceful and not even social, so I have to run up to them and punch them to get aggro. Should I take a hiatus on kiting and melee targets until some future level (maybe once I get stringed instruments)? This guide appears to advocate taking mobs down one at a time until level 13 (unless it's suggesting a kite of a mere 8 or so mobs for 10-12 and 4 mobs for level 7-9). I do have a jade mace on my bard, so I am quite a beast meleeing at the moment, but I almost feel dirty not working on my kiting skills :p

Times have changed since I did my kiting at that low a level, but I just leveled up fast in Blackburrow to around level 10, then started kiting the camp of bandits closest to North Karana zoneline (only 1 caster in the bunch, and he's a roamer). They backstab, so you learn to be reaaaaally good at not getting hit.

I then did the NK/SK Raiders till I think 16, then the EK wolves till 22.

My guide does not wait until 13 to start PBAOE kiting. Those sisters I was doing at L7 were all 3 of them at the same time. The orcs from 10-12 were all the non-casting orcs in Lfay. Finally, that guide is not definitive, just locations that I had success at. You are free to try your own locations and either report them to me and I'll update the guide or add them to the wiki yourself. Deajay is my main, so when I was leveling him, I did not have the benefit of good gear. I was replacing cloth and banded armor with Imbrued Platemail for crying out loud. Since I was relatively weak, I kited the 4 mobs in GFay and the 10 or so in LFay. Do not feel dirty for "not working on your kiting skills," play what you enjoy. I enjoyed PBAoE kiting, was a great rush, but I also greatly enjoyed when I hit L47, OT exp dwindled, and I was forced to practice my grouping skills.

TL;DR: I did not list a location in my AoE leveling guide that I did not AoE at personally. It is one bard's experiences with PBAoE kiting.

OK - I'm just saying that it seems like it's not necessarily worth it to bard kite just three monsters at that level, when it takes such a long time to kill them with the laughable 3 or 4 damage per tick the song does. Useful as training, maybe, but not as EXP per hour, IMO. Also, it wasn't necessarily clear that these are just where you happened to go rather than where you advocate going =p

As I edited in my post, you've got much better gear than I did at the time, bard melee quickly dropped off for me, earlier than it likely will for you.

So you're OK with other people editing your guide with their suggestions without consulting you first? Or do you mean adding them to a different place in the wiki?

Once I hit lvl 2, I immediately starting mass pulling bats and whatever else I could find around the druid ruins in kelethin area. At 5 I started doing Orc hill. I did do the bandit camp in gfay but it's respawn time was longer than I liked.

Once you hit 8 and get stringed instruments your lvl 2 dot ticks for 8 damage the only downside is you have to twist drums then lute as you cast selo's. *edit* If you can get sow from a friendly druid then that makes it much easier. Not sure what level I got throw at but you can buy throwing knives and use that to pull instead of punching/melee or face pulling.

I think I should be able to get by without drums on Selo's; I could kite OK even pre-Selo's. I'm a little iffy about taking Orc Hill because it's a popular spot for groups and it has a fair number of casters. Maybe I'll melee until 8 and then try to find a nice area. Maybe the main part of Butcherblock.

If you're wanting to swarm kite..no you cannot. I tried....lol. Orc hill has plenty of cent's, just don't pull the oracles. Where you decide to xp is really up to you, that route just worked well for me. Also, you don't have to purchase a drum, you can just turn in 4 silks to the bard GM and you get a drum and some xp.

I'd prefer if people contacted me, but honestly the guide was pulled straight from my post and added to the Wiki without my consent.

Somehow through all that tragedy I'm still alive (/sarcasm off).