"Who gives a %#$" - EQ devs on Bard NPCs, 1999

[Stinkum]

Anyone else think it really takes away from the game how never at any point/era of Everquest did the developers actually implement Bard NPCs being able to sing and twist songs?

Due to lazy programming or rush to release the game, it was just one of those things that fell through the cracks.

Every other "class" NPC works as intended. Wizard NPCs cast Wizard spells, Clerics heal, Shamans slow and DoT, Necros have pets, SKs harm touch, etc.

Yet on Live if you'd fight a Bard NPC, they wouldn't even cast ANYTHING. They'd rarely even have weapons. They'd just punch you with extremely low damage and very weak HP. That's why people always solo'd the shit out of them (specially Necros) even though they were single spawns -- because they were such safe XP.

At least on P99 they gave Bard NPCs some type of nukes instead.. but you can't help but think it's weird that a Bard is casting spells.

/Toggleimmersion off

[pasi]

They learned to stop making bard NPCs after Xygoz for that very reason.

[xCry0x]

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

They learned to stop making bard NPCs after Xygoz for that very reason.

Could you imagine a bard npc kiting a raid?

F**** he got selo's off!

Sh** I can't get in range to land snare!

[kaev]

Originally Posted by xCry0x [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Could you imagine a bard npc kiting a raid?

F**** he got selo's off!

Sh** I can't get in range to land snare!

Tactics the players developed to deal with it could then be retrofitted to NPCs in large outdoor zones, the nerdrage of subsequent PC Bard victims would be epic.

[Atmas]

Bard raid mob fight, how would that go?

1. Mob Highsuns maintank
2. Mob AoE Mezzes raid
3. Mob charms rogues and turns them on clerics
4. Mob AoE DoTs
5. Mob DAs at low health to return to full with Dragon Regen
6. Mob runs away at Selos speed.
7. Mob cures itself of DoTs.
7. Mob hospitalized for carpal tunnel.

[xCry0x]

I just like the idea of zoning into OT and see an entire TMo raid force moving as a giant blob around the zone and all the lvl 30s going "Ah tmo is here being kited by Dragon_01 again"

[Stinkum]

Thread is not about dragons or AE kiting.

[xCry0x]

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

Anyone else think it really takes away from the game how never at any point/era of Everquest did the developers actually implement Bard NPCs being able to sing and twist songs?

If the NPC in question is a Dragon who happens to be classified as a bard then the discussion is absolutely about Dragon Bards.

Since bards spend 99% of their time AOE kiting (1% of their time complaining about exp penalty when grouping) this thread is absolutely about Dragon Bards that AoE kite.

I mean, is your expectation of a Bard NPC that twists songs one that simply sits there playing a flute for + Atk speed, + Regen, + Resists while a raid beats on it? I definitely imagine this alleged song twisting bard kiting vs meleing.

[Messianic]

[You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[Stinkum]

Originally Posted by xCry0x

I mean, is your expectation of a Bard NPC that twists songs one that simply sits there playing a flute?

lolwut? I don't even know what you're smoking but I would imagine the non-dragon Bard NPCs would melee while twisting songs appropriate for whatever level the NPC is (slows, PBAEs, DoTs, charms, etc). This is the same way any other class mob works.