Bard / Monk capabilities

[mrG9three]

Is that true that the speed buff throws it off?? I parked the bard and gave up for now, figuring my poor internet is going to prevent me from being a decent swarm kiter.. Usually sitting at 1000ms

[Legidias]

No, because theres several different ways to do AE kites (also, don't take advice from anyone who calls it "swarm" kiting).

Non speed buff strafe.
SoW
Jboots
Sow / JBoots with a specific weight to get a specific speed
Selos

Speed buff strafe
Speed buff oval
Speed buff tap circle
Speed buff random pattern n shit

Everyone has their preferred pattern that works for them. I like tap circles myself. Many others do strafe. w/e

[mefdinkins]

I wouldn't want to AE kite w/ 1000 ms ping

[citizen1080]

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

I wouldn't want to AE kite w/ 1000 ms ping

This

[mrG9three]

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

I wouldn't want to AE kite w/ 1000 ms ping

I play on an hp pavillion laptop i got a while back when taking classes.. Looks like i'll be needing to upgrade heh

[Fazlazen]

Originally Posted by Spyder73 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Eh there is a lot of Bard love in this thread but the truth is a Bard is not a min/max class and a Monk is. Necromancers 55+ can almost solo heal a group while simultaneously adding in DPS equivalent to a rogue, yet P99 will pick a rog for their last spot 9 times out of 10.

Unfortunately the Bard is the same. The reason being there are a lot of sh!ty Bard/Necro's and the server has made its mind up about these classes years ago and group think makes people unable to see past this.

The truth is you will have infinitely more ease/options as a Monk. Notice how much of what people are basing their Bard recommendations on are based on the Solo game, that's because any Bard who ever reached 60 did most of it Solo because they were unable to find a group.

Bards add a ton and I find them really fun but they are not a DPS class, they are not a CC class, they are not a healing class, they are not really anything besides group augmentation which asides from Cantina other classes can all do better.

50+ Bards fall apart due to the level restrictions of their songs. Charm stops working, mez stops working, their haste/slows starts to get outpaced from shamans/chanters. its a great class and a lot of fun but to say a Bard has an easier time is just not true. How many bards do you see at cash camps like Fungi King? 0. Its a shaman/chanter/monk/cleric locking it down. How many times do you see 'group seeking Bard' in Seb/HS? Almost none because they can't Feign Death and 1 crit lul resist brings and entire room of monsters to wipe the group plus the fact they can no longer CC any mob over level...52?

The truth of this is also simply in the numbers. How many more Monks are there compared to Bards? There is a reason for this.

please stop posting...

[Spyder73]

Bards are not a min/max class. Not sure why what I am posting here is controversial. Bards utility falls off hard due to song level restrictions in the higher levels. If you want to run in circles on the verge of death for hours at a time I am sure Bard is a fine class to play.

[booleansphinx]

Originally Posted by mrG9three [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Well so far i have lost 30% exp in overthere, going to try binding in field of bone and keep at it.. Just hoping i dont go back to 19 at this point heh

Don't get too caught up on kiting in a "circle"

When I kite, I put my camera over my character's head (like a top-down view) as I am casting the DOT. You will be able to see the monsters in the corner of your screen earlier (before they are even in range of the level 2 dot).

When there's around 1/3 to 1/2 of the casting time remaining on the song, I begin turning into the mobs. The mobs start at the edge of the screen and end up a bit closer, just as the song finishes. If I run out of range of motion in my wrist before the song finishes it usually means the song will miss because as long as you're not turning you're getting further away from the monsters.

[Dreenk317]

Originally Posted by Spyder73 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Bards are one of the worst DPS classes in the game so not sure what you are getting at. And despite you just saying they can tank the reality is they can not tank well 50+ even in sh!t spots like KC. What made them good below 50 is a detriment post 50 (IE Snare/Slow argoing)

I have personally been in groups featuring a bard as the main tank in the following camps, multiple times, with great success. Seb C/E (yes tanked emp), Seb King camp, Seb disco, KC hands room, Kael plate house and arena. And PoM puppets (tanked all but bristlebane).

Bards make great tanks, same defensive table as warriors, unlike rangers...

In fact, unless I'm killing something that needs defensive, I'd take a bard tank over an equal level warrior tank every time in an exp grind. The only caveat is the bard has to know what they are doing. Where as warriors just have to hit there target key, attack, and taunt every so often [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[Spyder73]

Originally Posted by Dreenk317 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I have personally been in groups featuring a bard as the main tank in the following camps, multiple times, with great success. Seb C/E (yes tanked emp), Seb King camp, Seb disco, KC hands room, Kael plate house and arena. And PoM puppets (tanked all but bristlebane).

Bards make great tanks, same defensive table as warriors, unlike rangers...

In fact, unless I'm killing something that needs defensive, I'd take a bard tank over an equal level warrior tank every time in an exp grind. The only caveat is the bard has to know what they are doing. Where as warriors just have to hit there target key, attack, and taunt every so often [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

TLDR - With Shaman slow any class in the game (including casters) are capable of tanking.