Bard-role DD, Buffer, Battery.
Power pools are agi for primary and sta secondary.
Str-Is the mod to increase bard attack damage, and increases you max damage potential. This is very important for increasing your melee damage.
Sta-Gives HP and power, not as important in the begining, but needed later on, about 35.
Agi-Main power pool it gives the most power for the buck. Agi also helps limit how much damage you recieve when attacked by a mobs melee.
Dex-Helps determine your minimum damage potential. This is also very important to increase your overall damage.
Wis-Not important, it only adds 1 resist for every 7 wis. If you need resists use jewelry it is more effective.
Int-The only use this has is if you have a spell proc on you, which bards dont have any, so adding to this stat does not help.
Cha-This is a mod for some of our buffs, more if you get the cm upgrades for them. Over all the mods are small, originally anthums and heals have a 5% cha mod and 10% with the cm version. The store bought power spells can get a 5% mod from their cm version. Overall these mods are a nice little bonus, but not worth adding to cha for. The lvl 51 bard cm charm for 120 cms is also moded by cha, but havent tested how much affect it actually has. For the most part I say only add to cha if you plan on getting the Minstral MC, other wise it only has a little effect.
In the early levels I liked to have a balance str/sta/agi/dex with my anthums buffing my str and dex higher. Cha is not really needed to later, so you can ignore it early on, and hit it later if you want minstral.
Path spells. Power dance-This spell takes a huge amount of power to cast, but gives to group the same amount back over a few ticks. This spell does not give the bard more power then it's casting cost, it is the bards natural PoT doing it. Most groups tend to expect bards to have this path, and it is a great path to follow.
Combat-This path buffs str/sta/agi/dex, and this is a strong buff, only beaten by Avatar. But it has a short duration and a long recast. It last one minute and has a five minute recast making it 4 minutes inbetween the times you can use your best version.
Songs-All songs are group, this means if you are grouped with a bard and in range you get the buff. If you dont want the buff stay out of range.
Heals-this are handy to have. The cm version heals quite well and in a well played team can substitute for a healer for non deep red or caster mobs. I always keep mine on my tool bar just incase the healer DC's, if it can keep the tank a live a few seconds longer, it may not turn into a bad situation.
Anthums-These are some of the best str/dex buffs in the game. Anthum over powers sha str/dex buffs, but does not stack with most buffs. I keep this on all the time, more damage potential is a good thing.
Dirges-My namesake buff. This is actually a nice defensive buff. It improves AC and agi, but there is a problem, The dirges line does not stack, So any other buff tends to override it. Since it is easily overridden by healers it tends to have no use while grinding. Soloing it gains it usefulness back since it wont be overridden. I really only use it solo, or on times it looks like the tank could do with more agi and we are not grouped with a sha.
Lulls-These are pretty much useless, all they do is lower the awareness range of a mob(s). On a crowded camp they can make a pull easier, but most decent tanks dont need them.
Shreiks-These are pretty much useless, the damage on the DoT is low with a high power cost, and gets overridden by pretty much any other dot. Shrieks can be used to pull, but I prefer to use the verses spells.
Versus-This is an AC debuff. It does work, but the effect is hard to notice. I mainly use this to pull when solo.
Concerto-This is the store bought pot spell. It is weak, and does slow down the power dance spells. Use it early on to help keep power up. Once you have 2 dances you do not need this any more, but it can still be useful. First, it actually times your dances so that one recharges as soon as the other one ends. Second, if the tank has long pulls it can be used to give the group power while you are waiting for the tank to return, and to dance.
Elemental rhythm-is our only resist buff, we get it early and it doesnt do much, forget we even got one.
Accelerando-Our sow like spell, and it is group has the quickest cast time for any sow spell. This makes it one of the best get out of trouble spells. I say it is better then a port since it you dont have to run all the way back. Accelerando has a 2 minute duration, selos 15 minute, and selos song of travel gives 2 minutes of invis sow.
Attack abilities-Use these to increase your DPS, the early ones do a great job of increasing damage without draining your power. The higher ones are great to kill early runner and to help in oh no situations.
CMs Entrancing song-Lvl 51 and 120 cms. I have heard good and bad about this song, if you want a pet get it, but you can use the cms elsewhere.
Celebration cms-These are the upgrade to your heals. They do increase your heals by quite a bit, but since our heals have a lvl mod to them it is not as apperant when they become available. Thes are also expensive cms, so getting them means you want the heals, or to be a gypsy.
Soothing versus-Makes yyour lulls AoE, not worth the cost.
Breathy ballads-Thes cms are a great concept, they allow your group to stay underwater indefinitly. But there is no reason to grind underwater. Groups dont need the spell, and it is a waste to get.
Anthum cresendo-These increase the range of anthums by 5 and adds 5 to their mods. If you want to be more of a buffer and and getting minstral these are nice, but you can spend the cms else where if you are not planning on raising cha, or using anthums all the time.
Bardic expertise-these cut the recast of your combo attacks in half, the early ones are worth getting to add to your dps. The higher ones are nice to have, but dont really need unless you feel the attacks come up to slow and want to use them more often. You need several of these to become a gypsy.
Harmonic perfection-Adds 5 to the range of your concerto spells and gives them a 5% mod. These dont get used much and are not needed unless you are going minstral.
Musicians knack-Thes add 5 pot and 10 cha. Pot is always nice, and these mean you can place points in other stats if you are going minstral. These are required for minstral.
For general and archtype cms- All of the str/sta/agi/dex ones are quite useful, if you want them get them.
MCs Quote:
Minstrel 200 CHA MAX +50 CHA +50 PWR MAX +500
Req. Level: 55
AGI: 200 CHA: 150 Points spent: 500
Req. Masteries: Musician's Knack 3, Harmonic Perfection 3
Description: ?
Destructive Dirge 75 Gives Abilities: Destructive Dirge Req. Level: 60
Req. Masteries: Minstrel
Description: Minstrels really bring down the house.
Comments: Melee-range AE attack. 1200ish damage, 548ish power cost, 0 cast, 60 recast. Requires 1HP or 1HS equipped.
Power Ballad 75 Gives Abilities: Power Ballad Req. Level: 60
Req. Masteries: Minstrel
Description: Minstrels sing ballads, giving power to their compatriots.
Comments: Group power refill, one tick at 1000 power. 60 recast, 2000 power to cast. The net cost to the bard is 1000 power.
For the most buff orienated bards
Quote:
55
STR: 150 STA: 200 AGI: 200 DEX: 150
Points spent: 500
Req. Masteries: Bardic Expertise 4, Choral Celebration 3
Description: Musical by nature, wandering gypsies are gracious hosts. Watch the purse strings though; they have a reputation for theft.
Light Finger 75 Gives Abilities: Light Finger? Req. Level: 60
Req. Masteries: Gypsy
Description: Charming and light fingered, gypsies rob with amazing grace.
Seasoned Traveler 75 OFF MOD +2 DEF MOD +2 MOVEMENT RATE +25 Req. Level: 60
Req. Masteries: Gypsy
Description: Gypsies learn self defense during their extensive wandering.
This gives a pickpocket for tunars and a lot of mods, it is a decent MC to improve your surviablity and damage.
Quote:
55
STR: 200 STA: 200 AGI: 200 DEX: 200
Points spent: 500
Req. Masteries: Bravo's Grace 3, Bravo's Knack 3, Bravo's Toughness 3, Bravo's Brawn 3
Description: Agile and quick, bravos are deceptively ferocious in battle.
Blade Dance 75 Gives Abilities: Blade Dance Req. Level: 60
Req. Masteries: Bravo
Description: ?
Comments: AE melee damage skill. Roughly 1300-1400 damage to nearby targets.
Poise 75 Gives Abilities: Poise Req. Level: 60
Req. Masteries: Bravo
Description: Bravos are masters of the deadly dance of combat
Comments: Self-buff giving 50 STR/AGI/DEX/STA, and stacks with other buffs. 30 minute duration.
Pending Corrections
Posted by Sirmoey: I have a 60bravo Blade dance does 1510dmg for me. You can calculate the dmg by: 300base dmg + 200% dex
Posted by Sirmoey: Sorry, also the recast for Blade dance is 30seconds and the recast for Piose is 1min(it also stacks with shaman buffs, ava too).
For the more damage orienated bard.