Gear QuestionsFollow

I am a BST main, but I play BRD for basically anything that isn't soloing. It's been awhile since I really used BRD for more than the occasional "help a friend out" or a Merit Party here and there. But I'd like to get back into my job a bit more, I just feel like I am lacking a bit in my knowledge of BRD since it's been so long since I really got a chance to use it.

Here is my gear (I believe this is accurate, its maint and I can't log on to check items):

Main: Apollos/Earth/Dark/Chanters
Sub: Bugard Leather Strap +1
Range: All appropriate +1 Instruments for all songs, Mary's, etc
Head: Bard's Roundlet
Neck: Wind Torque
Ear: Melody Earring+1 x2
Body: Errant/Minstrel
Hand: AF
Ring: Nerid Ring x2/Angel Ring x2
Back: Jesters +1
Waist: Gleemans
Legs: AF
Feet: Volunteers Nails

BRD was my first 75, but I was never really a macro whore back then, however I am now. It wasn't until after I stopped really playing BRD that I discovered the simplicity and wonder that is macro's via Windower. So needless to say I was limited in my gear swaps.

My questions are as follows:

When do I swap in +CHR/+Wind gear like my rings or body? I thought +Wind was best for both buffs and debuffs, but now I am finding out that is not always the case. So is there a good mix or a cap I should be hitting with either +skill or +CHR before swapping in something else? And am I using Chanters for all buffs and no debuffs?

Are there any immediate upgrades that I can make? A bit of this gear is from my 75BST main's Charm gear set, and I know I'm probably lacking in some areas. (NOTE: Something like a Shair Manteel is a bit out of my price range). Doesn't have to be an AH upgrade, but something doable that doesn't require a huge investment into endgame right now would be nice.

Staff grips, do I use the elemental ones or stick with my Bugards?

I'm not rusty in terms of playing my BRD, I just want to refine some of my macros and gear so that I can be better than I am now.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you for the reply. At the moment I don't have Sea access so I won't be able to pick up some of those items, as much as I would like to.

Would macroing Haste pre-cast and then CHR/Skill before song finishes be beneficial?

Haste has to be on at the end of the song (same as potency stats) in order to reduce recasts. What is useful for precast is "Song Spellcasting Time" and "Fast Cast" gear.

I believe this is an exhaustive list, but I'm most likely missing something.

Ebon/Ebur/Furia Tam
Sha'ir/Sheikh Manteel
Yigit Gomlek
Minstrel's Ring (with +HP for trigger)
Loquacious Earring
Warlock's Cape (when /RDM)
Dweomer Knives (up to -5% SST is a possible augment)
Rostrum Pumps
Malagigi's Trousers (Campaign only)
Royal Redingote (Possibly fast cast augment)

Thanks for the replies.

I've always sort of felt that way Barber. I know players who have pieces worth 20+ mill, but their playstyle is so bad that they actually don't out preform even a poorly geared party member. I think in this game, skill is so much more of a factor than gear. What's the point of gearing yourself for no resists if you're such a bad BRD that you forget to even keep your songs up half the time? Or whats the point of your Hauby +1 when you take 20 seconds to engage the mob after I pull it, and sit at 300% tp cause you're afk.

But I know gear does make a difference, obviously I want to have the least amount of resists as possible, and I want to be as effective as possible. But I'm not about to spend 6 months trying to get a new piece of gear from a endgame shell. I play with my friends the majority of the time, and I basically love just helping out new/random players or LS members when they need help. I'd rather spend my time doing that than getting BiS (Best in slot) gear.

I'm glad you posted that though, it did help me reflect on what I want to achieve in this game. I'm gonna go get a HQ Earth asap and change my macro's a bit. Thanks for all the help guys.

While this is admirable, don't forget that one is not exclusive from the other. If you have sea already, great. If not, you and your friends can work together to get sea. Obviously, you only need 5 others to do this.

Much of BRDs "great" endgame gear can be done with 6 ppl. All your AF+1 items can be farmed with the same friends you got sea with. It's likely they want some AF+1/coins as well. HQ staves, you only need gil, and one more to boot. Osode is purchaseable, but still a sidegrade to AF+1 body. Points for Yigit can be farmed while helping friends (and yourself) get Captain Rank. Same with Goliard.

About the only pieces of gear a BRD could want that would require any type of large group would be relic gear (Dynamis), Astute cape (can be low manned, but need very skilled players), and Rostrum Pumps (which I haven't used in years to be honest).

Marduk is border-line, as you could theoretically do all zones with just 6 players. But the caliber of those players is generally quite high. Not to mention the rewards/time ratio is not all that great. Level 35 pieces can take a LONG time to drop.

So while I understand not wanting to invest time into an end-game LS, don't feel that this closes off your options for all end game gear.