EQ:Bard  

Overview:

Jacks of all trades, but masters of none. Bards have a unique combination of abilities, making them extremely versatile. Essentially a bard is a cross between a rogue and enchanter, yet notably they are plate wearers. The key function of the Bard is that his songs stack with all other buffs. His mana and health regeneration songs stack with other class' hp/mana regen spells, his V2 and V3 haste stacks with other class' haste spells, and many other songs stack or simply benefit the group at large. He even has a song to cure your hunger! So if you're looking for a class that benefits the group he's in, has the most tools at his disposal for pulling, and is simply lots of fun to play, look no further than the Bard.

Major Song Lines

Bards have a large number of different song lines, which lend them vastly different abilities. These include:

• A line of group or AOE hp and mana regeneration songs, starting with the level six Hymn of Restoration and the level twenty Cassindra's Chant of Clarity.
• A line of group speed-increasing songs starting with the level five Selo's Accelerando, the best of which with an appropriate drum is faster than any horse.
• A line of AOE resist increasing songs starting with the level nine Elemental Rhythms and a more powerful line of group resist increasing songs starting with the level 25 Psalm of Warmth (all of which also have a damage shield component.)
• A line of charm songs starting with the level 27 Solon's Song of the Sirens that is of critical importance in several early soloing techniques.
• A line of overhaste songs starting with Battlecry of the Vah Shir. Overhaste is a type of haste which goes over the haste cap (100%). A player with 100% haste (from items and enchanter/shaman buffs) and a bard around for overhaste can swing his sword 130% faster than he would normally swing with no buffs! Higher level versions of these songs improve the damage portion of a wizard's nuke, or a necromancer's DoT, and even higher versions improve the amount of healing a cleric's spell will give a player.
• The absolutely unique Song of Highsun that sends a target back to it's spawn location.

These are only a few characteristic songs of a bard, listing all useful bard songs would take quite some time. A full list of bard songs can be found here.

Instruments

Bards can use instruments; some songs, such as Shauri's Sonorous Clouding require instruments, while others, such as Selo's Accelerando are only made more effective by one. Some songs, such as Lyssa's Cataloging Libretto are not at all effected by instruments. Also notably, bard haste songs do not give any greater haste with an instrument equipped.

Bard songs that are effected by instrument see an increase in their power (e.g., their effect without any instrument) proportional to the modifier of the instrument that they are sung with. Mods range from 1.1 to around 3.4. At lower levels mods are typically only found on actual instruments such as the Mistmoore Battle Drums whereas at higher levels instrument modifiers are oftentimes found on armor items, as is the case on Luvwen's Armplates of Melody. Many high level raiding bards simply use the Blade of Vesagran, the bard epic 2.0, to fulfill all of their needed mods.

Instrument Modifiers

Just as a Wizard or Cleric seeks focus effects to benefit their spells, the Bard seeks Instrument modifiers to benefit his songs. Instrument modifiers initially have a cap at 3.6, however, purchasing certain AAs can increase the cap, however this isn't necessary for group players but may be vital to raiding bards. Instrument mods come in the form of a skill - the more a bard plays a song which uses stringed instruments, ie Hymn of Restoration, the better his skill will be, and the less chance he will miss a note and stop singing/playing the song. Instrument Mods are important for the Bard since it determines the strength of the song that the Bard sings - ie if a Bard sang Hymn of Restoration with a lute, they would heal more HP per round with the lute than without. For example:

Stringed: This instrument type usually applies to Area of Effect damage songs, hp/mp regen songs, and choice mitigation songs. It can be increased by use of any lute, or by any equipment with a Stringed modification on it.

Brass: This instrument type applies to haste songs, some Area of Effect damage songs, some of our Slow songs (rate of attack slow), and some of our single-target direct damage nukes. It can be increased by equipping any brass instrument (horns, mostly) or by any equipment with a Brass modifier on it.

Percussion: This instrument type mainly modifies run speed songs, like Selo's Accelerating Accelerando, damage-over-time songs, resistance songs, and some others. These songs can be modified by equipping a drum, or by wearing any equipment with percussion modifiers.

Wind: This instrument doesn't modify many songs, but, many songs that use the Wind modifier require a wind instrument to be used to sing it. Examples are the Shauri's Sonorous Clouding song (invisibility song) require a wind instrument to be used while singing. This modifier is useful when a bard is singing his Lull type songs on monsters, but aside from that, it is very situational.

Singing: This is the Bard's odd-one-out. There are few items which modify the singing skill/mod, and most of the items which do, require raids to acquire. Consequently, Singing is arguably the Bard's most valued modifier; it affects snare songs, slow songs, some direct damage nukes, resist songs, mitigation songs and many, many more. Furthermore, when a bard plays a song and does not have modifiers on his equipment, nor does he have an instrument equipped, the Singing skill will be used to play the song. Thus, Singing is very important as it is the default mod/skill for the bard. One song, Amplification, modifies the bard's singing skill, which improves all songs which uses the singing modifier. This song is excellent at boosting an AC song, a direct damage nuke, or landing that 50% slow song on a monster without having a resist.

Luckily for most bards in 2008 and beyond, the Defiant line of armor has bard modifiers of each type within certain slots. Defiant armor is very easily found from a large amount of monsters, or even more easily purchased from the bazaar and thus, modifiers are not something to worry fervently about as one did before. However, if a bard chooses not to use Defiant armor, or is missing a modifier for some reason, the Bard Epic weapon (Singing Short Sword), has a 1.8 modifier to ALL skill types and thus covers all mods a bard will need.

Pulling

Bards have many spells that make them a very efficient puller:

• lines of lulling (pacify), snare, mesmerizing, and charming spells to hinder their targets.
• the fastest run-speed buff in the game (selo's), as well as a current max of Run 7 to their base speed (obtained through AAs) to keep them at a distance from their targets and to assist in Chain Pulling.
• Boastful Bellow: at level 63 bards can purchase the AA skill Boastful Bellow. It is a 250 range, instant cast, 18 second recast, no mana cost spell that is great for any tagging situation, and makes chain pulling a cinch.
• Fading Memories: at level 63 bards can purchase the AA skill Fading Memories (a.k.a. Fade, or FM). Fade is a self-only, instant cast, instant recast, 900 mana cost spell that wipes the memories of ALL of the mobs the bard has come in contact with instantly so that they forget they ever saw him, rendering him instantly safe. In addition, it gives the bard permanent invisibility that can be seen through by see-invis mobs and undead mobs (the invis drops like a normal invis if the bard casts/attacks or is hit).

Single Splitting

The easiest way to pull a single mob is to make sure you have separated it from the pack. Your pulling strategy will differ based on the number of mobs involved, how much elbow room you have for splitting, and mobs' resists/immunities:

Tag and Wait

• Pull the mob and his buddies away from their spawn point. Fade. Wait while his buddies path back towards their spawn points. With any luck, he'll be the last one left. Tag him.

• Quickly pacify all the adds, then pull your target mob.

• Snare/Mez the mob you want. Run the adds out of range of your target. Fade. Run back quickly and pull your target mob.

• Run your target mob and his adds well away from their spawn point. Once at a distance, snare/mez the target mob and quickly fade. Wait for the adds to path out of distance. Your snared/mezzed mob should be the last one left.

• Mez an add, run out, fade. Mez another add, run farther, fade. Repeat until you have your target mob alone.
• A mezzed mob will normally attack when mez wears off. If you fade before mez wears off, then they will have forgotten you and will not attack once the mez wears off.
• This technique may require quite a bit of elbow room or creativity.

Bypass Single Pull

This is a great technique for bypassing loads of mobs and pulling named_mob_01 ALONE from one side of the zone to the other, WITHOUT adds. First, you must know that there are two kinds of agro: Direct Agro, and Assist Agro. Both work differently. Direct Agro (DA) is the agro you get when you attack a mob, or a mob sees you first and attacks you. Assist Agro (AA) is the agro you get when a mob (or mobs) is in range to assist a mob that has DA on you. Now they both seem the same; in both ways you end up with a mob trying to kill you. But here is the difference: A mob with DA on you will be able to attract nearby allies and cause them to AA on you. A mob with AA on you will never attract allies to assist you, even if he runs right over them. Only a mob with DA on you can do that.

The Technique The goal for this pull is to make named_mob_01 to pull get Assist Agro (AA) on you. You will need an invis song or clicky ready (not fade), along with a mez, Fading Memories aa, and possibly a lull song. Step 1: Locate named_mob_01. You will NOT be taking any action against this mob. Step 2: Get to a safe spot. Step 3: If possible, lull mobs in range of named_mob_01 (do not lull named_mob_01). Step 4: Mez a mob in assist range to named_mob_01. This will cause the mezzed mob to DA on you, but it will be unable to attack. Named_mob_01 should AA on you and begin running at you. Step 5: Quickly invis up and run to camp with named_mob_01 in tow. If you did all of the above correctly, since named_mob_01 only has AA on you, he will not be getting help from allies as he runs by them, and should be alone by the time he gets to camp. Step 6: Once named_mob_01 is close enough to camp, fade off the mezzed mob. The mezzed mob will completely forget about you whether or not he was still mezzed by the time you faded.

Tips

• A mezzed mob will normally attack when mez wears off. If you fade before mez wears of, the mezzed mob will not remember you when it wakes up and will not attack.
• Don't worry if mez wears off before you get to camp. Just stay invis and keep running with named_mob_01 in tow. There is still plenty of distance between you and named_mob_01, and the massive train the now awakened mob is bringing towards you. Just don't forget to fade when you get to camp.
• This technique will get you praises from your group members, but you will still look bad if you end up training another group. If the mezzed mob wakes before you get to camp, it will start a train and possibly hurt any players caught in the middle. Be sure the path between named_mob_01 and your group camp is clear of other parties before you pull.

Class Specific AA

(to be filled in)

• Suggested AA Purchases for Beginning Bards *****

1. 1: Fading Memories. This AA removes the bard from the hate list of ALL monsters in the zone. It is completely game changing and is a necessary pulling tool for the Bard. Buy it.
2. 2: Run Speed 3. In order for a bard to pull, he must be able to run. A bard will not always be able to sing Selo's, and thus he must rely on base run speed to help him in his cause. Rank 5 and even rank 7 is highly recommended.
3. 3: Boastful Bellow (rank 1). This AA gives the bard an ability that hits a target for 50 damage. It has a range of 250 and includes a stun which works on monsters level 60 and under with the first rank. It is invaluable for pulling thanks to the long range and the ease of hot keying the ability.
4. 4: Jam Fest (rank 3). This AA will improve the effect your songs provide by giving you the benefits of a higher level bard singing the songs you are singing.
5. 5: Instrument Mastery (rank 3). This AA improves the effect your instrument modifiers provide for your songs.
6. 6: Singing Mastery (rank 3). This AA improves your singing modifier. While useful, is somewhat optional.
7. 7: Scribble Notes. Improves the speed at which a bard memorizes songs. Highly useful for changing song gems mid-fight or even in between a monster's attacks. Cheap!
8. 8: Natural Durability (rank 3). This AA improves the Bard's base hitpoints by 2%, 5% and 10% per rank.
9. 9: Combat Agility (rank 3). This AA improves the chance of a bard dodging a monster's attack outright. Very important for those occasional hits while pulling, or even when the group's tank dies and the bard steps up to bat.
10. 10: Combat Stability (rank 3). This AA improves the damage mitigation for the bard. Monsters that attack the bard with this AA will do slightly less damage than they would if the bard did not have any ranks in this AA line. Not as useful at Combat Agility (dodging the attack completely is better than having some reduced damage), however, still a baseline AA to purchase early on.

Further recommendations would be Ambidexterity, Combat Fury, Spell Casting Fury, Weapon Affinity, and Sinister Strikes.

Rank Two Secrets of Faydwer Spell Locations

• 78 - Erradien's Psalm of Potency Rk. II
• Faction: Ak'anon Strike Force V
• Faction Level: Kindly
• Merchant: Automated Vending Unit II
• Zone: Dragonscale Hills
• Location: 3695, -2555, 30

• 79 - Polyphony of Pain Rk. II
• Faction: Bertoxxulous's Chosen
• Faction Level: Kindly
• Merchant: Lanika Shadestepper
• Zone: Hills of Shade
• Location: 285, -550, 50

• 80 - Arcane Anthem Rk. II
• Faction: Ladies of the Light
• Faction Level: Ally
• NPC: Seridyn
• Zone: Dragonscale Hills
• Location: 1450, 1740, 270

• 80 - Kaerra's Spirited Crescendo Rk. II
• Faction: Rebel Brownies
• Faction Level: Kindly
• Merchant: Karri
• Zone: The Steam Factory
• Location: -25, 485, 115

Links

• The Concert Hall
• EQDiva
• The Allakhazam Class Forums

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