Bard has been my favorite class since being hooked on it in EQ. This is going to a brief overview of how I play my Bard. There are so many variations of souls, but this will give you a feel of what the class can do.
Hopefully this little guide will give some insight on the class, how I play and what a Bard can bring to a group even if you do not play one. After level 30 I must say it is the single best class I have played in any MMO. The versatility is just insane.
1-30 Key Abilities
30-60 Key Abilities
1-30 Leveling
Your Cadence/Coda damage is based off your main hand weapon, just use whatever has the highest DPS - speed does not matter as weapons are normalized.
Motifs - I honestly don't even use my motifs unless I am bored running to the next mob or it's a semi tough fight. They won't increase damage/healing enough on single mobs to even notice it, and later on it's 5 GCD's to get them all up.
Create a macro that has just has "petattack" in it without the quotes, or re-bind your pet attack button to something easier to press. I use a mouse-over pet attack macro so I can keep building combo points on my main target while moving my pet around to other mobs to gain aggro so I can aoe.
Your primary fight is going to be a single target. When running up to the mob send your pet and fire off two quick shots(27 meter range), or get in range so you can use Cadence(20 meter range). After that just use Cadence to 5 combo points and then Coda of Wrath, over and over and over until it's dead. Your Cadence will heal your pet and yourself.
If you find yourself with too many mobs on your pet just shoot one or two off so they are hitting you, let your pet tank the others and kill your pet targets first. Split the damage received with healing done so you both stay at good health. The nice thing about Cadence/Coda of Resto is they cause zero aggro.
I could go further into this, but really, it's very simple and pretty lackluster to level to 30 as a Bard.
30-60 Leveling
Let the fun begin! Redo your spec and make sure to put 24 points in Ranger first - your pet cannot go beyond level 30 without it.
Single Target Solo Rotation:
I don't like to "waste" combo points, so that is why I throw in a Quick Shot after the Cadence. You can let another whole Cadence go through if you like, especially if your pet needs the heals. You may also need to use your 5cp on Coda of Restoration if you need more healing, or Coda of Fury if you want AoE damage.
Single Target Boss Rotation:
I use Head Shot because it does more damage than Coda of Wrath for me, my bow is a lot better than my main hand am I do not have 5/5 Resonance yet. Check to see which does more damage and use that as your single target finisher.
Prior to the fight put all of your Motifs up, these should be kept up 100%. When you go to refresh make sure you have 5 combo points on the boss, you may need to do two of your motifs, use Coda of Restoration for a bigger heal on the tank, put the rest up and then Cadence back into your rotation.
Dungeon Trash Rotation:
Put up Motifs while running to the next pack or prior to pull - most of the time they are not "needed", but in a party they really do shine. Do not worry about refreshing unless you get patrol aggro or are chain pulling.
If you are pulling aggro because the tank is not very good at holding AoE threat just move over to the single target boss rotation. Switch off targets with low health after using your CP as your AoE will take them out shortly.
If you use Concussive Blast instead of a Coda for your finisher you only need to do 1 Trick Shot instead of two thanks for Opportunity.
Sit back and watch big healing/dps numbers fly across your screen.
Read rest of entry
Hopefully this little guide will give some insight on the class, how I play and what a Bard can bring to a group even if you do not play one. After level 30 I must say it is the single best class I have played in any MMO. The versatility is just insane.
1-30 Key Abilities
- Cadence
- Coda of Wrath
- Coda of Fury
- Coda of Restoration
30-60 Key Abilities
- Cadence - 3cp AoE healing, your bread and butter ability
- Coda of Wrath - Single target finisher
- Coda of Fury - AoE Finisher
- Coda of Restoration - AoE larger heal
- Concussive Blast - Multi Target spell interrupt + good damage
- Head Shot - Single target Finisher
- Shadow Fire - 2cp damage+attack speed increase
- Splinter Shot - 2cp bleed damage
- Quick Shot - 1cp filler
1-30 Leveling
Your Cadence/Coda damage is based off your main hand weapon, just use whatever has the highest DPS - speed does not matter as weapons are normalized.
Motifs - I honestly don't even use my motifs unless I am bored running to the next mob or it's a semi tough fight. They won't increase damage/healing enough on single mobs to even notice it, and later on it's 5 GCD's to get them all up.
Create a macro that has just has "petattack" in it without the quotes, or re-bind your pet attack button to something easier to press. I use a mouse-over pet attack macro so I can keep building combo points on my main target while moving my pet around to other mobs to gain aggro so I can aoe.
Your primary fight is going to be a single target. When running up to the mob send your pet and fire off two quick shots(27 meter range), or get in range so you can use Cadence(20 meter range). After that just use Cadence to 5 combo points and then Coda of Wrath, over and over and over until it's dead. Your Cadence will heal your pet and yourself.
If you find yourself with too many mobs on your pet just shoot one or two off so they are hitting you, let your pet tank the others and kill your pet targets first. Split the damage received with healing done so you both stay at good health. The nice thing about Cadence/Coda of Resto is they cause zero aggro.
I could go further into this, but really, it's very simple and pretty lackluster to level to 30 as a Bard.
30-60 Leveling
Let the fun begin! Redo your spec and make sure to put 24 points in Ranger first - your pet cannot go beyond level 30 without it.
Single Target Solo Rotation:
- Send Pet
- Shadow Fire (2cp)
- Splinter Shot (2cp)
- Quick Shot (1cp)
- Head Shot or Concussive Blast
- Cadence (3cp + 1cp from Opportunity)
- Quick Shot (1cp)
- Head Shot
- Repeat 6-8
I don't like to "waste" combo points, so that is why I throw in a Quick Shot after the Cadence. You can let another whole Cadence go through if you like, especially if your pet needs the heals. You may also need to use your 5cp on Coda of Restoration if you need more healing, or Coda of Fury if you want AoE damage.
Single Target Boss Rotation:
- Send Pet (Using Dire Wolf, not Boar)
- Shadow Fire (2cp)
- Splinter Shot (2cp)
- Quick Shot (1cp)
- Head Shot or Concussive Blast
- Cadence (3cp + 1cp from Opportunity)
- Quick Shot (1cp)
- Head Shot or Coda of Restoration if the tank needs more healing
- Coda of Fury if adds need to be taken down
- Concussive Blast if a spell can be interrupted
- Repeat 6-8
I use Head Shot because it does more damage than Coda of Wrath for me, my bow is a lot better than my main hand am I do not have 5/5 Resonance yet. Check to see which does more damage and use that as your single target finisher.
Prior to the fight put all of your Motifs up, these should be kept up 100%. When you go to refresh make sure you have 5 combo points on the boss, you may need to do two of your motifs, use Coda of Restoration for a bigger heal on the tank, put the rest up and then Cadence back into your rotation.
Dungeon Trash Rotation:
- Send Pet
- Shadow Fire (2cp)
- Cadence (3cp)
- Coda of Fury
- Coda of Restoration if need more healing
- Concussive Blast if caster mobs and it's off CD
- Cadence (3cp)
- Trick Shot (1cp)
- Trick Shot (1cp)
- Coda of Fury
- Coda of Restoration if need more healing
- Concussive Blast if caster mobs and it's off CD
- Repeat 5-8
Put up Motifs while running to the next pack or prior to pull - most of the time they are not "needed", but in a party they really do shine. Do not worry about refreshing unless you get patrol aggro or are chain pulling.
If you are pulling aggro because the tank is not very good at holding AoE threat just move over to the single target boss rotation. Switch off targets with low health after using your CP as your AoE will take them out shortly.
If you use Concussive Blast instead of a Coda for your finisher you only need to do 1 Trick Shot instead of two thanks for Opportunity.
Sit back and watch big healing/dps numbers fly across your screen.
