Question - Bard damage

[Turaj Steelfist]

Ok guys I am feeling like my bard is way under performing for my group. Currently my bard can hardly out dps my cleric. I know AA's are a huge part of the dps, but I feel that my bard even at free-to-play should be doing more than he does. He has been this way for at least a year and that is the reason I end up playing the enc instead even in my melee group. I am linking to pics to give you an idea of what I mean. The first is my focus AA page, I have 32786 total AA so I do have a lot. I might sub another month to get the updated free AA's. The 2nd Pic is from a trash mob in Laurion's Inn. Zerker x3, Pally, Bard, Cleric. I know the pally looks low, but I was just auto attack with a 1h weapon trying to give the chance for bard DoTs to roll. Cleric and Pally are only paid accounts. I also listed the kiassassist.ini that I pulled off the page here.





[General]
KissAssistVer=12.002
TwistOn=1
TwistMed=5
TwistWhat=1 2 3 5
XTSlot=1
Role=Assist
CampRadius=30
CampRadiusExceed=400
ReturnToCamp=1
ChaseAssist=0
ChaseDistance=25
MedOn=1
MedStart=20
MedStop=100
MedCombat=0
LootOn=0
RezAcceptOn=1|96
AcceptInvitesOn=1
GroupWatchOn=0
GroupWatchCheck=FALSE
CorpseRecoveryOn=0
EQBCOn=1
DanNetOn=0
DanNetDelay=20
IRCOn=0
CampfireOn=0
CharInfo=Bard|122|FREE
DefaultUI=TRUE
DPSMeter=0
ScatterOn=0
LOSBeforeCombat=0
UseSpawnMaster=0
[Buffs]
BuffsOn=1
BuffsSize=20
Buffs1=Aura of Pli Xin Liako|aura
Buffs3=Rallying Call|managroup|30
Buffs4=Rallying Solo|end|29
Buffs5=Rallying Call|endgroup|30
Buffs6=Composite Psalm|endgroup|15
Buffs7=Composite Psalm|managroup|15
Buffs8=Rapier of Somber Notes|Dual|Symphony of Battle
Buffs9=Wand of Arcronite Modulation|Mana|82
Buffs10=Summoned: Glowing Modulation Shard|Mana|80
Buffs11=Summoned: Radiant Modulation Shard|Mana|85
Buffs16=Summoned: Dazzling Modulation Shard|Mana|85
Buffs17=Familiar of the Hooded Skrykin|Dual|Familiar: Hooded Skrykin
Buffs20=Summoned: Radiant Modulation Shard|begfor|1|alias|modrods
RebuffOn=1
CheckBuffsTimer=10
Buffs2=NULL
Buffs12=NULL
Buffs13=NULL
Buffs14=NULL
Buffs15=NULL
Buffs18=NULL
Buffs19=NULL
PowerSource=NULL
[Melee]
MeleeTwistOn=1
MeleeTwistWhat=8 9 6 5 10 1 3 4 6 5 11 12
AssistAt=95
MeleeOn=1
FaceMobOn=1
MeleeDistance=75
StickHow=snaproll
AutoFireOn=0
UseMQ2Melee=0
TargetSwitchingOn=0
PetTauntOverride=0
[AE]
AEOn=1
AESize=3
AERadius=50
AE1=Spires of the Minstrel|3
AE2=Composite Psalm|3
AE3=${InvSlot[Chest].Item.Name}|3
[DPS]
DPSOn=2
DPSSize=28
DPSSkip=1
DPSInterval=2
DPS1=Funeral Dirge|99|Cond8
DPS2=Quick Time|99|Cond8
DPS3=Spire of the Minstrels|99
DPS4=Flurry of Notes|99|Cond8
DPS5=Frenzied Kicks|99|Cond8
DPS6=Song of Stone|99|Cond8
DPS7=Boastful Bellow|99|Cond14|once
DPS8=Dance of Blades|99|Cond8
DPS9=Glyph of Destruction (115+)|99|Cond11
DPS10=Deftdance Discipline|100|Cond7
DPS11=command:/pet qswarm|99|Cond13
DPS12=Lyrical Prankster|99
DPS13=Bladed Song|99
DPS14=Fierce Eye|99|Cond10
DPS15=Cacophony|99|Mob
DPS16=Intimidation|99|Mash
DPS17=${InvSlot[Chest].Item.Name}|99|Cond1
DPS18=Unified Phoenix Feather|92|Weave|Cond19
DPS19=Boastful Bellow|98|Cond3
DPS20=Null Selo's Sonata|15|once
DPS21=Thousand Blades|99|Cond8
DPS22=Blade of Vesagran|99|Cond9
DPS23=Darkened Breath of Harmony|99|weave|Cond18
DPS24=Lute of the Gypsy Princess|99|Cond8
DPS25=Lute of the Wanderer|99|Cond8
DPS26=Reflexive Rebuttal|30|Mob
DPS28=Drums of the Warlord|99|weave
DebuffAllOn=0
DPS27=NULL
[Aggro]
AggroOn=1
AggroSize=5
Aggro1=Fading Memories|99|>
Aggro2=Shield of Notes|95|>
Aggro3=Hymn of the Last Stand|98|>
Aggro4=NULL
Aggro5=NULL
[Cures]
CuresOn=1
CuresSize=5
Cures1=Horn of the Stormcaller
Cures2=Aria of Absolution
Cures3=NULL
Cures4=NULL
Cures5=NULL
[Mez]
MezOn=2
MezRadius=100
MezMinLevel=90
MezMaxLevel=123
MezStopHPs=90
MezSpell=Slumber of the Diabo
MezAESpell=Wave of Nocturn|3
MezDebuffOnResist=0
MezDebuffSpell=Your Debuff Spell
[Burn]
BurnSize=10
BurnAllNamed=0
Burn1=${InvSlot[Chest].Item.Name}
Burn2=Boastful Bellow|Mob
Burn3=Composite Psalm
Burn4=Lute of the Wanderer
Burn5=Lute of the Gypsy Princess
Burn6=Intensity of the Resolute
UseTribute=0
BurnTwistWhat=0
Burn7=NULL
Burn8=NULL
Burn9=NULL
Burn10=NULL
[KConditions]
ConOn=1
CondSize=19
Cond1=TRUE
Cond2=${Target.Named} && !${Me.Song[Masterful Phrygian Root].ID} && !${Me.Song[Masterful Phrygian Third].ID} && !${Me.Song[Masterful Phrygian Fifth].ID} && !${Me.Song[Masterful Phrygian Octave].ID}
Cond3=${Target.Named} && ${Target.BuffsPopulated} && !${Target.Buff[Boastful Bellow].ID}
Cond4=${Me.PctMana}>50
Cond5=${Me.ActiveDisc.ID} && ${Target.Named} && ${Me.ActiveDisc.Name.NotEqual[Thousand Blades]} && ${Me.CombatAbilityReady[Thousand Blades]}
Cond6=!${Target.Named}
Cond7=${Me.XTarget} > 0 && ${Me.CombatAbilityReady[Deftdance Discipline]} && ${Me.PctHPs} < 30
Cond8=${Target.Named} && ${Me.CombatState.Equal[Combat]}
Cond9=!${Me.Song[Fierce Eye].ID}
Cond10=!${Me.Song[Spirit of Vesagran].ID}
Cond11=${Target.Named} && ${Me.AltAbilityReady[Glyph of Destruction (115+)]}
Cond12=!${Me.AltAbilityReady[Glyph of Destruction (115+)]} && ${AltAbility[Glyph of Destruction (115+)].CanTrain} && ${Me.AAPoints}>200
Cond13=${SpawnCount[${Me.Name}'s pet]}>0
Cond14=${Me.PctEndurance}>30
Cond15=!${Me.Buff[Illusion Benefit Greater Jann].ID}
Cond16=!${Me.Buff[Selo's Accelerato].ID} && !${Me.Buff[Selo's Accelerando].ID}
Cond17=${Me.Song[Restless Ice].ID}
Cond18=!${Me.Song[Item Benefit: Doben's Spry Sonata Rk. II].ID}
Cond19=!${Me.Song[Blessing of Unity].ID} && !${Me.Song[Grace of Unity].ID} && ${Me.PctMana} < 97 && ${Me.CombatState.Equal[Combat]}
[Spells]
Gem1=Aria of Pli Xin Liako
Gem2=Arcane Harmony
Gem3=Psalm of the Pious
Gem4=Aria of Absolution
Gem5=War March of Centien Xi Va Xakra
Gem6=Sogran's Insult
Gem7=Slumber of the Diabo
Gem8=Coagulus' Chant of Disease
Gem9=Shak Dathor's Chant of Flame
Gem10=Cruor's Chant of Poison
Gem11=Swarn's Chant of Frost
Gem12=Composite Psalm
Gem13=Wave of Nocturn
MiscGem=8
MiscGemLW=0
MiscGemRemem=1
LoadSpellSet=0
SpellSetName=KissAssist
CastingInterruptOn=1
CheckStuckGem=1
[GMail]
GMailHelp=Events currently support - Dead,Drag,GM,Level,Named,Leftgroup,Tells
GMailOn=0
GMailSize=5
GMail1=NULL
GMail2=NULL
GMail3=NULL
GMail4=NULL
GMail5=NULL
[Heals]
Help=Format Spell|% to heal at i.e. Devout Light Rk. II|50
HealsOn=0
HealInterval=0
AutoRezOn=0
HealsSize=5
Heals1=NULL
Heals2=NULL
Heals3=NULL
Heals4=NULL
Heals5=NULL
XTarHeal=0
XTarHealList=Xtar slots here Example: 5|6|7
HealGroupPetsOn=0
RezMeLast=0
[Merc]
Help=To use: Turn off Auto Assist in Manage Mercenary Window
MercOn=0
MercAssistAt=92
[Pull]
PullWith=Melee
PullMeleeStick=0
MaxRadius=350
MaxZRange=50
UseWayPointZ=0
PullWait=5
PullRadiusToUse=90
PullRoleToggle=0
ChainPull=0
ChainPullHP=90
PullPause=30|2
PullLevel=0|0
PullArcWidth=0
PullTwistOn=0
PullOnReturn=0
[PullAdvanced]
PullLocsOn=0
[AFKTools]
AFKHelp=AFKGMAction=0 Off, 1 Pause Macro, 2 End Macro, 3 Unload MQ2, 4 Quit Game
AFKToolsOn=1
AFKGMAction=1
AFKPCRadius=500
CampOnDeath=0
ClickBacktoCamp=0

 

[Turaj Steelfist]

OK got some advice from a bard main and tweaked my melody around and I am doing about 200k dps now. I definitely feel like the bard is finally useful again.

 

[Chanticleer]

Bard your level should be doing 400-500k none burn dps

My bard burning can get 1.2-1.5m dps

 

[Kryp]

My bard burning can get 1.2-1.5m dps

You using Kiss to run your bard? I'm having the same dps issues running Kiss as a 125 bard.

If so can you link your .ini ?

 

[Many_Whelps]

In group content, I wouldn't bother with bard dots. Just get your APDS songs up and use insults for dps. Also dump Arcane Harmony and Psalm of the Pious. They're both useless songs for your 3x zerker group.

 

[scoobas]

Seems to me, that you've setup a melee twist that has way too many songs in it.

MeleeTwistWhat=8 9 6 5 10 1 3 4 6 5 11 12

You should take into consideration the time needed to cast each song, and how long each song lasts. The way you are setup now, with this many songs being twisted is that most of your songs will not be playing half the time. Reduce this to at most 6 songs, remove the dots and anything that doesnt benefit the melee dps of your group (zerkers) and those songs will play all the time. Your zerkers and Pally dps will go up at the cost of a small dps loss of your dot spells. (marginal probably because your adps songs also affect your dmg.)

 

[virtuoso65]

Bard your level should be doing 400-500k none burn dps

My bard burning can get 1.2-1.5m dps

Care to share a bit more about your song set, twist, skill use and equipment?

 

[Kookies]

A lot of bard DPS comes from DoTs, starting in TOV. If mobs are dying too fast kissassist often struggles with bard-ing I find.

If you want to bard dot, consider getting your free to play bard the rk2 unlocker. This will get you the better instrument cap on them.

Since you're free to play, your worn instrument modifiers are 260%, with an extra 80% coming from instrument mastery - for 340% total.

The Rk1 DoT has a max focus of 320%, and damage of 5430
The rk2 dot has a max focus of 340%, and damage of 5702.

It's a multi step calculation, but basically:
Effective damage:
Rk1: ROUND(5430*(1+3.2+.02)) (the 2% is your assumed banestrike)=22,915
Rk2: ROUND(5702*(1+3.4+.02)) = 25,203

Focus damage (improved chants) - 550% is LS max
Rk1: TRUNC(22915*(1+5.5)) =148,947
Rk2: TRUNC(25,203*(1+5.5)) = 163,819

I'll skip the spell damage calculations, since that would be the same addition to both.

Critting: destructive cascade is at 320% in LS
Rk1: ROUND(148,947*(1+3.2)) = 625,577
RK2: ROUND(163,819*(1+3.2)) = 688,040

So the damage difference between hits is
Noncrit: 14,872
Crit: 62,463

For DPS difference:
Noncrit: 14872*4/6=9,914 DPS
Crit: 62,463*4/6=41,642 DPS

Your crit rate should be around 50% between the various buffs and AA flying around.

 

[Turaj Steelfist]

Seems to me, that you've setup a melee twist that has way too many songs in it.

You should take into consideration the time needed to cast each song, and how long each song lasts. The way you are setup now, with this many songs being twisted is that most of your songs will not be playing half the time. Reduce this to at most 6 songs, remove the dots and anything that doesnt benefit the melee dps of your group (zerkers) and those songs will play all the time. Your zerkers and Pally dps will go up at the cost of a small dps loss of your dot spells. (marginal probably because your adps songs also affect your dmg.)

I will fiddle around with this. I was happy that the bard finally added dps, but if I can just use the bard to make the others DPS go up even better.