Question - Bard vs Ench (2 Viewers)

[whytdrumer]

I know this question has been asked and I read the previous threads, but I wanted to bring this back up because they were more than 3 years old and things might have changed. I'm trying to decide the best approach for my caster group. I play my Bard in my melee group (SK/SHM/BRD/BST/BER/ROG) and love it. Bard is awesome.

However, I have a caster group (SK/CLR/???/MAG/MAG/NEC) and was wondering if I should keep the Bard in there or replace him with my Ench. I don't play an Ench so I don't know their capabilities. I have noticed in my melee group when there are ads the Bard basically stops everything and just mezzes, which can be a little frustrating because I use him mainly for all the buffs.

Thanks for the input and apologies for bring up this topic again.

 

[Psy]

My vote is ENC. CC is slightly better, auras, crack is nice for casters, and damage is decent as well.

 

[Darkwynd3]

I know this question has been asked and I read the previous threads, but I wanted to bring this back up because they were more than 3 years old and things might have changed. I'm trying to decide the best approach for my caster group. I play my Bard in my melee group (SK/SHM/BRD/BST/BER/ROG) and love it. Bard is awesome.

However, I have a caster group (SK/CLR/???/MAG/MAG/NEC) and was wondering if I should keep the Bard in there or replace him with my Ench. I don't play an Ench so I don't know their capabilities. I have noticed in my melee group when there are ads the Bard basically stops everything and just mezzes, which can be a little frustrating because I use him mainly for all the buffs.

Thanks for the input and apologies for bring up this topic again.

Not sure what content you're doing, but I'm currently working on a bard for my caster group because the chanter is pretty bleh outside of augmenting burns.

 

[whytdrumer]

Not sure what content you're doing, but I'm currently working on a bard for my caster group because the chanter is pretty bleh outside of augmenting burns.

Most of my toons are F2P so right now I'm doing ToV stuff. Once I get all my guys to 115 I plan to move up from there. It's been awhile since I played so I'm getting back into the swing of things.

 

[battlenet]

Enchanter. You're going to miss Selo's though.

 

[knave23]

Also vote ENC in that group. I'd also replace the CLR with a DRU, but that's up to you.

I cheat a little (and this obvi depends on your goal for the group), but I run both and let my MAG pet tank in a DRU/ENC/BRD/(some 3 combo of MAG/NEC/WIZ) group. I only really grind with them though; if I wanted to run the harder missions I'd pull in a tank.

 

[Leo]

I think it depends on what you want. Enchanter is better CC which is really noticeable if you pull more than 4 or 5 mobs, but a bard can do this job just not as quickly as a chanter. For ADPS with casters, enchanter will provide more for burns but a lot less outside of burn situations. Bard adps for casters (other than wiz) is arguably as strong if not stronger than it is for melees. The overhaste aura for swarm pets is a huge dps increase, aria is a spell dmg increase. Same with Shm as a healer in caster groups vs druid, the shm aura hits swarm pets. In terms of personal dps, I find that a bard and chanter do similar personal dps so I consider that a wash.

 

[secret_wombat]

I've started to use my bard more now that they have reached 125 (+ epic) and started to pick up more gear + AAs.

With a ENC the following was what I would expect to see.


With a bard running KissAssist and the rest of the group running CWTN plugins I see the following :-



Yes the output from the group with bard is for 1/3 the duration but I've not grinded as much recently as I was concentrating on gearing up the bard but I still think it shows the difference.

I'm still tweaking the bards song lineup as I would like to boost the Druid's performance but so far I am very happy with the improvements.

 

[RobRenfro]

I'm notorious for hating on Bards. But you said it yourself you have a caster group you want the Enchanter. It's not much of a debate in this situation. If you had a melee DPS group I'd say Bard but this is an Enchanters group.

 

[Grpsmashin]

Running both in a group is not too bad either.

Set your bard up to do Dots and bam, watch mobs melt lol

 

[JustaDad]

Enchanter are built for caster groups, but cry a silent tear for no selos. Also dual invis can be achieved with 2 characters but dual invis from bard is really nice.

Mind candy is a 5 hour buff though. If you have a steady source of it, you can snag the buffs, and still love the bard bennies, and live with out the chanter in group. Just saying... no more groups with out a bard for me.

 

[Szazor]

I would vote for Enc over Bard for any group at anytime.

There is more to the game than adps for a melee group.

 

[Naeeldar]

If long term plans are group game only. I 'd go bard. The enchanter just isn't needed for CC and the dps will be far higher with bard.

That said enchanters are fun as hell to play and drive from. And their CC is second to none. but CC isn't really important anymore in group game.

 

[smokedog66]

Enchanter/druid for caster group. Dont sleep on the druids adps.

 

[Littch]

It’s pretty obvious from all the responses here overwhelmingly Enchanter over bard is what most would say.
Bards Selo’s is overrated in today’s game with all the guild hall clickies and portals added to the game? Really we have Easy Find and it just takes you to the zone you choose.
Selos was great back in the day but no one is taking all day to get anywhere these days.
Easy Find or guild hall portals get you anywhere you want to be in few clicks anytime you want to be there.
Now with an Enchanter your getting haste mind crack CC and Auroas . Don’t see why these question is asked anymore myself

 

[Irulann]

Enc good for raids, tradeskills, and hailing for buffs in a guild hall Bard all day long.....

 

[Naeeldar]

It’s pretty obvious from all the responses here overwhelmingly Enchanter over bard is what most would say.
Bards Selo’s is overrated in today’s game with all the guild hall clickies and portals added to the game? Really we have Easy Find and it just takes you to the zone you choose.
Selos was great back in the day but no one is taking all day to get anywhere these days.
Easy Find or guild hall portals get you anywhere you want to be in few clicks anytime you want to be there.
Now with an Enchanter your getting haste mind crack CC and Auroas . Don’t see why these question is asked anymore myself

I think people are saying it because caster groups. BUT the reality is each is one better than bard one a single hard burn. Otherwise for many other minutes, bard blows it out of the water. So if you are going after a single target burn like ZLandi back in the day. yes each wins. But otherwise it absolutely doesn't purely on the numbers.

Now do we need to pick purely off the numbers? No.

 

[Littch]

I put it this way…..
Current content LS everything group content.
Every named ,every mission I have done without a bard. Most mobs take less than what 20 seconds Most named your not even going to break a sweat on so where is the upside to this bard you speak of that I can’t live without?
SK CLR Ench Mage Rouge Ranger maybe swap one out for a Beast here and there,but never ever have I said who “let me load a bard up.”
This is current content now mobs hit the hardest got the most hit points etc.
So I will leave this thread with this last comment.
It’s not my cup of tea not my class, never saw the need for playing one over an Enchanter.
This argument has been around forever and ever
And it’s always the same answer for me…..
I don’t need a bard but you play how you want.

 

[Overtimer]

The way I play, the Enchanter would suck for me. I have both classes.
I run a lot and when I am on the move I hit one button, while I am running (not standing), I pause the group and bard Invis no other class can do that on the move.
I do not need to load a stupid mount for run speed, its built into the Bard. My bard is raid geared so he not dying so easy, he an easy 800k plus hp raid buff.

For me Bard > Enchanter not even close.

 

[an_image]

I know this question has been asked and I read the previous threads, but I wanted to bring this back up because they were more than 3 years old and things might have changed. I'm trying to decide the best approach for my caster group. I play my Bard in my melee group (SK/SHM/BRD/BST/BER/ROG) and love it. Bard is awesome.

However, I have a caster group (SK/CLR/???/MAG/MAG/NEC) and was wondering if I should keep the Bard in there or replace him with my Ench. I don't play an Ench so I don't know their capabilities. I have noticed in my melee group when there are ads the Bard basically stops everything and just mezzes, which can be a little frustrating because I use him mainly for all the buffs.

Thanks for the input and apologies for bring up this topic again.

@whytdrumer I do tank/brd/enc/cler on almost every group with 2 dps of whatever flavor and they melt shit and rarely die…

Now are there faster dps options…sure…safer…maybe…but this has worked for 2+ years. Works for missions, grind/group shit, even basic raids…

You gotta really screw something up to have that setup fail. I use mq2enc and @Sic kissassist and they pown everything.

 

[whytdrumer]

@whytdrumer I do tank/brd/enc/cler on almost every group with 2 dps of whatever flavor and they melt shit and rarely die…

Now are there faster dps options…sure…safer…maybe…but this has worked for 2+ years. Works for missions, grind/group shit, even basic raids…

You gotta really screw something up to have that setup fail. I use mq2enc and @Sic kissassist and they pown everything.

ooooo that's an interesting combo. I might have to try that one out. Thanks for the idea.