Progression Server New to Bard

[WhyteTech]

Going to be playing bard on Teek when it launches.

I've... never really put any moderation of time into playing a bard, maybe to level 10 or 15.

Any tips or suggestions or things to read on how to be as good as a bard as I can be, as I hear they have a high skill ceiling, and i'd like to meet that ceiling for my group, as this will be the first time ive ever played a new tlp "Hardcore" and push for end game ASAP from immediate launch. (raid ready by the following Monday i think is their goal).

Our party format will be (Still searching for a Tank for our static), Cleric, Bard, Monk, Necromancer, Ranger.


I ask here, because I trust the community here more then I do official forums haha.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Aandien]

My recommendation is to read, read, read, then re read the songs. Not only do you need to remember what each song does, but also to learn when to twist it in. and I don't recall but I don't think melody is a thing at the beginning of the TLPs. If I wasn't busy with life I would volunteer to be your tank so that you had plenty of room to learn with. Anyhoo remember Selos is everyone's friend =)

 

[naamloseeen]

These are just a random collection of thoughts as they come to me. I played a bard in the old days and in on a TLP recently.

You will have access the /melody command at the start of the TLP.

I recommend setting up hotkeys for your normal melody (e.g. /melody 1 2 3 4) and hotkeys for individual songs that you'll want to play. Each hotkey should start with /stopsong to end whatever you currently have going.

Bards in classic/kunark are pretty lackluster. You main group role will be puller and crowd control. But enchanters are better CC and monks are better pullers until PoP.

Get used to using the cycle targets key so you can quickly target adds. It's a full 3 second cast to get a single target mezzed, so you'll have to be on your game. Mez only last 3 ticks in those levels, so you're going to be doing it a lot. CC is a lot easier if you're also pulling since you can start mezzing adds on your way back to camp.

Coordinating with your ranger to root park adds can be much more efficient than mezzing everything.

Your mez has push component that can be used to position mobs as needed.

You mez interrupts casting. Your group will need this in places like Seb against gaters and CHers. Make sure you can see when mobs start casting CH and try to anticipate the gates.

Make sure you look up haste stacking as you approach 60. It was a mess back then, but nowadays you can see your characters current haste, which makes it easier to figure out what does and does not stack.

You personal melee dps will never be good. Don't feel bad if you just sit back and focus on mezzing/charming instead of attacking. Your group won't miss the dps.

You'll want to make sure you know what all of your songs do. You have a lot of utility in classic, but dedicated classes do everything better, so you're filling in the gaps as needed.

Hitting yourself with magic resist while pulling can be really useful keep yourself from getting snared on the way back.

If you're not pulling, be careful about singing while the puller is out. If your songs land on a puller while they are FD it's instant agro to you.

The thing about bards is every fight will be different. There's an opportunity cost for every song the bard sings, so sometimes it's better to skip CC on a mob if your tank has agro and isn't dying so you can keep up haste (or whatever).

Get your stinging steel helmet ASAP. The Eye of Zomm clicky is an invaluable pulling tool in that era.

The bard 1.0 is very good in era. You should get it if you can. (It's also one of the hardest to get in era)

Charm is your friend.

 

[hackzimus]

Some things for a TLP bard, get comfortable pulling and doing CC. Know what levels you can mez/charm. Don't be afraid to charm at low levels and add a bit of dps.

Your epic will be the best item at your disposal early on.

your mana regen will suck, velious and luclin will be good expacs to boost your mana regen stat in preparation for when you get Fade.

you can cast clicky items on the move, use it to your advantage as you will get some long cast clickies from kunark through luclin.

Your dps may not be great in the early game but you'll add quite a lot to everyone else, mainly melee early on but it will start to benefit casters and pets as well.

Don't sing during pulls unless you're the puller

Get pick lock up, you'll be glad you did for some camps.

Some of your songs don't need LoS. use EoZomm to help pull. Also utlize sneak and invis to avoid social aggroe, not sure if its on RG but there is a very good guide to how social aggroe works in EQ you might find helpful since early game bards don't have fade yet.

Edit: https://everquest.fandom.com/wiki/Pulling_Guide#Direct_Aggro_(DA) . not the guide i was trying to remember but still some good info for classic in here.

 

[Turaj Steelfist]

And the main point that was partially hit on here is always remember that Enchanters are better than you. JK.

 

[Lord Sivion]

And the main point that was partially hit on here is always remember that Enchanters are better than you. JK.

Bards always find this out the hard way....

 

[hackzimus]

until underfoot I'd say enchanters > bards ... when they start getting AE mezz bards can fit most groups and offer an upside in overall dps/adps. But enchanters (even with the AE # nerf) still fill their roles very very well and if doing a lot of multi pulls I'd prefer an enchanter over bard myself.

 

[dewey2461]

The best spell bards have is selos. If you are running at normal speed, you aren't doing your job!

 

[Cliffy]

You are going to want to make sure that you use /stopsong before hitting your clickies too. If you don't you end up locking your songbar for a while. Instant clicks, like Breath of harmony, don't do this and can be clicked during your /melody to add another song to your twist without having to mem/sing it.