Enough. 99 BRD, Still singing same song from level 60.

[Lokithor]

They really don't.

Thank you for your insightful contribution to the discussion.

Brd has nothing to offer now except very limited party buffs that can be done just as well by other jobs without offering any more utility or even any value in solo play. Having a way to keep that party buff value while bringing more diversity, such as possible with COR or DNC, would revitalize the job.

[Daniel_Hatcher]

Thank you for your insightful contribution to the discussion.

Brd has nothing to offer now except very limited party buffs that can be done just as well by other jobs without offering any more utility or even any value in solo play. Having a way to keep that party buff value while bringing more diversity, such as possible with COR or DNC, would revitalize the job.

What the hell are you on about? BRD offers a load of stuff to parties, the one thing they don't need is self-buffs only. Nor does it need you to try to make it a DD to compete with COR.

[Lokithor]

Brd offers exactly 2 things - 2 buffs per member. Mob debuffs are next to useless. They can have meh healing value with /whm but other than that, nothing. What else is on this list of amazing things that Brd offers to parties?

COR can apply 2 buffs to the party as well. At the same time, they can deal very decent damage. DNC can buff, debuff, cure, heal, and also do decent damage.

Brd? Sing 2 songs and then stand around until the timer comes up again. What fun!

[detlef]

Brd offers exactly 2 things - 2 buffs per member. Mob debuffs are next to useless. They can have meh healing value with /whm but other than that, nothing. What else is on this list of amazing things that Brd offers to parties?

Brd? Sing 2 songs and then stand around until the timer comes up again. What fun!

Well you're only really standing around and doing nothing if you are terrible. There's no difference between BRD as you describe it and a COR who does nothing but rolls.

There really is a ton of stuff that can be done in between songs including, but not limited to, curing, hasting, removing status effects, and finding magic weaknesses. Also, Elegy will never be worthless and light based dispel that can be cast at max casting range is almost always helpful.

Frankly, I am not worried about this job losing its niche. I'd like to see improvements here and there, but it's more about making my job easier, not more useful.

[Flionheart]

Brd offers exactly 2 things - 2 buffs per member. Mob debuffs are next to useless. They can have meh healing value with /whm but other than that, nothing. What else is on this list of amazing things that Brd offers to parties?

COR can apply 2 buffs to the party as well. At the same time, they can deal very decent damage. DNC can buff, debuff, cure, heal, and also do decent damage.

Brd? Sing 2 songs and then stand around until the timer comes up again. What fun!

Elegy is useless now? Hardly. I can cure, haste, buff, debuff, DD and sing songs as a bard. If you only stand around singing two songs and waiting for the recast timer, you're a pants on head retarded BRD.

Also Finale.

[Lokithor]

I don't stand around between songs as my post suggests. But MOST of what you do between party buffs is due to your sub and for the most part are done better by normally present party or alliance members like whm. And DD? Lol. If you are melee'ing, you're doing so because you're bored and the party of friends you are with put up with it.

So, where are the BARD abilities that make such a difference? Like it or not, the value of bard has all but disappeared since the death of the traditional, bird xp party where the value of the bard was as much for pulling to keep the DD's fed to extend the chain as it was for 2x march. Without question, brd has become the definition of niche jobs in this game.

The OP's title says it all. Still singing the same songs.

[Creelo]

And DD? Lol. If you are melee'ing, you're doing so because you're bored and the party of friends you are with put up with it.

Brd DD can actually be fairly decent. The only problem is that it requires a wide variety of pretty darn good gear and a lot of it to pull it off.

I definitely agree though. A Brd's SJ definitely has a huge impact on what kind of Brd you'll be playing, offensive/melee or defensive/supportive. This probably goes for a lot of jobs, but I feel it especially goes for Brd. This versatility does add a lot of potential to Brd though that I feel a lot of people forget about or haven't seen.

[Starry]

Brd DD can actually be fairly decent. The only problem is that it requires a wide variety of pretty darn good gear and a lot of it to pull it off.

I definitely agree though. A Brd's SJ definitely has a huge impact on what kind of Brd you'll be playing, offensive/melee or defensive/supportive. This probably goes for a lot of jobs, but I feel it especially goes for Brd. This versatility does add a lot of potential to Brd though that I feel a lot of people forget about or haven't seen.

FFXI is all a game of comparisons; and BRD DD is not 'fairly decent' compared to any other job(with the exception of WHM). Heavy DD"s(SAM,WAR,DRK) blow it completely out of the water; soft DD's(THF,COR,ETC) all do tremendously better then BRD as well.

I don't care what gear your bard has, even a full perle drk with a somewhat lousy weapon is still going to out DD a BRD; as such I wouldn't call it 'decent' by any means.

[Creelo]

FFXI is all a game of comparisons; and BRD DD is not 'fairly decent' compared to any other job(with the exception of WHM). Heavy DD"s(SAM,WAR,DRK) blow it completely out of the water; soft DD's(THF,COR,ETC) all do tremendously better then BRD as well.

I don't care what gear your bard has, even a full perle drk with a somewhat lousy weapon is still going to out DD a BRD; as such I wouldn't call it 'decent' by any means.

Ignorant response is ignorant.

A Brd's March x2 alone on all DDs, including the DDing Brd itself, trumps many if not all other DD jobs for that single slot that the Brd is taking up.

A Brd/dnc could also provide Haste Samba, which would make them even more useful for that party slot.

I'm by no means saying that a Brd can/should be meleeing in every situation in this game; that's probably the first rule to understanding how to play a proper DD Brd. However, there are still plenty of situations where a Brd could technically jump into the fray, not be a liability, still provide their buffs, and perform decent damage. Yes, decent damage.

And just for the record, I'm about 100% positive I could out DD a full Perle Drk with a lousy weapon on my own DD Brd, especially if I don't share my songs. You can leave these forums now.

[saevel]

FFXI is all a game of comparisons; and BRD DD is not 'fairly decent' compared to any other job(with the exception of WHM). Heavy DD"s(SAM,WAR,DRK) blow it completely out of the water; soft DD's(THF,COR,ETC) all do tremendously better then BRD as well.

I don't care what gear your bard has, even a full perle drk with a somewhat lousy weapon is still going to out DD a BRD; as such I wouldn't call it 'decent' by any means.

That is wrong, period.

While BRD isn't no where near the heavy DD's, and as a pure support job it shouldn't be. But I've seen some ridiculous BRD's in my time. Get good STR Daggers, or one of the super daggers, make a TP and WS set and go nuts. Exten or Evis take your pick.

The only way a BRD's melee capacity seems weak is that due to their role being to sign songs, when their singing their not doing damage, which is understandable. Their damage capability while their not singing songs though is quite acceptable. It's just another thing to spend that time in-between songs rather then sitting around waiting for something to happen.