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1. can this class be one of the top dps?
2. should i always use my songs during fight? i know "foe requiem" helps dps a lot quicker so is it worth to have that song up all the time since its does drain your mana.
3. in a group of 4 should i focus on my songs or dps?
1) Good bards can pull some pretty good numbers from their arse like was posted on that 590+ parse on T10 last week.
2) No matter the content, always use foe if it benefits someone in your group (casters,ninja or healers dpsing). The other songs are situational and you dont really need to pay any attention to em outside of coil. Speedruns might be exceptions since you dont have to stand still and wait for tp/mp to regen when you start singing paeon/ballad before the mobs are dead.
3) Just go pewpew. Like said above a little paeon/ballad might make speedruns smoother, but if its just a normal slow paced dungeon run you can 99% of the time just focus on your dps.
Bard is a simple class to play, a difficult class to play particularly well. You can focus on your own numbers, in which you'll hold dps with the others easily enough if you master your bard rotation, or you can go the extra mile and be the ultimate bard, using your skills and songs at the right time to have the entire party squeeze out just a bit more. Every song is useful, in the right situation. You just need to watch what you are doing, and be prepared to adjust to the flow of the battle.
As a bard, while we don't have a full "support" role, your job is about improving the quality of a run all the way around. You are a DD, and you should never neglect that, just think about what kind of bard you want to be and learn from there!
1. Can they be the top dps? No but they can be pretty close. Bard is the lowest, maybe second lowest (looking at you summoner), dps class currently. Even with a super optimal teamcomp the very best numbers a bard can put out in any given fight are going to be lower than the best possible numbers on other more dps focused classes. You can be top dps in a party but that would only be because you're playing your class as bard better than your teammates are playing their dps classes. That being said bard songs (namely paeon and foes) contribute pretty massively to overall group dps. So out of all the dps classes bard is the least replaceable (currently, who knows about heavensward)2 because of how much they increase raid dps.
2. You will want to make the best use of your songs possible in raid style content (trials / raids / bosses in dungeons sometimes). That being said you will only cast a few songs at most in even the longest most difficult fights. The majority of your time will be spent doing your dps rotation.
3. In a group of 4 (dungeon) just cast foes each time your tank pulls a bunch of mobs (assuming you have a magic damage dealer) then pop all your buffs and spam quicknock.
In a perfect situation where the boss never turns and never provokes dps to move then all other damage dealers will out perform the Bard. Think of the Bard as sustained damage per second that always happens regardless of the situation. They are a must for Full Party Duties and Alliance content due to their Mage's Ballad and Foe's Requiem and are required for certain strategies in dungeons. While some people say that Bards are simple, it's very hard to fully optimize their potential unless you really know the class and have good awareness.
Our biggest advantages are fast attack speed and the ability to attack and move, so while we are not necessarily the hardest hitting DPS class, we are still pretty handy to have around. Take Leviathan EX for example. When everyone else is avoiding dives when Spumes are up, I can pick away at them while I dodge. So in terms of sheer numbers/damage, no. Bards are not the top DPS class. However, we have many advantages that, in my opinion, make Bards one of the most useful and utilitarian DPS classes... that is, if you actually put the effort in to be an outstanding Bard. Anyone can play a Bard decently well, but it can be challenging to play one to it's full potential. Really it's all about knowing when to use songs, when to go full DPS, and staying clear of avoidable damage. If the healers can basically ignore you and focus their healing elsewhere, you're doing a good job xD (Depending on the fight of course.)