A couple quick questions about Bard

I just need a quick clarification on something regarding the Bard rotation. Keep in mind, and I really want to emphasize this, I don’t want to play this at a raid level, but this is more something I’d like to become good at for casual content up to the 24 mans. Just going by memory since I am unable to check The Balance right now (at work), for the most part, my opener goes along the lines of the guide I found on reddit (I think the person who posted it was miyuri or something like that).

My question is, is there an easy way to memorize which affect you’ll get when using Troubadour for each song? Or is that just something that will come with experience? My other question is, before and sometimes during Army’s Paeon, I will have Sidewinder available again. Is it ideal to use it, or wait for when I’m back in Mage’s Ballad and have Raging Strikes ready again?

Again, not really looking to play this at a Savage raid level, but want to at least be competent enough that I have a secondary job for casual content (honestly, I mostly just wanted to Perform, but it seems like a waste to unlock Bard solely for that). I may or may not have additional questions.

edit: Accidentally wrote Barrage, not Raging Strikes

It's more just something that comes with experience, honestly. Though there are some... tricks... I guess, to knowing what effect does what?

Mage's Ballad: Increases HP, so those squishy mages can survive.
Army's Paeon: Gives the party the toughness of an army, increasing physical defense.
Wanderer's Minuete: Doesn't do the other two things and is probably the one you'll use the most, so it increases magic defense.

Toughness of an army...I like that analogy, actually. I tend to remember best when I can associate effects with analogies. I do the same with the 8 cards that ASTs can use - had to associate all of those effects with an analogy of some kind. I'm definitely going to remember that - Mage's and Wanderer's...hmm...I need something for those.

Last time i checked Barrage only works on Weaponskills.
Just keep you Sidewinder on cooldown and hit targets with both DoTs on them.
Use Barrage with Refulgant Arrow or with Empyreal Arrow.

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Originally Posted by Legion88

Last time i checked Barrage only works on Weaponskills.
Just keep you Sidewinder on cooldown and hit targets with both DoTs on them.
Use Barrage with Refulgant Arrow or with Empyreal Arrow.

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Ah shoot. My bad, not barrage. Raging Strikes.

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Originally Posted by KaivaC

Toughness of an army...I like that analogy, actually. I tend to remember best when I can associate effects with analogies. I do the same with the 8 cards that ASTs can use - had to associate all of those effects with an analogy of some kind. I'm definitely going to remember that - Mage's and Wanderer's...hmm...I need something for those.

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Minuet is Magic (Resist).

Easiest way I found to remember it when they first added the skill, though it did come over time to be more second nature than something I have to consider (and the more you do fights, the more you know which one you'll be wanting to use and when well before you actually do).

By a similar token, I remember Army as "Paeon is Physical (Resist)."

Never figured out a good one for Ballad though myself, so I just kept in mind what the other two were and the third was then the health boost.

Just keep it on cooldown.
But just my opinion and in no way optimized.

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Originally Posted by KaivaC

Ah shoot. My bad, not barrage. Raging Strikes.

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Raging Strikes should always be used with Wanderer’s Minuet against a single-target—that is BRD’s strongest and burstiest song, and it will make the most use of a +10% damage buff. Minuet is 36 PPS (potency per second), where as Mage’s is 22.1 PPS and Army’s is 8 PPS for the first ~15 seconds, and 17.5 PPS after that (so, for 5 seconds, because you clip it the second Minuet+RS is back up).

Barrage should also be used within your Raging Strikes window—it’s +10% flat damage on a Barraged Empyreal Arrow (230 x 3 = 690 potency for 759 RS potency) or a Barraged Refulgent Arrow (300 x 3 = 900 potency for 990 RS potency).

Sidewinder should be kept on cooldown, and not held for an RS window—you end up with fewer usages throughout a given fight if you hold it, which is an overall loss and not worth the extra 26 potency RS would give it. When you have a NIN in your group, your Sidewinder usage should line up with their Trick Attack usage (since they are both 60 seconds).

Alright, thanks all. I'm gonna apply this the next time I do my roulettes - much thanks for the analogies (I really do love the strength of an army analogy) and the talk about Raging Strikes - I'd been confused because I had thought it was always supposed to line up with Wanderer's, so that's an easy fix for me right now. Thanks.

If I may, maybe one day you will be hitting high level content with your bard. Then, never use Troubadour on Mage's Ballad. You healers will be thankful. :D
Some fight mechanics involve a fixed damage based on players Max HP, and if your Troubadour falls of after the calculation of the DMG but before the attack hits, this happens :p