Advice to returning bard?

Hi,

I just returned to the game after being away for quite some time. I'm thinking of getting heavensward, but the changes to the bard class that I've read about seem unappealing. Do any of the folks who mained as bard pre-heavensward and really liked the play style have any advice regarding possibly switching classes? I really like and am used to the fluid and fast paced style of the pre-hw bard. Is there another class that is somewhat similar or which other bards have found fun to play?

Thanks!

Eh, IMO I think new BRD is still pretty good. The cast is 1.5secs so its not to bad. This time however you probably gonna build more towards Crit/Skill Speed probably. But meh, I'm one of those minorities that favor current heavensward bard o3ob. Some say MCH is more "optimal" with Gaus Barrel because it was "built" with casting in mind but in the end Gauss Barrel is, in a nutshell the same as Wanderer's Minuet. A lot of bards have switched to Summoner though because apparently it plays like old bard which idk how lol but thats what they say. I say if you want to play bard still, get it to at least lv56 to make that judgement because Wanderer's Minuet is not a profitable skill until you get Empyreal Arrow (Lv54) and Iron Jaw (Lv56). Current HW bard is also a class that now requires pre-knowledge of a fight for you to push out maximum dps if anything.

I love the changes to bard. Like with all the jobs post 50, you've gotta change your play style.

2.xx BRD still exist, but It's not optimal and old style BRD is currently dead out of "casual" content.

Current BRD has cast bar, and if you don't like cast bars, you have to play a melee job like Dragoon, Ninja or Monk. Every ranged job has cast bar right now, BLM is the most static job, SMN has cast bar but he has some tools to hit and run like Ruin II or Tri-Disaster, but during Bahamut Trance casts are mandatory. BRD casts every skill but BL, Flaming Arrow, Blunt Arrow and Straight Shot under Straighter Shot proc.

If you are searching for Non-Cast job, melee or tank are the only way currently.

Well I mained and still main BRD, and I find the changes fine. In fact, it keeps the job from getting stale in my opinion.
The hardest thing I've had to deal with is NOT the cast bar, it's remembering to apply Iron Jaws (and then NOT hitting Windbite/Venomous Bite like an idiot right after). I also think the style is very fluid once you get the rhythm down. Yes, at first it does take some getting used to but..what wouldn't? I would just try it out and if you really, really hate it then move on to a new job.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ExiaQuanta

A lot of bards have switched to Summoner though because apparently it plays like old bard which idk how lol but thats what they say.

---

Funniest thing I've heard all day

I tried out Dragoon by levelling to 60 and gearing up to ilev 200. Not that excited so I am trying out Ninja now (currently lev.57) and so far meh. Still going to get him to 60 and get ilev.200 gear also. I might try Monk if I am still not excited by the Ninja. We will see.

Tell the truth since they broke Bard ... I have been playing less and less. I would hate to quit but all the alternatives I have tried and considered do not thrill me the way 2.0 Bard used to.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hsinrou

I really like and am used to the fluid and fast paced style of the pre-hw bard. Is there another class that is somewhat similar or which other bards have found fun to play?

Thanks!

---

Summoner is the most mobile ranged dps now. You only have to stand still for applying dots and during trance.

For melee I would recommend ninja or monk. They have faster attacks than dragoon, although monk has to keep up a stacked buff to stay fast. Ninja comes with faster movement speed. Both have combos which is something bard never had.

You could also try machinist but not sure if it's fast paced. It does have cast times like bard. Dragoon and black mage are slow, so I don't recommend them.

i mained BRD from 2.0 until HW. developed quite a few habits from playing 2.0 BRD for more than a year.
i would recommend you make your decision after you hit level 56 at least, since the play style does a 180 turn on level 52. if you do not enjoy it up until 56 at least, since, like any change, will take time to get accustomed to, i would suggest DRG, big deeps and bad ass eso gear :)

i personally am liking the changes now more than before....initially thought they broke my job :)
either way, good luck and welcome back!

Many people who complain about "no mobility" were chronic overmovers to begin with. If you like to move just because you can, you will absolutely hate HW BRD. If you know how to move when you need to, and park it when you don't, the cast bars will be only a minor adjustment.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AskaRay

Well I mained and still main BRD, and I find the changes fine. In fact, it keeps the job from getting stale in my opinion.
The hardest thing I've had to deal with is NOT the cast bar, it's remembering to apply Iron Jaws (and then NOT hitting Windbite/Venomous Bite like an idiot right after). I also think the style is very fluid once you get the rhythm down. Yes, at first it does take some getting used to but..what wouldn't? I would just try it out and if you really, really hate it then move on to a new job.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rongway

Many people who complain about "no mobility" were chronic overmovers to begin with. If you like to move just because you can, you will absolutely hate HW BRD. If you know how to move when you need to, and park it when you don't, the cast bars will be only a minor adjustment.

---

Right on :)

I mained my Bard before HW too - changed to SMN without knowing HW would bring that awesome changes to the pet-players. After maxing the SMN to 60 and nearly ilvl 200, i noticed that there are too many player changing to SMN too... so i made my way back to Bard and his major-HW-changes. The loss of movement was one kind of an argument, i really was looking into... but now i think there are 2-3 macros even Bards can use lately like the "Empyreal Arrow, Misery's End, Bloodletter & Heavy Shot" smash-macro. And a good sidenote after playing SMN for a while is... that i got used to DoTs - so there is no need for me to "...hitting Windbite/Venomous Bite like an idiot right after...".

I must admit that i completly changed my Bard ARR-playstyle – but lately i love it even more than before :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Neela

but now i think there are 2-3 macros even Bards can use lately like the "Empyreal Arrow, Misery's End, Bloodletter & Heavy Shot" smash-macro

---

Macros for skills are the worst idea ever.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Greywolfamakir

Macros for skills are the worst idea ever.

---

let me guess you are playing on pc? ;)

Well i thought that for a long time too... but in this case it's just to stock 4 skills in priority on one button (ps4).
It's not to activate them auto. all in a row but in an "if > than" scenario. starting with the highest > lowest potency.

Couldnt think of a scenario where a manual choice of those skills would be an advantage... you? :)

Lots of times... barrage almost ready... better save emp arrow. Ohh this mob has a spell i want to silence.. better save blunt.

Pluusss. If you are spamming that button i hope you have heavy shot set before blunt and mysery. Otherwise if both are available. You'll be wasting gcd time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Neela

let me guess you are playing on pc? ;)

Well i thought that for a long time too... but in this case it's just to stock 4 skills in priority on one button (ps4).
It's not to activate them auto. all in a row but in an "if > than" scenario. starting with the highest > lowest potency.

Couldnt think of a scenario where a manual choice of those skills would be an advantage... you? :)

---

Macros are not in queue like normal skills, this fact makes them slower, I mean, if i don't use macros i can get like 12 skill in 30 seconds with 2.5 GCD but if you are using macros instead normal skills you get like 10 or 11 skill in the same time (30 secs).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Neela

let me guess you are playing on pc? ;)

Well i thought that for a long time too... but in this case it's just to stock 4 skills in priority on one button (ps4).
It's not to activate them auto. all in a row but in an "if > than" scenario. starting with the highest > lowest potency.

Couldnt think of a scenario where a manual choice of those skills would be an advantage... you? :)

---

I am pretty sure he mean't it is a known fact using macros especially for dps is an actual loss of dps

I am on PS4 and absolutely do not believe in macros except for scholar.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hsinrou

Hi,

I just returned to the game after being away for quite some time. I'm thinking of getting heavensward, but the changes to the bard class that I've read about seem unappealing. Do any of the folks who mained as bard pre-heavensward and really liked the play style have any advice regarding possibly switching classes? I really like and am used to the fluid and fast paced style of the pre-hw bard. Is there another class that is somewhat similar or which other bards have found fun to play?

Thanks!

---

Personally, I've never been "anti" Heavensward Bard. Yeah it took some getting use to, as far as the new playstyle goes when you reach lvl 52+, but I really enjoy the job still. It could use some more QoL changes as well one or two other things. You could lvl it and opt to keep playing Bard the way it was in ARR, but playing the 2.x way...in a 3.x environment, is probably not the best of ideas imo.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ExiaQuanta

A lot of bards have switched to Summoner though because apparently it plays like old bard which idk how lol but thats what they say.

---

SMN have high dmg output as well as high mobility (seems that way anyway)...what Brd use to have when 2.0 (ARR) launched. Only thing I can think of.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hsinrou

Hi,

I just returned to the game after being away for quite some time. I'm thinking of getting heavensward, but the changes to the bard class that I've read about seem unappealing. Do any of the folks who mained as bard pre-heavensward and really liked the play style have any advice regarding possibly switching classes? I really like and am used to the fluid and fast paced style of the pre-hw bard. Is there another class that is somewhat similar or which other bards have found fun to play?

Thanks!

---

Been a BRD since day one and still loving the class. Play the class, get it to lv60 and you will definitely enjoy it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Odin_hunter

Been a BRD since day one and still loving the class. Play the class, get it to lv60 and you will definitely enjoy it.

---

Or she will see how clunky and poorly implemented the new bard is and drift off to find another class.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Linadae

Or she will see how clunky and poorly implemented the new bard is and drift off to find another class.

---

Such negativity.

Anyway about controllers/macros.
I play on the PC with a controller, and personally my BRD has no macros on it. Used to have song macros and I even got rid of them. I use... one full crossbar, one extended crossbar (I have it set up so that LT>RT and RT>LT are the same thing, so only eight additional buttons), and ....about half another crossbar but the buttons are spread around (mostly AOE skills on that bar). I've personally had no issue with buttons, but then again I'm used to switching between the bars quickly.

Welcome back! ^.^

As you may have noticed, some like the new bard and some don't. I'd recommend leveling it all the way to 60 to give the new playstyle a fair chance. There's no way to really know if you'll like it until you've put some play time into it. If you do end up liking it, great! ^.^ If not, you aren't alone in searching for a new class. If you do decide to change, are you wanting to continue maining a dps? Also, do casting times bother you? Those are definitely questions to consider while you decide what to do.


My *personal* opinion on HW bard:

I've played bard since the ARR beta. I LOVED the playstyle pre-HW. For me, WM killed it, NOT because of having to move less often (I agree with a previous poster who said that those complaining about "no mobility" were chronic over-movers to begin with). Now, I main a white mage, but have been eyeing monk to replace my dps class. I've watched videos of end-game playstyles for dragoon and ninja (and have even leveled them somewhat), and have decided that those probably weren't for me. My husband mains a monk, and watching him play (as well as occasionally playing his character) gives me hope for liking the monk playstyle.

Personally, I feel like the addition of the casting bar completely messed up the playstyle of the class, and now the whole class feels clunky and poorly implemented. Please note: I have nothing against casting bars for classes where the design was based around them! (I main a white mage now, so casting bars in general are not my issue!) Bard, however, was NOT designed to have to deal with casting times. The sudden implementation of them after 52 levels of gameplay seems like an obviously lazy implementation of a new game mechanic designed for a different class, just to also give bards a new mechanic like all the other classes seem to have gotten with HW. I had seen a suggestion a month or two ago suggesting that they remove the casting bar while using WM, and instead adding a stacking damage buff the longer you stay still that disappears upon movement. If they had implemented WM that way, I'd probably still be maining bard. Instead, I have decided to hang up my bow, as I no longer enjoy playing the class. *shrug*

Power to those who do like the new playstyle! It definitely isn't for everyone, though.

My advice would be to try levelling Machinist before Bard - if you're going to like the cast bars at all, they're implemented in a far more logical and flexible way on that class. Both classes play very very similarly at the moment, but Bard is a broken, clunky mess where MCH isn't, and MCH gets far more mobility on top of it.

Personally I couldn't stand Machinist aesthetically (those animations! those sound effects!) so I've moved to healing full-time. Astrologian's Lightspeed ability and Enhanced Benefic procs make it quite fast on its feet for a healer, but there's nothing at all in the game like 2.X Bard any more, sadly.

Pretty much, what KalisimBellatora said. The new Bard isnt bad, but I also enjoy it far less by now. If you loved Bard and still wanna play this class, you get used to it. But well ...it just feels different, clunky, weird. Just try it for yourself, some of the new skills are awesome after all.

i really like the ES animation... so sad that u cant use that "jump" while moving... :(