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
A couple quick questions about Bard
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11-20-2018, 01:41 PMKaivaCA couple quick questions about Bard
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11-20-2018, 02:05 PMRollout
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. -
11-20-2018, 02:14 PMKaivaC
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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11-20-2018, 02:19 PMLegion88
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. -
11-20-2018, 02:22 PMKaivaCAh shoot. My bad, not barrage. Raging Strikes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Legion88
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11-20-2018, 02:24 PMBerethosMinuet is Magic (Resist).Quote:
Originally Posted by KaivaC
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. -
11-20-2018, 02:29 PMLegion88
Just keep it on cooldown.
But just my opinion and in no way optimized. -
11-20-2018, 02:39 PMHyoMinParkRaging 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).Quote:
Originally Posted by KaivaC
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). -
11-20-2018, 08:35 PMKaivaC
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.
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11-20-2018, 09:22 PMMansion
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 -
11-20-2018, 10:21 PMHyoMinParkWhile this is a good way to troll and terrorize your static, you can still use Troub Ballad if it is not near a "Reduce HP to 1" mechanic. However, Troub Min is usually always inherently better because of the amount of AOE damage it can mitigate - which is always magical.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mansion
In an AOE situation, it would not be a loss to RS with Mage's Ballad, especially if you have a tank doing massive pulls that you can AOE down with Quick Nock + Rain of Death spam. Because you'll be doing enough AOE to offset not using it with Minuet and Pitch Perfect. For single target encounters though, Minuet+RS is the proper alignment. Proper timing in dungeons can give you the ability to RS Mages with AOE pulls and still RS Minuet but that takes practice.Quote:
Originally Posted by KaivaC
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11-21-2018, 12:07 AMKaivaCHmm...maybe in another expansion, I may give it some thought about raiding, depending on my comfort level and how my static looks. We're locked into Alpha progging, so trying a second job on a raid level right now will do more harm than good. I'm still learning a lot about my main as it is, haha.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mansion
It's worth practicing. Admittedly, I have a really bad habit of not playing a song if I'm in Army's and we're on the final trash pull before a boss, only because I want to line up my opener for the boss. Same with RS - it tends to just sit until the party I'm with reaches a boss. I'll start giving it a try today if I do happen to log in. Thanks, Hyo.Quote:
Originally Posted by HyoMinPark