Dear All Bards,

[LLSmoothJ]

I very much hope the Machinist will be the one to fill this role. An insta-cast mobile range dps, akin to a ranger. All the brds that dont like to use all their available skills can hop on that bandwagon.
Not enough info is around yet, its hard to say if Machinist is going to be similar to smn pets, or more like totems.

I'm really hoping the Machinist will be nothing like Summoner (from what is seen of the "pets" thus far). Otherwise it'll be a wash and people would be furious wondering why they didn't just release the gunner/musketeer class in the first place (if they're not already).

[TheWaywardWind]

Snip.

You're leaving because nothing you has said thus far makes any sense. You forward the same attitude and opinions based on allowing people to play as they like when this can't be the case late game.

If we followed your attitude of just properly letting people play as they like, mechanics would be ignored. Do you know how many times I've wandered into all sorts of content and have seen people outwardly ignore mechanics because we should let them "play as they want"? That crap doesn't cut it in FFXIV. Any one person's actions have far too much of an impact on the other seven people to allow for the entire community to have the "just do what you want, man!" attitude. It doesn't work and it can't work.

Pumping out more DPS doesn't mean this but allowing people to do whatever can sure as sugar mean that they're not going to try or they're going to ignore mechanics. Even IN WoD and other Crystal Tower raids, believe it or not, you still have to listen to mechanics. You can't play as you want. I don't care if you want to finish a combo or try to kite as many adds as possible during Scylla, if you don't get on those pads for Daybreak, you can almost certainly wipe us.

Furthermore, it is stated within the Bard's storyline quests that the role of a bard was to inspire his allies and aid them in victory.

Remember what happened to Jehantel when he tried to play the role of the hero and top DPS? All of his friends are killed. He tells you, again and again, as does the Archer guild master that bards aren't mean to be front of the line DPS. I'm all for having fun but not when it comes at the expense of seven or 23 other people being able to perform well. That's just being lazy, plain and simple.

[Accolade]

Im with you there! With the state the Pets are in I have been avoiding smn, and I assume machinist pets would be the same (if machinist was to use the pet bar I mean).
Im hoping that you simply summon a flying minion or something, and that shoots things in range, and you have cooldown skills that makes it shoot harder hitting skills/silencing skills ect.

But who knows!

[RathSkybreaker]

Doe Foe affect performance of other alliances in a 24 man raid? I know that it is a mob debuff - you can see the icon on the mob's status bar. However, I've NEVER seen that icon on a boss unless I've been the one singing Foe or I know another bard in my alliance has done it. The same thing would apply for DRG's Disembowel debuff.

No, it's on a party by party basis. And even then, who cares, it's the easiest content in the game.

[Noshpan]

Bards not using their songs happens in all of the content, from early on to end game. I've come to expect it and am surprised, more often than not, to see Bards using their full portfolio instead of half-assing it just because the content is easy for them.

During my brief stint as a Bard, I was often overly generous with using Songs, to the point where I had the healers reassure me not to worry about their MP and to go ham with DPS.

[Snugglebutt]

No, it's on a party by party basis. And even then, who cares, it's the easiest content in the game.

Very true regarding how little it matters.

In the end despite what the OP tries to make out, in easy content like the crystal tower raid whether labyrinth, ST or WoD if bards want to play songs when not required then they should feel free to do play a song if they want. But if it is not required and they do not wish to do so, again that is fine also. Bards only need to play songs to clear content when cannot do so without playing them and the same goes for any class with their skill sets...outside of those situations it is up to them whether or not they wish to play them. No-one has the right to demand they do so when doing so is not required like with easy content such as Lab, ST or WoD.

That is equally as applicable to any dungeon, fate party or hunting party, in fact any activity where songs are not required to complete the task yet might be part of a group. It becomes completely up to the bard whether or not play them and they shouldn't let anyone else bully them into doing so in such situations against their will. In hardcore content like coils or EX trials playing songs becomes more important and there is some expectation worthy of listening to when is required to clear such content...but in easy content where it is not required, that is 100% up to the bard and no-one else whether want to play a song or not to speed up a run or kill something slightly faster.

The same applies to any class, as long as doing enough to clear the content you set out to clear, doing what is required to get the job done then everything outside of that is up to the them. If that person wants to go above and beyond what is required that is also up to them and no-one else. The OP has no right to demand otherwise, the only thing that matters is they do enough to clear the content but how fast they clear it is up to each individual player whether want to push for faster clear or slower clear as long as they are clearing it then it is fine either way.

[Sapphic]

Foe Requiem Price: Commendations plz.

Healing that Bard? Ooops! Guess I forgot to... XD

[Noxifer]

No, it's on a party by party basis. And even then, who cares, it's the easiest content in the game.

...I'd really like to know how it stands now O.o Cos some of you have said "no, it's a debuff on the boss; it affects the boss, not the parties, therefore party A's blm will benefit from party C's bard's foe" and others (like you) say "no, it only affects party C's casters". Which is it? D:

(And if it is a debuff on the boss but only affects party C's caster if party C's bard is singing... then that means that ninja/warrior debuffs shouldn't matter for the MT, right? Which make about as much sense, really.)

[Elkya95]

...I'd really like to know how it stands now O.o Cos some of you have said "no, it's a debuff on the boss; it affects the boss, not the parties, therefore party A's blm will benefit from party C's bard's foe" and others (like you) say "no, it only affects party C's casters". Which is it? D:

(And if it is a debuff on the boss but only affects party C's caster if party C's bard is singing... then that means that ninja/warrior debuffs shouldn't matter for the MT, right? Which make about as much sense, really.)

Okay, I was at a dummy a while ago doing blm stuff, a bard comes and uses foe randomly which affects the dummy. My fires do indeed deal more damage, and no he's not found his way into my party.

snip

Best part is, you should use it before the pull so you don't lose a single second dps if you're a bard worth your salt...

snip

haha thanks c:

[Skeith-Adeline]

It's not like it should hurt their own DPS. 3 seconds isn't going to hurt anything.