RIP Bard

[StrejdaTom]

Outside of that, I already dislike bards for being fairly underwhelming with their animations/overall aesthetics. Looking from the effects and animations alone, it seems really underwhelming compared to what the other classes are getting

I play BRD as my main since 2013 and this is honestly my only problem with BRD.

[Shurrikhan]

Depending on how it works it might not be too bad, or... really bad. For one, you have to spend 3 seconds casting it just to start into the bonus stance, over a global lost. Once up, you automatically spend the time between attacks (probably really just the first oGCD, or else it's a null animation and is just filling up the time while granting the buff regardless) 'charging' the next attack. They additionally mentioned that the "effect" disappears whenever you move, but this may refer to the 'charge' rather than the whole song, at least. Whether we are free to throw out attacks after having just moved or have an automatic 'casting time' of standing still is what will probably really screw us. If we can move to the same extent that any caster can, such as their being able to move a few feet towards the end of any cast without losing uptime, then we should be okay. I mostly just hope that it is only a (percentile) direct damage increase (such that Windbite isn't much affected), or that Straighter Shot at the least will carry the bonus of 'charging' even without actually charging. If not, our movement potential becomes far worse than a BLM's, with zero proc-based movement time.

The most awkward thing to me is that Bards will then be even less willing to support, as it will cost them an even more massive amount of dps and that the gameplay between a 'singing' (Foe/Army/Ballad) Bard and a 'wandering' (Turret) bard will be awkwardly different.
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I was honestly just hoping for some song-based skill-shot, such as being able to detonate some effect you put on an enemy during Foe requiem to deal immediate damage based on the DoTs affecting it or create a capped amount of bonus direct damage to spells for a short duration (use before Flare/Fester), something that causes TP restore per ability on an enemy for a short time under Paeon, and causes a burst of mana around you when that shot hits/crits or a bonus-healing-taken-per-hit-effect on target with that shot in Ballad.

If Bard dps feels in need of an increase after that, reduce the dps cost on Ballad/Paeon to 15%, cause Foe to affect Bloodletter, Windbite DoT, and Venomous Bite DoT. Add in a simple stance, rather than using a Song which would lock Bard out of it's traditionally 'Bard' functions, like 'Deep Shot' / 'Full Bow' / whatever that increases range slightly and direct damage by a noticeable bit by removing auto-attacks and adding a 'charge' time. This charge time is generated over 1.5 seconds, adjusted by skill speed. You can still cast other oGCD moves during the charge without breaking it (the other animations will not show). You can move for the first .67 seconds of the charge, but the effect will be dropped if you move after this time, including after the completion of the charge. Charge consumed on next shot. While under the effect of this Stance, Barrage instead causes your single-abilities to deal 50% duplicated damage and/or effect spread evenly among your target and all non-CCed enemies within 5 yalms of your target with an additional +25% bonus duplication per enemy, with 5% diminished bonus with each enemy added.
--> Basically exactly the same, except that it 1) doesn't stop us from 'Barding'; 2) for sure no animation lock - can use oGCDs freely and can move freely, you'd just be wasting/skipping the buff by moving (after charging but before firing) / firing (after moving and needing to re-charge) too soon; doesn't waste / lock out Barrage.

[If you need something proc-y: Straighter Shot will decrease the charge time to 1 second for 8 seconds (will show as a + at the bottom-right corner of the Deep Stance icon. The + sign will flash before disappearing). Under the effect, you could basically charge up twice, if need be, within a GCD.]

[Jarinolde]

Wait, so under that logic do you think the MP & TP songs aren't viable because they lower your damage?

No, that's your logic. Minuet increases your damage at the cost of your movement and auto-attacks. Ballad and Paeon decreases your damage at the benefit of restoring MP and TP. Do you see how this works now? You don't just get a huge damage buff for little or no cost. Most of the time it comes with a long cooldown, but this is a song so these are the requirements if you want this damage boost. It's the same thing with BLM's new Ley Lines ability.

If you're really unsure about it's potential, then I encourage you and others to do as you say further down your post, and wait and see. But by no means will this be relegated off to the side along side BRD's other oft unused abilities like Shadowbind or Swiftsong. Every single new ability is supposed to change up each job in big ways.

[m3eansean]

I like how some people are already assuming that Minuet will be useless and "not viable".

I highly doubt the dev's would release a brand new over-hyped ability only to have it thrown in the trashbin along with the old tri-disaster.

We'll see though.

[Spiritreaver1217]

I like BRD as is and the upcoming additions have me very excited.

I may be alone in this next bit, but is no one else dying to see how Sidewinder is going to influence DoTs? Is it going to be a flat dmg boost to applied dots or will it lengthen the duration? I would personally like the latter, but in any event still pretty stoked.

[Nuinn]

I love my BRD! I didn't think I would when I went WHM (1.0) > BLM (1.0) > BLM (2.0) quickly to go > WHM (2.0) cause it "seemed" more fun > SCH (2.0) > dropped it for BRD (2.0) cause our static was already decked out with healers but the reason I stayed on BRD is: I loved being able to move freely while not sucking at it.... Literally the reason why I stayed on BRD ever since venturing into the first Coil way back then (second being that the job couldn't have fit my character's name more perfectly).

Also, what's wrong with running around like a headless chicken if you manage to keep yourself alive, not be a burden to healers and tanks, support the team and have a constantly good dps?

Bad = bad regardless of job and jelly people chained to one spot = still jelly >:P Let me run free damnit! (yes, even if I don't have to) >.< *shakes fist*

Putting all that premature crying I just did aside, we've yet to see how it actually feels once we're able to use it so, here's hoping it won't be as terrible as my mind is making it out to be :x

[myahele]

Well that's good, it seems like they'll actually add some complexity for BRDs: They gotta stay still if they wanna boost their dps

[The_Last_Dragoon]

If you're really unsure about it's potential, then I encourage you and others to do as you say further down your post, and wait and see. But by no means will this be relegated off to the side along side BRD's other oft unused abilities like Shadowbind or Swiftsong. Every single new ability is supposed to change up each job in big ways.

Besides, like I said before, the song requires a 2.5 second cast and then proceeds to give your core attacks casting times as well as stop your auto-attack. It was pointed out before that during the video, the Bard put up Barrage, which should be useless under the effects of the new song, but we don't know if Barrage can affect the damage output anyway. We don't know how much the damage buff is going to be, so it stands to reason that we don't know whether or not the loss of potential damage is outweighed by the damage buff. Hence, we have to wait before we can say whether or not it is a viable thing.

I already said that...

More than likely it will either be used in single target nuke scenarios or as a way to beef up AoE.

[nugglets]

What's really funny is that if you actually do have another song on when you have this stance up then you're really doing it wrong...

I think the reasoning for this is so that the new song can be played at the same time as Foe. Since this looks to be something that will be good for BRD opener and not having the ability to Foe at the start would completely shit all over BLM/SMN openers.

[Jarinolde]

I already said that...

More than likely it will either be used in single target nuke scenarios or as a way to beef up AoE.

*facepalm* you didn't even read it did you...

do as you say further down your post

Yes, I was indeed referencing what you said.