Bard questions - what role are we ?

[Attelia]

Is it nice to have a BRD or a MCH in higher level content? Sure. Is it mandatory? Hell no!

Is that true? I haven't done any challenging content, but I was under the impression healers and mDPS (if played optimally) were expected to fall low on resources on lengthy or challenging fights.

[Sleigh]

Is that true? I haven't done any challenging content, but I was under the impression healers and mDPS (if played optimally) were expected to fall low on resources on lengthy or challenging fights.

It depends on the fight. For MP, during progression you always want Ballad or its equivalent available, no matter what, but after it's on farm it's usually not needed (although it's still a situation where you'd rather have it available and not need it, rather than need it and not have it available). For TP, currently 3 of the 4 savage fights are TP sinks at one point or another and you will need TP song eventually or you'll lose a lot of raid DPS.

It doesn't really matter though. BRD (and MCH) DPS when buffed by a DRG isn't that far off from melee/casters. In some fights it's at the level of, or higher than melee, plus they buff caster DPS, so there's really no point to ever not bringing a BRD or MCH except in the strangest of comps.