Bard does not make sense as a job

[LathusWHM]

Bard: Should be about songs

What ffxiv did: 3 songs and 99999999 actions related to using a bow, adding a cast time to make it feel more *bard like*


Discuss

[Vilhem]

Bard is about songs. Just that half the time, bards are lazy and don't cast them. >_>

[Katchoo]

Don't feed the trolls.

[Geardagas]

Bard in ffxi was all about songs, and it worked because of how gameplay went. MP didn't refresh unless you were resting, which means the healer and black mages had to sit and rest between each fight. Bard circumvented that with ballad, eliminating the need to rest between fights and therefore increasing exp gained over time. They also increased everyone's dps with various songs, ending fights more quickly.

Mp regaining isn't nearly as much of an issue in ffxiv, therefore the reliance on songs isn't needed. Adding a good deal of dps is more effective to end fights faster.

I personally miss my pure support bard, but it will never work in ffxiv. I do feel that a "filler" song is needed, like March to increase haste or requiem as a dot. Sometimes there's just no reason to sing.

[Kaonis]

Basically right OP. Foes is the only song worthwhile to consistently use, while TP/MP songs are situational. Honestly outside raids or AoEing trash they are pretty much worthless.

[Duelle]

Bard: Should be about songs

What ffxiv did: 3 songs and 99999999 actions related to using a bow, adding a cast time to make it feel more *bard like*

Discuss

There's not much to discuss. Our BRD is still a bard. Bards were known for being able to fight to some degree (classic DnD bard had swords, knives and bows on top of songs). Our BRD is also founded on the idea of the longbowmen of Gridania.

There's ways to add more songs and expand the lore/story aspects of the bard without messing with gameplay.

PS: the cast time is bullshit. It will always be bullshit, since the class and job were built around instant abilities. And it's not to make the job feel bard-like.

[Elysaine]

Bards cast time is ridiculous. My Bard is 52 but ever since she got Wanderer's Minuet. I feel more like a Black Mage, not a Bard.

Do I use my songs. Yes

Foe's rocks when in a party with a Summoner and Scholar healer. They both got to deal a lot of DPS Just wished my mana bar was a bit bigger so I could sing it longer

Mage's Ballad is useful as well. The other Bard songs I use less often. The one I always use is Swiftsong, but that isn't a Bard specific one

[SpookyGhost]

Archer should've became Ranger. Every other class matches their job to a large degree, "a Bard also fights!" isn't a good argument. They could've had a base class that fought with songs and expanded upon that with Bard instead of just tacking it on to a completely unrelated class for the sake of it. It was a poor decision and they're struggling to make up for it. OP's right.

[Lucke]

Mp regaining isn't nearly as much of an issue in ffxiv, therefore the reliance on songs isn't needed. Adding a good deal of dps is more effective to end fights faster.

I personally miss my pure support bard, but it will never work in ffxiv. I do feel that a "filler" song is needed, like March to increase haste or requiem as a dot. Sometimes there's just no reason to sing.

BRDs should sing songs, that's the entire point of being a BRD. However, I think SE should have made ARC graduate into a Ranger instead of BRD. Or make it so BRDs should play songs, like their efficiency is like 10% without singing.

[Duelle]

Archer should've became Ranger. Every other class matches their job to a large degree, "a Bard also fights!" isn't a good argument. They could've had a base class that fought with songs and expanded upon that with Bard instead of just tacking it on to a completely unrelated class for the sake of it. It was a poor decision and they're struggling to make up for it. OP's right.

Go look at general depictions of bards. The dude with only a harp isn't the sole depiction of a bard. Otherwise Leliana (from Dragon Age), Kana (from Pillars of Eternity) or the bard from The Bard's Tale (who was no pushover combat-wise) wouldn't exist. Hell, even the bard in Romancing SaGa: Minstrel's Song was a combat powerhouse (sure, he was a god in disguise, but still).

Or make it so BRDs should play songs, like their efficiency is like 10% without singing.

The problem is BRD's songs are basically auras that affect party members. You could incorporate something like a system where songs are debuffs that can be consumed/triggered using archer skills, though. I'll throw in my Invocation system since it is also an application of songs in combat.