When do you need Mage's Ballad?

[Yeol]

I've been having this issue while framing Alexander..

Situation 1:
Me: <Mage's Ballad up>
Healer: I don't need MP

Situation 2:
(After a wipe)
Healer: Bard!
Healer: No Mage's Ballad?
Me: You didn't ask for it


Even though in Situation 1 the healer had low MP. I usually sing when MP is around 10~15%

So question to healers, at what ???% do you need Mage's Ballad?

[AlphaSonic]

When we ask for it, that's it. Situation 2 was the healer problem, not you.

[Miyu20]

It's difficult to really say unless you know the fight mechanics but one time where all bards should be playing at least a little Mages' is when 3 or more people have died. Each raise reduces your mp by a fifth. Just keep that in mind.

[Pence]

Honestly...as a MCH....if it's a real situation where ballad is needed? A healer should never need ask. They should be keeping tabs on their own DPS/TP, MP, others MP, others TP, DPS, turret positions and rotation.
Same goes for BRD minus pet add some DOT/procs.

[Risvertasashi]

When we ask for it, that's it. Situation 2 was the healer problem, not you.

The best bards keep an eye on on the party's status and respond without needing to be told what song to use at every moment, however. Yes, the healer can ask, but if resses are going out and they look low on MP? No shroud icon next to their name? Turn on Ballad. Like the guy below says.

Honestly...as a MCH....if it's a real situation where ballad is needed? A healer should never need ask. They should be keeping tabs on their own DPS/TP, MP, others MP, others TP, DPS, turret positions and rotation.
Same goes for BRD minus pet add some DOT/procs.

[MicahZerrshia]

I find that healers forget and do not ask for it and then scream at you for not watching their mp so I throw it up if I see them hit around 1500 mp in lvl 60 stuff unless there is a lull or the boss is under 5-10% depending on said boss.

I usually will have foes up if there are mages in the pt or we have a dpsing healer so in that case my own mp usually doesn't cover ballad anyway

[Rongway]

If everyone does his job, we won't need it. We all have our own MP recovery abilities that we'll be using on cooldown.
If someone dies, we prolly still won't need it.
If a second person dies, we might need.

When my MP gets low while everyone is playing well, it means I'm ready to restore it myself and I purposely decided to splurge a little. In a farm party situation, everyone should be comfortable enough with the fight that you don't need to ballad.

But that's me. If you're playing with unfamiliar healers and you're really not sure, ask before the fight.

[Pence]

You need be way more specific. The only real reason you'd need ballad these days is Savage (Maybe Rav-Thor, IDK your iLvl).

I've been picked up many times. I'm hot AF. In the game? Eh, I've been around a few PUGs. Every single group has a slightly different start. You can never 'replicate' another group. My first kill? We mixed 3 different YouTube videos with our own experiences and it worked, many times. If you're having ballad problems - you're a bad MCH/BRD.

Both the above (At time of writing) are terrible at their jobs.

[Lyrica_Ashtine]

Eh, it's too much of a preference thing, really.

There are some spineless healers out there who feel uncomfortable at 90% MP while others keep their cool when they're at <1k. Either situation may or may not call for a ballad/Promotion. Simply use it as you see fit and don't wait for them to call it out. It'll just lead to 2 possible cases:
1) They'll just ignore it and let you do your thing
or
2) Ask you to turn it off for damage purposes

Neither of above are really bad, but not doing it leads to a possible third:
3) Blame it on you for not using it at all

edit:
In case you're collecting data for a spreadsheet or whatever reason:
Only time and place I'd want it is during transitions when you can't deal damage. Every other time I'll just have to plan it out. Exception would be Alexander Savage floor 4 so far.

[Yeol]

I put ballad up when a healer gets raised and also, most of the time when they ask for ballad it's a bit too late.. as soon as I finish casting it healer is dead.

Oh well, I'll get better at reading the situation and act upon it