ShB Bard wishlists?

[Raldo]

I really enjoy Bard as-is right now, so I don't envy the task of the devs to add more abilities. I already feel like we're pushing buttons a lot, so I'm not sure what new things I would add. I like most of the suggestions here so far, but I do have my own spin on a couple of them...

Reworking how Foe's Requiem functions (Cast time and MP drain) potentially working it into Battle Voice.

I would be okay with this only if they removed Foe Requiem's ability to hit unclaimed monsters (perhaps they'd just add a flat +3% damage boost to the Battle Voice buff, rather than making it a debuff).

Refulgent Arrow replacing Heavy Shot while under Straighter Shot.

I would much prefer it if Refulgent Arrow replaced Straight Shot (and maybe even have Refulgent Arrow renew the Straight Shot buff). It's not uncommon that I find myself delaying Refulgent Arrow a couple of GCDs if Barrage is almost ready (I'm open to critique, however, if someone's done the math that says this is a bad idea), and I use Heavy Shot while I wait.

Maybe reworks or boosts to Nature's Minne/Warden's Paean respectively to make them more interesting skills to use?

Sorry to hear that you don't like them, but they are fantastic abilities. If they are modified, I hope they don't diminish the effects they already have.


And my own QoL suggestion:
I think BRD should be affected by their own Battle Voice.

[Kalise]

I would be okay with this only if they removed Foe Requiem's ability to hit unclaimed monsters (perhaps they'd just add a flat +3% damage boost to the Battle Voice buff, rather than making it a debuff).

As I recall, they're fixing that at some point soon.

I would much prefer it if Refulgent Arrow replaced Straight Shot (and maybe even have Refulgent Arrow renew the Straight Shot buff).

It's kind of awkward I guess... Given that there are reasons to delay (Barrage, or about to get other buffs/debuffs) but at the same time, Straight Shot is necessary to have access to in order to maintain the buff in the case that Straighter Shot procs at an inopportune time.

Though, tying it to something else would be nice, to reduce button bloat.

Sorry to hear that you don't like them, but they are fantastic abilities, please don't take them away.

Warden's Paean is great, I like it a lot. But really, when it comes down to it, there's 0 point having it on my action bar because of how few bosses actually use debuffs and the ones that do, often can't be removed... So a slight boost to its defensive capacity might not go amiss. I was personally thinking like maybe a 10% max health shield on the target or something.

Nature's Minne is pretty bad. Outside of fishing for Critlo shields to spread with Tactics, increased healing on a single target is meh. I say this as a Tank main whom has this effect as a self CD (As well as a defensive stance that provides it). Even as a skill, it's literally just inferior to MNK's Mantra (Since that is AoE which means it can be somewhat useful for helping with AoE healing which isn't as easy as a full heal on a single target with 1-2 oGCD skills)

Army peons needs a rework indeed. I personally thought they could keep it the same but add a new skill that makes use of the proc. Perhaps an actual cast.

Mmm... I really don't like the idea of having a cast on BRD. Given how much the job focuses around its oGCD skills. It's why I hate even Foe Requiem's meagre 1.5s cast, it feels like an eternity.

Then if it was just another skill proc that's oGCD it'd feel a bit too much like TWM...

I dunno... It's hard to think of something unique that would actually work with BRD's existing kit.

Perhaps something like procs give a Repertoire buff that causes your next AA to deal bonus damage?

Sticking with the theme of being a completely passive song as well as one that enhances AA's (Sure, SkS does effect Empyrean Arrow too, but given that CDR is not retroactive it's not normally a noticeable boost to the number you get out over its duration...)?

So then you'd have MB that wants you to mash BL/RoD a ton, AP that is a fire and forget DPS boost and TWM that gives you the extra oGCD skill to weave into your rotation.

[Sylvain]

Mmm... I really don't like the idea of having a cast on BRD. Given how much the job focuses around its oGCD skills. It's why I hate even Foe Requiem's meagre 1.5s cast, it feels like an eternity.

Well what I had in mind would be akin to Perfect Pitch where you would only be able to use a fully charged a few times (with 5 charges instead of 3, I thought of perhaps 1-2 cast per song, 3 eventually if your DoT crit a lot with SCH + DRG buff)


Definitely not a fan of casting during the entire song either.

Then if it was just another skill proc that's oGCD it'd feel a bit too much like TWM...

I dunno... It's hard to think of something unique that would actually work with BRD's existing kit.
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Yup, which is why I thought about a cast (which thematically speaking works well with repertoir "Skill Speed")

Perhaps something like procs give a Repertoire buff that causes your next AA to deal bonus damage?

Sticking with the theme of being a completely passive song as well as one that enhances AA's

But that's the thing I hope they change, the fact that it is a passive song. It is Litterally the boring song.

Anyway, I know most people wouldn't like the cast anyway x)

[Kalise]

But that's the thing I hope they change, the fact that it is a passive song. It is Litterally the boring song.

Ehh, sometimes it can be nice to have a boring song. I mean, between boss mechanics and BRD's natural chaoticness with oGCD's and Straighter Shot procs and both other songs having their extra oGCD usages on procs, having a bit of breathing room can be a nice change of pace.

Especially if Warden's Paean/Nature's Minne are adapted and/or new support skills are added to BRD so you can use the passive song to put some additional focus on to using these kinds of support skills as opposed to "OMG I KEEP PROCCING BLOODLETTER RESETS HELP!" kinds of ridiculous proc streaks to watch for.

To say nothing about how such a thing would help ease the learning of BRD for newbies. Having a song, especially an early one like AP (As opposed to TWM) that doesn't have procs to manage, that doesn't suck completely like current AP, would be nice.

Especially given that if necessary, you don't even have to use the "Passive Song" for a considerable amount of time anyway, given how realistically you main 2 songs and only use the 3rd as a filler between the others (Due to the way the durations/CD's align)

As a side note: I still would like bowmage, just I'd rather it come in the form of Sniper rather than BRD