Changes to Bard I'd like to see in 5.1/overall

[Rika007]

Think apex is the only thing that needs change in 5.1 really, totally needs a different sound to play at max, also could use a bit more damage or quicker charge.

If the only change that Bard get's is a sound change to Apex and a soft buff to charge rate in damage, it would be an absolute insult to the player base.

[Hanayumi]

If the only change that Bard get's is a sound change to Apex and a soft buff to charge rate in damage, it would be an absolute insult to the player base.

I just really cant see devs giving bard anything more really, they're fairly ok with how it is, so wouldn't get your hopes up. As much as people want foes and what not, devs dont want buff stack metas to happen even more so... and they're definitely not to to cripple dancer for it.

[RocciaSolida]

What if one of the changes made to BRD was Iron Jaws becoming a non-damage dealing oGCD that just refreshes your DoTs? That way you wouldn't have to sacrifice a BS (or even worse delay a RA proc by one GCD and possibly losing another proc) to refresh your DoTs. IJ also creates the problem whether it's better to use it on the last possible GCD before your DoTs expire or a GCD earlier, it's not that big of a difference but there's a chance of it messing up a RA proc

[Rika007]

I just really cant see devs giving bard anything more really, they're fairly ok with how it is, so wouldn't get your hopes up. As much as people want foes and what not, devs dont want buff stack metas to happen even more so... and they're definitely not to to cripple dancer for it.

And once again that would be insult to the player base. Because they crippled Bard to make Dancer, and players have proven to not like it. And buff stacking meta's haven't gone anywhere, their are just less buff's to stack. Outside of Black Mage every meta DPS job bring's some sort of utility. The devs also already said on multiple occasions that they felt Bard was solid during Heavensward and cast times were a thing to stay, yet they 180'ed on that.

And their is also the post today with the official translation of the live letter stating they are looking at multiple changes to Bard in a testing environment based on player feedback. So I feel it's pretty obvious that a simple Apex buff is not the only thing coming.

[Akiudo]

Bard was solid during Heavensward and cast times were a thing to stay

to be fair, solid=/=fun, which also was the problems with the cast times. mch had them aswell and in all honesty it felt more annoying to disable gauß barrel when you had no ogcd to get auto attacks in than anything,the problem was that they worked on gauß barrel and than simply slapped on menuet on bard so it had cast times aswell without any care for underlying Mechanics

[Rika007]

to be fair, solid=/=fun, which also was the problems with the cast times. mch had them aswell and in all honesty it felt more annoying to disable gauß barrel when you had no ogcd to get auto attacks in than anything,the problem was that they worked on gauß barrel and than simply slapped on menuet on bard so it had cast times aswell without any care for underlying Mechanics

That's what I mean though, WM was another poorly underthought mechanic slapped onto Bard in the name of proper balancing of the ranged role when a new ranged job was added to the game. Bard's everywhere hated it and made their thoughts well known. And all Bard players got from fellow players was "it wasn't fair you had so much mobility, stop complaining" and from the devs was "This is the way it is from here on out, we are not changing our decision," etc. etc. etc... And then look what happened once Stormblood dropped. Cast times completely gone, total 180 from their previous stance.

Now here we are again. Bard once again get's a rework and another unsatisfying mechanic slapped on, but instead of losing mobility at an exchange for some extra damage, this time it's losing utility in exchange for an unsatisfying frustrating to use GCD attack, and once again all done in the name of balancing the ranged DPS role as we make space for a new job in it. And once again Bard player's are unhappy, and also once again we are being told by many other non Bard mains to "Stop whining, all that extra utility was unfair to the rest of the jobs" etc etc... At least this time though the devs are saying from the start that they are considering changes based on player feedback, so hopefully we don't have to wait an entire expansion for the changes we want this time.

[Shurrikhan]

What if they stayed 60 seconds, but carried a DoT refresh property?

So, even more Burst Shot spam on our Burst Shot spam?

...I actually think for once, the SE-standard solution may be the best solution. Just make Sidewinder hit hard again. It's one of the few nukes that's gone in the opposite direction during all this power creep.

[Rika007]

So, even more Burst Shot spam on our Burst Shot spam?

...I actually think for once, the SE-standard solution may be the best solution. Just make Sidewinder hit hard again. It's one of the few nukes that's gone in the opposite direction during all this power creep.

It's actually kinda hilarious because I never even thought about a buff for Sidewinder, and then I realized it was because I haven't really thought of Sidewinder at all since Heavensward. You look at it's potency and you just wonder... Why is it even still in our rotation? 260 Potency that requires both DOTs for max potency that you can use every 60 seconds, vs Empyreal Arrow, 230 potency that you have every 15 seconds, no DOT requirement that also guarantee's Repertoire to proc. Like it's honestly hilarious that of all the abilities to have gotten pruned, Sidewinder not being one of them and not being changed in anyway just feels weird.

[Kabooa]

So, even more Burst Shot spam on our Burst Shot spam?

...I actually think for once, the SE-standard solution may be the best solution. Just make Sidewinder hit hard again. It's one of the few nukes that's gone in the opposite direction during all this power creep.

Hey, I'm just interested in it not going the way of Howling Fist.

[MPNZ]

It's actually kinda hilarious because I never even thought about a buff for Sidewinder, and then I realized it was because I haven't really thought of Sidewinder at all since Heavensward. You look at it's potency and you just wonder... Why is it even still in our rotation? 260 Potency that requires both DOTs for max potency that you can use every 60 seconds, vs Empyreal Arrow, 230 potency that you have every 15 seconds, no DOT requirement that also guarantee's Repertoire to proc. Like it's honestly hilarious that of all the abilities to have gotten pruned, Sidewinder not being one of them and not being changed in anyway just feels weird.

Yeah, it also doesn't like work with bards theme or abilities either like Empyreal Arrow used to with barrage or as an instant proc for its song mechanics. I actually remember being really upset and confused about this ability back in Heavensward. Like, it doesn't go around obstacles, It's potency isn't enough to say "back off", it's not modified by barrage, the recast time really doesn't help break up the monotony of the rotation, and the previously mentioned: it's basically just a redundant damage ability with little worth outside of the initial burst window