Bard's 6.1 changes - why bother?

[Jirah]

The changes , though don’t mind them, we’re ok. I specifically hate the change to all these notifications at 80 Soul voice. It’s wayyy to hand holdy imo afraid to let the player learn and be vigilant. Also just looks weird to have the souls gauge have a line at 80 to really hammer in BA is proced at 80. Who complained about this?

Personally (and traditionally contrarian of me) I would’ve axed one of the 3 blood charges for spam sake. And instead of a trait giving the third charge they’d throw a bone to Minne or SW or revert the SW change. All in all I don’t expect much change to BRD until the next expansion tbh

[Kosachi]

The PP changes really doesn't help bloating issues when there are better options based on the current design, like:
1. Just merge Raging strikes and barrage
2. Making heavy shot/ burst arrow change into Refulgent Arrow when it procs
3. Remove Sidewinder
4. Deleting Dots and Iron jaws
5. Deleting all role actions that interrupt or cause negative status effect in PVE areas since the PVP patches heavily nerfed them in the overworld

...Then what's left? The job is already a burst shot simulator as it is.

[MPNZ]

...Then what's left? The job is already a burst shot simulator as it is.

Basically, there were other options that would actually create space for newer actions, and that was my list for a best to worst in descending order as opposed to just solving nothing and multiplying Wanderer's Minuet actions for their effort

[illspirit]

xEleventy on the Pitch Perfect change being super annoying.

Possibly an unpopular opinion, but if any button should be trimmed, it's Iron Jaws. Having two dots with the same duration isn't exactly complicated in the first place, and adding a third button which only exists to ostensibly simplify the two seems.. counterproductive. IMHO, it would probably feel better to bake the refresh mechanic into Sidewinder, and lower its CD to ~30s or something. That it hits harder would feel more satisfying than the little "ding" from Jaws.

(And on a partially unrelated side note, it would also be nice if Sidewinder could spread dots to nearby targets.)

[Easayia]

everything is fine

[Kaseladen]

everything is fine

You literally can't have two bards function next to each other currently. That alone shows they didn't test things and its not fine.

[Minali]

Bugs aside (because those are not part of intended changes, obviously), I actually like the pitch perfect merge and it is fascinating to see how furious some people are about the change of the position (!) of one single button. You managed to get used to the old position, with some time you'll manage to get used to the new one. As a person with small hands that make it hard to reach everything past "6" on my keyboard fast, I am happy when a button that is very important but also not available most of the time not taking away space from a button that I need moreoften. And before the question pops up: Yes, I have a gaming mouse, it is a big help, (though not one if 20 buttons, because I also get problems with a sore thumb fairly fast would I try to use these 20 buttons every time I play). The job might not be the job with the biggest button bloat problem in the game, but in my opinion having a skill that is entirely attached to another skill taking place on a hotbar elswhere makes even less sense. This seems more a matter of habit, not a matter of good or bad design when I scroll through this thread. (Stuff like button smashing that makes you fire off pitch perfect early or having it not look nicely on your hotbar doesn't make the skill itself or as part of a rotation good or bad.)

EW changes meant for me with Gunbreaker I had to live with three buttons merged into one, with Monk I had to get used to several oGCDs being locked behind a whole new gauge mechanic, and well, then there is Summoner. I am sure we can get used to one button merge where the skill being a single one didn't really make sense to begin with, if you go by function.

[IdowhatIwant]

I think they need to just rework bard into an actual bard, and get rid of the bow. At this point in the game they may as well start making content 5 player and give us support roles. Cause let's face it, it sucks now, it'll probably suck like most things after the rework. But at least it will be a bard?

[Cetonis]

Bugs aside (because those are not part of intended changes, obviously), I actually like the pitch perfect merge and it is fascinating to see how furious some people are about the change of the position (!) of one single button. You managed to get used to the old position, with some time you'll manage to get used to the new one. As a person with small hands that make it hard to reach everything past "6" on my keyboard fast, I am happy when a button that is very important but also not available most of the time not taking away space from a button that I need moreoften. And before the question pops up: Yes, I have a gaming mouse, it is a big help, (though not one if 20 buttons, because I also get problems with a sore thumb fairly fast would I try to use these 20 buttons every time I play). The job might not be the job with the biggest button bloat problem in the game, but in my opinion having a skill that is entirely attached to another skill taking place on a hotbar elswhere makes even less sense. This seems more a matter of habit, not a matter of good or bad design when I scroll through this thread. (Stuff like button smashing that makes you fire off pitch perfect early or having it not look nicely on your hotbar doesn't make the skill itself or as part of a rotation good or bad.)

EW changes meant for me with Gunbreaker I had to live with three buttons merged into one, with Monk I had to get used to several oGCDs being locked behind a whole new gauge mechanic, and well, then there is Summoner. I am sure we can get used to one button merge where the skill being a single one didn't really make sense to begin with, if you go by function.

I think you're reading too much into it. People aren't furious, they're at most annoyed - but aside from the bug it also causes a problem with ghosting, and that is a real thing that needs fixing no matter what, albeit more for DRG's sake than Bard's.

More than anything, it's frustrating that Bard has much bigger problems and SE is spending their time and energy on this, of all things. If Shadowbite were fixed and they did something about Army's and then also did this, I think you'd see less irritation about it overall.

[MPNZ]

Bugs aside (because those are not part of intended changes, obviously), I actually like the pitch perfect merge and it is fascinating to see how furious some people are about the change of the position (!) of one single button. You managed to get used to the old position, with some time you'll manage to get used to the new one. As a person with small hands that make it hard to reach everything past "6" on my keyboard fast, I am happy when a button that is very important but also not available most of the time not taking away space from a button that I need moreoften. And before the question pops up: Yes, I have a gaming mouse, it is a big help, (though not one if 20 buttons, because I also get problems with a sore thumb fairly fast would I try to use these 20 buttons every time I play). The job might not be the job with the biggest button bloat problem in the game, but in my opinion having a skill that is entirely attached to another skill taking place on a hotbar elswhere makes even less sense. This seems more a matter of habit, not a matter of good or bad design when I scroll through this thread. (Stuff like button smashing that makes you fire off pitch perfect early or having it not look nicely on your hotbar doesn't make the skill itself or as part of a rotation good or bad.)

EW changes meant for me with Gunbreaker I had to live with three buttons merged into one, with Monk I had to get used to several oGCDs being locked behind a whole new gauge mechanic, and well, then there is Summoner. I am sure we can get used to one button merge where the skill being a single one didn't really make sense to begin with, if you go by function.

Not the issue. Most players that regularly or competently play BRD usually keep the songs bunched together on a secondary bar in the order of it's rotation to prevent accidents in a frenzy and ease of memorization. So, this mostly will just result in the action being removed and the other multiplied instead. It just doesn't make sense with how the abilities are normally organized, and for the goal of removing clutter. The unique, rotational psuedo-combos that GNB has actually benefit from consolidation since it lacks the branching paths used by the other tanks, and it results in less clutter without any design issues like BRD's consolidated PvP DoT action