Let's Talk About Bard

[Valence]

The damage nerf from nocturne is definitely not something that dramatically affected BRD burst damage output lol, let's not get silly for a minute there. The added potency was so weak that it was essentially what it was: something you'll still take because why not, and technically making it a nerf once removed, but come on. It doesn't change a damn thing on the greater scheme.

I wouldn't say 16400 in-line AoE every 20s over 2 GCDs even qualifies for AoE pressure. Peeling with BRD is a very catch-22 situation: if you use Paean for someone else, you become much more vulnerable for the duration of its cooldown. If you use silence or Repelling Shot to peel/shut down a combo, then it's no longer available to lock down a kill.

With the Nocturne range nerf, BRD is no longer in the business of creating opportunities. All it's good for now is being a buff totem, punishing mispositioning, and gunning down fleeing enemies who have <20% HP left.

That was perhaps poorly worded. Bard is essentially a job applying a lot of diffuse effects and diffuse effects tend to falter pretty bad in comparison to actual hard meta on damage and burst. But it can definitely help a good team that bursts well as you said.