A challenge. Make Bard more Bard.

[Ingolf]

The entire problem with BRD currently is the lack of difference between it and an archer. Without the armour you wouldn't even notice a difference between the two.

BRD has 3 songs, all of which whilst being the best buffs in the game are uninspired and boring. Being able to only have one song on at a time doesn't help much either.

BRD needs new songs (a lot) and needs to be able to sing multiple songs. It's abilities need to make it more immediately identifiable as a BRD. More support oriented abilities too, Akin to pianissimo, Tenuto and Marcato.

The official description of BRD:

The word "bard" ordinarily puts folk in mind of those itinerant minstrels, fair of voice and nimble of finger, who earn their coin performing in taverns and the halls of great lords. Few know, however, that bards in fact trace their origins back to the bowmen of eld, who sang in the heat of battle to fortify the spirits of their companions.

In time, their impassioned songs came to hold sway over the hearts of men, inspiring their comrades to great feats and granting peace unto those who lay upon the precipice of death.

Notice how there's a lot more emphasis on singing than DDing? It only mentions BRDs being bowmen in passing. We definitely need more music.

[PSxpert2011]

The entire problem with BRD currently is the lack of difference between it and an archer. Without the armour you wouldn't even notice a difference between the two.

BRD has 3 songs, all of which whilst being the best buffs in the game are uninspired and boring. Being able to only have one song on at a time doesn't help much either.

BRD needs new songs (a lot) and needs to be able to sing multiple songs. It's abilities need to make it more immediately identifiable as a BRD. More support oriented abilities too, Akin to pianissimo, Tenuto and Marcato. ...

Remember, there's a level cap and I'm sure the stronger bard gets the more knowledgable- more songs and abilities will be available. What I am hope for, is the DD role of archer. I'm hoping for a Ranger job to take archer into a DDing role instead of plain support.

[Ingolf]

Remember, there's a level cap and I'm sure the stronger bard gets the more knowledgable- more songs and abilities will be available. What I am hope for, is the DD role of archer. I'm hoping for a Ranger job to take archer into a DDing role instead of plain support.

I hope so. Only having 3 songs is pretty bad imo, especially when one of them is kinda lackluster. I dunno, maybe I'm in the minority here but I want to feel like a support when I play BRD. DDing is fine when your waiting on songs and I think they did a good job with that... but primarily, I want to be supporting my allies.

[Totorixiii]

Although I've not yet gotten my archer past level 20 yet but the next job I am planning to take it to 50 once 2.0 ARR released is Bard.

I do like the fact that the current FFXIV Bard is a DD and a supporting class but yes, the very little choice of songs and non-existant of animation and instrument doesn't portray it as a Bard and that's what players notice it most about it.

Many players actually do like Bard being able to be a DD with a bow while supporting a party with songs, which actually save 1 extra slot in a party

I do support the current archer/bard however, Bard being the end job over archer doesn't feel like a bard much with it's limitation on being a bard.

I have a feeling Yoshi-P may add more stuff and attention to bard in the future updates post 2.0 ARR when it releases.