Mantra and Bard

[Darkstatic107]

How important is mantra for a bard? I figure that a 5% healing increase is not of top concern when monks have it at 20%. I understand it can be useful, but didn't know just how essential it is. Reason being, a member of my coil group is making a big deal out of me getting mantra within a month or so when my pug is only 15.

So is mantra really that big of a necessity for Turns 4-5? We are a group filled with fairly new people who have only cleared up to turn 3 and should have turn 4 down within a week or two.

Thanks!

[MrDiezel]

It depends on your party composition. I personally wouldnt think you'd need Mantra (5% really) the people that are going to need the most healing are your melee attackers, and a bard isnt even going to be near them so..

[Darkstatic107]

It depends on your party composition. I personally wouldnt think you'd need Mantra (5% really) the people that are going to need the most healing are your melee attackers, and a bard isnt even going to be near them so..

Currently our line up is 2 pld, 2 whm, mnk, drg, blm, smn.

I'm the smn atm until my bard is 50 which should only be a few more days.

[magicninja999]

How important is mantra for a bard? I figure that a 5% healing increase is not of top concern when monks have it at 20%. I understand it can be useful, but didn't know just how essential it is. Reason being, a member of my coil group is making a big deal out of me getting mantra within a month or so when my pug is only 15.

So is mantra really that big of a necessity for Turns 4-5? We are a group filled with fairly new people who have only cleared up to turn 3 and should have turn 4 down within a week or two.

Thanks!

With t4 and t5 throwing a lot of damage everywhere, its not a bad idea to have it, work with your mnk, probably use urs first on not so heavy damage, and mnk blow his when the sh!t hits the fan... in 4 and 5 there are times when the party should group up, good time to use it, whm throws out a med 2... point is its, not a must have, its just helping the party and helping ur healers.

[Pinworms]

You as a BRD and having mantra, will not make or break a party with or without a monk. 20% from the mnk on the other hand is very useful at times. If your having to rely on a 5% mantra or any version to get you through T4 then your healers or tanks are not ready for that turn. T5 mantra, it can help (mnk version), but again if your going to be told to have it as a BRD so you guys can get through it...your prob not going to make it through.

Tough love, your mate's wrong. Get the ability yes, but making you "have" it to progress is ridiculous...ESP putting a time restriction on you. Let me guess he is prob a healer or tank?

[duceTRE]

As a MNK, it may not seem like a lot, but as an innate ability most WHM/SCH's have said that it helps. As a BRD I know it's not as big a buff, but it still helps. During Titan, as a MNK, I time it so that during his second jump Mantra is up as he lands, and I know it'll be up in time after the heart phase.

[Darkstatic107]

You as a BRD and having mantra, will not make or break a party with or without a monk. 20% from the mnk on the other hand is very useful at times. If your having to rely on a 5% mantra or any version to get you through T4 then your healers or tanks are not ready for that turn. T5 mantra, it can help (mnk version), but again if your going to be told to have it as a BRD so you guys can get through it...your prob not going to make it through.

Tough love, your mate's wrong. Get the ability yes, but making you "have" it to progress is ridiculous...ESP putting a time restriction on you. Let me guess he is prob a healer or tank?

Yes, hes a whm, and he is also the one that has been guiding us through the turns. While I greatly appreciate everything he has done for me and our group, this is one thing that I disagree with him on. However, being new, I wanted to get my other peoples opinions first before I bring it up.

I also understand that it is a helpful spell. But I also believe that if it is a necessity for our group then something else is wrong.

[Thorauku]

Been clearing coil T1 - T5 without Mantra in our party composition. I hate to say this, but your partymates are just looking for a reason to blame their own lackings. LOL!

[Faeye]

As a Bard not having Mantra will NOT stop your progression but it will help the group over all. I play Monk as main in Coil and I always use my Mantra on MT while MT is tanking two Dreadnaughts from phase 5 and 6. I wish the Bard would have Mantra for me and OT while we kill the Knight and Soldier during phase 5; especially, when we have 2 Melees in the group. The AOE from both Soldier and Knight can be pain even with defensive CD. Mantra + Regen from WHM and EOS on Melees/OT will allow healer to concentrate on healing MT that is tanking 2 Dreadnaughts.
Same goes to the BLM having Quelling Strike and Eye for an Eye, it does help.

For your group, one of the Melees should change into Bard. You should stay on SMN for Turn 4 and Turn 5. Have two heavy AOE DD for phase 4(2 Rooks and 6 Spiders) will help a lot. Also, since you have 2 WHM in your group, you would most likely want an extra body count from SMN's pet for Turn 5 Fire Ball.
Having a SMN in group will add another set of Virus, Eye for an Eye and instant Raise. SMN is also one of the best DD in the game for both Single and AOE.

[SkyHighDN]

Plenty of reasons to put up mantra.... I use it regularly as a Bard.. Does it make a serious difference in content? NO... but i like to think that it helps. Kinda like the DRG ability to reduce 10% piercing damage.... is the 30 seconds of hitting a monster for 10 hp more really all that more helpful in a fight like Ultima? Probably not... but to get optimum performance, i like to think using Mantra is a way better alternative than featherfoot or such...

AND. Its an ability that is helpful without causing me a loss in damage like my songs are, so i'm all game for putting up mantra EVERY SINGLE TIME we stack up in content, whether its needed or not.... just to say "HEY, F U, I got mantra" cause It was painful leveling a monk to 50.... very painful, and i probably wont touch that job again