Finding the right second class

[Merryl]

Don't be fooled, the bard is very much a magic dps class. The limit breaks are identical to the conjurer.
The only difference is the spells are attached to arrow commands.
So if you think of the bard as a mage you'll understand the weakness of the class. Upgrade your gear often and practice kiting early on to avoid damage.

The second class to gladiator is conjuruer...a good 3rd class to pick up might be marauder or pugilist. Although I'm not sure of how many skills are available from those classes after you eqip the job stone.