Bards need a buff

[Pyreflye]

If you want the highest single target DPS, play MNK instead.
If you want AoE, play BLM

The idea that every single class must put out equal DPS is ridiculous.

Bards can still put out respectable DPS.

[Hippo]

here's how to ensure that you as a bard do not parse the lowest

1) Do not sing paeon. Your monk will not reach 500dps

2) Do not sing requiem. helps you gain 0.05 dps in the saved casting time and more importantly deprive your caster of 10-20dps.

3) Do not sing Ballad. Ask your healers to bring their own MP potions

4) Always DEMAND a drg to be in party and DEMAND the drg to keep disbowel on at all times

5) T8 - dont bother about pulling homing missile - ask your healers to heal up the entire party

6) Stay away from the party for ballastic missile and ask your party members to come to you if you are hit

7) Assign brain jack duty to someone else so that you can focus on DD

my favourite

8) \\'Accidentally\\' cause the death of other DD to lower their DPS. For example, in T7, petrify the mnk or drg from time to time.

[Eissels]

If you want the highest single target DPS, play MNK instead.
If you want AoE, play BLM

The idea that every single class must put out equal DPS is ridiculous.

Bards can still put out respectable DPS.

To be fair, most games these days strive to have the majority of DPS within ~5% of each other. I'm not saying it SHOULD be that way, just that it can come as a system shock to players.

And, I think the person earlier who talked about people being "tricked" into support holds a bit of weight. I mean, I knew what I was getting into when I started leveling BRD, but for a new player, archers are listed as DD's in character creation, and their kit actually suits it really well, only to find out at max level they're held back by what is largely artificial limits to be "support" (i.e. the 20% damage reduction on songs, and the fact that all BRD weapons are like 4 weapon damage lower than other weapons. That's a pretty hefty chunk.)

[Yoninxi]

stuff

where did I say I wanted people punished? I'll wait. I'm simply pointing out the fact that you guys are showing off your 3rd party parses which SE doesn't like ON THE FORUMS .

[Ricdeau]

where did I say I wanted people punished? I'll wait. I'm simply pointing out the fact that you guys are showing off your 3rd party parses which SE doesn't like ON THE FORUMS .

Happens quite frequently to be honest, and typically unless you're offending someone that reports your post nothing will happen.

[Pavise]

where did I say I wanted people punished? I'll wait. I'm simply pointing out the fact that you guys are showing off your 3rd party parses which SE doesn't like ON THE FORUMS .

Anyone who even gives two hoots about endgame would be using a parser to log the fights and their groups progress and to also easily analyse what was the cause of deaths, wipes and if raid members where targeting and damaging the right mobs.

SE has gotta be thick to think such a behavior that happens in EVERY endgame progression guild on every other mmo wouldn't be present here as well.

[Tharian]

Confirmed, Bards are a DD role... There is no such thing as a support role in this game.

This is incorrect. Yes they confirmed that they are sticking to the three role system of Tank, Healer, and DPS. However within that system Bard is still a Support-DPS class by virtue of the fact that it has support abilities as it's primary job-abilities post level 30, and because it uses the Healer Limit Break instead of the DPS Limit Break.

These facts alone makes it so Bard is not a true DPS Oriented Class and shouldn't be considered as such by most people. It is strictly speaking a Support-DPS class. Also take into consideration that the Bard has the single highest Mobility out of all the DPS classes in the game, and then you have another reason why it's DPS ratio is not going to be as high as some of the other DPS Classes.

Also, something tells me that Rogue/Ninja is going to have a similar DPS output to Bard when it is finally released due to it being more oriented towards Stealth and Speed than it is towards out and out DPS.

[Leon_Stormrage]

Bard = DPS why people still arguing about it? Here is not a support role... Period.

[RinchanNau]

I am in support of a bard buff because Tracey is no longer falafel.

[givemeraptors]

If you want more DPS play Foe's more often. The DPS boost should be counted towards BRD DPS in the same way that DRG piercing debuff should be counted towards DRG DPS not BRD DPS.

Can play songs for ~1min if I recall correctly which means that you're giving 1 or more casters a raging strike buff that lasts for nearly a minute.