New Class: Minstrel (Radical Change to Bard Job)

[Brightshadow]

Hello everyone, so after playing with bard I do have to say that Square Enix really missed an opportunity to make Bards into an individual class with its own identity, and there are many players including myself that would have loved to see a proper bard type class introduced into the game. Now I know the chances of this happening are very low but if Square Enix could do such a massive game changing thing like removing all the daggers from gladiators in favor of the rogue class, I can definitely see something like this happening if there is enough demand for it.

Minstrel (Disciples of Magic)

1.) Weapon: Harp
2.) Role: Healer
3.) Guild: Ul'dah (Minstrel Guild)
4.) Armor: Light/Cloth
5.) Attributes: Mind + Piety
6.) Job: Bard (Minstrel 30 + Arcanist 15)

Class Actions

(MP Cost is based on a level 1 Character. As you level up, MP Cost of all spells will increase.)

1.) Foe Requiem (Spell)
Effect: Deals unaspected channeled damage over time with a potency of 80 for 12 seconds to the enemy. Effect is cancelled with movement.
Level: 1
MP Cost: 1 (Per Tick)
Cast Time: Instant
Cooldown: 4 Seconds
Range: 20 Yards
Radius: 0 Yards

2.) Soothing Melody (Spell)
Effect: Grants a channeled healing over time effect with a cure potency of 200 for 12 seconds to the party member. Effect is cancelled with movement.
Level: 2
MP Cost: 3 (Per Tick)
Cast Time: Instant
Cooldown: 4 Seconds
Range: 20 Yards
Radius: 0 Yards

3.) Dark Threnody (Spell)
Effect: Deals dark damage with a potency of 50. Additional Effect: Dark damage overtime with potency of 25, and blinds the enemy for 18 seconds. Could be used while channeling Foe Requiem
Level: 4
MP Cost: 6
Cast Time: Instant
Cooldown: 2.5 Seconds
Range: 20 yards
Radius: 0 Yards

4.) Marcato (Ability)
Effect: Transforms the next channeled spell into an instant cast. Consumes all the MP that was necessary to channel that spell, and reduces the potency of the channeled effect by 1/2.
Level: 6
MP Cost: Varies by spell
Cast Time: Instant
Cooldown: 20 seconds
Range: 0 Yards
Radius: 0 Yards

5.) Swiftsong (Spell)
Effect: Increases Movement speed of all nearby party members as long as they remain within hearing distance. Effect ends upon reuse or when enmity is generated. Cannot be used in combat.
Level: 8
MP Cost: 10
Cast Time: 3 Seconds
Cooldown: 2.5 Seconds
Range: 0 Yards
Radius: 20 Yards

6.) Renewing Carol (Spell)
Effect: Grants a healing overtime effect with a cure potency of 150 to the party member for the next 18 seconds. Could be used with Soothing Melody.
Level: 10
MP Cost: 12
Cast Time: 3 seconds
Cooldown: 2.5 Seconds
Range: 20 Yards
Radius: 10 Yards

7.) Goddess Hymn (Spell)
Effect: Resurrects target to a weakened state. Cannot be used when in combat
Level: 12
MP Cost: 31
Cast Time: 8 seconds
Cooldown: 2.5 Seconds
Range: 20 Yards
Radius: 0 Yards

8.) Light Threnody (Spell)
Effect: Deals light damage with a potency of 150. Additional Effect: Dia (Defense Down). Could be used while channeling Foe Requiem
Level: 15
MP Cost: 14
Cast Time: Instant
Cooldown: 10 seconds
Range: 20 yards
Radius: 10 yards

9.) Warding Round (Spell)
Effect: Removes a single detrimental effect from target. Could be used while channeling Soothing Melody.
Level: 18
MP Cost: 15
Cast Time: 3 Seconds
Cooldown: 2.5 Seconds
Range: 20 Yards
Radius: 10 Yards

10.) Dazing Sirvente (Spell)
Effect: Inflicts target with slow for 15s. Could be used while channeling Foe Requiem
Level: 22
MP Cost: 7
Cast Time: 3 Seconds
Cooldown: 2.5 Seconds
Range: 20 Yards
Radius: 10 Yards

11.) Foe Lullaby (Spell)
Effect: Inflicts target with sleep for 30s. Cancels auto-attack and channeled effects upon execution. Could be used while channeling Foe Requiem
Level: 26
MP Cost: 8
Cast Time: 3 Seconds
Cooldown: 2.5 Seconds
Range: 20 Yards
Radius: 10 Yards

12.) Troubadour (Ability)
Effect: Spreads your target’s Foe Requiem or Soothing Melody to all nearby allies or enemies. Duration: Time remaining on original effect. If you use a spell that can be used while channeling any of these two spells all allies or enemies will receive the effect. (Maximum of 3 targets)
Level: 30
MP Cost: Doubles the MP drain per tick
Cast Time: Instant
Cooldown: 10 seconds
Range: 20 Yards
Radius: 0 Yards

13.) Healing Operetta (Spell)
Effect: Restore target's HP. Cure Potency: 300, Could be used while channeling Soothing Melody.
Level: 34
MP Cost: 15
Cast Time: 2 Seconds
Cooldown: 5 Seconds
Range: 20 Yards
Radius: 0 Yards

14.) Pianissimo (Ability)
Effect: Doubles the potency of your Foe Requiem or Soothing Melody, but reduces the duration of the channeled effect by 1/2, and depletes the MP necessary to channel the spell at twice the speed.
Level: 38
MP Cost: (Varies by spell)
Cast Time: Instant
Cooldown: 30 seconds
Range: 20 Yards
Radius: 10 Yards

15.) Magic Finale (Spell)
Effect: Removes one beneficial status effect from the enemy. Could be used while channeling Foe Requiem.
Level: 42
MP Cost: 14
Cast Time: 5 Seconds
Cooldown: 60 Seconds
Range: 20 Yards
Radius: 0 Yards

16.) Elemental Requiem
Effect: Reduces the elemental resistances of the enemy by 10%. Could be used while channeling Foe Requiem.
Level: 46
MP Cost: 16
Cast Time: 5 Seconds
Cooldown: 15 Seconds
Range: 20 Yards
Radius: 0 Yards

17.) Victory March (Spell)
Effect: Grants a healing overtime effect with a cure potency of 550 to all nearby party members.
Level: 50
MP Cost: 26
Cast Time: 3.5 seconds
Cooldown: 180 seconds
Range: 20 Yards
Radius: 10 Yards

Class Traits

1.) Enhanced Piety
Effect: Increases Piety by 2.
Level: 8

2.) Enhanced Piety II
Effect: Increases Piety by 4.
Level: 14

3.) Renewing Finale
Effect: If renewing carol is used while channeling soothing melody the cure potency of the regen effect is doubled.
Level: 16

4.) Disorienting Notes
Effect: When channeling Foe Requiem the enemy is inflicted with heavy, and it has a 10% chance of binding the enemy.
Level: 20

5.) Enhanced Piety III
Effect: Increases Piety by 6.
Level: 14

6.) Hymn of Rebirth
Effect: Allows you to cast “Goddess Hymn” during combat.
Level: 28

7.) Enhanced Warding Round
Effect: If Warding Round is used while channeling Soothing Melody it’ll remove a detrimental effects every tick, until Soothing Melody finishes Channeling.
Level: 32

8.) Swiftcast
Effect: Swiftsong provides a quick casting bonus of 10% when you enter combat, effect wears off upon the first spell used during combat.
Level: 36

9.) Musical Notes
Effect: Increases the potency of Soothing Melody and Foe Requiem by 20%.
Level: 40

10.) Saboteur Finale
Effect: Magic Finale now removes 2 enhancement effects from the enemy.
Level: 44

11.) Impending Victory
Effect: Allows you to use Victory March during combat.
Level: 48

Bard (Job)

1.) Mage's Ballad (Spell)
Refreshes MP of all nearby party members while lowering own healing dealt by 10%. TP is drained while singing. Refresh effect is lost if party members move out of hearing distance, and ends upon reuse. Cannot be used with other song enhancements.
Level: 30
MP Cost: N/A
Cast Time: 3 Seconds
Cooldown: 2.5 Seconds
Range: 0 Yards
Radius: 20 Yards

2.) Sorcery Etude (Spell)
Increases the Magic Accuracy of all nearby party members while lowering own healing dealt by 10%. TP is drained while singing. Magic Accuracy effect is lost if party members move out of hearing distance, and ends upon reuse. Cannot be used with other song enhancements.
Level: 35
MP Cost: N/A
Cast Time: 3 Seconds
Cooldown: 2.5 Seconds
Range: 0 Yards
Radius: 20 Yards

3.) Army Paeon (Spell)
Refreshes TP of all nearby party members while lowering own healing dealt by 10%. TP is drained while singing. Refresh effect is lost if party members move out of hearing distance, and ends upon reuse. Cannot be used with other song enhancements.
Level: 40
MP Cost: N/A
Cast Time: 3 Seconds
Cooldown: 2.5 Seconds
Range: 0 Yards
Radius: 20 Yards

4.) Sword Madrigal (Spell)
Increases the Accuracy of all nearby party members while lowering own healing dealt by 10%. TP is drained while singing. Accuracy effect is lost if party members move out of hearing distance, and ends upon reuse. Cannot be used with other song enhancements.
Level: 45
MP Cost: N/A
Cast Time: 3 Seconds
Cooldown: 2.5 Seconds
Range: 0 Yards
Radius: 20 Yards

5.) Soul Voice (Ability)
Doubles the effectiveness of all songs for 30s.
Level: 50
MP Cost: N/A
Cast Time: Instant
Cooldown: 300 Seconds
Range: 0 Yards
Radius: 0 Yards

Cross Class Actions

1.) Conjurer: Cure / Stoneskin

2.) Arcanist: Physick / Eye for an Eye

3.) Puglist: Featherfoot / Second Wind / Mantra

[Duelle]

Hello everyone, so after playing with bard I do have to say that Square Enix really missed an opportunity to make Bards into an individual class with its own identity, and there are many players including myself that would have loved to see a proper bard type class introduced into the game. Now I know the chances of this happening are low but if Square Enix could do such a massive game changing thing like removing all the daggers from gladiators to make rogues more unique, I can definitely see something like this happening if there is enough demand for it.

Assuming that you understand that a class that is useless outside of buffs cannot exist in a trinity-focused MMO, this hypothetical minstrel would probably be a healer akin to the Bard seen in Rift. I'd probably design it around recovery songs with effects determined by a primary tune (could layer the mechanics to be like in RL music, with melody, harmony and percussion).

[Brightshadow]

Sorry I had to add information first because of the dumb post limitation. But here is the basic idea the Bard uses healing overtime effects.

Advantages of the Class:
1.) Great Healing Overtime Mechanics
2.) Great Tank Healer
3.) Gains unique mechanics that allow them to become decent group healers.

Disadvantages of the Class:
1.) Has weak AOE healing.
2.) Has weak burst healing.
3.) Requires a steeper learning curve.

Don't forget to like the first post if you like this idea. More support the better chance of something like this happening.

[xxAtticusxx]

Love it! I love HoT healers Plus, I love my Ranger jobs, so this is a win-win :3

[Lazearus]

I main SCH and would love to have a similar job that focuses on support. I'm up for this!

Sadly though, magic finale will be kind of useless considering SE will definitely dictate what buffs can be removed.

[Gelesto]

I stopped reading "After Long ago..."

[Saccharin]

I hate support classes/jobs/specs etc. In this game with the small parties it just doesn't work. The bard is the only support and that's basically limited in support. Giving each job support options is a much better and that's the way they've went.

[Duelle]

Post

Might want to add a little more burst healing, otherwise it would be very weak in 4-man dungeons.

I'm not keen on the buffs because you're essentially making this proposed class mandatory for raiding. You have a healer than can increase accuracy AND raid damage, whereas WHM and SCH can't even hope to match that. You followed the one-buff-per-class rule, which is a plus, but you're essentially forcing at least one minstrel into every party.

Using SCH as a comparison point doesn't really work since the SCH has to sacrifice healing potential in order to pull out Selene, while Selene's buff doesn't last long enough to make a difference and is generally not counted on because of that. The devs went to great trouble to limit buff reliance in the game so far, and I don't think it'd be good to go against it at this point.

[Warlyx]

you're essentially forcing at least one minstrel into every party

and thats why we wont see any buffers in FFXIV , reliance on 1 class to show up or there is no point in trying (because SE will balance the game based on minstrel present ,because if u balance around not being present , when is....the game is easy mode), bard isnt gamebreaking because they do the lowest dps in similar gear/skill to other dps , but since bard boost mage dps and regens healer mp isnt that bad that is /isnt required in order to raid.

in other games with bigger party yeah u can have buffers (tho devs are removing that overtime) , 20+ u are guarenteed that even 1-2 players are buffers, with 8 slots , 2 taken by tanks 2 by healers....ugh....no way

Buffers are and always will be the least played role (ask any EQ/Eq2/FFXI player) , why is that? because u arent tanking anything or healing any wounds or casting nuke spells , meleeing with a badass weapon , u are on the sides looking pretty , u make every1 around better but thats it.

[Brightshadow]

Love it! I love HoT healers Plus, I love my Ranger jobs, so this is a win-win :3

Thank You, I really appreciate you liking the idea don't forget to give it a like so we can catch Square Enix Attention.

I main SCH and would love to have a similar job that focuses on support. I'm up for this!

Sadly though, magic finale will be kind of useless considering SE will definitely dictate what buffs can be removed.

Magic Finale was intended for some trash enemies not really bosses, Remember Bard in this idea is a healer not a DPS so its not really their main role to focus on heals.

I stopped reading "After Long ago..."

Well you missed out on some good mechanics.

I hate support classes/jobs/specs etc. In this game with the small parties it just doesn't work. The bard is the only support and that's basically limited in support. Giving each job support options is a much better and that's the way they've went.

This thread has nothing to do with Bard support capabilities its more about making them healers. They will be able to provide buffs however though they will only come from the job and be limited to 1 buff per bard so you'll need 4 bards to get all those enhancements.

Might want to add a little more burst healing, otherwise it would be very weak in 4-man dungeons.

I'm not keen on the buffs because you're essentially making this proposed class mandatory for raiding. You have a healer than can increase accuracy AND raid damage, whereas WHM and SCH can't even hope to match that. You followed the one-buff-per-class rule, which is a plus, but you're essentially forcing at least one minstrel into every party.

Using SCH as a comparison point doesn't really work since the SCH has to sacrifice healing potential in order to pull out Selene, while Selene's buff doesn't last long enough to make a difference and is generally not counted on because of that. The devs went to great trouble to limit buff reliance in the game so far, and I don't think it'd be good to go against it at this point.

1.) The reason why I didn't give Bard any burst healing is because Soothing Melody has a potency of 300 which is 100 less than cure making them 100% capable of handling the stress of battle.

2.) There buffs are limited to one per bard, and it would make sense for them to be able to provide better buffs than white mage and scholar; however, they aren't going to be mandatory because there healing won't be as precise as a white mages or scholar.

3.) Scholar gets 2 for the price of 1 so they really aren't sacrificing anything.