Bard 3.01 How is it?

**Orangekun** · 07-15-2015 01:12 AM

As much as I dislike the idea of cast-times on a bard, I think my biggest problem with it is the fact that the class toggles them on. No amount of playing my Bard will make me comfortable with hitting a button and suddenly having cast times on previously instant abilities within the same fight. It's just clunky. I don't like casting - if I did, I'd play a spellcaster - but I'd prefer if they did one or the other, not bounce back and forth between the two.

**Argentt** · 07-15-2015 04:57 AM

Overall I think the class is okay at best right now. It's honestly less fun to play than the 2.55 version. WM is a pretty drastic playstyle change and it seems like people are quitting the class in droves over it. If you've played a caster or a healer before and understand how to stutter-step cast then you'll have an easier time of it.

As far as DPS goes, the increase in WM does offset the changes to Emp Arrow and Sidewinder, and was a big statement from the devs that maximum WM uptime is what you should strive for. The issue I still have is that bards are still pretty much where they were in 2.55 percentage-wise behind other DPS classes. Bards gave up their mobility and didn't gain any ground on other dps or pick up any new useful support. I advocated for a DPS stance for the bard, but really did not expect stanced damage to still be bottom-tier when it makes them the 2nd least mobile class in the game.

For your last question, you really want to maximize WM uptime at all costs. Switching out of stance should only be done with your buffs on cooldown during high movement phases or to quickly pick up adds. Cross-classing feint isn't a bad choice now for when you have to move further than stutter-step distance but not so far that you want to drop WM.

**GabaranRickshaw** · 07-15-2015 06:55 AM

I have mained a BRD in this game since I got it. And I loved it. Even though the DPS isn't stellar, and even though I really don't feel like the Ballads Utility makes up for the loss of DPS. But that was pre-HW. Now, I am thinking of playing either a different class, or a different game. In my opinion, and that is all it is, BRD is Broken.

I sincerely do not like WM. I have played BRD type classes in other games (LOTRO comes to mind) and they had cast/induction timers. Its not that. Its that the changes to BRD don't feel like a natural evolution to the class that I love so much. They feel like cheap bandaids that were tacked on at the last moment.

BRD can and SHOULD be fixed. Either take WM out, or remove the movement penalty of not being able to do damage. But something, even if its not my poor suggestions needs to be done. Either that, or people will speak with their wallets and either play a different class or play a different game altogether, as I am contemplating.

**Blaste** · 07-15-2015 08:22 AM

I'm more depressed that I wasted all this time on BRD when I could have been working on another class, I don't like feeling as though Im dragging my feet in a fight and that exactly how I feel when I play BRD now, the DPS numbers are laughable even if people give me the "Oh don't worry you still have your songs to play" , makes me wanna punt a Lalafell across the room....seriously the devs completely screwed over a vast majority of players that were having fun with the mobility in the class and feeling a freedom in combat, now its always "OMG PUT ON WM U NEWB", and refusal usually means getting kicked from a group.....but no no no, this is how we are supposed to play BRD...just glorified turrets that have a god damn cd player taped to their forehead for listening to songs, see we obviously we have to play the class the way the developers want us to. Oh well at least Im having fun with Ninja, gonna screw that class up too dev's?

Thread: Bard 3.01 How is it?

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