Bard Damage Reduction in PVP

[Tsuole]

I'd like to confirm whether or not the damage reduction based on range is applied to Mechanists as well? It would be very unfair if it only applied to Bards...

Also I feel like I am struggling to compete with other characters (as a Bard) given only one of two choices.

1. I use my new abilities in Wanderer's Minuet (and unsurprisingly fail to hit my targets in the proper sweet spot, because of the cast time, essentially dealing negligible damage)

2. Fight using the same abilities I had pre 3.0, essentially meaning I am fighting as a glorified level 50 character.

is there any good reason Bards still have the damage reduction in PVP given their new ability removes their mobility, or did SE just forget?

[Mikedizzy]

I don't like this either but I do ok on Bard. I have found that I do better on Warrior and have just gone to that mostly. I have tried healing and that is a nightmare and will never do it again unless we do not have any healers at all.

[Redfame]

Bards never did dmg, they were always freekill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRtD7Ppk1EY

[RiceisNice]

Machinist gets the same damage penalty as well.

GB/WM is only really good for bursting, and that's it. You can't stay stationary as a blm since you won't pump out teh same damage as them or re actively adjust your range to sweet spot. Most you can do is just stand back and interrupt casts on the healers/casters.

At the very least they should take off the range penalty with GB/WM, since we're functionally a caster at that point (with 100% interrupt rates and cast times) but lack the damage to justify so.

[CeveArthu]

Bards never died dmg, they were always freekill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRtD7Ppk1EY

shock horror, a class that deals less damage the closer you are to them, does low damage when you are right next to them

Bards in thier sweet spot are a very potent threat in den, less so in frontlines

[Vandril]

I've seen Bards do excellently reliably, at least in the realm of damage throughout a match, but...

At the very least they should take off the range penalty with GB/WM, since we're functionally a caster at that point (with 100% interrupt rates and cast times) but lack the damage to justify so.

...I'd be somewhat okay with this. But I believe the reduction should be lowered (halved?), not removed completely. BRD/MCH cast times are low, so there needs to be a balancing factor.

[Dimitrii]

You were pretty lucky his blast shot was on cooldown. or at least i hope it was on cooldown lol

[RiceisNice]

I've seen Bards do excellently reliably, at least in the realm of damage throughout a match, but...



...I'd be somewhat okay with this. But I believe the reduction should be lowered (halved?), not removed completely. BRD/MCH cast times are low, so there needs to be a balancing factor.

It's not a problem with the cast time's length, it's that they have to stand still for it. The consequence esasperates the ranged penalty since they are supposed to be reactively moving to stay within sweet spot range. MCH can move with their shot procs, but their sustained damage is relatively low, requires ammo to be reliable, and their burst is tied to BtE and a reassembled clean shot.

[Vandril]

It's not a problem with the cast time's length, it's that they have to stand still for it. The consequence esasperates the ranged penalty since they are supposed to be reactively moving to stay within sweet spot range. MCH can move with their shot procs, but their sustained damage is relatively low, requires ammo to be reliable, and their burst is tied to BtE and a reassembled clean shot.

I got that. I think you misunderstood what I was saying. ...Or am I misunderstanding you? It is late, after all...

What I was trying to express was that it isn't exactly the same situation with BLM and BRD/MCH using WM/GB. Sure, they both have to stand there and cast, but - correct me if I'm wrong, as this is hearsay on my part - BLM cast times tend to be longer than BRD/MCH cast times. The damage bonus from WM/GB overcomes most if not all of the damage difference between BLM and BRD/MCH. Considering similar damage with lower cast times, removing the sweet spot entirely while using WM/GB would likely cause BRD/MCH to become a little too advantageous in PvP.

Assuming what I said above about cast times and damage is true, it would probably be safer (for the sake of class balance) to greatly reduce the damage reductions placed on the BRD/MCH while not in the sweet spot so long as WM/GB is up.

[RiceisNice]

...

The damage difference is applied after all said and done. Even with a 30% damage boost (and you're losing auto attacks on top of this, mind you), a 50% damage penalty (yes it's that high) will have everything hitting like wet noodles and the best you'll do is interrupt casts (which...auto attacks can do, and you can time your hits against their cast times without having a cast time yourself).

A BRD/MCH will not come to the same degree of damage as a BLM. Even with WM/GB included (as well as all the abilities attached), they're still doing comparatively less damage relative to the other classes who are using their 3.0 tool kits as they were in 2.0. What was a 10% difference in class damage output in 2.0, is still present in 3.0 if all classes were using their new skills.