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

[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

[QCrimson]

shock horror, a class that deals less damage the closer you are to them

I'm pretty sure it's the other way around actually..

[CeveArthu]

I'm pretty sure it's the other way around actually..

its both, the further you are from the 12 yalm sweet spot (either closer or further away) you lose damage

edit: its 15 yalms not 12, heres the damage profile with distance:

[VitalSuit]

its both, the further you are from the 12 yalm sweet spot (either closer or further away) you lose damage

edit: its 15 yalms not 12, heres the damage profile with distance:

Does this only apply to pvp or pve as well? I would assume pvp only but you never know.

[RiceisNice]

I'm pretty sure it's the other way around actually..

You lose damageif you're either too close or too far, as the image shows. Having a cast time on top of the damage penalty makes it really hard for bards/machinist to actually turret to the same degree as a BLM, especially when the line between sweet spot and 50% (I didn't even know there was a 80% sweet spot because the distance threshold inbetween is so small in a frantic environment) is so close together.

[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.

[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.