Job Aesthetic Idea: Harp attacking stance for Bard

[Kemonologist]

I have an aesthetic idea about making bard have choice to swap attacking animation from arrow shooting to harp playing by creating new stance such as Ministral Stance. I get this idea from FFT harp attacking animation. That animation and sound effect look like shooting arrow to enemy.

Dev don't need to create new animation. They can keep old skill effect at enemy and change only arrow shooting animation to harp playing animation like they shoot magic arrow. For normal instant attack, They can use short version of "Warden's Paean" animation and full animation when Wanderer's Minuet activated (Warden's Paean have special move at the end of casting that match with arrow shooting). Some cooldown AoE such as "Rain of Death" or "Flaming Arrow" might use "Battle Voice" animation (That make Bard look like they calling for arrow). AoE weaponskill such as "Quick Nock" and "Wide Volley" can use normal playing animation to make them like casting magic arrow for attack by playing song. This will help people who need to see Bard use instrumental attacking instead of Bow.

In future, it might have harp off-hand with no stat for aesthetic purpose only to support this stance. It's better if they can creating special harp model attach with bow like they do with AST's card sleeve and MCH's aetherotransformer+gauss barrel. That extensions come together with their main weapon. But I know, it is a lot of work for dev team.

I try to make some sample pic. Sorry for low quality pic. No time to edit it.

[RiceisNice]

In future, it might have harp off-hand with no stat for aesthetic purpose only to support this stance. It's better if they can creating special harp model attach with bow like they do with AST's card sleeve and MCH's aetherotransformer+gauss barrel. That extensions come together with their main weapon. But I know, it is a lot of work for dev team.

I wish this was the case. Our aethertransmitter and gauss barrel does not change with the weapon model, it stays the same no matter what.

[Kemonologist]

I wish this was the case. Our aethertransmitter and gauss barrel does not change with the weapon model, it stays the same no matter what.

Both change color when you dye Ironwork, Kunitomo Kai or Ferdinand.

[RiceisNice]

Both change color when you dye Ironwork, Kunitomo Kai or Ferdinand.

But the model doesn't change.

[Noelzzz]

Love the idea, it could make you feel you are actually playing BRD job.

[Sylve]

Only if we also get a melee range version of Blunt Arrow that uses the harp to strangle the target.

[File2ish]

Harp stance?





(My old screenshots from 2013 on PS3)

[Yellow]

To be completely honest, I really think Bard needs to become a separate job (e.g something you unlock at level 30) and Archers should be given Hunter/Ranger as their job. I'm not a huge fan of how Bards play like spell casters. I really think SE needs to rethink how they've designed Bards.

(I think it's just difficult to try and maintain the presence of Archer in a Bard archetype).

[Noelzzz]

To be completely honest, I really think Bard needs to become a separate job (e.g something you unlock at level 30) and Archers should be given Hunter/Ranger as their job. I'm not a huge fan of how Bards play like spell casters. I really think SE needs to rethink how they've designed Bards.

(I think it's just difficult to try and maintain the presence of Archer in a Bard archetype).

I agree with you and what you said applies to Rogue and Ninja imo

[AxelDH]

In Wanderers Minuet, we should get melee range auto attacks where we whack the enemy with our harps.