When do you need Mage's Ballad?

[Yeol]

I've been having this issue while framing Alexander..

Situation 1:
Me: <Mage's Ballad up>
Healer: I don't need MP

Situation 2:
(After a wipe)
Healer: Bard!
Healer: No Mage's Ballad?
Me: You didn't ask for it


Even though in Situation 1 the healer had low MP. I usually sing when MP is around 10~15%

So question to healers, at what ???% do you need Mage's Ballad?

[AlphaSonic]

When we ask for it, that's it. Situation 2 was the healer problem, not you.

[Miyu20]

It's difficult to really say unless you know the fight mechanics but one time where all bards should be playing at least a little Mages' is when 3 or more people have died. Each raise reduces your mp by a fifth. Just keep that in mind.

[Pence]

Honestly...as a MCH....if it's a real situation where ballad is needed? A healer should never need ask. They should be keeping tabs on their own DPS/TP, MP, others MP, others TP, DPS, turret positions and rotation.
Same goes for BRD minus pet add some DOT/procs.

[Risvertasashi]

When we ask for it, that's it. Situation 2 was the healer problem, not you.

The best bards keep an eye on on the party's status and respond without needing to be told what song to use at every moment, however. Yes, the healer can ask, but if resses are going out and they look low on MP? No shroud icon next to their name? Turn on Ballad. Like the guy below says.

Honestly...as a MCH....if it's a real situation where ballad is needed? A healer should never need ask. They should be keeping tabs on their own DPS/TP, MP, others MP, others TP, DPS, turret positions and rotation.
Same goes for BRD minus pet add some DOT/procs.

[ruskie]

The best bards keep an eye on on the party's status and respond without needing to be told what song to use at every moment, however. Yes, the healer can ask, but if resses are going out and they look low on MP? No shroud icon next to their name? Turn on Ballad. Like the guy below says.

This. Besides being asked, keeping an eye on party resources(MP/TP) is part of our job.

At the same time need to play it smart - are we in the middle of a DPS check - if yes, is there a pressing need for resources? yes/no - if not a DPS check - I'll sing if I see low MP(~30% usually) unless the healers mention they don't need it at that time.
Did the boss just jump - I can sing ballad while doing nothing with no DPS loss.

[Yeol]

I put ballad up when a healer gets raised and also, most of the time when they ask for ballad it's a bit too late.. as soon as I finish casting it healer is dead.

Oh well, I'll get better at reading the situation and act upon it

[Velox]

I put ballad up when a healer gets raised and also, most of the time when they ask for ballad it's a bit too late.. as soon as I finish casting it healer is dead.

If a healer dies, you should already start casting it, even before they accept any rez. Not only is the raiser taking an MP hit, but the raisee only has like 100 MP when they revive and can't heal themselves, so yes they will die unless the other healer heals them up before the next mechanic.

The other uses for Ballad are situational, but a healer dying is the only time when you should always have it up.

[Yeol]

I'll keep that in mind

[zuzu-bq]

You'll feel better the needs of an emergency Ballad if you play healer for a while. Except if you're Summoner, Mage Ballad is needed is moments of mana pressure or on "cooling down" phases. You can play it during a boss jump/transition to prevent the healer's mana to drop or cast when something unexpected happens that require healers to use more mana (death of a player, death of one of healers usually makes the other healer to spend even more mana).

For dungeons if you've a WHM/AST spamming Holy/Gravity play it between pulls! They'll love it.