Tips for Playing Bard?

[HyoMinPark]

To supplement:

--DoTs snapshot any buffs that you are using and any buffs that are given to you via other party members (Balance, Trick Attack, Battle Litany, etc.). Once you learn Iron Jaws (level 56), refreshing and snapshotting buffed DoTs becomes much easier. Refresh/snapshot your DoTs when Raging Strikes has about 2-3 seconds remaining, and after that, it's just upkeep. Do your best not to let your DoTs fall off, as they are extremely important to a BRD's overall DPS.

--Song priority for single targets: The Wanderer's Minuet > Mage's Ballad > Army's Paeon (clip 10 seconds early)
--Song priority for multiple targets: Mage's Ballad > Army's Paeon > The Wanderer's Minuet (while facing multiple targets, I personally do not clip Army's 10 seconds early; I only clip it early for single targets)

--Always line up Raging Strikes with The Wanderer's Minuet. Both have 80 second cooldowns, so they line up nicely. Minuet is your burst song (due to Pitch Perfect), so always use your self-buff to further supplement your own burst.

--While singing the Wanderer's Minuet: use Pitch Perfect only at 3 stacks, spending any remaining stacks when Minuet has 2-3 seconds remaining. Strategic use of Empyreal Arrow after acquiring your Enhanced Empyreal Arrow trait (level 68) is a good way to ensure a 3-stack Pitch Perfect.

--Do not hold on to Barrage excessively. Barrage will not always line up with Raging Strikes, so do not hold it for RS, as excessively delaying results in an overall DPS loss due to less Barrage usage overall during the course of a fight. Try to use Barrage within a couple GCDs of it coming off cooldown. Barrage + Refulgent Arrow is a beautiful thing (especially while under the effect of Raging Strikes), but do not excessively fish for RA procs. Same thing for Straighter Shot procs. If you do not get the proc you need, pair Barrage with Empyreal Arrow (after level 54) or Heavy Shot (before level 54).

--While singing Mage's Ballad: after acquiring your Enhanced Empyreal Arrow trait at level 68, be sure that Bloodletter/Rain of Death are on cooldown before using Empyreal to force an extra proc. Using EA with Bloodletter or Rain of Death off cooldown is an overall DPS loss.

--Rain of Death is more potent against 2+ mobs than Bloodletter. So use it when facing more than one mob (Bloodletter is 130 potency, and Rain of Death is 100 potency per target).

--When facing multiple enemies, DoT 3-5 enemies for more Repertoire procs during your songs; do this especially while singing Mage's Ballad to continuously proc Rain of Death for more AOE amazingness (BRDs still have really good AOE even with the removal of our continuous River of Blood trait and Flaming Arrow). Repertoire procs are all dependent on critical damage over time dealt by a BRD's DoTs, so spreading them to multiple targets is not only an overall DPS gain, but an excellent way to have a steady influx of procs.

--Recommended cross-role skills: Refresh and Tactician (absolutely mandatory), Palisade (good defensive cooldown for a tank against physical damage), Invigorate (TP is good to have during AOE-heavy spells), Second Wind (can't go wrong with self-healing). Peloton is good for dungeons to increase movement speed between packs. The other skills are purely situational, and overall not as useful as your 3 support role abilities.


Do not worry so much about your DPS at the lower levels. The more you level and the more skilled you become as a BRD, you will notice your overall DPS increasing. BRDs are in a very good spot, damage-wise, in endgame content. Just manage your songs and upkeep all your DoTs and self-buffs, and you will be on the road to becoming an amazing, powerful BRD. Don't forget your primary function of supporting your party members though! We may be DPS, but we are also the job with the most party support utility in the game, so be sure to use every support tool in your arsenal!

If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask! ^^ I'm always willing to extend advice to aspiring BRDs to help them become amazing. ^^


Source: BRD main, now and forever. <3