Bard as a healer?

[Tunda]

Do you agree that Bard fantasy lean more into healer + support than DPS support?

what if SE just release a new Job that fit into bow DPS like ranger and turn Bard more into support healer like astro

[Ayalu]

In general it would fit the Final Fantasy Bard better than the strange mix of archer + bard.
Bard in most incarnations in this Franchise have been Party Support or condition dealer.

When i began the game i didnt even considered that the upgrade to Archer would be Bard well knowlingly that Bard was in the game because "Bow and Arrow" was so far removed from it that i didnt occour to me that this would be the case.

Mind you Archers are rather rare in Final Fantasy and those that exist wouldnt lend itself to FF14 super streamlined style as they are also condition heavy.
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So short answer yes.
A spellcaster/Supporter would be way way closer to what the class is in Final Fantasy.

[Tunda]

In general it would fit the Final Fantasy Bard better than the strange mix of archer + bard.
Bard in most incarnations in this Franchise have been Party Support or condition dealer.

When i began the game i didnt even considered that the upgrade to Archer would be Bard well knowlingly that Bard was in the game because "Bow and Arrow" was so far removed from it that i didnt occour to me that this would be the case.

Mind you Archers are rather rare in Final Fantasy and those that exist wouldnt lend itself to FF14 super streamlined style as they are also condition heavy.
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So short answer yes.
A spellcaster/Supporter would be way way closer to what the class is in Final Fantasy.

I agree 100%, even better if Bard would share EXP with DPS version of Bard same as Summoner and Scholar

[Shikiseki]

I think if we'd get a more "physical" type of healers, Bard could join that group alongside something like a Chemist/Apothecary.

The prime example being FF4's Rosa, despite being a White Mage primarily, has her signature skill Aim instead of something like Pray. They could merge her and Edward as inspiration since they do tend to do that as of late (see Edgar's Machinist, Squall's Gunbreaker, Zidane's Viper and Relm's Pictomancer)

[mallleable]

As someone who plays BRD mostly for the archer/ranger aspects, I think that the way to improve on the job's fantasy is to find the overlaps between archery, and music. On a mechanical level, both involve plucking string be it a bow string or a stringed instrument which it does a mostly good job with its oGCD gameplay. On a more 'vibes' level, the overlap to me is 'rock star.' Robin Hood splitting an arrow in an archery competition could be seen as a rock star move -- really any impressive feats of archery could be seen as a rock star moves. And 'rock star's' association with music should go without saying. Which is to say, I lean more toward BRD being more of a DPS than a 'support' -- despite the history of bard as a class. Also as a musician outside of game, I feel like one should making music for themselves first and foremost -- if you are making music solely for other people, your art will suffer.

[Darkstride]

Bard used to have a healer Limit Break even though it was a DPS.

[Connor]

Bard healer will forever live in my heart (but probably not ffxiv lol)

[Tunda]

Bard healer will forever live in my heart (but probably not ffxiv lol)

to be honest it was a bit weird when i started the game and playing as archer to 30 then switch to bard and still DPS.. I wasn't a fan so I change to arcanist(for scholar)

I like the idea of bard as a healer and enchanter, I wish next expansion square enix focus more into reworking some old stuff improving the classes

[Ayalu]

As someone who plays BRD mostly for the archer/ranger aspects, I think that the way to improve on the job's fantasy is to find the overlaps between archery, and music. On a mechanical level, both involve plucking string be it a bow string or a stringed instrument which it does a mostly good job with its oGCD gameplay. On a more 'vibes' level, the overlap to me is 'rock star.' Robin Hood splitting an arrow in an archery competition could be seen as a rock star move -- really any impressive feats of archery could be seen as a rock star moves. And 'rock star's' association with music should go without saying. Which is to say, I lean more toward BRD being more of a DPS than a 'support' -- despite the history of bard as a class. Also as a musician outside of game, I feel like one should making music for themselves first and foremost -- if you are making music solely for other people, your art will suffer.

Bard is a case were i feel splitting the music and archer aspect would have yieldet better results at the end.
Its a unhappy union atleast thats why i hear often....not exactly that mind you but in spirit.
As you say yourself you care mostly for one aspect.

While i agree making art exclusivly for other isnt good for one self, those art pieces still have an affect on others. So it could work either way.

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in theory they could add a second musician job based on Songstress from FFX-2 and well the general thing that Bards to have the "Sing" Command in other games.
Which would basicly act as Caster/Healer Musician.

[Valence]

No, I do like the current bard using martially inclined archer feats, and I don't understand what's the problem. I even find the bow-harps weapons kind of unique and interesting creatively speaking.