Is there an up to date BARD Guide?

[StringKing]

I did PUG first to 15 then trekked my ass to Gridiana and I am lvl 25 Archer now. I have been focusing on DEX, STR and Piety for now but now really sure where I should be spending these points.

So questions,
15 Pugilist enough?
Do I do the lvl 30 archer quest?
Where do I go to learn the Bard Job it self?
What cross skills do I need for sure?
Do I start as a lvl 1 Bard?

There are lots of others but a decent guide would answer them.

[LunarEmerald]

All your points should go towards DEX. No exceptions.

Yes.
Yes.
South Shroud. You'll be instructed to go there.
Second Wind, Internal Release, Invigorate and Blood for Blood
No. Bard and Archer share levels.

[blessed]

Q: what should i do first for Bard?
Disciples of the Land or Disciples of the Hand?

thank you

[StringKing]

Thanks for the advice, I was wondering why I got a song as Archer around lvl 24 or so.

I am just doing gathering at the moment. I hear crafting doesn't really make much money atm.

[Torlad]

This is probably the most up to date guide you are going to currently find on the bard's skills and dps rotation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jroShOcsfHM

[AzelDarkfire]

http://www.ffxivinfo.com/guides/bard.php

[HecatesLover]

The written guide is bad. Lead with Bloodletter? It is an off GCD. You use it between abilities while on GCD or you are wasting animation time. Lead with Straight Shot for the crit buff > Bloodletter when GCD is about half. Straight shot's minimum animation will have passed by now and Bloodletter will activate. With Bloodletter used that early its minimum animation will pass before the GCD is finished so you lose no time. I go Windbite next since its per tick DoT is stronger and then I use Venomous Bite. On boss fights I squeeze the self buffs in between GCDs since they themselves are off GCD abilities with a minimum animation.

The basic rotation is a priority system not a set order of attacks for Bard. Heres the priority list I use with Misery's End and Bloodletter left out as it is assumed you use them between GCD's every chance you get.

Straight Shot Buff
Windbite DoT
Venomous Bite DoT
Straight Shot autocrit
Heavy Shot

[Bardo]

The written guide is bad. Lead with Bloodletter? It is an off GCD. You use it between abilities while on GCD or you are wasting animation time.

Actually, I don't think the animation matters. Make a macro that fires Bloodletter then immediately straightshot and press it once. Watch your battle log and you should see the damage happens for both skills even though it looks like the bloodletter animation cancelled.

That said, I think it's still optimal to lead with Straight Shot so that your Bloodletter and dots gets the 10% crit buff. (as the critical chance of each tick is determined by what buffs you have up at the time of application, not the time of the tick)

[HecatesLover]

You misunderstand me. I know if an animation gets canceled the attack still goes through. However every attack has a minimum animation time before another can be activated. So if you lead with Bloodletter you must wait that bit before you can trigger another attack. If you use Bloodletter between GCDs though you don't lose that time.

[Bardo]

When you say: "Lead with Straight Shot for the crit buff > Bloodletter when GCD is about half." -- You strongly imply you think the animation matters.
There's no reason to wait until GCD is about half.
Optimally you just jam on it to get it to fire as fast as possible.

We're in agreement that the guide doesn't follow an optimal opener, I just think the way you went about explaining it was ever so slightly misleading.

The easiest way to go about it (in my opinion) is with 4 macros.
#1

/macroicon "Straight Shot"
/ac "Straight Shot" <t>
/ac "Misery's End" <t>
/ac "Bloodletter" <t>

#2

/macroicon "Windbite"
/ac "Windbite" <t>
/ac "Misery's End" <t>
/ac "Bloodletter" <t>

#3

/macroicon "Venomous Bite"
/ac "Venomous Bite" <t>
/ac "Misery's End" <t>
/ac "Bloodletter" <t>

#4

/macroicon "Heavy Shot"
/ac "Misery's End" <t>
/ac "Bloodletter" <t>
/ac "Haymaker" <t>
/ac "Heavy Shot" <t>

Then you never have to touch Misery's End, Bloodletter, or Haymaker. You just jam on 4 buttons and prioritizing them is cake.