The Oath of the Competent Archer

[KirinNight]

Tanks and healers of Eorzea, it has sadly come to the attention of many archers that we have something of a bad reputation in the community. While certainly there will always be bad archers, you should know that we are not all the same! That there are those among us that won't pull aggro, die, and blame the tank. That there are those among us that do more than autoattack. That there are those among us that have played MMOs before, and have functioning braincells!

For you, I offer: The Oath of the Competent Archer

1. I WILL count to three before unloading on the tank's target.
2. I WILL use Quelling Strikes.
3. I WILL run towards the tank if I draw aggro, not away from him/her.
4. I WILL NOT just spam Quick Nock on everything.
5. I WILL use Quelling Strikes.
6. I WILL NOT pull for "slow" tanks.
7. I WILL monitor my aggro, and ease off if my threat gets too high.
8. I WILL use Quelling Strikes.
9. I WILL switch targets and kill adds, especially if they are attacking the healer.
10. And above all, I WILL NOT complain about Bard. We knew DPS-Support was what we were signing up for!

Thank you for putting up with our more embarrassing kin. The rest of us will do our best to make your pugs as painless as possible!

[NintenPyjak64]

1. I WILL count to three before unloading on the tank's target.
2. I WILL use Quelling Strikes.
5. I WILL use Quelling Strikes.
7. I WILL monitor my aggro, and ease off if my threat gets too high.
8. I WILL use Quelling Strikes.

Thank you for putting up with our kin. We will do our best to make your pugs as painless as possible!

A good way to alleviate this is fully buffing before the fight. I have 6 buffs I cast on myself during level 50 content (with quelling strike being in there) so that gives the tank enough time to build hate while I'm buffing so my early damage burst won't steal hate.

[reaver84]

I usually hold off on the DPS bomb for a few seconds while the tank gets a few hits in. I just got Quelling Strikes last night so I'll have to test the waters with it.

With the moments I do pull aggro, I stop attacking altogether. Thankfully that doesn't happen too often. I think the Tank has a responsibility of holding aggro as much as I do to not draw it.

[Madeleine]

I usually do all of those you listed. Fantastic list too. Even with following those though it still seems that people are quick to blame the archer/ bard. I think maybe that mindset comes from other games. Though I haven't been in a group with another bard let alone an awful one.

[Finalvalkyrie]

Support? No. Bards are best DPS. If someone in the group asks me to song I tell them to fuck off and they should play better.

Everything else, cool beans.

[MusouMugen]

I find it funny when healer guildie complains about bards all the time on TS...omg, 2 bards and not 1 MP regen at "insert primal" when she's pugging it.

Or when I, as melee DPS, have to chase around after an silly (silly as in nonlethal) add that the archer is kiting is also fun.

[NintenPyjak64]

Support? No. Bards are best DPS. If someone in the group asks me to song I tell them to fuck off and they should play better.

Everything else, cool beans.

I still top DPS even with songs active. Your argument is invalid

[MusouMugen]

Support? No. Bards are best DPS. If someone in the group asks me to song I tell them to fuck off and they should play better.

Everything else, cool beans.

So even if you have a skill that does something for other classes you don't want to use it? I hope some healer sees this and stops healing you, just coz...play better and avoid damage yo, after all you can move and pewpew at the same time.

[Soniccus]

Support? No. Bards are best DPS. If someone in the group asks me to song I tell them to fuck off and they should play better.

Everything else, cool beans.

I feel sorry for any group you are part of.

[Vydos]

My one and only(and also biggest) gripe with bard/archer is...Well, let's put it this way. You're a mobile dps class who can run, jump, dance, grab a tea and still deal damage. How in the hell are some of you getting caught by easy to dodge AoE attacks from bosses. You have advantage of mobility >_<.

(Doesn't happen that much though, but every time I come across one. I just want to /facepalm hard.)