BRD Questions

[tarutarusauce]

I would like some advice on BRD. I am kinda confused as to which to gear towards.

Do I use CHR+ gear for debuffs and/or Singing/Wind+ gear? I have read somewhere that you should have 110-120 CHR and then get +skill gear for the other slots if possible.

[Akairyu]

I've been considering starting bard recently and I've been wondering the same thing myself. I know there's tiers to the effectiveness of bard spells like March but I've been unable to dig up any information on what those tiers are... A link to something explaining that would be great...

[Gergall]

The quick and easy answer is that you should max out all your +skills first, and then put CHR on whatever other pieces you have left and you should be fine.

I don't have time for a more complex answer, but the forum search feature is your friend. Kaeko has a thread listing all the tiers for Victory March.

[Mafai]

http://www.bluegartr.com/forum/52417...ste-topic.html

[Ultimagi]

For Elegy and Lullaby, you should equip whatever you can get the most of in each slot.
For March you should be maximizing your skill.
For all songs, you should start in Fast Cast equipment and switch to potency or accuracy before it finishes.

Edit: Most of skill, charisma, and magic accuracy.

[Valyana]

For debuffs:

If you can get at least twice as much CHR as skill/macc in a slot, use that (Jester's Cape +1, Errant/Osode/AF+1 body).

If you can get at least as much skill/macc as CHR in a slot, use that.

120 is an approximation for the point when CHR goes from being as effective as skill/macc to only being half as effective on HNMs. For lower level mobs, that point will come at a lower CHR value.

For buffs, CHR is useless. Different songs need different amounts of +skill to cap; Victory March doesn't cap, Blade Madrigal needs +58 skill to cap, Minuet IV needs +12.

[Kaeko]

The quick and easy answer is that you should max out all your +skills first, and then put CHR on whatever other pieces you have left and you should be fine.

I don't have time for a more complex answer, but the forum search feature is your friend. Kaeko has a thread listing all the tiers for Victory March.

I assume you meant Kirschy but yea her Haste Topic Thread is where I would go for anything related to Haste or Slow effects.

[tarutarusauce]

For debuffs:

If you can get at least twice as much CHR as skill/macc in a slot, use that (Jester's Cape +1, Errant/Osode/AF+1 body).

If you can get at least as much skill/macc as CHR in a slot, use that.

120 is an approximation for the point when CHR goes from being as effective as skill/macc to only being half as effective on HNMs. For lower level mobs, that point will come at a lower CHR value.

For buffs, CHR is useless. Different songs need different amounts of +skill to cap; Victory March doesn't cap, Blade Madrigal needs +58 skill to cap, Minuet IV needs +12.

Should I use Nereid Rings for debuffs (Elegy and Lullaby) over Angel's Rings?

Also what is your take on the Singing and Wind earrings. They are pretty expensive, but if they improve debuffing over current (Melody +1s) I will start farming for them.

[revelat10n]

Should I use Nereid Rings for debuffs (Elegy and Lullaby) over Angel's Rings?

Also what is your take on the Singing and Wind earrings. They are pretty expensive, but if they improve debuffing over current (Melody +1s) I will start farming for them.

I use Singing/Musical and Omega/Nereid for debuffs. Angel is prolly better than Nereid for debuffs, but inventory limitations kept me from getting one. I wouldn't bother with Wind earring unless you can't get Musical.

[Valyana]

I also use Musical/Singing. And Omega/Balrahn for debuffs. The choice of Angel vs Nereid depends on how much CHR/skill you have elsewhere and how many rings you're willing to carry around; if you have plenty of CHR Nereid is probably better, but if you're using AF+1 legs and Oracle boots and skill earrings you might want to put some CHR on your rings.

[Asmoranomar]

During leveling you can focus on CHR and while slowly trying to acquire Skill/MACC gear - you'll prolly be level synching anyways and CHR (if anything) would be the only thing to transfer over.

75+merits you'll want to even it out a bit. I know it was said to focus on Skill/MACC then CHR - while for the most part true - you can go overboard. Having a good balance is the key. *IF* MACC works the same way as it does on BLM, 120 CHR(INT for BLM) is the number at which adding more CHR would create diminishing returns on *HNM*. After that, you can simply focus on Skill/MACC (so basically a combination of what was said above). Don't forget you can eat food and brd has the useful ability to sing CHR songs on ourselves.

Your actual needs will be dependent upon what you plan to do with BRD (merit only? HNM?) and your play style. This might also direct what types of gear to get first - as a merit only BRD might just want to focus on -song spellcasting first.

Also - If you want to use string (yes i know...lolstring it up), you should focus on its main property (range) and equip as much string gear as possible. String range is based on song level and your string skill. This is useful for getting wide area ballads during dynamis and such - if your into that sort of thing.

Above all else: HQ staves (for debuffing of course).

[ryskar]

You really should have string skilled, if just for horde. Go to sea, find some T hpemdes and spam threnody.

[Mariote]

i have a question, now that i find this thread... what would be more interesting to use for debuffs... a kirin osode + bard's roundlet, or an ixion cloak?

[Asmoranomar]

i have a question, now that i find this thread... what would be more interesting to use for debuffs... a kirin osode + bard's roundlet, or an ixion cloak?

It largely depends on your build. You can't compare one piece to another, you have to know what the pieces do to your entire build.

Obviously the osode+roundlet is going to give you more CHR than the ix cloak alone. Whether you need the extra CHR, or shed/exchange it for Skill/MACC elsewhere, is up to you.

If you care about marches, your going to want the roundlet anyways...

[Mariote]

thanks for answer. well imo, those 2 chr loss is not a problem, because chr is already high enough, so i was wondering what was better directly, 5 m.acc or 5 singing skill :/

[ryskar]

edit: meh, speaks for itself, nevermind.

[Valyana]

I believe macc and singing will be equivalent, so the only difference is the 2 CHR.

[Mariote]

I believe macc and singing will be equivalent, so the only difference is the 2 CHR.

well if that's true.... would be interesting ^^ it's a pity this things in bard are hard to try.... ty anyway^^

[tarutarusauce]

I have a quick question about gear swaps.

I swap in the Gomlek while casting and then switch to Errant body before song is done.

Does the same thing work if I swap in Walahra Turban at the start and then switch it out to Demon Helm?

Just not sure when haste and fast cast gets applied.

[Thunder]

Recast is calculated by whatever gear you have at the end of the cast(wont work with walahra).
Fast cast and song casting time- is applied at the beginning.