Endgame Bard Even Gear Guide

[QuePsiXI]

Bard Gear by Event - Killing Ifrit

I'm sure most of you clicked this going, "I know this dude isn't about to tell me how to play my job, because I'm a BG poster, which means I'm the best in the whole server; nay, the best ever." Yes, I know. Actually, this is a post I made for KI users almost two years ago, and have kept it up to date sparingly.

Well, I'm back full-timing FF, so I wanted to keep that as a useful resource for upcoming Bards. Whether new to the game, or new to the job, I just want you to be good.

So, if you think it may be useful, check it out, and give feedback. If you are a fellow pro-Bard, and you want to give me suggestions on some of the things I wrote down, reply here or there, and I'll edit there.

Preciate it, God bless, praise Allah, etc.

[Thorny]

I suggest you make an idle set, a casttime- set to equip before casts start, and a set to finish each song with. I then suggest you use the same gear for every event instead of writing an excessively long guide that realistically does nothing for you. If you need to be told what to do at kings, log off and delete your character.

[wop]

Let me summarize,

1) Check debuffs are on
2) Check party buffs are on
3) Support heal if /whm, if BLM, go afk after ES troub Elegy and songs

This game is not rocket science, if players can't figure our what gear to use by now, go quit.

[Viq]

Yes, I know. Actually, this is a post I made for KI users almost two years ago

Leave it there.

[Olo401]

You've got a lot of updating to do, that's all I'll say.

[Antithesis]

Bard Gear by Event - Killing Ifrit

I'm sure most of you clicked this going, "I know this dude isn't about to tell me how to play my job, because I'm a BG poster, which means I'm the best in the whole server; nay, the best ever." Yes, I know. Actually, this is a post I made for KI users almost two years ago, and have kept it up to date sparingly.

Well, I'm back full-timing FF, so I wanted to keep that as a useful resource for upcoming Bards. Whether new to the game, or new to the job, I just want you to be good.

So, if you think it may be useful, check it out, and give feedback. If you are a fellow pro-Bard, and you want to give me suggestions on some of the things I wrote down, reply here or there, and I'll edit there.

Preciate it, God bless, praise Allah, etc.

That thread is purely for informative reasons. Not to tell you "this is what you should wear and only this."

[Rugazanami]

All a Bard needs is:
1) HP down set to activate Minstrel's Ring
2) Song spellcasting -%/Fast Cast gear to start songs with
3) Skill gear to switch to before buff songs finish
4) CHR gear to switch to before debuffs finish (the staple ~120 CHR padded with skill...though not sure if this is necessary)
5) Gear with damage taken -% and defense to idle in

[QuePsiXI]

Don't sweat it Anti, I've been to BG before. Like I said, everybody here knows everything. I was just trying to help players looking to improve, and I was hoping that someone here would want to do the same. But the tough internet guys(hi Viq) have decided against it.

So "thanks" guys, lol. (And a real thank you Rug for offering something useful without preaching some bs elitism to me)

[Bakthi]

This is...and I'm trying to mean this constructively...the type of equipment guide I tend to not use. You have a bunch of stuff for each slot, but nothing to indicate why one might want one piece over another. I don't really think this helps people make decisions.

Edit: to be more clear, look at a guide like this:

http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Su...ide_by_Alamoth

I'm not holding this up as a shining example, but this is the sort of thing I'm talking about. Notes for some pieces describing why you might want them. It's hardly perfect, but I think it gives a general idea.

I'm going to go with what Thorny said, except more. I realize that BRD can be effective with very little effort put into it, but for people who want to put effort into it, you will notice even if nobody else does. If you have any other jobs you're actually allowed to play, though, you might want to focus on those first.

- Idle set with refresh, regen, -damage taken
- A set to start casting songs with Fast Cast and -songcast
- A set to finish casting buffs with enough +wind and +singing to cap Blade Madrigal and hit as high of a Victory March tier as you can.
- A set for debuffs with a good balance of CHR and +skill. Sadly, BRD testing is kind of lacking, so you get to figure this out for yourself.

Those are what I hope everyone has, although I understand if mule BRDs don't really have a great buff set. This is more stuff that I have and think is extremely useful:

- A real Stoneskin set. You can get close to cap without carrying a ton of extra stuff. If you want extra credit, get a Stone Gorget.
- A haste set that lets you reliably land sleep on (lesser) mobs and have it ready again ASAP. Also for casting Utsusemi, and for using Finale.
- An HP down set to activate Minstrel's Ring.
- A melee set so you can rip hate off gimp PLDs in Campaign Battle and make them quit the game (sadly, they will not actually quit the game). Also good for skilling up staff during Reactionary Ramparts so that you don't fall asleep.

More importantly than any of these: put one merit each into Nightingale and Troubadour so that the other BRDs and party leaders aren't killing themselves waiting for your slow ass when buffing for DL or Einherjar bosses. Please.

[Antithesis]

Don't sweat it Anti, I've been to BG before. Like I said, everybody here knows everything. I was just trying to help players looking to improve, and I was hoping that someone here would want to do the same. But the tough internet guys(hi Viq) have decided against it.

So "thanks" guys, lol. (And a real thank you Rug for offering something useful without preaching some bs elitism to me)

BG doesn't know everything. I don't know where people get this idea from; Really. :/

[QuePsiXI]

Thanks Bakthi. I see your point, although I will counter with the fact that my guide is not the guide to rule them all. There's some how to play threads over there, a gear by level guide, etc. My sticky iirc is the most recent(or 2nd) precisely because I was trying to fill a gap as far as us Bards who were provinding information.

I know it's the internet, etc., but to say I provided nothing as far as why one piece is preferred is wrong. As a matter of fact, I omitted that much hand holding because I didn't want it to be that much longer; can't really win with you all, good thing I'm not trying to.

Now as far as the additional gear sets, and when to use them, I'll eventually add those. As far as a set for casting debuffs that takes into effect Chr and +skill, you may want to figure this out for yourself, because we already have some idea about what to do. Obviously I could care less about DD Bard, most people don't do that, and those who do don't need my help in gearing.

I can tell that you really turned down your belittling for this post, and I appreciate the effort. I definitely don't appreciate the subtle insinuations and inferences you made, but again, why post on BG expecting only friendliness? I know better. So all in all, thanks for the input that was helpful.

Edit: Eww I missed the t in Event. And I can't edit it. Failure.

[Viq]

Don't start off your thread by insulting the entirety of the forum you're posting on. You might actually get helpful responses that way.

[Bakthi]

I can tell that you really turned down your belittling for this post, and I appreciate the effort. I definitely don't appreciate the subtle insinuations and inferences you made, but again, why post on BG expecting only friendliness? I know better. So all in all, thanks for the input that was helpful.

I had something longer written in response to this, but honestly, I think I have to just say "WTF?" I don't understand these words.

[Thorny]

Your guide has gear prioritized differently for each event when realistically one good set of swaps will function fine for ALL events as I stated in my first post. I cannot think of any situation that bard will need to make any drastic changes to gear sets when changing events(balrahns idle for salvage but that's about it). Your guide is useless because it's drawn out and not particularly helpful.. one in-depth list of which gear is best for idle, starting casts, ending casts, etc would be far more helpful(and listing tasks for each event is kind of lame as well).

[FailureMidgard]

Minstrel's ring not listed in the merit section...single most important piece of gear there is...

[QuePsiXI]

Don't start off your thread by insulting the entirety of the forum you're posting on. You might actually get helpful responses that way.

Reread the OP, and quote me where I "started" the thread insulting. Then, read your first response. Finally, shut the hell up. You tried to be funny, now you want to backpedal and act innocent. Make up your mind.

@FM, you are absolutely right, I used it all the time before I quit, and I plan to rebuy one when I get off work today. Definitely my mistake for missing that. In fact, I'm going to put that in more than just XP. Thank you sir or ma'am.

@Bakthi, I didn't understand where you were going about having other jobs and playing them. Wasn't sure if you were insinuating I didn't know what I was doing so I should do something else, wasn't sure if you were saying new Bards shouldn't bother to play it. So ignore that other part, again, what I did recognize as an attempt to constructively criticize, I truly appreciate.

@Thorny, my guide is useless to you, which is fine, and may mean that it's not very helpful to certain others. Now, try saying that the first time instead of trying to be a dick just because "that's what we're supposed to do here." It was stickied and edited for readability(it used to have pretty tabs and colors and a naked chick) while I was on maybe a 2-month break, so it was helpful to someone. That's why I made a thread asking for people to help me make it better. But I might be wasting my time expecting you to know how to interact socially with someone else, so I'll instead commend you for pwning me with your obvious superiority. You certainly are the man, people talk about you all the time.

@Future repliers: Seriously, don't do me any favors. If you want to help, help. If you want to be a jerk, then we can battle over the internet for written supremacy. Just stick with one please, I don't like fake people. And please, wait until after 5PM EST, so I can type freely and openly.

[Deimos]

Pattern not found: gomlek
Pattern not found: minstrel's
Pattern not found: chanter's
Pattern not found: piper's
Pattern not found: grip
Pattern not found: trollbane
Pattern not found: oracle's

This thread is much more useful: http://www.bluegartr.com/forum/70006...equipment.html

[Milkster]

Wut? What is this, I don't even. I mean if people had questions plenty of threads already made out there. Search functions are useful.

[Thorny]

I like this guy. He gets me.

[QuePsiXI]

My maaaaan Milkster. Thanks for gracing me with your presence again. AND YOU USED A MEME, AWESOME!

Wut? What is this, I don't even. I mean if people had questions plenty of threads already made out there. Search functions are useful.

Stickies are useful too, especially when they are updated or improved upon. Do you even now? Am I doing it right? My man Milkster.

Thank you Deimos, I did forget a whole lot of those. Whoever from earlier is right, I have a lot of updating to do.