Questions

[Soulpieced]

If anyone has any bard related questions, feel free to ask.

[StrayRogue]

Why do bards always wear stupid colours? And why the hell is there more and more and more Mods these days?

[Edited on 28-9-03 by StrayRogue]

[theotherjohn]

any way for a bard to get old other than being a locksmith?

[StrayRogue]

OK, an actual question, what spells does each of the lores effect? And what lvl does one become pretty much a decent Loresinger (I presume no skills are involved in this in GS3 or 4, correct)?

[theotherjohn]

my question was a serious one. I understand everyone haves problems with griffins. Just wondering if there was a way cause Soulpie is in a group by himself. then comes Bone, BB and the others.

[StrayRogue]

What about Quivalin? I heard he managed to get through the area?

And I also recall a post by SP himself saying that OTF was too easy for him...

[theotherjohn]

it is easy. all except the griffins knockdown manuever. Tarakan and Soulpie have complained long about it. Myself I just implode everything.

[Soulpieced]

OTF *was* a problem until the most recent group of changes. The difficulty was unreal when the area first opened (I was about 130). But currently with lucksong and the lowering of TD's, the area was pretty much a joke. I stopped hunting at.... 149 because I could sleep anything and it was like hunting kiramon again with a little bit of danger. The other old bards hunting the area, Quivalin, Bonehitter, Faegil, and Heartpierced, can straight up hunt because they have good gear. And Quivalin is a dark elf so his CS is about 30 higher than any of the others. Hence he can actually use 1030 to hunt instead of swinging.

Now, without any picking under the current system, the oldest you can get straight off hunting is 154 or so, because there simply aren't enough straight up griffins to get past clear at that age. So you'd be hunting for a while.

Currently Loresinging is probably useless until you're level 15 or 20, but you could probably sing to gems starting as early as 5.

[StrayRogue]

And what does each of the lores do? Which spells do they effect, and how?

[Soulpieced]

No documentation regarding the lores on bardsongs for GSIV has been released yet. Shocking huh.

[Drew2]

I have a question! Yey!

Can anyone (Soulpieced) explain the workings of Sonic Armor, Blade, and Shield?

I know you can choose the weapon and AsG of the Armor, but what decides the enchant? Skill in Bard circle? Trains?

[edited because i are stoopid]

[Edited on 9-28-2003 by Tayre]

[Bobmuhthol]

Sonic Shield

Mana Cost: 9/4, renewable. Left hand must be free. The sonic shield can be destroyed when struck by weapons on a weapon clash. Shield has a bonus of 10 + 1/2 songs known (max +50). Like all songs, the shield will fade if the bard cannot renew it (stunned, held, etc.) This is likely to get you very, very dead. The shield cannot be dropped, exchanged with another player, or stowed (to pick something up, for instance- when singing 1009 and 1012, you need to stop singing one song and restart it at full cost to retrieve an item from the ground).


Sonic Weapon

Mana Cost: 12/4, renewable. Weapon has the bonus of ora (+10) +1/2 songs known, with a maximum bonus of +50, and has disruption flares. Nearly any weapon can be created by this spell (the default is a falchion). To create a different weapon, invoke the spell with SING WHIP (for example).


Sonic Armor

Mana Cost: 14 to start, 5 to renew. Armor is +15 +1/2 songs known, capped at +50. The sonic barrier also has resistance against certain magical attacks, such as electricity, heat, and cold, but is susceptible to impact, such as falling from a great distance. Usage: SING <number> The singer can specify the armor sub-group when casting by including the number of that group. Default armor is full leather.

[Drew2]

Thanks Bob.

Ora isn't 2x. imflass is.

But thanks, and I'm guessing you didn't write that anyway.

[Bobmuhthol]

It was poorly written so I changed a little, but no I didn't write it.

Ora is +10, imflass is +12. Ora = 2x. Imflass = 2.4x.

[Drew2]

I want to believe you're wrong...

Mithril is 1x, Ora is 1.4 (or whatever), Imflass is 2, Glaes is 3x, Vultite 4x.

[Bobmuhthol]

Mithril +5
Ora +10
Imflass +12
Glaes +15
Vaalorn +18
Vultite +20

[Drew2]

Ok fine!

[Soulpieced]

The sonics will be capped at 7x (+35) in GSIV. Such a waste.

[Carl Spackler]

thats dumb

[Trinitis]

Yes, I have a question for you Soulpeiced. I'm interested in making a bard who will be great at hunting (edged/shield) and very good to great at gem singing. I've made a few bards in my day, the oldest reached level 10! Woohoo!

Any ideas? :)

-Adredrin

[StrayRogue]

I've got a good plan for a GS4 edged/shield bard. Contrary to what SP says, I have read that Manipulation lore will effect gem-singing, so he is pretty much singled in that.

[StrayRogue]

Its one of the four sub-lores in the Mental sphere. Transference will most likely be used in Travellers Song as well (purely a guess).

[StrayRogue]

Phase 2 I would guess, similar to when Empaths are getting nerfed...er I mean changed :D

[Soulpieced]

Well, some of the lores "preliminary useges" have been released, though none have been set in stole, only that they "will aid" spell xxx. Also, it's going to be a lot harder to train a bard to be really good at hunting because there is so much extra crap to train in now. That being dodge, losing ambush ranks, CM being too expensive to double with all the new skills, etc.

[StrayRogue]

CM never was meant to be doubled, wasn't it?

My own bard has the following training:
1x Armor
1x Shield
1x CM
1x Pt
1x Dodge
1x Spell
1x Mental Lore
1x Harness Power

.5x Trading
.5x Survival
.5x Pick Pocketing.

25 ranks each of MIU, Arcane Symbols, Swim and Climb

[Soulpieced]

Technically not, but basically since the beginning of time, a few bards (Faegil, Oghier, Sophokles, myself) have been dedicated CM doublers with the outlook to have the highest AS possible. Making (warriors') swings look pathetic. But this was also done because generally bards didn't have enough ambush, and needed to hit things as hard as possible in order to kill. Here is what my current skillset looks like in the test game.

.

Armor Use..........................| 200 100
Shield Use.........................| 201 101
Combat Maneuvers...................| 263 163
Edged Weapons......................| 302 202
Ambush.............................| 140 40
Multi Opponent Combat..............| 50 10
Physical Fitness...................| 200 100
Dodging............................| 176 76
Arcane Symbols.....................| 105 25
Magic Item Use.....................| 120 30
Harness Power......................| 201 101
Elemental Lore - Air...............| 25 5
Survival...........................| 50 10 10
Disarming Traps....................| 140 40
Picking Locks......................| 140 40
Stalking and Hiding................| 120 30
Perception.........................| 140 40
Climbing...........................| 105 25
Swimming...........................| 105 25
First Aid..........................| 50 10
Trading............................| 105 25

[StrayRogue]

Well, I'd drop CM to singled personally, though of course it is your choice. I just feel its a bit off that you moan about the costs when seemingly you are going a mutant route of training.

[theotherjohn]

Hey SP why 40 ranks in pick? I thought 36 was the ideal rank for learning off small (landing) boxes

[Soulpieced]

Can use a golvern pick at 40 ranks, and also get up to somewhat difficult, and even some moderately difficult (-340 or so). And that seems to do me better than only being able to get tricky and somewhat difficult as a max (without lore).

[Snapp]

Just a few questions myself.. may sound stupid..but why so many Phys Fitness? is that for redux? and Why the elemental lore-air?

[Soulpieced]

Elemental air is "slated" to "aid" with sonic equipment (1009, 1012, 1014). Physical fitness is a cheap redux skill, though I don't think it's possible to test your redux using the calculator anymore because of crits being separated from damage. I could be wrong.

[AestheticDeath]

1030 renewal costs...

I asked Gnimble, and most likely got a very straight forward and simple answer. But for some reason I still dont understand.

My question was why my renewal costs was changing from 10 to 20 and back again. I cannot seem to figure out the thing changing.

His answer was: Every time you sing the song and it isn't in the "song cycle" as noted by song status, this is the first cast. Once it's in the song cycle, it can be cast again at a reduced rate. So, 30/20 and 15/10

But I am still confused. When I first went out and started pummeling things with it, it costs me 30 mana.. then 10 mana per renewal. Then I noticed it costing 20 mana. And I don't see what if anything changed.

Went back out later, and was immediately getting 20 mana renewals - even though it was listed under my song status as a song being sung. Couldnt get the 10 mana renewal.

Reading the official stuff seems to make me believe I was only getting 10 mana renewals when i was hitting one creature. Though what I typed was never different. It was always renew 1030. Not sing creature or whatever. And it was 20 mana whether it was one creature or two.

So what am I not understanding here?

And is it worth it for my bard to use finger cymbols or something while hunting? It would get rid of my parry DS from brawling. How much does it improve the damage?

[AestheticDeath]

Hmm, just figured out renew 1030, will cost 20 mana. And Incant 1030 will cost 10 mana. If you are already singing it.

Weird is it supposed to be like this?

And I seem to have to prepare the spell before I can sing at a target.

[SAP060170]

Wow... Quivalin is still around? I seem to remember hunting with him before either of us were titled. Maybe not... wow, it's been a long time. Anyway, it's a familiar name - like Soulpieced. Hi Soulpieced!

[Kitsun]

Wow... Quivalin is still around? I seem to remember hunting with him before either of us were titled. Maybe not... wow, it's been a long time. Anyway, it's a familiar name - like Soulpieced. Hi Soulpieced!

This thread was bumped from four years ago, so it might not be so. I was wondering why old cranky SP would be offering bardic advice. This was from when he wasn't as old and cranky.

[SAP060170]

Oh wow, I didn't notice the date on the initial post. Weird.

[Clipt]

What is the usual bard tanking stat? I am THINKING intuition or wisdom but probably wrong. Any help will be appreciated.

[Soulpieced]

I'd argue constitution but I'm a giant..

[Clipt]

Half-Krolvin, still say con?

[Savageheart]

Con

[Blud]

I have a stupid question.

Whenever I get a bard to sing to an item for me, he actually sings...Does he really have to do that? How does it work, I mean is there some sort of logic to how his verses rhyme that makes it successful?

Here's an example:

"And now, runestaff, do so confide within me,
Whether blind or obvious, the purpose you see."

Voice and vision intertwine in a dizzying array of color and tone. You find yourself inside a small one-room cabin. The elderly gnome from the forest path sits in a rocking chair with a whittling knife. Across his lap rests a large branch of ebonwood which he is carefully smoothing, tapering and shaping into a well balanced and beautiful staff. Working at an astonishing speed, he carves a sinister claw at the top end of the staff. A discordant note rises between you and the staff, pushing you into darkness. After a moment, the darkness lifts and you notice with a start that your surroundings have shifted.

[Bobmuhthol]

Loresinging does require a song, yes. You have to use keywords (purpose, here) for the system to recognize that it's a legitimate song. But I used to do the most inane shit possible, just because it worked.

[Blud]

That's awesome. So you can make up any song you want, as long as it can be recognized by the system as a loresong?

So do certain keywords cause different effects?

[Bobmuhthol]

There's a certain order to it. I remember being able to skip the first property but I'm sure someone is going to say you can't.

I don't remember the exact pattern, but it was something like value, purpose, magic, special abilities. Value tells you weight and approximate worth, purpose tells you what it does, magic will tell you enchant or any imbedded magic, and special ability will tell you if it's weighted/padded, flares, enchanted by wizard, etc.

[Clipt]

I'd argue constitution but I'm a giant..


Con


Appreciate it.

[Outdrsyguy1]

Can anyone point me in the direction of information on playing instruments and the bonuses associated for casting and defense and such?

[Outdrsyguy1]

bueller?

[Stunseed]

Calculations for highest Bard CS utilizing MnE?

127 Bard + 75 MnE = 202 spells?

[Fallen]

I know 74 still gives sorcerers the full CS bonus. Perhaps it is the same for bards.

[Outdrsyguy1]

do bards get bonuses to cs while playing instruments, or just to the damage?

[Savageheart]

Just as a side note to Loresinging, "the focus words" really mean nothing unless you are trying to obtain specific information out of order.

A loresong will give you information in the following order no matter what you sing as long as you have the item type (if its a chewed dog toy.. toy will do) in any verse but the last. (I have honestly never put the item's name in the last verse it could work, I'm just not sure that it does.) Value/Purpose/Magic/Special Ability.

I generally run four lines (per song) and mix the item in any one of the first three for four loresongs. But then, I like to have fun with it and I am easily impressed with myself (I'm awesome).

Rhyming is not a requirement for any basic information and you should be able to discern the basest of information by simply putting four lines together.

However, I have found (I am referring here to only my own narrow experience field) that any item which is of a higher order or complex nature (multifaceted items usually auction quality and the like) will however respond better to the bards level, song complexity and rhyme at the barest. There are also Lore items that have racial and gender locks as well.

Here is the order which you will receive basic item information. There are of course bonus rounds, but I don't feel like going into that in what is already a longer post that I've intended.

Value : Market Value / Physical Weight
Purpose: Specific Usage
Magic: Enchantment or specific spell circle and number of charges
Special Ability: Weighting, Flares, Enhancements, Specific Spells and