Effective pure?

[landy]

I've seen some people talk about using bards as a pure casting class, some as a sonic brawler, and others as a polearm user. I know there is no "best" training path, but which would be the most viable for an elven bard, and when can bards effectively hunt as a caster class?

[LOL BRIELUS]

lance polearm user. The combination of the heaviest hitting weapon, in 5 seconds or less, plus with the CS bonuses elves get with bard circle makes them pretty deadly. I dont like brawling as much because you are relying on flares, which don't come every hit, whereas with the lance, you get a hard hit every time, plus your bonus flares every now and then.

As far as being a pure caster, I dont know, I took a bard up to 57 and found it generally a pain in the ass to unravel wands/creatures to have enough mana for sonic disrupt. I'm sure you can do it though, its probably better just to use it for swarms instead of relying on hunting one by one.

[Stunseed]

Inaara just turned 80 and she's done a pure bard since like 40.

[Durgrimst]

If I had a 5x perfect awl-pike that I am working on taking up higher, in between enchants, would that be better mechanically than a sonic lance? I know it wont have flares, but doesn't the number of flares and the efficiency based on training in lores?

[landy]

I hate to post asking for a training plan, but I don't want to screw up this bard. I still have about 3 weeks left of free time, and my bard is now level 15. What is a solid training plan for an elven polearm bard?

[Jaimaltz]

It's actually pretty easy

1x cm, 1x dodge, 2x poles, 1x spell, 1x PF, 1x air lore, 1x -2 harness power is a good base, customize the rest, as there's lots of options.

Pick up charge for your CM, nothing compares, and don't tank agi/dex. You'll want 4 seconds off to swing those lances and awl-pikes at 5 seconds by the time you're 25 or so. Get pretty much all bard songs until you have about 60 songs, and then burn your fixskill into 35 bard/25 minor elemental to get targeting.

[Danical]

I started this whole pure bard movement years ago and I did it out of the gates just using FU and 1002 until I could use 1030. It's slow and tedious until you get enough mana but definitely viable. Swarms are your friend but areas that swarm without needing a lot of other PCs around are best.

I'd say 1030 is the most overpowered CS spell in the game if you're trained for it.

[Anferis]

It's actually pretty easy

1x cm, 1x dodge, 2x poles, 1x spell, 1x PF, 1x air lore, 1x -2 harness power is a good base, customize the rest, as there's lots of options.

Pick up charge for your CM, nothing compares, and don't tank agi/dex. You'll want 4 seconds off to swing those lances and awl-pikes at 5 seconds by the time you're 25 or so. Get pretty much all bard songs until you have about 60 songs, and then burn your fixskill into 35 bard/25 minor elemental to get targeting.

Are these stats good for a Sylvan polearm bard?

Level: 5
Strength (STR): 91 (20) ... 91 (20)
Constitution (CON): 71 (10) ... 71 (10)
Dexterity (DEX): 72 (21) ... 72 (21)
Agility (AGI): 81 (20) ... 81 (20)
Discipline (DIS): 60 (0) ... 60 (0)
Aura (AUR): 82 (21) ... 82 (21)
Logic (LOG): 41 (-4) ... 41 (-4)
Intuition (INT): 32 (-9) ... 32 (-9)
Wisdom (WIS): 61 (5) ... 61 (5)
Influence (INF): 82 (16) ... 82 (16)
Mana: 26 Silver: 0

Training plan is exactly how mentioned above + 1x AU. What armor use should I stop at? 30ish for brig? Or does hindrance affect spellsongs? Why are awl-pikes and lances recommended over say.. halberds or anything else?

I'm so lost in this bard world.

[Jaimaltz]

Are these stats good for a Sylvan polearm bard?

Level: 5
Strength (STR): 91 (20) ... 91 (20)
Constitution (CON): 71 (10) ... 71 (10)
Dexterity (DEX): 72 (21) ... 72 (21)
Agility (AGI): 81 (20) ... 81 (20)
Discipline (DIS): 60 (0) ... 60 (0)
Aura (AUR): 82 (21) ... 82 (21)
Logic (LOG): 41 (-4) ... 41 (-4)
Intuition (INT): 32 (-9) ... 32 (-9)
Wisdom (WIS): 61 (5) ... 61 (5)
Influence (INF): 82 (16) ... 82 (16)
Mana: 26 Silver: 0


Logic is too low and it grows slow as hell, and you'll have to wait until level 32 before you can swing a lance in 5 seconds.

I do something like this:

Level 0:
Str 80
Con 50
Dex 75
Agl 80
Dis 59
Aur 80
Log 59
Int 44
Wis 53
Inf 80

At level 5 those will be:
Str 81
Con 52
Dex 77
Agl 81
Dis 60
Aur 82
Log 60
Int 82
Wis 55
Inf 82

With those, you'd be golden at level 26.



Training plan is exactly how mentioned above + 1x AU. What armor use should I stop at? 30ish for brig? Or does hindrance affect spellsongs? Why are awl-pikes and lances recommended over say.. halberds or anything else?

I'm so lost in this bard world.

I forgot to mention armor. Endgame armor is augmented chain for bards. That's 50 ranks for bard hinderance and RT, and 90 ranks for minor elemental. I'd 1x it until you get to 90 ranks, so pretty much for life. I think brig is 35 ranks, but you could wear leather breastplate or studded leather a lot earlier, and they'll benefit from the scale damage factors too. But definitely get at least a chain shirt when you get to 50 ranks.

[Anferis]

Thanks. I have some 4x brig in my locker so I guess I'll be wearing that for ..several levels. Yeah I thought my logic was a bit low, so I'll fix it later.

[Anferis]

Whoa.. Just noticed that since I'm using the charge maneuver, I'd have to get 100 AU ranks to work off Aug Chain hindrance.

I won't be able to use Aug Chain effectively until cap?
Awesome?

[Fallen]

Yeah...but, it is Bard aug chain, meaning it is weightless and free and is resistant to all forms of damage except impact.

Also, you could get +10 to Armor use via the guild fairly easily.

[Anferis]

Suppose you're right. I could just drop cmans though. I don't use charge that much and being able to skin/bandage would be handy.

[NocturnalRob]

effective pure= train in bard circle, manipulation, PF, HP. done.

fuck everything else.

1030. tear shit up.

[Some Rogue]

effective pure= train in bard circle, manipulation, PF, HP. done.

fuck everything else.

1030. tear shit up.

Pretty much.

I worked myself into brig though and cut back on the spells to pick up some other skills because my CS was more than enough to kill anything within 5-10 levels of me.

[Mistomeer]

effective pure= train in bard circle, manipulation, PF, HP. done.

fuck everything else.

1030. tear shit up.

I don't think that's the best route because of 425. Up until 75, 425 essentially gives a bonus of .83 up until 2/3 of your level which is more than over training in the bard circle.

So your ideal ranks at cap would be something like 67 MnE and 135 Bard.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, been a while.

[Some Rogue]

I have no idea, I have 71/30 at 57 and have no problems hunting so I don't bother tweaking it.

[NocturnalRob]

I don't think that's the best route because of 425. Up until 75, 425 essentially gives a bonus of .83 up until 2/3 of your level which is more than over training in the bard circle.

So your ideal ranks at cap would be something like 67 MnE and 135 Bard.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, been a while.

He's a purifying bard. he purifies with a ~99% success rate, AND still hunts at/above level. That's pretty ridiculous IMO.

But FINE, i'll train in MnE just for you.

[Some Rogue]

He's a purifying bard. he purifies with a ~99% success rate, AND still hunts at/above level. That's pretty ridiculous IMO.

But FINE, i'll train in MnE just for you.

L2bard noob.

[NocturnalRob]

L2bard noob.

you're the n00b. ya n00b.

[ashiq33]

The combination of the heaviest hitting weapon, in 5 seconds or less, plus with the CS bonuses elves get with bard circle makes them pretty deadly. I dont like brawling as much because you are relying on flares, which don't come every hit, whereas with the lance, you get a hard hit every time, plus your bonus flares every now and then.

[Stretch]

I could fry off my own mana starting around level 35, if I wracked. I originally had Kizun spec'd to be polearms with manip lore, but I changed it to pure around level 35.

Lvl 0 stats:

Strength (STR): 59
Constitution (CON): 49
Dexterity (DEX): 62
Agility (AGI): 73
Discipline (DIS): 82
Aura (AUR): 62
Logic (LOG): 88
Intuition (INT): 78
Wisdom (WIS): 58
Influence (INF): 49


Kizun (at level 39), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 160 60
Brawling...........................| 182 82
Physical Fitness...................| 102 24
Harness Power......................| 141 41
Mental Mana Control................| 102 24
Mental Lore - Manipulation.........| 141 41
Climbing...........................| 50 10
Swimming...........................| 25 5

Spell Lists
Minor Elemental....................| 30

Spell Lists
Bard...............................| 36
Training Points: 61 Phy 0 Mnt (802 Phy converted to Mnt)

Old hunting log snapshots:

You change your tune slightly, adding the element for Vibration Chant to your song...
Your spellsong is ready.
CS: +215 - TD: +147 + CvA: +17 + d100: +90 == +175
Warding failed!
You focus your voice on a shan cleric's silver roundshield with perfect resonance, causing it to shatter into thousands of tiny pieces!
... 35 points of damage!
Massive blow removes the shan cleric's right forearm at the elbow!
Sing Roundtime 3 Seconds.


You change your tune slightly, adding the element for Song of Sonic Disruption to your song...
Your spellsong is ready.
CS: +215 - TD: +147 + CvA: +17 + d100: +74 == +159
Warding failed!
A shan cleric reels under the force of the sonic vibrations!
Sound waves disrupt for 71 damage!
... 65 points of damage!
The shan cleric's right leg crumbles briefly and explodes in a shower of gore.
A shan cleric falls to the ground grasping her mangled right leg!
The shan cleric howls out one last time and dies.
The very powerful look leaves a shan cleric.
The white light leaves a shan cleric.
The deep blue glow leaves a shan cleric.
The brilliant aura fades away from a shan cleric.
A shan cleric seems slightly different.
A subtle light fades from a shan cleric's eyes.


You change your tune slightly, adding the element for Song of Sonic Disruption to your song...
Your spellsong is ready.
CS: +215 - TD: +147 + CvA: +17 + d100: +39 == +124
Warding failed!
A shan cleric reels under the force of the sonic vibrations!
Sound waves disrupt for 50 damage!
... 70 points of damage!
Spine ripped from the shan cleric's body and thrown to the ground.
The shan cleric howls out one last time and dies.
The very powerful look leaves a shan cleric.
The white light leaves a shan cleric.
The deep blue glow leaves a shan cleric.
The brilliant aura fades away from a shan cleric.
A shan cleric seems slightly different.
A subtle light fades from a shan cleric's eyes.


You change your tune slightly, adding the element for Song of Sonic Disruption to your song...
Your spellsong is ready.
CS: +215 - TD: +126 + CvA: -2 + d100: +22 == +109
Warding failed!
A shan warrior reels under the force of the sonic vibrations!
Sound waves disrupt for 41 damage!
... 45 points of damage!
The shan warrior's kneecap explodes sending bone fragments flying.
A shan warrior falls to the ground grasping her mangled right leg!
The shan warrior is stunned!

Sing Roundtime 3 Seconds.


You change your tune slightly, adding the element for Song of Sonic Disruption to your song...
Your spellsong is ready.
CS: +215 - TD: +126 + CvA: -2 + d100: +14 == +101
Warding failed!
A shan warrior reels under the force of the sonic vibrations!
Sound waves disrupt for 36 damage!
... 35 points of damage!
Flesh and muscle stripped from the shan warrior's stomach.

Sing Roundtime 3 Seconds.


You change your tune slightly, adding the element for Song of Sonic Disruption to your song...
Your spellsong is ready.
CS: +215 - TD: +138 + CvA: +25 + d100: +11 == +113
Warding failed!
A shan wizard reels under the force of the sonic vibrations!
Sound waves disrupt for 43 damage!
... 40 points of damage!
The shan wizard's left hand swells and explodes into thousands of pieces.

Sing Roundtime 3 Seconds.


You change your tune slightly, adding the element for Song of Sonic Disruption to your song...
Your spellsong is ready.
CS: +215 - TD: +135 + CvA: +9 + d100: +40 == +129
Warding failed!
A shan ranger reels under the force of the sonic vibrations!
Sound waves disrupt for 53 damage!
... 70 points of damage!
The shan ranger's midsection swells painfully then bursts, sending the shan ranger everywhere.
The shan ranger yips in pain as she falls to the ground motionless.
The deep blue glow leaves a shan ranger.
A shan ranger seems to lose an aura of confidence.
A shan ranger seems to lose some dexterity.
The light blue glow leaves a shan ranger.
The powerful look leaves a shan ranger.


You change your tune slightly, adding the element for Vibration Chant to your song...
Your spellsong is ready.
CS: +215 - TD: +135 + CvA: +9 + d100: +78 == +167
Warding failed!
You focus your voice on a shan ranger's silvery longsword with perfect resonance, causing it to shatter into thousands of tiny pieces!
... 60 points of damage!
Strike to abdomen ruptures internal organs!
The shan ranger yips in pain as she falls to the ground motionless.
The deep blue glow leaves a shan ranger.
A shan ranger seems to lose an aura of confidence.
A shan ranger seems to lose some dexterity.
The powerful look leaves a shan ranger.
The light blue glow leaves a shan ranger.
A shan ranger returns to normal color.
Sing Roundtime 3 Seconds.

[gs4hunter]

I don't think that's the best route because of 425. Up until 75, 425 essentially gives a bonus of .83 up until 2/3 of your level which is more than over training in the bard circle.

So your ideal ranks at cap would be something like 67 MnE and 135 Bard.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, been a while.
I have a capped bard who has 75 Elemental and 104 bard. My bard casts straight 1030 and tears everything up. Having a CS of over 500 is always great for a bard. Not really uncommon anymore though, these days. Hunting is fairly easy I'd say. Once you go pure though you become spoiled and swinging again sucks. I tried changing my training to swinging during the test phase and I hated it.

[AestheticDeath]

You don't use 1002 at all? Jesus... I save tons of mana using 1002. I get one shot kills on half the things.

[gs4hunter]

You don't use 1002 at all? Jesus... I save tons of mana using 1002. I get one shot kills on half the things.
I did when I hunted bowels. Now hunting Nelmar and OTF, using 1002 is a rarity. I don't worry much about mana, it's not like I don't have 400 mana sitting in my head and I cannot just wrack if I need it. It cost me 10 mana to sing 1030. Many times I can just mass disrupt, so 20 mana to sing to more than 1 creature is far more effective for me than 1002 a bunch. However, I can only unfocus disrupt late night, early mornings when I know there are no adventures in the hunting areas.

My favorite area to hunt was the bowels, but they changed everything so now I'm stuck with OTF or Nelemar. *le sigh*.

[Gelston]

The combination of the heaviest hitting weapon, in 5 seconds or less, plus with the CS bonuses elves get with bard circle makes them pretty deadly. I dont like brawling as much because you are relying on flares, which don't come every hit, whereas with the lance, you get a hard hit every time, plus your bonus flares every now and then.

OMG, they actually LEARN. The end is near!

[gs4hunter]

He's a purifying bard. he purifies with a ~99% success rate, AND still hunts at/above level. That's pretty ridiculous IMO.

But FINE, i'll train in MnE just for you.
What is your Manipulation if I may ask?

[NocturnalRob]

What is your Manipulation if I may ask?

60 ranks. 1x.

[gs4hunter]

60 ranks. 1x.
I see, My bard has always purified too. She also has 75 ranks in Manipulation, and then 104 in bard and 75 in MnE.