Low level attack song question.

[MrTastyHead]

Since I haven't actually played the game for many years and haven't kept very good track of the officials, has it been suggested and/or rejected by the PTB to have a super low level attack song? I'm sure things have been suggested, but I mean something as simple as being able to channel 1001 for harm-style straight hp damage. Anything to be able to do a pure bard from scratch other than messages/ale/iron, fletching, and wands.

Just curious if it has actually been stated that it won't happen.

[Izzy]

er, 1002, 1008?

[AnticorRifling]

I would open with Mandy, no other song let's people know you're going to kill them like Mandy.

[AestheticDeath]

1002 only hits once successfully, sometimes twice if they carry shield too(assuming you actually bust the thing and don't just make them drop it which is even worse, you have to wait for them to pick it up - doesn't really count as success to me).

1008 is a fail spell for hunting low level. Way too much mana per dmg.

[MrTastyHead]

Yeah, I don't think 1002 and 1008 become viable for hunting until at least the late teens or early 20's because of the manipulation lore/mana required. I'm not sure at what point 1002 starts blowing weapons and shields reliably, it may be later than that.

1001 makes sense to me, it's already described as "using the forces of air and vibration" to lower the target's defenses. Channeling it to make it more of a forceful squeeze for some minor hp damage doesn't seem like much of a stretch. I'd be fine with 3 seconds of hard RT and being able to use it from guarded would be safe enough to keep using it even through the teens when you could start using it in conjunction with 1008.

It may not be as fast as swinging a weapon, but damnit it would let me be a pure from the start without going through extreme measures.

[Izzy]

Why are you doing anything other than two handed weapons and steam rolling rats/mants/thraks for the first 30 days? Also, it makes no sense let bards have a low level harm type spell. Zero. Zilch. They aren't pures.

[NocturnalRob]

Also, it makes no sense let bards have a low level harm type spell. Zero. Zilch. They aren't pures.

...

[Bhuryn]

Why are you doing anything other than two handed weapons and steam rolling rats/mants/thraks for the first 30 days? Also, it makes no sense let bards have a low level harm type spell. Zero. Zilch. They aren't pures.

So I assume you haven't met half the bards that post on this forum? It's not viable till after like 40, but really? You've never met a pure bard?

[HSB]

They aren't intended to be pures... they're just ridiculously good at it, especially at higher levels.

Fixed that for ya.

[MrTastyHead]

Why are you doing anything other than two handed weapons and steam rolling rats/mants/thraks for the first 30 days?

Because I want to play my character, not "the easiest way to level a bard for a month regardless of it not making sense for the character in any way shape or form."

I'm willing to use messages/ale/iron/wands/scrolls/fletching as ways to level at the beginning. I'm not willing to swing a claid for a month and then all the sudden be a magic user.

I know, I'm crazy, I actually want to RP.

Also, who says that only pures can have a low level attack spell? Is there a rule that a semi can only use magic to kill after level 30? I'm all for rangers and even paladins having a low level attack spell.

[Izzy]

So I assume you haven't met half the bards that post on this forum? It's not viable till after like 40, but really? You've never met a pure bard?

I have a bard that acts as a pure, but he isn't a pure. He's still just a semi. A "pure" is a class that is intended to hunt exclusively by casting. Bards are not designed that way. Obviously it can be managed after a certain point, but that isn't the design of the class.

[Durgrimst]

I know, I'm crazy, I actually want to RP.

What is this... RP... It sounds familiar, but I don't know what it means.

[HSB]

What is this... RP... It sounds familiar, but I don't know what it means.

It's what you have to do to get healing or a picker when you're too lazy to log in one of your other toons.

[Durgrimst]

It's what you have to do to get healing or a picker when you're too lazy to log in one of your other toons.

Oh... That sucks, that must be why I have so many accounts and characters then, heh, I talk to people on AIM more than I do IG even when I am hunting or resting in the same room with them.

[MrTastyHead]

And that's why I will also be playing in plat.

[Lumi]

To answer the original question, no, it's never been brought up on the officials that I've ever seen.

I'd virtually guarantee it'd get shot down immediately by players (particularly non-bards) and GMs alike. Since we are semis, and pure bards are mutants, it's not meant for us to be able to rely upon spells from the beginning. Your best bet is probably alternative advancement systems, or just hunting with 1002/1008 until you run out of mana, and just go sit on a node.

Also, you could try using 409, I guess, but I don't know you'd have any better progress there unless you're 1.5x'ing spells right out of the gate.

[MrTastyHead]

1.5-2x spells from the start is the plan. It's tough to get 8-9 magical ranks at the beginning, but I think he could have 2x spells by early teens or so. I'd probably be making use of MIU and SA, along with 1008, for any hunting early on. Try to get some imbedded wands and fully infused scrolls, etc.

I hadn't really considered going 1x MnE and putting the remainder in bard songs at first to use 409. Hm. How much higher is the damage compared to 1008?

[Lumi]

1.5-2x spells from the start is the plan. It's tough to get 8-9 magical ranks at the beginning, but I think he could have 2x spells by early teens or so. I'd probably be making use of MIU and SA, along with 1008, for any hunting early on. Try to get some imbedded wands and fully infused scrolls, etc.

I hadn't really considered going 1x MnE and putting the remainder in bard songs at first to use 409. Hm. How much higher is the damage compared to 1008?

I don't have crit charts to compare, but 409 crits are definitely better than 1008. It will crit kill more often.

1008 uses the craptastic unbalance crits, but also has the stun/disorient. Also, there's the general advantages to using songs (armor hindrance doesn't hurt).

Honestly not sure which is better.