Another Pure Bard Thread (post-UAC implementation)

[MMA RLZ]

Post for a friend who's thinking about converting...

Name: Shadynasty Race: Half-Elf Profession: Bard (not shown)
Gender: Female Age: 30 Expr: 3477361 Level: 60
Normal (Bonus) ... Enhanced (Bonus)
Strength (STR): 87 (18) ... 87 (18)
Constitution (CON): 90 (20) ... 87 (18)
Dexterity (DEX): 87 (23) ... 87 (23)
Agility (AGI): 90 (30) ... 90 (30)
Discipline (DIS): 94 (17) ... 94 (17)
Aura (AUR): 87 (18) ... 87 (18)
Logic (LOG): 95 (22) ... 95 (22)
Intuition (INT): 69 (9) ... 69 (9)
Wisdom (WIS): 90 (20) ... 90 (20)
Influence (INF): 82 (21) ... 82 (21)

Armor Use..........................| 161 61
Shield Use...................| 161 61
Brawling....................| 161 61
Physical Fitness...................| 124 24
Harness Power......................| 161 61
Mana Control: Elemental...........| 124 24
Mana Control: Mental...........| 124 24
Elemental Lore - Air...............| 50 10
Mental Lore - Manipulation.........| 161 61
Perception.........................| 90 20
Climbing...........................| 90 20
Swimming...........................| 90 20

Spells: 30 MnE, 70 Bard

Now that UAC is out and runestaff changes have been implemented, is this still a decent training path for a pure Bard? Should she scratch the Brawling and pick up 2x shield or 2x Brawling, 1x shield, and drop some spells? She's a little confused and I think looking for the most effective, survivable build. Thanks!

[Jeril]

I'd suggest 2x in shield use, drop the brawling. You always want at least 1x in PF if not more. Unless they plan on hunting with someone who can share mana or use it for purifying maybe, I'd also say get rid of the EMC. If it is there just to share with wizards/sorcs for spells 10 ranks is plenty. While air lore is useful you don't really need it either and I'd put that off for a post cap goal. No idea where they are hunting but only 20 each climb/swim seems a little low. I'd also say 30 ranks of MMC over 24, gives you that extra 1 mana per pulse as well as making unravel and shout better.

[Vagabondbard]

The best thing about x2 shield is that it takes no MTPs to use. If you are going to brawl its x2 or bust in my mind. Also again follow Jeril's advice on the Elemental mana share. Lower it and let the pure cover the difference if the bard has a hunting partner. As a pure bard the air lore is superfluous. Also you will get more bang for your buck mastering an instrument and using that instead of manipulation lore. Thats a ton of MTP's to free up some space when you take manipulation down to 15 ranks.
Physical Fitness is big, huge really, but you can get by with less than x1 in a pinch. A high priority for sure though so make it something of a goal to get to x1.
Also you didnt mention a society. I am guessing CoL. That will help for sure with some mana considerations.

Galenblackbard

[Tenlaar]

I agree with dropping brawling and going 2x shield use. I do not agree with the expressed opinions of lore training. I think that air lore and especially manipulation lore are very worth their TPs. I know my bard's training is not very standard, but here it is just for comparison's sake. Feel free to ask for specifics about it if you want.

Tenlaar (at level 79), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 130 35
Shield Use.........................| 258 158
Physical Fitness...................| 179 79
Arcane Symbols.....................| 120 30
Magic Item Use.....................| 120 30
Harness Power......................| 179 79
Elemental Mana Control.............| 102 24
Mental Mana Control................| 161 61
Elemental Lore - Air...............| 181 81
Mental Lore - Manipulation.........| 175 75
Mental Lore - Telepathy............| 10 2
Perception.........................| 50 10
Climbing...........................| 150 50
Swimming...........................| 120 30

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

Spell Lists
Bard...............................| 92
Training Points: 108 Phy 0 Mnt (1448 Phy converted to Mnt)

[Vagabondbard]

I agree with dropping brawling and going 2x shield use. I do not agree with the expressed opinions of lore training. I think that air lore and especially manipulation lore are very worth their TPs.

If the bards TP's are tight 75 Manipulation ranks versus 15 is quite a haul. Air lore would be useful if the bard bard goes x2 shield since at 50 ranks you can use shield with a -2 size bonus for dodge, but then you would have to be able to afford Dodge, and thats not cheap. It helps with Tonis but again that will only be if the bard goes UAC and thats another TP sink.

1004 uses manipulation lore but in my experience. 2 capped bards one with more songs and one with more manipulation lore the songs known was the more important factor. People have told me I was wrong about this, but I "know" I am not. As a pure with the plan to have 70+ bard songs you will have max gem singing and the random chance of explosion will be the only way for a gem to explode on you since gems will not reach the crackle and strain message for 1004.

1002 does use manipulation and in this blowing up weapons is an important way to get cheap skills, your end rolls should make sure that the weapon blows up anyway.

there is nothing wrong with getting the lores. I do not advocate not getting them. The point I am making is that if you are strapped for TP's because you want to do something skill wise there are ways to cut corners.

GBB

[Ker_Thwap]

I think it's hard to mess up a pure bard. Here's what I have. With the proviso that I don't sing my equipment yet. I have some nice stuff.

Armor Use..........................| 150 50 (The 8% failure is no big deal since you don't lose the mana for failed bardsongs)
Shield Use.........................| 252 152 (currently 2xing, but started with brawl)
Combat Maneuvers...................| 114 28 (enough defense for 2 shield bash (bandits/grim), 1 sweep (bandits/grim), 2 feint (jarls/grim), 2 subdual strike (bandits))
Brawling...........................| 196 96 (Keeps an AS based attack when hunting magic proof critters with a group, not training this up further)
Multi Opponent Combat..............| 50 10 (probably a waste, but I'll add to it post cap)
Physical Fitness...................| 147 47 (Someday I'll commit to this)
Dodging............................| 152 52 (The bowels is all about the dodge)
Arcane Symbols.....................| 70 15 (Was enough to get into the broken lands and barely invoke 102, don't try to invoke from an expensive scroll)
Magic Item Use.....................| 74 16 (enough for an oak wand, rally kicks ass, but doesn't always entirely unstun)
Harness Power......................| 193 93
Mental Mana Control................| 148 48 (helps with mana slurping from dispel, don't skimp)
Mental Lore - Manipulation.........| 175 75 (1x this, and use a one handed instrument until you get 75. It's not that expensive for the BOOM)
Mental Lore - Telepathy............| 90 20
Survival...........................| 145 45 (Bandits, yes bandits. Helps you spot their traps)
Perception.........................| 167 67 (Again, bandits)
Climbing...........................| 132 36
Swimming...........................| 151 51
First Aid..........................| 15 3 (I hate skinning and hunting with slow skinners, this keeps you from getting skinning tasks)
Pickpocketing......................| 5 1

Spell Lists
Minor Elemental....................| 47

Spell Lists
Bard...............................| 93

Going to try the escorts and Grimswarm route post cap instead of Teras/Rift. So will be focusing more and more on survival, perception and cmans rather than more bardsongs at cap. As always, make your choices based on your play style.

[neimanz1]

Hurling Bard for the win!

With a quick flick of your wrist, you deftly send a rippling ethereal spear with pulses of lightning along its length into flight.
You throw a rippling ethereal spear at a massive pyrothag!
AS: +581 vs DS: +233 with AvD: +21 + d100 roll: +63 = +432
... and hit for 118 points of damage!
Shot shatters hip and severs left leg!
A massive pyrothag rumbles loudly as it leans to the left and topples to the ground with a loud *THUD*!
The massive pyrothag is stunned!

** As you hit, your ethereal spear unleashes a blast of sonic energy! **
... 30 points of damage!
Brushing blow to right hand.

The massive pyrothag reels under the vibration of the attack!
... 75 points of damage!
A mighty blow cleaves a swath through the massive pyrothag's back, taking the spine with it.

The massive pyrothag vibrates violently one final time and then lies still.
Your ethereal spear dissipates.
Roundtime: 4 sec.

[Loyrl]

Is this okay for a Pure? I am an archery bard right now, but the fixskills is soon and I already have one so I want to try pure for a little while, and then possibly go back to archery. I am on Teras, and I am a master in GoS so I use sigil of concentration all the time, along with two enhancives.

It provides a bonus of 2 to Mana Recovery.
This enhancement may not be used by adventurers who have not trained 10 times.
It provides a bonus of 3 to Sorcerous Lore - Necromancy Bonus..

It provides a bonus of 1 to Mana Recovery.

Level 36
1x Armor
2x Shield
1x PF
1x Harness Power
10 ranks of elemental mana control
30 ranks of mental mana control
430
1030
15 ranks of manipulation - master of a flute
1x perception
some ranks of survival and 10 ranks of climbing.


Am I missing something? It seems like I was able to get everything I could think of right now.

Dark Elf
Strength (STR): 79 (14) ... 79 (14)
Constitution (CON): 64 (2) ... 64 (2)
Dexterity (DEX): 73 (21) ... 73 (21)
Agility (AGI): 79 (19) ... 79 (19)
Discipline (DIS): 91 (10) ... 91 (10)
Aura (AUR): 79 (24) ... 79 (24)
Logic (LOG): 93 (21) ... 93 (21)
Intuition (INT): 87 (23) ... 87 (23)
Wisdom (WIS): 84 (22) ... 84 (22)
Influence (INF): 73 (6) ... 73 (6)

[spraggeth]

15 ranks of manipulation - master of a flute


I know this post is older but I could use some help. Archery isn't cutting it for me. Is this a one handed flute? Because I haven't seen any. Do you get any benefit from playing a two handed instrument one handed? 15 Lore ranks and a shield with a TH instrument. Anyone able to help me out?

[MrMortimur]

As a capped pure bard, I only have 15 MLM lore and don't need or bother playing an instrument. For instruments you'd need to use cymbals/tambourine, or find some of the limited use spectral instruments.

[spraggeth]

Haven't even heard of the spectral instruments. What is the advantage of those? I have cymbals right now. I have to master them but I am working on it.
You don't train up in Manip for the added damage?

[MrMortimur]

Not sure if they've made a recent appearance, but I remember using them from an old old EG or something. Basically it is a pin and you activate it, and you play the instrument hands free. Only had so many charges before it would disintegrate though. I think a pair of spectral hands holds the instrument up to your lips...and at this point I'm going to stop since wow describing those spectral pins could be taken so many ways!

As far as needing lore, I went pure around level 70ish I think. I jumped right into 155 spells or so. 75 MNE and 80 spellsongs was a sweet spot for my bard at reducing the MSP and letting me sing one more song. With that many spells I simply didn't need any more damage from lores, I went the telepathy route instead for my hunting partners. +AS from kai and +duration from Tonis.

Also for reference, between whenever I swapped to pure and cap I didn't train any more spells. I capped with the same 155 spells. CS was adequate for nelemar, plane 4, and warcamping.