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Thread: Polearm, OHE, Pure, THW Bard Information & Bard Guide

  1. #11

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    I'll agree here. While sonic armor has it's drawbacks, it's a great way to get into end-of-life armor without big expenditures. Get some good aug chain and locker it until you can wear it effectively. Armor failures suck and usually result in your character dying, but hey something's gotta kill you.

    Also, great guide Whirlin thanks for adding this information to the tribal knowledge database.

    I'm wondering if you've ever done a ranged build? With 1002 and 1005 I'm guessing that when you can target eyes it'd be effective.

    Zelas

  2. #12
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    The guide is still very much a work in progress... of course

    I'm debating writing up a ranged build for Bard... They do have access to 402, and 404, which assist in aiming. But that's kinda where the weapon advantage ends. There is a relative weakness with the lack of an effective sonic weapon, unlike hurling, you can't even sing up a sonic arrow. This reduces the incentive to train in air lore, which basically means you're just training in it for 1035's roundtime reduction, and maybe sonic armor. Hell, wouldn't even have to go too high in the bard circle as a result.

    I can definitely write it up, and now that I've thought it through, I might... But it also highlights that I need to write up some sorta hurling guide as well... Because at least with hurling, you can hurl a sonic spear if you want... mana intensive, but pretty damn Zeus badassery.


    >forage for snapdragon stalk
    d100(Open): -251
    You stumble about in a fruitless attempt at foraging.

    1/6/2014: Setheve completes the promotion ritual and says, "Congratulations, Whirlin, for achieving Guild Master status! We trust you'll serve your guild well."
    1/11/2014: Grandmaster Alchemist
    1/14/2014: Capped, and got Loralaii killed by a GM.
    7/11/2016: Founded the Hand of the Arkati
    9/20/2016: T5 on my bow (Thanks to Isola)... Managed as far as T4 myself.

  3. Default

    Awesome. Thanks for the explanation. I totally see what you were saying now.

    While we're on the topic, is sonic armor viable early on? Assuming I don't have a flashy set of something, is there any reason not to start using sonic?
    Last edited by oneillseanm; 05-23-2013 at 05:24 PM.

  4. #14

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    I did some preliminary research with hurling sonic spears and you are right, it's the wrath of god. 3 sec rt, 7x hurled weapon with flares, mana intensive, but would be a hell of a ride, maybe 2x harness power to help. CoL for wracking, plus you could 1030 if needed for mobs. Add aiming and yeah, good times. Add an aegis and you ARE a Greek god! Maybe tp intensive but that's a hell of a combination especially if you also have polearms for melee.

    I used sonic armor until about 50 trains until I had some good aug chain. It's viable.
    Last edited by Zelas; 05-23-2013 at 05:48 PM. Reason: added Zeus reference

  5. #15
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    I love sonic armor, but I don't use it for a couple of reasons... 1) it can be dispelled and that is absolutely awful. True that can be easily mitigated with some arcane decoy, but still. 2) if you are stunned or immobilized at the worst time when your songs fail to renew, it drops. I had this happen to me a few times where I didn't shout out of the stun or just wasn't clocking my renewals. I died those times when I likely would have survived had I not gone from 7x augmented chain to 0x robes.

    I ended up buying some 4x hcp fusion chain and brought it up to 5x. Plan to get it max lightened but it hasn't been an issue since I am a giant. I had to sell all my toys to get that armor and good agidex orbs for a lance build, but I'm happy with that choice and know I made the right decision. 1012 is simply too good to consider using anything else, except MAYBE something super highend. 1009 is always the best choice if you use a shield because of the size reduction to dodge penalty. 1014 is good, but situational or temporary fix to buying good real armor in my opinion. The fact that armor can not be stolen from you and is really a permanent thing as long as you wear it makes my decision even easier.

    Just my 2 cents in regards to sonic armor...

  6. #16
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    I recommend Sonic Armor while you're leveling... absolutely... The ability to change it on a dime the second that you get the armor ranks is absolutely vital...

    What suppressed Poet was saying is absolutely true... However, I would argue that in ANY circumstance where you're stunned and lose your spellsongs, you're likely going to die. You're looking at 20 DS from being stunned, 10 from 1003, 15-20 from 1010, 20+ from 1019... That's already -~70, and then if you're using a sonic weapon, BAM, even more. Basically, if you're stunned through a renew cycle, you're fucked. But that's why 1040 exists, and another reason those first 25 ranks in Telepathy are so important for the renewal time.

    Another strong case for using physical armor is the lack of renewal cost. You're likely already keeping enough songs up to have a nasty multi-song penalty, so that's additional mana that you can use towards 1035 or 1030, ie: damage. Even moreso if you're using a sonic weapon and that poofs on you too!



    Similarly, the same case exists for weapons as well, except without that variable of using 10 different weapons between levels 1 and 40(ish). I personally, am using a +32 Physical flare with MoC Trip add-on, Troll bane Lance. I think I picked it up for... 5m maybe? Which is a damn good deal in my opinion. Since I went the 1020 > 430 >1000* route, that'll outclass the AS bonus from 1012 until level 74. This also frees up TPs, as I won't need to start training in air lore until 60s to catch up to 1x training, and it allows me to prioritize some other stuff.


    >forage for snapdragon stalk
    d100(Open): -251
    You stumble about in a fruitless attempt at foraging.

    1/6/2014: Setheve completes the promotion ritual and says, "Congratulations, Whirlin, for achieving Guild Master status! We trust you'll serve your guild well."
    1/11/2014: Grandmaster Alchemist
    1/14/2014: Capped, and got Loralaii killed by a GM.
    7/11/2016: Founded the Hand of the Arkati
    9/20/2016: T5 on my bow (Thanks to Isola)... Managed as far as T4 myself.

  7. #17
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    Likely to die from loss of DS, sure. But as you said, we have 1040. What killed me a couple times was shit I'm stunned, shit my songs just failed, shit I just was crit hit in the chest and instantly died - in very quick succession. Had I had my armor in that last part - I would have likely just had a health loss and had time to react and break free. Some other frustrations, once I simply forgot to cast 1014 before a hunt and another time in darkstone I didn't catch that it was randomly dispelled with the area's effect. With proper care, sonic armor is great and can be used all the way through cap. It just wasn't for me.

    Just been my personal experience. And while it's nice being 25% of normal armor weight plus the elemental resistances - I'd rather just have padding. Plus as Whirlin mentioned, It's another slot towards multi song penalty plus the upkeep cost.

    I do agree on using a regular weapon as well up until you can afford using your sonic with mana costs and get to the mid-level game. At some point you have to start worrying about creatures disarming though, and I don't think I can swallow losing a valuable weapon. I used a 7x perfect unbalance flaring falchion from about 30 trains up until about 50. At that point, and depending what I hunted, I found my sonic weapon surperior in most cases. (I was full 1x bard songs and air lore).

    And at some point, every weapon swinging bard has to look at the fact they can use a free 7x weightless weapon that has awesome double flares beyond anything you can buy, and works against undead as a permablessed 2x weapon. It can't be disarmed. It will never be lost or stolen. How much would that sell for as a real weapon?!? It seems to me almost sacreligous for a bard to use anything else after the early levels.
    Last edited by Suppressed Poet; 05-24-2013 at 12:40 AM.

  8. #18

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    Thanks for the bard guide, please tell us about races and stat placement. I was curious about what race would be good to do a polebard until later in life then switch to pure.

  9. #19

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    tl;dr

    Spend 30 days with high Agi/Dex/Log swinging a claidhmore to get to level 15-20. Use 4x armor and save your mana.

    Do whatever you want to get to level 38-40. Fixskill to pure. Pwn.

  10. #20

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    Please continue these guides, I enjoy reading them.

    There is I believe, a typo, however.... you say 25 or 55 ranks of MOC, but I imagine you mean 30 or 55. (35 is also a decent place to stop, or maybe 60).

    Otherwise, carry on.

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