The Best Bard Gameplay?

[ro9ue]

Preferably in an MMO, but I'll take any game really. What's the best Bard class you've ever seen in a game?

[endersblade]

FFXI. Really nailed the support role in that one. The one in 14 just feels like a glorified archer to me.

The LOTRO equivalent, Minstrel, is pretty cool too. Though I like it mainly because the way instruments work in LOTRO is just purely unmatched in any other game.

[Halicia]

Rift had a fun Bard gameplay, although even while it was new noone really wanted support characters outside of raids and it was suboptimal to do solo content as well.

[stivered]

Agree with you man!

[StrawberryZebra]

Quite honestly, League of Legend's Sona is hands down the best Bard character in any game I've played. She brings buffs for her allies, heals and lots of other utility. She's also the only bard I've come across who makes people stop what they're doing and start dancing. It's both thematically appropriate and hillarious to see in equal measure.

Warframe also has Octavia which also fills the traditional bard space. Most of her abilities rely on sound and volume to some degree, with the exception of her Metronome ability - Which forces allies to move to the beat if they want certain buffs. Again, hillarious to see other people trying to dance in game.

They're both stronger for moving away from that more traditional Buff Bitch archetype while still incorporating a strong emphasis on what makes Bards unique - Their music.

[Dilbon]

I like bards in DDO.

[Rendark]

Quite honestly, League of Legend's Sona is hands down the best Bard character in any game I've played. She brings buffs for her allies, heals and lots of other utility. She's also the only bard I've come across who makes people stop what they're doing and start dancing. It's both thematically appropriate and hillarious to see in equal measure.

Warframe also has Octavia which also fills the traditional bard space. Most of her abilities rely on sound and volume to some degree, with the exception of her Metronome ability - Which forces allies to move to the beat if they want certain buffs. Again, hillarious to see other people trying to dance in game.

They're both stronger for moving away from that more traditional Buff Bitch archetype while still incorporating a strong emphasis on what makes Bards unique - Their music.

This right here. Most MMO bards i've seen are just rogues or archers that sometimes play a song.

[endersblade]

God DDO is SO GOOD

it needs a remaster

I boycotted DDO after they put my fucking character behind a goddamn pay wall. I had a level 11 Warfarged while it was still a fee to play, then when it went F2P, they put Warforged behind a pay wall. I argued with them until I was blue in the fucking face to give me my character, as it was no fair everyone else got to play for free but I had to play, and they just refused. No idea if that's still the situation though.

- - - Updated - - -

This right here. Most MMO bards i've seen are just rogues or archers that sometimes play a song.

Then you're playing some fucked up MMOs. Lots of them have legit bards.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

I'd love to be able to play as a bard-paladin like Lang Wu Yao from Thunderbolt Fantasy. He walks the land with his talking guitar, shaping soundwaves into swords that cleave evildoers in twain!

[Dilbon]

DDO bards these days seem to mostly be single weapon fighting swashbucklers or sonic spellcasters.

I actually returned to DDO recently after some years and one of my characters is a shuriken throwing drow bard swashbuckler.

[endersblade]

Holy hell and leveling took a while too I remember so you must've been gutted, sucks that they fucked you over like that, I didn't know the devs were such dicks

I remember being introduced to the game by TotalBiscuit in a WTF is... video way back in the day, who was literally running a repeating crossbow bard, it and still has one of the most impressive character building systems I've ever seen in any game, it was also one of the first to introduce actually having to aim your attacks and dodge out of the way of others' what a game it was

To be honest I never really got all THAT into the game. The only reason I was so high level was because I could solo the dungeons. Potions, at least when I played, didn't have a cooldown - just part of the GCD. I'd go in, swinging my big 2h axe, spamming potions, vendor all the crap I didn't need, buy more potions and repeat. I never needed a group. The better my gear was, the better I could farm. I'm sure I could've gotten much better xp/hour doing the quests and playing like you were supposed to, but grinding dungeons was just so much fun, and so silly that it was even possible.

[Yriel]

The Bards Tale on c64. Frosthorns for the win!

[Halicia]

Heh. I just remembered Bards from Ragnarok Online as well. You got to do combos with Dancers.

[Kyphael]

I hear FFXI has had the greatest gameplay by Bard fans. I've never played any other MMO's other than WoW, which is why I want to play one in WoW so badly.