Questions to Trion about bard skills.

[Wardyn]

Good morning,

I have a few questions about bards, and bard skills.

1. Synergy with other souls.
Does bard cadence get increases from other skills such as keen eye from marksman(+range to ranged
attacks), or sharpshooter(+ to hit with ranged), or how about Ranger skill killing focus(+ranged damage) There are more I can use as examples.

2. What exactly are the bard skills? Ranged, melee, spell? There was no clear statement in the manual at all, just a minimal blurb as to what the class is about. how is the damage/healing/buffs calculated?
Is it based off ranged weapon, or maybe melee? Which hand is it calculated off?

You did a great job of giving us a variety of souls, (although I think there is too much overlap in skills) but gave us no information on how the actual mechanics work. If i want to play my chosen calling to its best I need these answers, they can effect what souls I select and what skills I take.

Since I believe in giving solutions or ideas at solutions, how about publishing mechanics for said callings/souls, and/or update skill tool tips real time as skills are selected in branches to show changes to skills in the roots.

I just used bard because I have experience with the class, maybe others have these questions about their calling/souls.

[Wardyn]

well some of the info I found out is that it is a non weapon type damage only the attack power skill makes any difference, or things that enhance combo point generators and finishers... still testing since no one is replying.

[Blays]

Ugu good morning i am Trion, we are reading your post now.. Please edit it in 2 min and add some more questions.


Thank you

[Wardyn]

Ugu good morning i am Trion, we are reading your post now.. Please edit it in 2 min and add some more questions.

Ahhh sarcasm the last ditch effort of the pointless to give themselves some self worth.

Trion(well a community manager) does indeed read these forums, and I figured most people have enough common sense to know even though its directed to Trion(who has all this information.) That i would welcome any information that anyone had.

This isn't just to help myself. If all I cared about was that, I would complete my testing and keep the results to myself.

[Orishas]

Nightblade is your best bet for increasing cadence damage, as the first 8 points can go directly to that (the first 5 in combo point builders, and the next 3 in non physical damage).

A third soul can give you increased dex or attack power in the first tier, which also will increase cadence, and still leave you 51 points for bard.

[I Deadhand I]

Actually I too am wondering the same thing. Currently I'm gearing as a typical rogue, rolling on dex gear basically, but wasn't sure if as my Bard I was gaining any benefit. As Dex converts to AP I now know that this is at least beneficial, but more info would be appreciated.

[Blays]

i know man i was just ina trolling mode

I play a abrd myshelf and would like to know an aswer t those questions too. But for now i just melt faces and clear DSM with a group of 24s :P

[I Deadhand I]

A specific question I had; does the Tier 1 talent in the BD soul "Combat Expertise" (5/5 = 5% HR) apply to cadence/etc? I was missing often enough with Cadence (and when your HoTs are counted upon, a bad thing) that I went 5/5 in it just to not miss any cadences. It SEEMS as if I'm missing less after obtaining this, but one cannot be sure, unless I run the numbers, which I'm too lazy/busy grinding to do. If any knowledge is out there on such it would be nice to know.

[mambome]

A specific question I had; does the Tier 1 talent in the BD soul "Combat Expertise" (5/5 = 5% HR) apply to cadence/etc? I was missing often enough with Cadence (and when your HoTs are counted upon, a bad thing) that I went 5/5 in it just to not miss any cadences. It SEEMS as if I'm missing less after obtaining this, but one cannot be sure, unless I run the numbers, which I'm too lazy/busy grinding to do. If any knowledge is out there on such it would be nice to know.

Yes.
/10 char

[I Deadhand I]

Yes.
/10 char

Thanks!

/10char -,-

[casezulu]

#1. Good question that I've wondered about too but since no info is forthcoming I just skip that part of the MM tree. Since it's solely for ranged and the lute can be used in melee or ranged my guess is that skill won't give your bard any more range in which case the same is probably true for anything enhancing just your ranged skills. Crit and hit chance work for both so they work with the lute as well.

#2. If you have a ranged soul (MM or Ranger only I think) in your bard role then your damage is based off of your ranged weapon unless you're in melee ranged, or so I've read. Not sure if it always switches to melee weapon since MM can still use swift shot in melee. So if you have a great melee weapon you could press X to switch to it and see if that helps since it should. Bonuses are likely to be calculated off your main-hand weapon but it could be based just on your best melee weapon so lefties don't feel bad.
*edit - I just changed my spec and it doesn't change the tooltip for bard range so I think the answer is no. It also doesn't change the range for a saboteur but that's understandable since they have their own talent for increased range. Bards don't so you have to be a bit closer to the mob when you play as a bard.

You're right about bonuses to combo point generators or finishers getting enhanced. I've read that poison and fire enhancements work too but I've never seen them come up in my combat log. I have only checked a few times but a 20% chance should hit every battle or two and I haven't seen it yet. It may have been removed after beta or I may just not have tested enough.

The ranged weapons I've gotten have always had higher dps than the melee type so I always pair my bard with ranger at low levels to get the pet and then switch to MM later on when I can put in enough points for Deadeye Shot since it's such a powerful finisher. And I usually have nightblade so I have a good melee finisher since the wrath versions are pretty weak.