PvP Bard

[Shaylei]

Is using a bard in pvp even viable? If so, do I want to go with 51 points in bard? I'm guessing I would want to pick up RNG for the ranged dmg and for my 3rd soul I'm at a loss.

- NB increases the dmg of cadence and adds Hellfire Blades (not sure if bard actually benefits from this one)
- RS buffs your AP and increases endurance, as well as decreases incoming dmg
- BD increases dodge and Hit as well as buffing dex

I did read through Subakna's guide and found the guide itself useful but all the replies about this soul and that soul were a bit confusing. Granted the guide is for raids/pve but the general overall ideas seem the same. Any suggestions from those that have pvp'd with a bard would be great.

[Traciatim]

I use my bard in PVP all the time. I'm not R8 so it's the only way I feel useful . . . at least not completely useless.

[Ninjahax]

I use a 34 Bard / 32 RS / 0 Inf spec for PvP. It's very durable and guardian phase doesn't affect your healing except for cadence damage. With guardian phase, rift guard, passive RS talents, and your self-healing you become very difficult to kill while buffing your entire party and becoming a huge annoyance to the enemy team. You also get rift prison and captivation for cc, planar refuge for defensive cd, all of the RS teleports, and you're still pretty decent at running shards in whitefall/scion.

[Sneakier]

I use a 34 Bard / 32 RS / 0 Inf spec for PvP. It's very durable and guardian phase doesn't affect your healing except for cadence damage. With guardian phase, rift guard, passive RS talents, and your self-healing you become very difficult to kill while buffing your entire party and becoming a huge annoyance to the enemy team. You also get rift prison and captivation for cc, planar refuge for defensive cd, all of the RS teleports, and you're still pretty decent at running shards in whitefall/scion.

Running shards :S

I agree its good for black garden with a big team/scion and big teams at codex and in theory u are fast running shards but the runner specc has much more tools.

I use that one also, it's very effective and it's fun keeping ur whole team alive at black garden cuz of virtuoso

[Ninjahax]

Running shards :S

I agree its good for black garden with a big team/scion and big teams at codex and in theory u are fast running shards but the runner specc has much more tools.

I use that one also, it's very effective and it's fun keeping ur whole team alive at black garden cuz of virtuoso

Well it's not optimized for runnng shards, but it's still better than any other role would be short of the flag running spec (RS/MM/BD). But yeah, it is effective. It's also a good way to contribute to your team at a low prestige rank since you don't explode the second a warrior notices you're alive.

[Kyera]

There are two key specs I run, though I've been ****ing around with a couple of other ones off-peak.

In warfronts and smaller open-world skirmishes, I run the aforementioned 34 Bard/32 Riftstalker spec, though I pair it with 0 Saboteur in place of 0 Infiltrator. I use Mem Cap/Flashback as my Break Free and get tons of mileage out of Adhesive Bomb for peels. This is pretty much the same stat distro I was preaching in beta, though admittedly Riftstalker got tweaked a fair bit towards the end of it and the durability isn't as high.

For larger open-world fights (e.g. zergbusting, 10-15v20-30+) I prefer a 51 Bard/15 Infiltrator (Pardon the Interruption)/0 Saboteur build. VoJ is a good piece of utility to have for an extension or more drawn out fight, and Adhesive Bomb is really nice for removing dps pressure/extending. The reason I opted for PTI as the 15 pt subspec is because it becomes a 15s hard interrupt w/ Virtuoso and Coda of Fury if people clump too close together. I've seen mixed results with it, since it's tough to push in as hard without the Riftstalker defensive tools, but there have been a few fights where it just shuts people down.

One of the specs I'm mulling over for zergbusting is a 32 Bard/15 Infiltrator/18 Riftstalker base, flavouring the last point to taste, to have the interrupt bomb while being able to blink into the backline and get the durability/utility from 18 Riftstalker, but it ofc concedes VoV and VoJ. I also lose Adhesive Bomb, which is huge for that.

[Mulli]

Agreed with the above - it's a very viable spec. I run 44 Bard/22 RS/0 Inf in PvP and with mixed R5 and R6 gear + synergy crystal have 8.4K health (buffed), 46% mitigation from armour and 36% from Valor. It's an amazingly fun build to play, especially when little dorf Rogues try their best to backstab the crap out of me at Codex or in PS and I just giggle and laugh it off. With teleports, mobility isn't an issue and ensuring you keep motifs up, spam heals (I'm reguarly in the top 3 healing done) and assist with debuffs (love you warriors!) you can last a string of WFs without dying.

I keep meaning to go back to my MM now I have the R6 gun but it just doesn't feel as fun as being a near-invulnerable, power-chording rock goddess strumming away on the bridge.

[Jibikaorift]

I think Bard + RS is a very decent combo for pvp Bard because Bard's best asset on the team is to buff/debuff while providing constant minor healing. And since Bard's cadence only has 20ft and you need to attack to do useful things, you are most likely going to get target a lot due to shorter range.

I am only lvl 26 so I don't have Guardian Phase yet because I am focusing mostly on barding. I have a lot of problem when a Rogue ambushes me. I get stunned and I don't have enough time to heal back.

[Laiboch]

I think Bard + RS is a very decent combo for pvp Bard because Bard's best asset on the team is to buff/debuff while providing constant minor healing. And since Bard's cadence only has 20ft and you need to attack to do useful things, you are most likely going to get target a lot due to shorter range.

I am only lvl 26 so I don't have Guardian Phase yet because I am focusing mostly on barding. I have a lot of problem when a Rogue ambushes me. I get stunned and I don't have enough time to heal back.

That's where the RS/inf comes in. You get hit break free and warp or use your stun also comes in handy for those situations. Or break free (Inf) /stun AB (if you have sabo) cadence to heal up.

[Sagiso]

I would have to go with the 34bard/32rs/0sabo. After many many trails has the absolute most to offer the team in any bard situation. Also it is the best flag running spec in the game. The amount of escape, control, and survival tools it provides is unmatched. That is all. ;)

[Peacenote]

I would have to go with the 34bard/32rs/0sabo.

I would be very interested in a link to this build if you have one handy.

[Kyera]

I would be very interested in a link to this build if you have one handy.

There are a ton of valid permutations, but this is what I have right now:

http://rift.zam.com/en/stc.html?t=0M...okM.VcbqV0skqz

[Sagiso]

http://rift.zam.com/en/stc.html?t=1M...okk.EI0VVosooz

The points can be moved here and their as long as you keep 5/5 Street performer in bard. The key is maximizing the usage of Verse of Captivation and Anthem of Competence+Hasted Time. Solid movement speed, and CC. Keep Motif of Regeneration and Tenacity with Crystal Vine Essence and ether Frozen tear or the 42 Faesource Essence up to get your health recovering while you run. A well timed Planar refuge before you dive between their forces can mean all the difference. Sabo's Snare helps slow pursuers a decent distance. Use rift prison as a last resort as it has a 30 second CD, always consider VOC first. Try to use ports after Hasted time has run it's course to maximize the speed increase. Also timed ports when you see a player stop to cast a snare helps a lot.

Their are many variables in combat, constantly tossing yourself in different situations allows you to adjust much more quickly in the future. I constantly run around the PVP daily areas exposing myself to players and teams.

Being forced to work, and forced to do your best, will breed in you temperance and self-control, diligence and strength of will, cheerfulness and content, and a hundred virtues which the idle will never know.
Charles Kingsley

[Xaeth]

http://rift.zam.com/en/stc.html?t=1M...okk.EI0VVosooz

The points can be moved here and their as long as you keep 5/5 Street performer in bard. The key is maximizing the usage of Verse of Captivation and Anthem of Competence+Hasted Time. Solid movement speed, and CC. Keep Motif of Regeneration and Tenacity with Crystal Vine Essence and ether Frozen tear or the 42 Faesource Essence up to get your health recovering while you run. A well timed Planar refuge before you dive between their forces can mean all the difference. Sabo's Snare helps slow pursuers a decent distance. Use rift prison as a last resort as it has a 30 second CD, always consider VOC first. Try to use ports after Hasted time has run it's course to maximize the speed increase. Also timed ports when you see a player stop to cast a snare helps a lot.

Their are many variables in combat, constantly tossing yourself in different situations allows you to adjust much more quickly in the future. I constantly run around the PVP daily areas exposing myself to players and teams.

Being forced to work, and forced to do your best, will breed in you temperance and self-control, diligence and strength of will, cheerfulness and content, and a hundred virtues which the idle will never know.
Charles Kingsley

Take those 5 points out of Stage Presence and add them to Resonance. 40 x 1.3 = 52. You're adding 12 to your one or two stats, vs adding 5% to all of people's stats.

[Sagiso]

That's my typical spec, i mostly run in Whitefall so the static Endurance increase is more valuable to me since i mostly reserve my energy when darting through the enemy. I usually only keep two motifs up when running unless no enemy's are near by.