Bard

Description

Bards are jack-of-all-trades adventurers who use songs to create a wide variety of magical effects. Though they often use melee weapons, bards are primarily a magic-using class, with the ability to wear plate armor and wield many different types of weapons and instruments.

Bards can do a little bit of everything. Their songs can regenerate health and mana, increase attack speed and accuracy, momentarily charm angry enemies, help friends resist many types of damage and even directly damage enemies. Bards are perhaps best known, however, for their ability to greatly increase the foot speed of their group.

Bards have the unique ability to create multiple effects at once. By weaving different songs together, a bard can customize effects to any situation. This makes nimble fingers and quick thinking a must for those who want to play a bard.

Bards do well both alone and in groups. With the right combination of songs, they can adapt to many different challenges. The bard is a great class for players who enjoy a wide variety of play options but are quick to adapt to a changing situation.

Creation Guide

Picking the Right Race

The first thing you have to pick then is your race. Which race you pick will determine the foundation of you character for the rest of your life in Norrath so it is kind of important you pick one you like. The majority of Bards tend to be Half-Elves since they have the highest overall melee stats. Wood Elves trade off their strength in damage for some extra agility in avoiding being hit. Humans, like always, have consistent base stats.

Humans are the only race with no night vision abilities, and none of the races level any faster than another. Since all Bards get the ability to hide and forage, the wood-elves natural abilities are not so important.

Spending Your Bonus Points

There are no definitive ways to spend your bonus points, but here are some guidelines for each statistic:

• Strength affects how often bards hit for maximum damage and also the bard's ability to carry armor and treasure. Plate armor, which bards wear, is generally among the heaviest of armors while bard melee damage is amongst the lowest for all melee classes. Strength is also an easy stat to raise with gear and buffs. This is an OK location to allocate creation points.
• Stamina affects your total hitpoints. The conversion to raw Hit Points from Stamina is only mediocre for bards, but Stamina is a good statistic to put extra points for any class, bards included.
• Agility affects how often melee attacks miss the bard, as well as the bard' armor class. Since bards are not tanks, and the returns on this statistic are minimal, it is recommended to avoid adding additional points to Agility.
• Dexterity affects how often weapons proc and also how often notes are missed (fizzles) for bards. Since bard's abilities are based on singing, this is an important stat for bards.
• Wisdom does not affect the size of a bardic mana pool, as bards are considered intelligence casters. This statistic serves little function for a bard and additional creation points should not be spent here.
• Intelligence will increase the size of the bard's mana pool. Since only the charm line, such as Solon's Song of the Sirens, of songs requires mana to cast, the size of a bard's mana pool is largely inconsequential and additional creation points should not be spent here.
• Charisma affects lull, mez, and charm resists. Since the bard is one of only two classes that can mesmerize in Norrath, the other being the Enchanter, this is a decent location to allocate creation points.

Religion

Generally speaking being agnostic is a fairly safe bet in Everquest. Religion serves only to get you into trouble in many situations. The disadvantage to doing this is that some items and some quests can only be done by followers of certain religions. Following a religion will at worst get you killed in some areas, but generally you can avoid these. In the end it will not make an enormous difference to your character which Deity you choose.

Songs

Level	Song Name	Instrument	Song Description	Locations	Era
1	Chant of Battle	Singing	Party: Increase STR, DEX, AC	Qeynos, Freeport, Kelethin	Classic
2	Chords of Dissonance	String	PBAoE: DoT	Qeynos, Freeport, Kelethin	Classic
3	Jaxan's Jig o' Vigor	Percussion	Party: Increase Endurance Regeneration	Qeynos, Freeport, Kelethin, Highkeep	Classic
4	Lyssa's Locating Lyric	Singing	Self: Corpse Location Song	Qeynos, Freeport, Kelethin	Classic
5	Selo's Accelerando	Percussion	Party: Increase Movement Speed	Qeynos, Freeport, Kelethin, Highkeep	Classic
6	Hymn of Restoration	String	Party: Increase HP Regeneration	Qeynos, Freeport, Kelethin	Classic
7	Jonthan's Whistling Warsong	Singing	Self: Increase STR, AC, Attack Speed	Qeynos, Freeport, Kelethin	Classic
8	Kelin's Lugubrious Lament	String	Target: Lull	Kelethin	Classic
9	Elemental Rhythms	Percussion	Party: Increase AC, MR, FR, CR	Qeynos, Kelethin	Classic
10	Anthem De Arms	Singing	Party: Increase STR, Attack Speed	Qeynos, Freeport	Classic
11	Cinda's Charismatic Carillon	Wind	Target: Improve Faction	Kelethin	Classic
12	Brusco's Boastful Bellow	Singing	Target: DD and Interrupt Casting	Qeynos, Freeport	Classic
13	Purifying Rhythms	Percussion	Party: Increase AC, MR, PR, DR	Qeynos, Kelethin	Classic
14	Lyssa's Cataloging Libretto	Singing	Target: Identify	Erudin	Classic
15	Kelin's Lucid Lullaby	String	Target: Mesmerise	Kelethin	Classic
16	Tarew's Aquatic Ayre	Wind	Party: Enduring Breath	Highkeep	Classic
17	Guardian Rhythms	Percussion	Party: Increase AC, MR	Qeynos, Kelethin	Classic
18	Denon's Disruptive Discord	Brass	PBAoE: DoT, Decrease AC	Qeynos, Freeport	Classic
19	Shauri's Sonorous Clouding	Wind (Required)	Party: Invisibility, See Invisible	Erudin	Classic
20	Largo's Melodic Binding	Singing	PBAoE: Decrease AC, Attack Speed	Qeynos, Freeport	Classic
20	Cassindra's Chant of Clarity	Unknown	Party: Increase Mana Regeneration	Unknown	Velious
21	Melanie's Mellifluous Motion	Wind	Party: Short Range Teleport	Highkeep	Classic
22	Alenia's Disenchanting Melody	String (Required)	Party: Remove Buffs	Qeynos, Kelethin	Classic
23	Selo's Consonant Chain	Singing	Target: Decrease Movement Speed, Attack Speed	Highkeep	Classic
24	Lyssa's Veracious Concord	Wind	Party: See Invisibility, Ultravision	Erudin	Classic
25	Psalm of Warmth	Singing	Party: Increase CR, Damage Shield	Qeynos, Kelethin, Eurdin	Classic
26	Angstlich's Appalling Screech	Brass	PBAoE: Fear	Kelethin	Classic
27	Solon's Song of the Sirens	Wind	Target: Charm NPC, Decrease MR	Kelethin	Classic
28	Crission's Pixie Strike	Wind	Target: Mesmerise, Decrease MR	Kelethin	Classic
29	Psalm of Vitality	Singing	Party: Increase AC, DR, Damage Shield	Qeynos, Kelethin	Classic
30	Fufil's Curtailing Chant	Percussion	Target: DoT, Decrease MR	Qeynos, Freeport	Classic
31	Agilmente's Aria of Eagles	Wind	Party: Levitation	Highkeep	Classic
32	Cassindra's Chorus of Clarity	Singing	Party: Increase Mana Restoration	Qeynos, Kelethin	Classic
33	Psalm of Cooling	Singing	Party: Increase FR, Damage Shield	Qeynos, Kelethin, Erudin	Classic
34	Cantata of Soothing	String	Party: HP, Mana, and Endurance Regeneration	Unknown	Velious
34	Lyssa's Solidarity of Vision	Wind	Target: Bind Sight	Erudin	Classic
35	Denon's Dissension	Brass	PBAoE: Decrease Mana	Qeynos, Freeport	Classic
36	Vilia's Verses of Celerity	Singing	Party: Increase AC, AGI, Attack Speed	Qeynos, Freeport	Classic
37	Psalm of Purity	Singing	Party: Increase AC, PR	Qeynos, Kelethin	Classic
38	Tuyen's Chant of Flame	Percussion	Target: DoT, Decrease FR	Qeynos, Freeport	Classic
39	Solon's Bewitching Bravura	Wind	Target: Charm, Decrease MR	Kelethin	Classic
40	Syvelian's Anti-Magic Aria	Singing	Target: Remove Buffs	Kelethin	Classic
41	Psalm of Mystic Shielding	Singing	Party: Increase Max HP, AC, MR	Qeynos, Kelethin	Classic
42	McVaxius' Berserker Crescendo	Brass	Party: Increase STR, AC, Attack Speed	Qeynos, Freeport	Classic
43	Denon's Desperate Dirge	Singing	Target: AoE	Qeynos, Freeport	Classic
44	Cassindra's Elegy	Singing	Party: Increase WIS, INT	Erudin	Classic
45	Jonthan's Provocation	Singing	Self: Increase STR, ATK, Attack Speed	Qeynos, Freeport
46	Tuyen's Chant of Frost	Percussion	Target: DoT, Decrease CR	Qeynos, Freeport	Classic
47	Niv's Melody of Preservation	String	Party: Increase STR, HP Regeneration, Absorb Magic Damage	Qeynos, Kelethin	Classic
48	Selo's Chords of Cessation	String	PBAoE: DoT, Decrease Attack Speed	Highkeep	Classic
49	Shield of Songs	String	Party: Damage Absorption, Magic Damage Absorption	Erudin	Classic
50	Verses of Victory	Singing	Party: Increase STR, AGI, Attack Speed	Qeynos, Freeport	Classic
50	Melody of Ervaj	Brass	Party: Increase AC, Attack Speed	Unknown	Velious
51	Selo's Song of Travel	Percussion	Party: Increase Movement Speed, Invisibility, See Invisible, Levitate	Firiona Vie	Kunark
51	Largo's Absonant Binding	Singing	Target: Decrease AGI, AC, Attack Speed, Movement Speed	Firiona Vie	Kunark
52	Nillipus' March of the Wee	Percussion	Party: Increase AGI, AC, Absorb Damage	Firiona Vie	Kunark
53	Song of Twilight	Wind	Target: Mesmerize, Decrease MR	Firiona Vie	Kunark
53	Song of Dawn	Wind	Target: Decrease Hate	Firiona Vie	Kunark
54	Vilia's Chorus of Celerity	Singing	Party: Increase Attack Speed	Firiona Vie	Kunark
54	Selo's Assonant Strane	String	PBAoE: Decrease Movement Speed, Attack Speed	Firiona Vie	Kunark
55	Cantata of Replenishment	String	Party: HP Regeneration, Mana Regeneration, Endurance Regeneration	Firiona Vie	Kunark
55	Brusco's Bombastic Bellow	Singing	Target: DoT, Stun	Firiona Vie	Kunark
55	Occlusion of Sound	Unknown	Target: Unresistable Decrease CR, FR, MR	Unknown	Velious
56	Song of Highsun	Wind	Target: Stun, Remove Buffs, Short Distance Teleport	Firiona Vie	Kunark
56	Song of Midnight	Brass	PBAoE: DoT, Fear, Increase Movement Speed	Firiona Vie	Kunark
57	McVaxius' Rousing Rondo	Brass	Party: Increase STR, ATK, Attack Speed, Damage Shield	Firiona Vie	Kunark
57	Cassindra's Insipid Ditty	String	Target: Decrease Mana, INT, WIS	Firiona Vie	Kunark
58	Niv's Harmonic	Singing	Party: Increase AC	Firiona Vie	Kunark
58	Jonthan's Inspiration	Singing	Self: Increase STR, ATK, Attack Speed	Firiona Vie	Kunark
59	Denon's Bereavement	String	PBAoE: Dot, Poison, Stun, Decrease MR	Firiona Vie	Kunark
59	Solon's Charismatic Concord	Singing	Party: Increase CHA	Firiona Vie	Kunark
60	Kazumi's Note of Preservation	Wind	Party: Invulnerability	Firiona Vie	Kunark
60	Angstlich's Assonance	Brass	Target: DoT, Decrease Attack Speed	Firiona Vie	Kunark
60	Composition of Ervaj	Brass	Party: Increase AC, Attack Speed	Unknown	Velious

Skills

Combat Skills

Level	Trained	Skill	Cap Until 50	Cap Above 50
1	No	1 Hand Blunt	200	225
1	No	1 Hand Slashing	200	225
1	No	Bind Wound	150	200
1	No	Defense	200	252
1	No	Hand to Hand	100	100
1	No	Offense	200	225
1	No	Piercing	200	225
10	Yes	Dodge	125	155
17	Yes	Dual Wield	210	210
26	Yes	Instill Doubt	100	100
53	Yes	Parry	75	75
58	Yes	Riposte	75	75

Musical Skills

Level	Trained	Skill	Cap Until 50	Cap Above 50
1	No	Singing	235	235
5	Yes	Percussion	235	235
8	Yes	String	235	235
11	Yes	Brass	235	235
14	Yes	Wind	235	235

Casting Skills

Level	Trained	Skill	Cap Until 50	Cap Above 50
10	Yes	Meditate	1	1

Miscellaneous Skills

Level	Trained	Skill	Cap Until 50	Cap Above 50
1	No	Alcohol Tolerance	200	200
1	No	Beg	200	200
1	No	Fishing	200	200
1	No	Sense Heading	200	200
1	Yes	Swimming	200	200
12	Yes	Forage	55	55
17	Yes	Sneak	75	75
20	Yes	Sense Traps	75	75
24	Yes	Safe Fall	40	40
25	Yes	Hide	40	40
30	Yes	Disarm Traps	100	100
35	Yes	Track	100	100
40	Yes	Pick Lock	100	100

Bard Song Merchants

North Freeport

• Lysric Loresinger - Song: Chant of Battle, Song: Chords of Dissonance, Song: Hymn of Restoration, Jaxan's Jig O' Vigor, Song: Jonathan's Whistling Warsong, Song: Lyssa's Locating Lyric, Song: Selo's Accelerando
• Inisis Trimpet - Song: Anthem de Arms, Song: Brusco's Boastful Bellow, Song: Chant of Battle, Song: Chords of Dissonance, Song: Denon's Desperate Dirge, Song: Denon's Disruptive Discord, Song: Denon's Dissension, Song: Fufil's Curtailing Chant, Song: Jonathan's Provocation, Song: Jonathan's Whistling Warsong, Song: Largo's Melodic Binding, McVaxius Berserker Crescendo, Song: Tuyen's Chant of Flame, Song: Tuyen's Chant of Frost, Song: Verses of Victory, Song: Vilia's Verses of Celerity

Kelethin

• Beleth Streamfoot - Song: Chords of Dissonance, Song: Hymn of Restoration, Song: Jaxan's Jig o' Vigor, Song: Jonthan's Whistling Warsong, Song: Lyssa's Locating Lyric, Song: Selo's Accelerando
• Astar Leafsinger - Song: Cassindra's Chorus of Clarity, Song: Hymn of Restoration, Song: Purifying Rhythms, Song: Psalm of Warmth, Song: Psalm of Purity , Song: Psalm of Cooling, Song: Niv's Melody of Preservation, Song: Psalm of Mystic Shielding, Song: Elemental Rhythms, Song: Guardian Rhythms, Song: Psalm of Vitality
• Serilia Whistlewind - Song: Angstlich's Appalling Screech, Song: Cinda's Charismatic Carillon, Song: Crission's Pixie Strike, Song: Kelin's Lucid Lullaby, Song: Kelin's Lugubrious Lament, Song: Solon's Bravura, Song: Solon's Song of the Sirens, Song: Syvelian's Anti-Magic Aria

South Qeynos

• Topala Xenem - Song: Alenia's Disenchanting Melody, Song: Cassindra's Chorus of Clarity, Song: Elemental Rhythms, Song: Guardian Rhythms, Song: Hymn of Restoration, Song: Niv's Melody of Preservation, Song: Psalm of Cooling, Song: Psalm of Mystic Shielding, Song: Psalm of Purity, Song: Psalm of Vitality, Song: Psalm of Warmth, Song: Purifying Rhythms
• Lysric Loresinger - Song: Chant of Battle, Song: Chords of Dissonance, Song: Hymn of Restoration, Jaxan's Jig O' Vigor, Song: Jonathan's Whistling Warsong, Song: Lyssa's Locating Lyric, Song: Selo's Accelerando
• Chalea Volesga - Song: Anthem de Arms, Song: Brusco's Boastful Bellow, Song: Chant of Battle, Song: Chords of Dissonance, Song: Denon's Desperate Dirge, Song: Denon's Disruptive Discord, Song: Denon's Dissension, Song: Fufil's Curtailing Chant, Song: Jonathan's Provocation, Song: Jonathan's Whistling Warsong, Song: Largo's Melodic Binding, McVaxius Berserker Crescendo, Song: Tuyen's Chant of Flame, Song: Tuyen's Chant of Frost, Song: Verses of Victory, Song: Vilia's Verses of Celerity

Erudin (Library)

• Altrusan Belstince - Song: Cassindra's Elegy, Song: Lyssa's Cataloging Libretto, Song: Lyssa's Locating Lyric, Song: Lyssa's Solidarity of Vision, Song: Lyssa's Veracious Concord, Song: Psalm of Cooling, Song: Psalm of Warmth, Song: Shauri's Sonorous Clouding, Song: Shield of Song

Highkeep

• Justin Rhymes - Song: Agilmente's Aria of Eagles, Song: Jaxan's Jig O' Vigor, Song: Melanie's Mellifluous Motion, Song: Selo's Accelerando, Song: Selo's Chords of Cessation, Song: Selo's Consonant Chain, Song: Tarew's Aquatic Ayre

Note: Instrument information marked with an (*) was pulled from an archive of EQ Casters Realm [1]. If you can confirm (or correct) this with in game information or experience, the help would be much appreciated.

Bard-Specific Quests

• Bard Epic Quest

• Lambent Armor Quests
• Rare Coins
• Bard Plane of Sky Tests
• Vampire Teeth
• Broken Lute
• Aenia and Behroe
• Going Postal (Mail Delivery)
• Kilij's Plans
• Fabian's Strings
• Bard Reports
• Hero Bracers Quest

Velious:

• Bard Thurgadin Armor Quests
• Bard Kael Armor Quests
• Bard Skyshrine Armor Quests

Gearing

Class specific gear suggestions are cross listed on the Gear Reference page.

IMPORTANT - The "best" gear for a bard varies widely depending on what the bard is doing. The best drum and the best lute a bard can afford are the two single most important items a bard will ever need.

RAIDS - Almost all the time, a bard is best served in raids by wearing gear with the appropriate resists in every equipment slot possible. Bards provide HUGE resist boosts (and sometimes other songs) to their whole group, so it is crucial that the bard never be killed or feared by AE and expose his groupmates to the same. Most raid encounters require magic resist.

GROUPS - In experience groups, bards usually will be meleeing while singing 3+ different songs as needed. Different groups will need different songs (won't need haste when there is an enchanter, etc.). When doing this bards are probably best off in str, dex, hp, and ac gear. When a bard is pulling or doing CC, magic resist can be very helpful to avoid snare/root/blind/stun, and charisma can be important to helping with the success of lull.

SOLO - If a bard is AE kiting, getting hit probably means you are going to die no matter what gear you're wearing. Resist gear, especially magic resist, can help protect a bard from a death while pulling or if he accidentally picks up a caster and doesn't notice. When fear kiting, a bard again will want str, dex, hp, and AC gear (and perhaps charisma gear for lulls).

Consequently bards end up with multiple backpacks full of different gear they may need in any different situation. Tweaking which pieces of resist gear you wear in a fight where multiple resists are needed (for example, on Talendor) depends on how high your main resist (MR) can get. If you are at 400 MR at level 60 with buffs/gear/songs, you may consider swapping in great FR pieces in a few slots to bump up your FR without significantly increasing your chance of being feared.

Keep these things in mind when looking at the gear lists below, which are generally set up for a grouping or soloing bard.

Instrument Progression

Thanks to Grimmly Fireforge for first compiling this instrument progression list.

Vendor:

• Percussion:
  Hand Drum

  Hand Drum

Slot: SECONDARY
Percussion Instrument: 18
WT: 0.5 Size: SMALL
Class: BRD
Race: ALL