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 three classes that can mesmerize in Norrath, the others being the Enchanter and the Necromancer, 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

Levels 1 to 10

Level	Icon	Song Name	Instrument	Type	Song Description	Locations	Era
1		Chant of Battle	Percussion	Party	Increase AC by 1 (L1) to 6 (L60) Increase STR by 5 (L1) to 20 (L60) Increase DEX by 5 (L1) to 20 (L60) Yes	Qeynos Freeport Kelethin	Classic
2		Chords of Dissonance	Stringed	PB AE	Decrease Hitpoints by 2 per tick (L2) to 17 per tick (L60) Yes	Qeynos Freeport Kelethin	Classic
3		Jaxan's Jig o' Vigor	Percussion	Party	Decrease Stamina Loss by 10 (L3) to 25 (L60)	Qeynos Freeport Kelethin Highkeep	Classic
4		Lyssa's Locating Lyric	Singing	Single	Locate Corpse No	Qeynos Freeport Kelethin Erudin	Classic
5		Selo's Accelerando	Percussion	Party	Increase Movement Speed by 20% (L5) to 65% (L50) Yes	Qeynos Freeport Kelethin Highkeep	Classic
6		Hymn of Restoration	Stringed	Party	Increase Hitpoints by 2 per tick (L6) to 13 per tick (L60) Yes	Qeynos Freeport Kelethin	Classic
7		Jonthan's Whistling Warsong	Singing	Self	Increase Strength by 7 (L8) to 33 (L57) Increase Attack Speed by 16% (L7) to 25% (L40) Increase AC by 2 (L7) to 10 (L60) Yes (haste is not increased)	Qeynos Freeport Kelethin	Classic
8		Kelin's Lugubrious Lament	Stringed	Single	Frenzy Radius (5/60) Reaction Radius (10/60) Pacify No	Kelethin	Classic
9		Elemental Rhythms	Percussion	Party	Increase Magic Resist by 9 (L9) to 35 (L60) Increase Cold Resist by 9 (L9) to 35 (L60) Increase Fire Resist by 9 (L9) to 35 (L60) Increase AC by 2 (L9) to 6 (L60) Yes	Qeynos Kelethin	Classic
10		Anthem De Arms	Singing	Party	Increase Attack Speed by 10% Increase STR by 10 (L10) to 35 (L60) Yes	Qeynos Freeport	Classic

Levels 11 to 20

Level	Icon	Song Name	Instrument	Type	Song Description	Locations	Era
11		Cinda's Charismatic Carillon	Wind	Single	Increase Faction by 120 (L11) to 610 (L60) No	Kelethin	Classic
12		Brusco's Boastful Bellow	Singing	Single	Decrease Hitpoints by 7 (L12) to 31 (L60) Yes	Freeport Qeynos	Classic
13		Purifying Rhythms	Percussion	Party	Increase Magic Resist by 11 (L13) to 35 (L60) Increase Poison Resist by 11 (L13) to 35 (L60) Increase Disease Resist by 11 (L13) to 35 (L60) Increase AC by 2 (L13) to 6 (L60) Yes	Qeynos Kelethin	Classic
14		Lyssa's Cataloging Libretto	Singing	Single	Identify No	Erudin	Classic
15		Kelin's Lucid Lullaby	Stringed	PB AE	Mesmerize (2/30) Level Cap: 25 No	Kelethin	Classic
16		Tarew's Aquatic Ayre	Wind	Party	Water Breathing(1) No	Highkeep	Classic
17		Guardian Rhythms	Percussion	Party	Increase AC by 4 (L17) to 9 (L60) Increase Magic Resist by 13 (L17) to 35 (L60) Yes	Kelethin	Classic
18		Denon's Disruptive Discord	Brass	PB AE	Decrease Hitpoints by 8 per tick (L18) to 19 per tick (L60) Decrease AC by 5 (L18) to 18 (L60) Yes	Qeynos Freeport	Classic
19		Shauri's Sonorous Clouding	Wind †	Party	Invisibility(1) See Invisible(1) Required	Erudin	Classic
20		Largo's Melodic Binding	Singing	PB AE	Decrease AC by 4 (L20) to 10 (L60) Decrease Attack Speed by 15% (L20) to 35% (L60) Yes (slow is not affected)	Qeynos Freeport	Classic
20		Cassindra's Chant of Clarity	Singing	Party	Increase Mana by 2 No	East Commons	Velious

Levels 21 to 30

Level	Icon	Song Name	Instrument	Type	Song Description	Locations	Era
21		Melanie's Mellifluous Motion	Wind	Party	Shadowstep No	Highkeep	Classic
22		Alenia's Disenchanting Melody	Stringed †	Party	Cancel Magic(1) Required	Qeynos Kelethin	Classic
23		Selo's Consonant Chain	Singing	Single	Decrease Movement Speed by 53% (L23) to 90% (L60) Decrease Attack Speed by 16% (L23) to 35% (L60) Yes (attack speed unaffected)	Highkeep	Classic
24		Lyssa's Veracious Concord	Wind	Party	See Invisible(1) Ultravision(1) No	Erudin	Classic
25		Psalm of Warmth	Singing	Party	Increase Damage Shield by 6 (L25) to 13 (L60) Increase Cold Resist by 35 (L25) to 70 (L60) Infravision(1) Increase AC by 3 (L25) to 6 (L60) Yes	Qeynos Kelethin Erudin	Classic
26		Angstlich's Appalling Screech	Brass	PB AE	Fear(1) No	Kelethin	Classic
27		Solon's Song of the Sirens	Wind	Single	Charm up to level 37 Decrease Magic Resist by 4 (L27) to 8 (L60) Yes (just the resists debuff)	Kelethin	Classic
28		Crission's Pixie Strike	Wind	Single	Mesmerize (2/55) Decrease Magic Resist by 6 (L28) to 13 (L60) Level Cap: 45 Yes (just the resists debuff)	Kelethin	Classic
29		Psalm of Vitality	Singing	Party	Increase Disease Resist by 39 (L29) to 70 (L60) Increase AC by 3 (L29) to 6 (L60) Yes	Qeynos Kelethin	Classic
30		Fufil's Curtailing Chant	Percussion	Single	Decrease Hitpoints by 11 per tick (L30) to 21 per tick (L60) Decrease Magic Resist by 9 (L30) to 16 (L60) Yes	Qeynos Freeport	Classic

Levels 31 to 40

Level	Icon	Song Name	Instrument	Type	Song Description	Locations	Era
31		Agilmente's Aria of Eagles	Wind †	Party	Levitate(1) Required	Highkeep	Classic
32		Cassindra's Chorus of Clarity	Singing	Party	Increase Mana by 5 (L32) to 7 (L48) No	Qeynos Kelethin	Classic
33		Psalm of Cooling	Singing	Party	Increase Damage Shield by 7 (L33) to 13 (L60) Increase Fire Resist by 43 (L33) to 70 (L60) Ultravision(1) Increase AC by 3 (L33) to 6 (L60) Yes	Qeynos Kelethin Erudin	Classic
34		Lyssa's Solidarity of Vision	Wind	Single	Bind Sight(1) No	Erudin	Classic
34		Cantana of Soothing	Stringed †	Party	Increase Hitpoints by 4 per tick Increase Mana by 5 per tick Decrease Stamina Loss by 4 Required	Iceclad Ocean	Velious
35		Denon's Dissension	Brass	PB AE	Decrease Mana by 22 (L35) to 35 (L60) Yes	Qeynos Freeport	Classic
36		Vilia's Verses of Celerity	Singing	Party	Increase Attack Speed by 20% Increase AGI by 23 (L36) to 35 (L60) Increase AC by 5 (L36) to 8 (L60) Yes (not attack speed)	Qeynos Freeport	Classic
37		Psalm of Purity	Singing	Party	Increase Poison Resist by 47 (L37) to 70 (L60) Increase AC by 4 (L37) to 6 (L60) Yes	Qeynos Kelethin	Classic
38		Tuyen's Chant of Flame	Percussion	Single	Decrease Hitpoints by 20 per tick (L38) to 31 per tick (L60) Decrease Fire Resist by 11 (L38) to 17 (L60) Yes	Qeynos Freeport	Classic
39		Solon's Bravura	Wind	Single	Charm up to level 51 Decrease Magic Resist by 5 (L39) to 8 (L60) Requires: 20 Mana Yes (just resists debuff)	Kelethin	Classic
40		Syvelian's Anti-Magic Aria	Singing	Single	Cancel Magic(4) No	Kelethin	Classic

Levels 41 to 50

Level	Icon	Song Name	Instrument	Type	Song Description	Locations	Era
41		Psalm of Mystic Shielding	Singing	Party	Increase Magic Resist by 51 (L41) to 70 (L60) Increase Absorb Magic Damage by 15 Increase Hitpoints by 5 per tick Increase AC by 4 (L41) to 6 (L60) Yes	Qeynos Kelethin	Classic
42		McVaxius' Berserker Crescendo	Brass	Party	Increase Attack Speed by 18% (L42) to 23% (L60) Increase STR by 15 (L42) to 21 (L60) Increase AC by 6 (L42) to 9 (L60) Yes (not attack speed)	Qeynos Freeport	Classic
43		Denon's Desperate Dirge	Singing	Targeted AE	Decrease Hitpoints by 311 (L43) to 384 (L60) Requires 800 Mana Yes	Qeynos Freeport	Classic
44		Cassindra's Elegy	Singing	Party	Increase INT by 12 (L44) to 16 (L60) Increase WIS by 12 (L44) to 16 (L60) Yes	Erudin	Classic
45		Jonthan's Provocation	Singing	Self	Increase Attack Speed by 48% (L45) to 50% (L47) Increase STR by 13 (L45) to 17 (L60) Increase ATK by 13 (L45) to 17 (L60) Yes (not attack speed)	Qeynos Freeport	Classic
46		Tuyen's Chant of Frost	Percussion	Single	Decrease Hitpoints by 24 per tick (L46) to 31 per tick (L60) Decrease Cold Resist by 13 (L46) to 17 (L60) Yes	Qeynos Freeport	Classic
47		Niv's Melody of Preservation	Stringed	Party	Increase STR by 10 Increase Absorb Magic Damage by 10 Increase Hitpoints by 6 per tick (L47) to 9 per tick (L60)	Qeynos Kelethin	Classic
48		Selo's Chords of Cessation	Stringed	PB AE	Decrease Hitpoints by 26 per tick (L48) to 32 per tick (L60) Decrease Attack Speed by 17% (L48) to 20% (L60) Yes	Highkeep	Classic
49		Shield of Song	Stringed	Party	Increase Absorb Damage by 20 Increase Absorb Magic Damage by 20 Yes	Erudin	Classic
50		Verses of Victory	Singing	Party	Increase Attack Speed by 30% Increase AGI by 30 Increase AC by 15 Increase STR by 30 Yes (not attack speed)	Qeynos Freeport	Classic
50		Song: Melody of Ervaj	Brass †	Party	Increase Haste v2 by 5% Increase AC by 5 (L50) to 6 (L65) Required	{{{TableLocations}}}	{{{TableEra}}}

Levels 51 to 55

Level	Icon	Song Name	Instrument	Type	Song Description	Locations	Era
51		Selo's Song of Travel	Percussion	Party	Increase Movement Speed by 65% Invisibility(1) See Invisible(1) Levitate(1) Yes	Firiona Vie	Kunark
51		Largo's Assonant Binding	Singing	Single	Decrease AC by 15 (L51) to 19 (L65) Decrease Attack Speed by 30% (L51) to 35% (L60) Decrease Movement Speed by 52% (L51) to 61% (L60) Decrease AGI by 45 (L51) to 50 (L60) Yes	Firiona Vie	Kunark
52		Nillipus' March of the Wee	Percussion	Party	Increase AC by 9 Increase AGI by 18 Increase Absorb Damage by 12 Shrink Yes	Firiona Vie	Kunark
53		Song of Twilight	Wind	Single	Mesmerize (2/55) Level Cap: 54 No	Firiona Vie	Kunark
53		Song of Dawn	Wind	Single	Decrease Hate by 181 (L53) to 185 (L60) Daytime only	Firiona Vie	Kunark
54		Vilia's Chorus of Celerity	Singing	Party	Increase Attack Speed by 45% No	Firiona Vie	Kunark
54		Selo's Assonant Strain	Stringed	PB AE	Decrease Movement Speed by 43% (L54) to 45% (L60) Decrease Attack Speed by 23% (L54) to 25% (L60) Yes (movement speed only)	Firiona Vie	Kunark
55		Cantana of Replenishment	Stringed	Party	Increase Hitpoints by 11 per tick (L55) to 12 per tick (L60) Increase Mana by 12 per tick (L55) to 13 per tick (L60) Decrease Stamina Loss by 10	Firiona Vie	Kunark
55		Brusco's Bombastic Bellow	Singing	Single	Stun for 8.0* seconds (*some player-cast stuns are capped at 4 seconds) Decrease Hitpoints by 222 Cooldown: 300 seconds Yes	Firiona Vie	Kunark
55		Song: Occlusion of Sound	Percussion †	Single	Decrease Cold Resist by 10 Decrease Fire Resist by 10 Decrease Magic Resist by 10 Unresistable Required	{{{TableLocations}}}	{{{TableEra}}}

Levels 56 to 60

Level	Icon	Song Name	Instrument	Type	Song Description	Locations	Era
56		Song of Highsun	Wind	Single	Cancel Magic(9) Cancel Magic(9) Stun for 0.0 seconds NPC: Gate / PC: Shadowstep Daytime only No	Firiona Vie	Kunark
56		Song of Midnight	Brass	PB AE	Fear(1) Decrease Hitpoints by 8 per tick Increase Movement Speed by 45% Night time only Yes	Firiona Vie	Kunark
57		McVaxius' Rousing Rondo	Brass	Party	Increase Attack Speed by 21% (L57) to 22% (L60) Increase STR by 20 (L57) to 21 (L60) Increase ATK by 13 (L57) to 14 (L60) Increase Damage Shield by 8 Yes (except attack speed)	Firiona Vie	Kunark
57		Cassindra's Insipid Ditty	Stringed	Single	Decrease Mana by 15 per tick (L57) to 16 per tick (L60) Decrease INT by 15 (L57) to 16 (L60) Decrease WIS by 15 (L57) to 16 (L60) Yes	Firiona Vie	Kunark
58		Niv's Harmonic	Singing	Party	Increase Absorb Magic Damage by 10 Increase AC by 24 Yes	Firiona Vie	Kunark
58		Jonthan's Inspiration	Singing	Self	Increase Attack Speed by 61% (L58) to 63% (L60) Increase STR by 17 (L58) to 18 (L60) Increase ATK by 15 (L58) to 16 (L60) Yes (except attack speed)	Firiona Vie	Kunark
59		Denon's Bereavement	Stringed	PB AE	Increase Poison Counter by 4 Decrease Hitpoints by 30 per tick Stun for 0.0 seconds Decrease Magic Resist by 15 Yes	Firiona Vie	Kunark
59		Solon's Charismatic Concord	Singing	Party	Increase CHA by 45 Yes	Firiona Vie	Kunark
60		Kazumi's Note of Preservation	Wind	Party	Invulnerability Cooldown: 180 seconds No	Firiona Vie	Kunark
60		Angstlich's Assonance	Brass	Single	Decrease Attack Speed by 31% Decrease Hitpoints by 25 per tick Duration: 60 Seconds Cooldown: 12 Seconds Yes (except attack speed)	Firiona Vie	Kunark
60		Song: Composition of Ervaj	Brass †	Party	Increase Haste v2 by 10% Increase AC by 9 (L60) to 9 (L65) Yes (except attack speed)	Unknown	Velious

† Denotes Required Instrument

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	200	235
5	Yes	Percussion	200	235
8	Yes	String	200	235
11	Yes	Brass	200	235
14	Yes	Wind	200	235

• Although bard's music skills will increase after lv40 in the UI they are Marked as Red and capped at 200.

Casting Skills

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

• The meditate skill for the bard has the sole purpose of allowing spells to be scribed into the spell book and memorised into song slots in a timely fashion. It does not increase bard mana regeneration.

Miscellaneous Skills

Level	Trained	Skill	Cap Until 50	Cap Above 50
1	No	Alcohol Tolerance	255	255
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

Further Reading

There is more information on the Bard/Further Reading Page