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Bard
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Description
Bards are jack-of-all-trades adventurers who use music 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
Statistics
Strength
Strength determines how much you can carry. It influences maximum and average damage and how quickly you learn many offensive skills. Bards wear plate armour, which can weigh large amounts at upper levels. Also they have a semi-melee role, which means they will get more damage done with their weaponry with higher strength. Whilst a number of their songs do increase this stat, it is one which should also get a boost at creation.
Stamina
Stamina affects how many hit points you have, and how long you can hold your breath. The number of hitpoints gained from increasing this statistic is very minimal and Bards have a song which replenishes stamina if needed. No points should be assigned to this statistic at creation.
Agility
Agility affects how quickly you can learn some defensive skills, how difficult it is to hit you as well as how much damage you take when you are hit. The true effect of Agility is often debated. Since Bards can get hit a lot in combat, there is sound argument for putting points into this statistic. However, it doesn't seem to make a noticeable difference, and there are quite a few Agility increasing items in the game. Bards also increase Agility and AC with their songs. Despite the fact it is a relevant statistic, it is recommended to put your bonus points into more important areas when starting out.
Dexterity
Dexterity affects how quickly you learn weapon skills, and how often weapons will do their special. For Bards it also effects their chance of missing notes (fizzling) their spells. This is a critical statistic for Bards and one which they should certainly raise with their extra points.
Wisdom
Wisdom affects the amount of mana the priest classes have, also rangers and paladins. It also affects how quickly you can learn many skills if your wisdom is higher than your Intelligence. This skill has absolutely no relevance for the Bard class and bonus points should not be put into it.
Intelligence
Intelligence directly affects how quickly you can learn most skills. It affects the amount of mana for Bards and all pure casters, as well as shadow knights. Mana for Bards is only used in a small number of songs, and they have no way to increase its regeneration rate. It is much easier to get a few items which raise this stat for when you might need extra mana, than to increase it at the beginning. Like Agility, whilst relevant, there are more important stats to raise with your bonus points.
Charisma
This affects amount you will be paid for goods by NPC merchants, and how much they will pay you. It also affects the saving throw on certain Bard and Enchanter spells (charms in particular). For Bards, Charisma is much more important than for other classes. It not only effects their chance of songs being resisted, but also is part of the calculation for fizzled notes. Points should definitely be spent increasing this statistic at creation.
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.
Starting Statistics
Spending Your Bonus Points
Overall you have to keep in mind you will need to melee to do damage in most situations and your armor does get heavy. With this in mind here are our suggested bonus point spendings:
* Wood Elves: Add 10 Charisma, 10 Dexterity, 5 Strength. * Half Elves: Add 10 Charisma, 10 Strength, 5 Dexterity. * Humans: Add 10 Charisma, 10 Dexterity, 5 Strength.
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 AC, Str, Dex | Qeynos, Freeport, Kelethin | Classic |
2 | Chords of Dissonance | String | AE: DoT | Qeynos, Freeport, Kelethin | Classic |
3 | Jaxan's Jig of Vigor | Percussion | Party: Stamina Regeneration | Qeynos, Freeport, Kelethin | Classic |
4 | Lyssa's Locating Lyric | Singing | Corpse Location Song | Qeynos, Freeport, Kelethin | Classic |
5 | Selo's Accelerando | Percussion | Party: Increased Movement Rate | Qeynos, Freeport, Kelethin, Highkeep | Classic |
6 | Hymn of Restoration | String | Party: Heal | Qeynos, Freeport, Kelethin | Classic |
7 | Jonathan's Whistling Warsong | Singing | Self: Haste, Str, AC | Qeynos, Freeport, Kelethin | Classic |
8 | Kelin's Lugubrious Lament | String | Target: Lull | Kelithin | Classic |
9 | Elemental Rhythms | Percussion | Party: Increase MR, FR, CR, AC | Qeynos, Kelethin | Classic |
10 | Anthem De Arms | Singing | Party: Haste, Strength | Qeynos, Freeport | Classic |
11 | Cinda's Charismatic Carillon | Wind | Target: Improve Faction | Kelethin | Classic |
12 | Brusco's Boastful Bellow | Singing | Target: Direct Damage | Qeynos, Freeport | Classic |
13 | Purifying Rhythms | Percussion | Party: Increase MR, PR, DR, AC | Qeynos, Kelethin | Classic |
14 | Lyssa's Cataloging Libretto | Singing | Target: Identify | Erudin | Classic |
Kelin's Lucid Lullaby | String | AE: Enthrall | Kelethin | ||
16 | Tarew's Aquatic Ayre | Wind | Party: Enduring Breath | Highkeep | Classic |
17 | Guardian Rhythmns | Percussion | Party: Increase MR, AC | Qeynos, Kelethin | Classic |
18 | Denon's Disruptive Discord | Brass | AE: DoT, Lower AC | Qeynos, Freeport | Classic |
19 | Shauri's Sonorous Clouding | Wind (Required) | Party: Invisibility and See Invisibility | Erudin | Classic |
20 | Largo's Melodic Binding | Singing | AE: Slow, Lower AC | Qeynos, Freeport | Classic |
20 | Cassindra's Chant of Clarity | Unknown | Group Mana Regeneration Song | Unknown | Velious |
21 | Melanie's Mellifluous Motion | Wind | Party: Short Range Teleport | Highkeep | Classic |
22 | Alenia's Disenchanting Melody | String (Required) | Party: Cancel Magic | Qeynos | Classic |
23 | Selo's Consonant Chain | Unkown | Target: Slow Movement, Attack | Highkeep | Classic |
24 | Lyssa's Veracious Concord | Wind | Party: See Invis, Ultravision | Erudin | Classic |
25 | Psalm of Warmth | Singing | Party: Increase CR, Dmg Shield | Qeynos, Kelethin, Eurdin | Classic |
26 | Angstlich's Appalling Screech | Brass | AE: Fear | Kelethin | Classic |
27 | Solon's Song of the Sirens | Wind | Target: Charm NPC | Kelethin | Classic |
28 | Crission's Pixie Strike | Wind | Target: Mesmerise, Lower MR | Kelethin | Classic |
29 | Psalm of Vitality | Singing | Party: Increase DR | Qeynos, Kelethin | Classic |
30 | Fufil's Curtailing Chant | Percussion | Target: DoT, Reduce MR and AC | Qeynos, Freeport | Classic |
31 | Agilmente's Aria of Eagles | Wind | Party: Levitation | Highkeep | Classic |
32 | Cassindra's Chorus of Clarity | Singing | Party: Mana Restoration | Qeynos, Kelethin | Classic |
33 | Psalm of Cooling | Singing | Party: Increase FR, Dmg Shield | Qeynos, Kelethin, Erudin | Classic |
34 | Cantana of Soothing | Unkown | Party: Heal, Mana, and Stamina Regeneration | Unknown | Velious |
34 | Lyssa's Solidarity of Vision | Wind | Target: Bind Sight | Erudin | Classic |
35 | Denon's Dissension | Brass | Target: Mana Drain | Qeynos, Freeport | Classic |
36 | Vilia's Verses of Celerity | Singing | Party: Haste, Agility | Qeynos, Freeport | Classic |
37 | Psalm of Purity | Singing | Party: Increase PR, AC | Qeynos, Kelethin | Classic |
38 | Tuyen's Chant of Flame | Percussion | Target: DoT, Lower FR | Qeynos, Freeport | Classic |
39 | Solon's Bewitching Bravura | Wind | Target: Charm | Kelethin | Classic |
40 | Syvelian's Anti-Magic Aria | Singing | Target: Cancel Magic | Kelethin | Classic |
41 | Psalm of Mystic Shielding | Singing | Party: Increase Magic Resist, Hit Points, Armor Class | Qeynos, Kelethin | Classic |
42 | McVaxius Berserker Crescendo | Brass | Party: Haste, Strength | Qeynos, Freeport | Classic |
43 | Denon's Desparate Dirge | Singing | AE: DD | Qeynos, Freeport | Classic |
44 | Cassindra's Elegy | Singing | Party: Increase Wis, Int | Erudin | Classic |
45 | Jonthan's Provocation | Brass | Target: Haste, Strength, Absorb Dmg Shield, ATK | ||
46 | Tuyen’s Chant of Frost | Percussion | Target: DoT, Lower CR | Qeynos, Freeport | Classic |
47 | Niv's Melody of Preservation | String | Group: Increase Str and Atk, Heal, Absorb Spell Dmg | Qeynos | Classic |
48 | Selo's Chords of Cessation | String | AE: DoT, Slow | Highkeep | Classic |
49 | Shield of Song | String | Group Damage Absorption (Max: 20 per tick) | Erudin | Classic |
50 | Verses of Victory | Singing | Party: Haste, Str, Agi | Unknown | Kunark |
50 | Melody of Ervaj | Unknown | Group Haste Buff | Unknown | Velious |
51 | Selo's Song of Travel | Unknown | Party: Increase Movement Speed, Invisibility, See Invisible, Levitate | Unknown | Kunark |
51 | Largo's Absonant Binding | Unknown | Target: Decrease AC, Attack Speed, Movement, Agility | Unknown | Kunark |
52 | Nillipus' March of the Wee | Unknown | Party: AC, Agility, Absorb Damage | Unknown | Kunark |
53 | Song of Twilight | Unknown | Target: Mesmerize, Decrease MR | Unknown | Kunark |
53 | Song of Dawn | Unknown | Target: Lowers Agro List | Unknown | Kunark |
54 | Vilia's Chorus of Celerity | Unknown | Party: Haste | Unknown | Kunark |
54 | Selo's Assonait Strane | Unknown | AE: Slow Movement, Attack | Unknown | Kunark |
55 | Brusco's Bombastic Bellow | Unknown | Target: Stun, Direct Damage | Unknown | Kunark |
55 | Occlusion of Sound | Unknown | Single Target Unresistable Resistance Debuffer | Unknown | Velious |
56 | Song of Highsun | Unknown | Target: Stun, Cancel Magic, Shadow Step | Unknown | Kunark |
56 | Song of Midnight | Unknown | Target: Fear, Increase Movement, Direct Damage | Unknown | Kunark |
57 | Mcvaxius' Rousing Rondo | Unknown | Party: Haste, Strength, ATK, Damage Shield | Unknown | Kunark |
57 | Cassindra's Insipid Ditty | Unknown | Target: Decrease Mana, Int, Wis | Unknown | Kunark |
58 | Niv's Harmonic | Unknown | Party: AC | Unknown | Kunark |
58 | Jonthan's Inspiration | Unknown | Self: Haste, Strength, Absorb Dmg Shield, ATK | Unknown | Kunark |
59 | Denon's Bereavement | Unknown | AE: Poison, DD, Stun, Decrease MR | Unknown | Kunark |
59 | Solon's Charismatic Concord | Unknown | Party: Charisma | Unknown | Kunark |
60 | Kazumi's Note of Preservation | Unknown | Party: Divine Aura | Unknown | Kunark |
60 | Angstlich's Assonance | Unknown | Target: Decrease Attack Speed, DoT | Unknown | Kunark |
60 | Composition of Ervaj | Unknown | Drain Mana From Target (Max: 350) | 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 | Offene | 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 | 75 | 75 |
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.
Quests
- Aenia and Behroe
- Bard Reports
- Going Postal (Mail Delivery)
- Kilij Plans
- Fabian's Strings
- Vampire Teeth
- Lambent Armor
Gearing
Pre-Planar
Template:Gear reference bard pre planar