Bard

From Vanguard WikiSpheres

Description

Bards are naturally gifted in the melding of song and swordplay into a deadly dance that is at once awesome and terrible to behold. Bards can use their unique combat forms to gain increasing power as a fight progresses. They also have the ability to compose songs using bits of lore and tunes heard throughout their journeys. Bards have the opportunity to seek out those rare stories and melodies that will add even more power to their compositions.

Info

Skills

Weapon Types

One-handed Piercing, Hand to Hand, One-handed Slashing, Thrown, Archery

Combat

Block, Dodge, Parry

Perception and Concealment

Tactic Recognition, Awareness, Combat Awareness, Detection

General

Safe Fall

Weapon Specialization

Axe, Bow, Crossbow, Dagger and Knife, Short Sword, Thrown Axes, Longsword, Thrown Daggers

Abilities and Songs

• Levels 1-25
• Levels 26-50

Forms

Bards can utilize three forms, or dances, to give certain bonuses in combat. The longer the bard is in the fight, the higher level you can get. The levels are restricted by your character level however, though you unlock higher levels as you rise in your adventuring career.

Level	Form		Description
5		Dance of Blades	A deadly dance that increases your melee damage the longer you perform it Level 0 - +4% damage Level 1 - +6% damage Level 2 - +8% damage Level 3 - +10% damage Level 4 - +14% damage Level 5 - +24% damage
10		Water Dance	A flowing dance of misdirection. Evasion and your ability to dodge and parry attacks increase the longer this dance is performed. Melee damage is reduced while performing this dance. Level 0 - Adds 5% Evasion Level 1 - Adds 6% Evasion Level 2 - Adds 7% Evasion, 3% Dodge, Parry Level 3 - Adds 8% Evasion, 4% Dodge, Parry Level 4 - Adds 9% Evasion, 6% Dodge, Parry Level 5 - Adds 18% Evasion, 12% Dodge, Parry
12		Careen of the Cunning	A dance of precision and speed. Accuracy and crit chance are increased the longer this dance is performed. Level 0 - +2% Accuracy, 1% crit chance Level 1 - +3% Accuracy, 1% crit chance Level 2 - +4% Accuracy, 2% crit chance Level 3 - +5% Accuracy, 2% crit chance Level 4 - +6% Accuracy, 3% crit chance Level 5 - +1% Accuracy, 6% crit chance

Mechanics

Songs

The most important tools a Bard has are his ( or her ) songs. In Vanguard, Bards can write their own songs. This can be done by opening the songbook and clicking " Compose. "

Songs are made up of a base melody, and embellishments upon that. You gain melodies and various embellishments as you level, and the possibilities for songs being to multiply!

Melody

There is always a melody in a song. A song must have a melody to be played. The Melody is the backbone of the song and provides the theme. There is only ever 1 melody slot.

Embellishments

Embellishments are minor additions. Small resistance buffs, debuffs and other minor buffs. There are potentially 5 embellishment slots.

Lyric

Lyrics provide many different things for all occasions. Low power effects. Slow, runspeed, weapon procs, levitation. There are up to 4 lyric slots.

Chorus

Higher powered lyric-like components. Misc effects. There are up to 3 chorus slots.

Verses

Higher powered components. DoTs, regens, snares. There are 3 potential verse slots.

Bridges

Very powerful components. Misc effects. There are up to 2 bridge slots.

Codas

Very powerful components. Misc effects. There are up to 2 coda slots.

Rests

Rests are special components that reduce the Energy cost of your Songs. Unlike other components, Rests can go into any slot type (except Melody), which allows for much more flexibility in Composing. Also, each Rest you learn can only be used once in any Song.

Note: this has changed before going live. So this is a beta list You actually start with two embellishment slots at level 1.

Instruments do modify songs. Starting Instruments can be purchased from the Bard trainer.

Certain elements can be used more than once in a specific composition depending on available slots and rests. Melodies and rests can not be used more than once.