The Bard is a staple of the Final Fantasy series and one of the first jobs introduced in A Realm Reborn.
Bards can strengthen allies and weaken or harm adversaries with their music.
It’s possible that the Bard job in Final Fantasy XIV will feel different from what you’re used to in prior Final Fantasy games.
Bards in Final Fantasy XI, Square Enix’s other massively multiplayer online role-playing game, do little more than sing and pluck.
The singer of Final Fantasy X-2 was similar to the bard in that she did not engage in combat but instead focused on channeling status effects.
For a few rounds, Yuna, Rikku, or Paine would execute a small dance, not really moving much.
The Bard in Final Fantasy XIV isn’t so much a musician as a powerful archer.
While sustaining acceptable DPS with flash arrow shoots and two core damage-over-time effects, Bards will sing one of three persistent melodies that boost their allies.
Support and healing roles in Eorzea are expected to contribute to the DPS effort.
Bard is an ARR profession that expands upon the Archer class and its New Gridania-based guild.
You can’t miss the tiny bow carving on it.
Trivia: During the Heavensward expansion, cast times were applied to bard abilities for a short period.
Employment during that period was unusual.
If you need a little help getting the Bard job in Final Fantasy XIV, keep reading.
Unlocking BRD
In order to advance in a non-class-based expansion job, like Red Mage or Dark Knight, most adventurers will need to first level up in an ARR class and profession.
I’m relieved they got rid of this useless system.
It’s unfortunate that class-based jobs begin at the entry-level.
The ascent from ground level can be challenging.
To become a Bard, you must first attain level 30 in the Archer class.
Obtaining the Bard Job Stone
Once you have the necessary items, you should travel to New Gridania 15X, 12Y to visit the Archer’s Guild.
To begin “A Song of Bards and Bowmen,” find the NPC Luciane.
If you’re leveling up your Archer and doing the class quests, you’ll eventually get to “A Song of Bards and Bowmen.”
No mission to unlock a job is particularly challenging, and this one is no exception.
Just follow the few signs till the quest is done.
You will get the Mage’s Ballad ability and the Soul of the Bard job stone for your trouble.
Upon this, you may confidently call yourself a Bard.
Congrats.
Job Quests
As an ARR job, you won’t get a leveling boost, therefore it’s important to keep up with the latest tasks for your position.
They give you free leveling gear and the necessary abilities for your rotation, making the journey to peak level easier.
Every five levels or so, you get a small bonus to your experience points.
These side missions, as well as your active Main Scenario Quest, will be displayed in the top left corner of the screen.
Playing Bard to its Potential
All of the job manuals stress the importance of being familiar with standard operating procedures when carrying out one’s duties.
If you want to get the most out of your time in Eorzea, you should participate actively in group activities.
After all, it’s a massively multiplayer online game.
If you think you can just “know” what the best playstyle is for a maxed-out role, you’re probably wrong.
There is a tonne of great resources out there, but The Balance conflict is where I spend most of my time.
Regarding Bard, there are a few rules of thumb:
- Make sure both of your DoTs are still active on the leader.
- After around 3 seconds, give them a new supply.
- Keep one of your favorite macho anthems on repeat.
- There is no optimal order for turning them on, however, leaving silences between songs is usually detrimental.
Keeping these two guidelines in mind as you progress through the levels can pave the way for a satisfying experience.
These will no longer be adequate as your level approaches maximum.
Openings, in particular, require great care and accuracy.
A bard is an invaluable member of any raid or dungeon squad, with the damage boosts and burst windows they provide on top of their own consistent DPS.
The role of Bard is one that rewards a quick, agile approach to gameplay.
