Bard

The Bard has the unusual ability to play magical songs, whose supernatural effects last as long as the Bard continues to sing.
 He has some passing knowledge of the Warrior ways (self-defense), but his main focus is always his art.
- EverQuest manual

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.

Class Titles

Level 1-50	Level 51-54	Level 55-59	Level 60
Bard	Minstrel	Troubadour	Virtuoso

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.

Race	Str	Sta	Agi	Dex	Wis	Int	Cha	Bonus
Dwarf	90	100	90	75	83	60	55	25
Halfling	75	100	75	95	80	67	60	25
Wood Elf	70	65	95	90	80	75	85	25
Half Elf	75	70	90	95	60	75	85	25
Human	80	75	75	85	75	75	85	25

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 reduces the chance to miss a note, bringing your song to a close (fizzle). In a test comparing 100 songs on a 60 bard with 100 base DEX, 7 notes were missed. On geared 167 total DEX, 131 songs before a single note was missed. (Small sample, not definitive)
• Wisdom does not affect the size of a bardic mana pool, as bards are considered intelligence casters. This statistic serves no function for a bard and additional creation points should not be spent here.
• Intelligence will increase the size of the bard's mana pool. Only one song, Solon's Bewitching Bravura, requires mana to cast and thus the size of a bard's mana pool is largely inconsequential. Additional creation points should not be spent here.
• Charisma affects lull, mesmerize, and charm abilities. However, all songs are on fixed duration (unless it breaks early), meaning duration can never increase past the song's tick-limit. Kelin's Lugubrious Lament (lull) is a fantastic pulling tool, and charm will also be frequently used by a skilled Bard. It is recommended to put at least some of your starting points in CHA.

Spells

Level 1
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Chant of Battle	0	Percussion	Group
Level 2
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Chords of Dissonance	0	Stringed	Area of effect around the caster
Level 4
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Lyssa's Locating Lyric	0	Singing	Self only
Level 5
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Selo's Accelerando	0	Percussion	Group
Level 6
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Hymn of Restoration	0	Stringed	Group
Level 7
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Jonthan's Whistling Warsong	0	Singing	Self only
Level 8
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Kelin's Lugubrious Lament	0	Stringed	Single target
Level 9
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Elemental Rhythms	0	Percussion	Group
Magical Monologue	0	Singing	Self only
Level 10
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Anthem de Arms	0	Singing	Group
Level 11
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Cinda's Charismatic Carillon	0	Wind	Single target
Level 12
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Brusco's Boastful Bellow	0	Singing	Single target
Level 13
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Purifying Rhythms	0	Percussion	Group
Level 14
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Lyssa's Cataloging Libretto	0	Singing	Single target
Level 15
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Kelin's Lucid Lullaby	0	Stringed	Single target
Song of Sustenance	0	Stringed	Group
Level 16
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Tarew's Aquatic Ayre	0	Wind	Group
Level 17
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Guardian Rhythms	0	Percussion	Group
Level 18
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Denon's Disruptive Discord	0	Brass	Area of effect around the caster
Level 19
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Shauri's Sonorous Clouding	0	Wind	Group
Level 20
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Cassindra's Chant of Clarity	0	Singing	Group
Largo's Melodic Binding	0	Singing	Area of effect around the caster
Level 21
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Melanie's Mellifluous Motion	0	Wind	Group
Level 22
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Alenia's Disenchanting Melody	0	Stringed	Group
Level 23
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Selo's Consonant Chain	0	Singing	Single target
Level 24
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Lyssa's Veracious Concord	0	Wind	Group
Level 25
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Psalm of Warmth	0	Singing	Group
Selo's Rhythm of Speed	0	Percussion	Group
Level 26
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Angstlich's Appalling Screech	0	Brass	Area of effect around the caster
Level 27
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Solon's Song of the Sirens	0	Wind	Single target
Level 28
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Crission's Pixie Strike	0	Wind	Single target
Level 29
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Psalm of Vitality	0	Singing	Group
Level 30
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Amplification	0	Singing	Self only
Fufil's Curtailing Chant	0	Percussion	Single target
Level 31
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Agilmente's Aria of Eagles	0	Wind	Group
Level 32
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Cassindra's Chorus of Clarity	0	Singing	Group
Level 33
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Psalm of Cooling	0	Singing	Group
Level 34
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Cantata of Soothing	0	Stringed	Group
Lyssa's Solidarity of Vision	0	Wind	Single target
Level 35
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Denon's Dissension	0	Brass	Area of effect around the caster
Level 36
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Vilia's Verses of Celerity	0	Singing	Group
Level 37
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Psalm of Purity	0	Singing	Group
Level 38
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Tuyen's Chant of Flame	0	Percussion	Single target
Level 39
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Katta's Song of Sword Dancing	0	Percussion	Group
Solon's Bewitching Bravura	60	Wind	Single target
Level 40
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Sionachie's Dreams	0	Wind	Single target
Syvelian's Anti-Magic Aria	0	Singing	Single target
Level 41
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Psalm of Mystic Shielding	0	Singing	Group
Level 42
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
McVaxius' Berserker Crescendo	0	Brass	Group
Tuyen's Chant of Disease	0	Percussion	Single target
Level 43
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Denon's Desperate Dirge	800	Singing	Area of effect around the target
Level 44
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Cassindra's Elegy	0	Singing	Group
Level 45
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Aria of Asceticism	0	Wind	Group
Jonthan's Provocation	0	Singing	Self only
Rizlona's Embers	0	Singing	Group
Level 46
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Tuyen's Chant of Frost	0	Percussion	Single target
Level 47
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Niv's Melody of Preservation	0	Stringed	Group
Level 48
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Selo's Chords of Cessation	0	Stringed	Area of effect around the caster
Level 49
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Selo's Accelerating Chorus	0	Percussion	Group
Shield of Songs	0	Stringed	Group
Level 50
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Melody of Ervaj	0	Brass	Group
Tuyen's Chant of Poison	0	Percussion	Single target
Verses of Victory	0	Singing	Group
Level 51
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Largo's Assonant Binding	0	Singing	Single target
Resistant Discipline	0	Defense	Self only
Selo's Song of Travel	0	Percussion	Group
Level 52
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Aria of Innocence	0	Wind	Group
Battlecry of the Vah Shir	0	Brass	Group
Nillipus' March of the Wee	0	Percussion	Group
Level 53
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Rizlona's Fire	0	Singing	Group
Song of Dawn	0	Wind	Single target
Song of Twilight	0	Wind	Single target
Level 54
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Elemental Chorus	0	Percussion	Friendly area of effect
Fearless Discipline	0	Defense	Self only
Selo's Assonant Strain	0	Stringed	Area of effect around the caster
Vilia's Chorus of Celerity	0	Singing	Group
Level 55
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Brusco's Bombastic Bellow	0	Singing	Single target
Cantata of Replenishment	0	Stringed	Group
Deftdance Discipline	0	Defense	Self only
Occlusion of Sound	0	Percussion	Single target
Level 56
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Purifying Chorus	0	Percussion	Friendly area of effect
Song of Highsun	0	Wind	Single target
Song of Midnight	0	Brass	Area of effect around the caster
Level 57
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Cassindra's Insipid Ditty	0	Stringed	Single target
McVaxius' Rousing Rondo	0	Brass	Group
Level 58
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Chorus of Replenishment	0	Stringed	Friendly area of effect
Dreams of Ayonae	0	Wind	Single target
Jonthan's Inspiration	0	Singing	Self only
Niv's Harmonic	0	Singing	Group
Level 59
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Denon's Bereavement	0	Stringed	Area of effect around the caster
Solon's Charismatic Concord	0	Singing	Group
Level 60
Spell Name	Mana	Skill	Target Type
Ancient: Lcea's Lament	0	Stringed	Friendly area of effect
Ancient: Lullaby of Shadow	0	Wind	Single target
Angstlich's Assonance	0	Brass	Single target
Composition of Ervaj	0	Brass	Group
Ervaj's Lost Composition	0	Brass	Single target
Fufil's Diminishing Dirge	0	Percussion	Single target
Kazumi's Note of Preservation	0	Wind	Group
Puretone Discipline	0	Singing	Self only
Warsong of the Vah Shir	0	Brass	Group