So I decided to try out uthgard recently and I am loving it so far. Back in the day my mains were a blademaster, warden, and eventually a minstrel. I just had a few questions regarding battle bards..

I know that they aren't that good and aren't wanted at all in rvr, that's why I am planning to small man/solo with it. They just seem like a ton of fun. Songs, heals, buffs (feel like this is big since lack of buff bots), DDs, and multiple mezzes. I read that they are on the same weapon skill table as wardens.. so if I go 39 blades (like most wardens do) won't I be hitting about as hard with my weapon as a warden? I'm just curious why all the hate to battle bards if wardens are known to be good soloers too. Sure wardens have pbt, self haste, and chain armor, but bards have better songs, 2 DDs, and can insta mezz so wont the defense aspect even out if played properly?

Any feedback is welcome! Thank you

First things first: Bards are awesome no matter what! Fellow bard here (the full flute bard!)

And while you might hit "as hard" (lol) as a warden, which is still like a wet noodle, I doubt you are as good solo.

You can't use your songs in melee, as you have to have an instrument out to use them, and bards only have a single DD at this patch.

So considering solo, in a fight all of your songs are nearly useless, they can - under the right circumstances - help, but I doubt they're a big deal when in combat. Your defense is RF armor, unspecced shield, evade II (not considering RAs like MoBlock/Dodger) and your dmg is 1 DD and a wet noodle weapon - besides that I guess it's a complete RA-dump for every kill of a somewhat decent player.

I would consider battle bards fun but highly ineffective when talking about solo gameplay. It is possible to kill stuff, without a doubt, but it requires way more to pull off than other classes.

I would rather go the 43/37/33 (nurt/music/reg) route and stick a BM to myself.

The only thing good about a battle bard is being able to pick your fights. Other than that I just think they are lacking on so many levels as they probably should be given its one of if not the best support class in the game.

Don't the songs last for a bit once you put away your instrument? And with instant mezzes and heals I understand it will be more so a fight for survival rather than hit and run but the survivability of a battle bard played right has to be ridiculous. You can get out of most fights and pick and choose who you want to kill with aoe/instant mezz.

I understand the damage will be next to nothing but if wardens can solo decent why can't bards if specced for it?

The songs last on the order of a few seconds once the instrument is put away. Remember wardens have a 38% self haste buff, endo reduction buff on styles, and damage add chant. That adds up to a lot more DPS than a bard. Defensively for melee they have PBT, medium shields, and wear scale armor. Give it a try I would love to see you succeed on it, I'm all for untraditional specs and playstyles.

It sounds fun but everyone just tells me not to go for it and to roll a warden if I want a damage healer.. just the mid fight mezz and heal up or run or rest sounds like a ton of fun.

Well the gameplay itself - is - fun but one has tompare it to the - not fun - side which is: dying alot simply because the class is at a major disadvantage not because the player behind it is bad.

It's simply a game of fun vs frustration. If you like being at a disadvantage - and a quite big one at that - go for it.

I myself also like to play the underdog but for me there has to still be a balance of risk/reward. Of course a fight won with a bard is a good feeling at thereby a high reward, but that reward is gone as soon as you get slaughtered by completely bad players even though you are on top of your game - just because the class simply isnt balanced around killing stuff.

Just imagine some zergling infiltrator who thinks he's the best solo player. You know he's not, he knows he's not, everyone knows he's not - yet if ANY of your major RAs is down, he could simply garotte you to death - providing him with the feeling he actually is somewhat good.

And even if everything is up on your side - he'll just weapon swap you to death, dragonfang you to death - or maybe even still garotte you to death.

So for me the question is: Do you like waiting for RAs to even be somewhat viable against half brained players on solo classes? Or does the fun the class provides you with outweigh the frustration the fights are going to provide you with?

Then go for it!