Last updated on May 20, 2024 at 16:00by Cetonis6 comments
Bard is a physical Ranged DPS job in Final Fantasy XIV that uses their songsand a flurry of arrows to aid their allies in combat, inspiring them to victory. Theycan only be played at Level 30 or above, after reciving their job stone as an Archer.
1.
What is Bard's Playstyle?
Bard is a physical ranged DPS job and is Final Fantasy XIV's bow user.Bard has a priority-based rotation, and the job is heavy on off-global cooldownsas you cycle through your songs and handle procs.
The centerpiece of the rotation is a big two-minute burst enhanced by theirpersonal Raging Strikes buff, in addition to a pair of party buffs -
Battle Voice and
Radiant Finale — that give Bardthe strongest group-wide buff package in the game.
Bard mixes its bow skills with a musical motif. They cycle through threesongs - The Wanderer's Minuet,
Mage's Ballad, and
Army's Paeon - that roll an 80% chance to gain some effect everythree seconds. Bard also has frequent off-global cooldowns on top of these,in addition to other random procs. This makes Bard both one of the fastest-paced jobs,and it is also one of the more reactive ones.
2.
Bard Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Strongest party-wide burst buffs in the game.
Has two unique support skills.
Most mistakes do not cause rotation problems later.
Weaknesses
Relies on party to maximize buff value.
Song cycle lacks flexibility.
3.
How do you Unlock Bard?
To unlock Bard, you need to first reach level 30 on Archer and completethe level 30 class quest "The One That Got Away." You also need to completethe level 20 main story quest "Sylph-Management." Once you have done both, talkto Lucianne at the Archer's Guild in New Gridania (x15.4, y11.8) to pick up the quest"A Song of Bards and Bowmen." This quest unlocks Bard.
4.
Bard Gauges
Bard's Song Gauge has three parts - the song-specific gauge, the SoulGauge beneath it, and your Coda to the right.
The Soul Gauge increases by five any time you get a Repertoire proc, and this isspent on Apex Arrow. You can get one Coda from each of your threemain songs when starting it. Coda is spent by using
Radiant Finale.
All three song-specific gauges will show the time remaining on the song.Every three seconds - at 42, 39, 36, and so on down to 3 - you get an 80%chance for a Repertoire proc. Repertoire has a different effect depending on thesong.
In The Wanderer's Minuet (above), Repertoire gives you stacksthat are spent on
Pitch Perfect, up to three. The song gaugetracks how many you have.
In Mage's Ballad, the song gauge flashes when you get aRepertoire proc. Procs reduce the cooldown of
Bloodletter and
Rain of Death.
In Army's Paeon, Repertoire procs give you stacks that areshown on the gauge, up to four. These are not spent on anything. Instead, they give you4% increased speed on your weaponskills and auto-attacks.
5.
Bard Video Resources
If you would prefer to watch a video that provides an overview of Bard,feel free to give the video below a watch. The video was provided by Julia Care, amember of the community on The Balance Discord server.
6.
Bard Actions
Action Name |
|
| Effect |
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| Delivers an attack with a potency of 160.Additional Effect: 20% chance of becoming Straight Shot ReadyDuration: 30s |
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| Delivers an attack with a potency of 200.Can only be executed when Straight Shot Ready. |
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| Increases damage dealt by 15%.Duration: 20s |
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| Delivers an attack with a potency of 100.Additional Effect: VenomPotency: 15Duration: 45s |
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| Delivers an attack with a potency of 110.Maximum Charges: 3Shares a recast timer with Rain of Death. |
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| Jump 10 yalms away from current target.Cannot be executed while bound. |
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| Delivers an attack with a potency of 110 to all enemies in a cone before you.Additional Effect: 35% chance of becoming Shadowbite ReadyDuration: 30s |
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| Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100.Additional Effect: Grants Mage's Ballad to self and all party members within 50 yalms, increasing damage dealt by 1%Duration: 45sAdditional Effect: 80% chance to grant RepertoireRepertoire Effect: Reduces the recast time of Bloodletter and Rain of Death by 7.5sAdditional Effect: Grants Mage's Coda |
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| Deals wind damage with a potency of 60.Additional Effect: Wind damage over timePotency: 20Duration: 45s |
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| Removes one select detrimental effect from self or target party member. If the target is not enfeebled, a barrier is created nullifying the target's next detrimental effect suffered.Duration: 30s |
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| Triples the number of strikes for a single-target weaponskill. Additional effects added only once.Duration: 10sAdditional Effect: Increases the potency of Shadowbite to 270Additional Effect: Grants Straight Shot ReadyDuration: 30s |
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| Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100.Additional Effect: Grants Army's Paeon to self and all party members within 50 yalms, increasing direct hit rate by 3%Duration: 45sAdditional Effect: 80% chance to grant RepertoireRepertoire Effect: Reduces weaponskill cast time and recast time, spell cast time and recast time, and auto-attack delay by 4%Can be stacked up to 4 times.Additional Effect: Grants Army's Coda |
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| Delivers an attack with a potency of 100 to target and all enemies nearby it.Maximum Charges: 3Shares a recast timer with Bloodletter. |
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| Increases direct hit rate of self and all nearby party members by 20%.Duration: 15s |
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| Delivers an attack to the target. Potency varies with number of Repertoire stacks.1 Repertoire Stack: 1002 Repertoire Stacks: 2203 Repertoire Stacks: 360Can only be executed when the Wanderer's Minuet is active.※This action cannot be assigned to a hotbar. |
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| Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100.Additional Effect: Grants the Wanderer's Minuet to self and all party members within 50 yalms, increasing critical hit rate by 2%Duration: 45sAdditional Effect: 80% chance to grant RepertoireRepertoire Effect: Allows execution of Pitch PerfectCan be stacked up to 3 times.Additional Effect: Grants Wanderer's Coda※Action changes to Pitch Perfect upon execution. |
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| Delivers an attack with a potency of 230. |
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| Delivers an attack with a potency of 100.Additional Effect: If the target is suffering from a Caustic Bite or Stormbite effect inflicted by you, the effect timer is resetAdditional Effect: 35% chance of becoming Straight Shot ReadyDuration: 30s |
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| Delivers an attack with a potency of 300. |
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| Reduces damage taken by self and nearby party members by 10%.Duration: 15sEffect cannot be stacked with machinist's Tactician or dancer's Shield Samba. |
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| Delivers an attack with a potency of 150.Additional Effect: PoisonPotency: 20Duration: 45sAdditional Effect: 35% chance of becoming Straight Shot ReadyDuration: 30s |
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| Deals wind damage with a potency of 100.Additional Effect: Wind damage over timePotency: 25Duration: 45sAdditional Effect: 35% chance of becoming Straight Shot ReadyDuration: 30s |
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| Increases HP recovery via healing actions by 15% for self and nearby party members.Duration: 15s |
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| Delivers an attack with a potency of 280.Can only be executed when Straight Shot Ready. |
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| Delivers an attack with a potency of 170 to target and all enemies nearby it.Barrage Potency: 270Can only be executed when Shadowbite Ready. |
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| Delivers an attack with a potency of 220.Additional Effect: 35% chance of becoming Straight Shot ReadyDuration: 30s |
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| Delivers an attack with a potency of 100 to all enemies in a straight line before you.Soul Voice Gauge Cost: 20 Potency increases up to 500 as Soul Voice Gauge exceeds minimum cost.Additional Effect: Grants Blast Arrow Ready upon execution while Soul Voice Gauge is 80 or higherDuration: 10sConsumes Soul Voice Gauge upon execution.※Action changes to Blast Arrow while under the effect of Blast Arrow Ready. |
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| Delivers an attack with a potency of 130 to all enemies in a cone before you.Additional Effect: 35% chance of becoming Shadowbite ReadyDuration: 30s |
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| Delivers an attack to all enemies in a straight line before you with a potency of 600 for the first enemy, and 60% less for all remaining enemies.Can only be executed while under the effect of Blast Arrow Ready.※This action cannot be assigned to a hotbar. |
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| Increases damage dealt by self and nearby party members.Duration: 15sEffectiveness is determined by the number of different Coda active in the Song Gauge.1 Coda: 2%2 Coda: 4%3 Coda: 6%Can only be executed when at least 1 coda is active. |
7.
Role Actions
Action Name |
|
| Effect |
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| Afflicts target with Heavy +40%.Duration: 10s |
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| Instantly restores own HP.Cure Potency: 500 |
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| Binds target.Duration: 10sCancels auto-attack upon execution.Target unbound if damage taken. |
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| Increases movement speed of self and nearby party members.Duration: 30sEffect ends when enmity is generated. Has no effect in battle. |
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| Interrupts the use of a target's action. |
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| Creates a barrier nullifying most knockback and draw-in effects.Duration: 6sAdditional Effect: Slow +20% when barrier is struckDuration: 15s |
8.
Bard Traits
Action Name | Acquired | Effect |
---|---|---|
![]() | Lv. 2 | Adds to Heavy Shot a 20% chance that you will become Straight Shot Ready. Duration: 30s |
![]() | Lv. 20 | Increases base action damage by 10%. |
![]() | Lv. 40 | Increases base action damage by 20%. |
![]() | Lv. 64 | Upgrades Venomous Bite and Windbite to Caustic Bite and Stormbite respectively. |
![]() | Lv. 68 | Guarantees the trigger of the additional effects for current Mage's Ballad, Army's Paeon, and the Wanderer's Minuet when Empyreal Arrow hits a target. |
![]() | Lv. 70 | Upgrades Straight Shot to Refulgent Arrow. |
![]() | Lv. 72 | Adds to Quick Nock a 35% chance that you will become Shadowbite Ready. Duration: 30s |
![]() | Lv. 76 | Adds to Stormbite, Caustic Bite, and Iron Jaws a 35% chance that you will become Straight Shot Ready. Duration: 30s |
![]() | Lv. 76 | Upgrades Heavy Shot to Burst Shot. |
![]() | Lv. 78 | While under the effect of Army's Paeon with at least one stack of Repertoire, singing Mage's Ballad or the Wanderer's Minuet will grant Army's Muse, reducing weaponskill cast time and recast time, spell cast time and recast time, and auto-attack delay. Duration: 10s Allowing the effect of Army's Paeon and accumulated stacks of Repertoire to expire without singing Mage's Ballad or the Wanderer's Minuet will grant Army's Ethos. Duration: 30s While under the effect of Army's Ethos, singing Mage's Ballad or the Wanderer's Minuet will grant Army's Muse. Both Army's Ethos and Army's Muse require stacks of Repertoire, the number of which will determine the potency of the latter. 1 Repertoire: 1% 2 Repertoire: 2% 3 Repertoire: 4% 4 Repertoire: 12% |
![]() | Lv. 80 | Increases Soul Voice Gauge by 5 each time Repertoire is granted. |
![]() | Lv. 82 | Upgrades Quick Nock to Ladonsbite. |
![]() | Lv. 84 | Allows a third charge of Bloodletter and Rain of Death. |
![]() | Lv. 86 | Grants Blast Arrow Ready upon executing Apex Arrow after the Soul Voice Gauge has reached 80 or higher. Duration: 10s Apex Arrow becomes Blast Arrow while under this effect. |
![]() | Lv. 88 | Reduces Troubadour recast time to 90 seconds. |
![]() | Lv. 90 | Grants Mage's Coda, Army's Coda, or Wanderer's Coda upon singing Mage's Ballad, Army's Paeon, or the Wanderer's Minuet respectively. |
9.
Bard Lore
The word "bard" ordinarily puts folk in mind of those itinerant minstrels,fair of voice and nimble of finger, who earn their coin performing in tavernsand the halls of great lords. Few know, however, that bards in fact trace theirorigins back to the bowmen of eld, who sang in the heat of battle to fortifythe spirits of their companions. In time, their impassioned songs came to holdsway over the hearts of men, inspiring their comrades to great feats andgranting peace unto those who lay upon the precipice of death.
10.
Changelog
- 20 May 2024 (job changes): Page updated with patch history and preliminary Dawntrail information.
- 14 May 2024 (keybindings page): Guide added.
- 30 Jan. 2024 (how to improve page): Reviewed for Patch 6.55.
- 30 Jan. 2024 (FAQ page): Reviewed for Patch 6.55.
- 30 Jan. 2024 (rotation page): Reviewed for Patch 6.55.
- 30 Jan. 2024 (Leveling page): Reviewed for Patch 6.55.
- 30 Jan. 2024 (gear page): Reviewed for Patch 6.55.
- 30 Jan. 2024 (melding page): Reviewed for Patch 6.55.
- 30 Jan. 2024 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 6.55.
- 13 Oct. 2023 (FAQ page): Updated for Patch 6.5
- 13 Oct. 2023 (gear page): Updated for Patch 6.5
- 12 Oct. 2023 (how to improve page): Updated for Patch 6.5
- 12 Oct. 2023 (rotation page): Updated for Patch 6.5
- 12 Oct. 2023 (Leveling page): Updated for Patch 6.5
- 12 Oct. 2023 (melding page): Updated for Patch 6.5
- 12 Oct. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 6.5
- 25 May 2023 (how to improve page): Updated for Patch 6.4
- 25 May 2023 (FAQ page): Updated for Patch 6.4
- 25 May 2023 (rotation page): Updated for Patch 6.4
- 25 May 2023 (Leveling page): Updated for Patch 6.4
- 25 May 2023 (gear page): Updated for Patch 6.4
- 25 May 2023 (melding page): Updated for Patch 6.4
- 25 May 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 6.4
- 10 Jan. 2023 (how to improve page): Updated for Patch 6.3
- 10 Jan. 2023 (FAQ page): Updated for Patch 6.3
- 10 Jan. 2023 (rotation page): Updated for Patch 6.3
- 10 Jan. 2023 (Leveling page): Updated for Patch 6.3
- 10 Jan. 2023 (gear page): Updated for Patch 6.3
- 10 Jan. 2023 (melding page): Updated for Patch 6.3
- 10 Jan. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 6.3
- 20 Sep. 2022 (how to improve page): Updated as of Patch 6.2
- 20 Sep. 2022 (FAQ page): Updated as of Patch 6.2
- 20 Sep. 2022 (rotation page): Updated as of Patch 6.2
- 20 Sep. 2022 (Leveling page): Updated as of Patch 6.2
- 20 Sep. 2022 (gear page): Updated for Patch 6.2
- 20 Sep. 2022 (melding page): Updated as of Patch 6.2
- 20 Sep. 2022 (this page): Updated as of Patch 6.2
- 20 Apr. 2022 (how to improve page): Updated for Patch 6.1
- 20 Apr. 2022 (FAQ page): Updated for Patch 6.1
- 20 Apr. 2022 (rotation page): Updated for Patch 6.1
- 20 Apr. 2022 (gear page): Updated for Patch 6.1
- 20 Apr. 2022 (melding page): Updated for Patch 6.1
- 20 Apr. 2022 (this page): Updated for Patch 6.1
- 27 Mar. 2022 (Leveling page): Guide added.
- 09 Feb. 2022 (rotation page): Guide added.
- 01 Feb. 2022 (how to improve page): Guide added.
- 01 Feb. 2022 (FAQ page): Guide added.
- 01 Feb. 2022 (melding page): Guide added.
- 01 Feb. 2022 (this page): Guide added.
- 19 Dec. 2021 (job changes): Page added.
- 01 Feb. 2021 (gear page): Guide added.
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