War, Pal, SK....... and Bard?

Discussion in 'The Veterans' Lounge' started by Cicelee, Jul 12, 2020.

  1. Cicelee Augur

    Killed a name last night. Looted a shield usable by the three tank classes and bard. Has Vector of Health on it, or something similar in name, which procs a heal when using bash. Something that, unless I am totally nieve on the bard class, is a skill bards do not get. I also know that there is some mask that has Echo of Anger on it that is usable by the three tank classes (very helpful) and a bard (not helpful).

    Now. I understand not every gear focus is going to pertain to all classes. I am not questioning that. What I don't understand is why has a bard always been included with the three tank classes on items like the shield and the mask?

    A bard is not a tank in 99.99% of situations, and the two items in question are for tanks.

    If you say that the items are for plate classes, why isn't cleric listed among the classes that can use?

    I have never understood why bards are lumped in with the three tanks on these items. I know this has been happening foe quite a few expansions. Any reasons why this is, outside of me spending 2 minutes on a lazy Sunday in 2020 thinking about it?
    Fenthen likes this.
  2. svann Augur

    Bards can use the extra AC on the mask, but are unhurt by extra agro. I used to keep a shield in bag just in case, but tbh never used it.
  3. Syylke_EMarr Augur

    Bards are tanks, duh :p
    But, no, I have no idea why other than Bards being plate wearers, but that doesn't explain Clerics not being on the same items.

    I did have a random thought that it would be cool if the Echo of Anger on the tank masks (that Bards can use) increased the damage of Bard Insult spells as well.
    svann likes this.
  4. Xerzist Augur

    Every time I think of a bard tanking I picture flak being shot at airplanes... and some guy just parachuting away into the distance. All you can hear is a slight "reeeeee" as they disappear into the clouds.

    Really though: I think it must be part of their scheme to separate "tanks vs casters" ... and I think clerics just got lumped in with casters? /shrug. Probably for raiding purposes, but I am by no means a smarty like some folks on these forums.
  5. svann Augur

    Honest question - if clerics got the mask would the extra agro be a problem?
  6. Allayna Augur

    Item name?
  7. Password1234 Augur

    This group sounds a little tank heavy but you'd probably do just fine.
    Snack and Roxas MM like this.
  8. Bigstomp Augur

    Not if the tanks are on the ball. But we can die to heal aggro already if tanks are slacking on incoming.
  9. Cadira Augur

    Nice, all you did was read the title and respond lol.
    Zaray, Yinla and Jennre like this.
  10. Password1234 Augur

    [IMG]
    Szilent likes this.
  11. Tucoh Augur

    It'd make sense for the shield to be usable by a cleric and a bard, in my opinion.

    I wouldn't use the echo of anger mask on either a healer or a bard. When it matters is when mobs are incoming where you're relying on the slightest of aggro that a tank might incidentally generate to overcome the aggro you are incidentally generating.

    In these situations once a tank gets aggro from their substantial AE aggro abilities (ex: Tempest Blades or Concordant Expanse for warriors) the hate comparison becomes largely irrelevant, but before then you don't want to compete with them.

    It's why I try and stack whatever AE aggro stuff on my warrior I can from rune proc augs, shawl, self-heal, whatever so I'm constantly pulsing out tiny amounts of aggro that will have a shot at drawing aggro on random mobs that add or are memblurred. This is most critical in dire situations where you're not sure you'll make it, your warrior is being ping-ponged by 5 different mobs in the camp already and you just got trained by a necro who dropped their aggro. Do you want that chorus song you just pulsed out to put out N aggro or N*1.3 aggro? :D
  12. aozs Augur

    It feeds into the whole "jack of all trades" idea which seems to be one of the main defining features of the bard. To me, it kinda makes sense from a design perspective.

    Also wanna mention that I used a bard to offtank some TBL achievements, so I definitely appreciated having access to these items.
  13. IblisTheMage Augur

    Off topic: THB I would love Bards to have been enchanter-hybrid-tanks, like SK (Necro) and Paladin (Cleric), but I guess the bard would become too powerful and versatile in such a world :-D :-D.
  14. Wulfhere Augur

    That world did exist once. It was called Norrath circa 1999-2008.
    IblisTheMage likes this.
  15. IblisTheMage Augur


    OK, thanks, then it wasn't just my memories playing tricks with me, I remember our bard tanking in groups :).
  16. German Augur

    Man I hope this doesnt get shields removed from tanks....