Aradune Bard Box Choice

Since quitting live back during the original PoP/LoY/LDoN days, I picked up playing a Bard main on Coirnav as my first TLP. I had never boxed back in the day, but inevitably starting boxing 3 more computers on Coirnav. The power of boxing still strikes awe in me. I ran 5 accounts with a myriad of combinations, but really could only box 4 at a time with the Bard as the focal point for it all. He was my raid main - my most geared character.

Picking classes to box with was always so difficult! For some reason I'm indecisive when it comes to these sorts of things, because I find joy and value with so many of the options. I had a combination for nearly any situation too. My favorite combination was Bard/Ranger/Cleric/Wizard, but also enjoyed Bard/Mage/Cleric/Wizard. Admittedly, I always needed someone to tank, but I could run group content like crazy. Tore through exp groups during Kunark/Velious. Easily helped anyone with Luclin keys. With an enchanter, or two, I could run AE exp groups. Honestly, that combination was immensely fun. Mind you, I stopped Coirnav at the same damn point in the expansion cycle.

With Aradune, truly I'm hoping to go the distance - make it to Live - and with the 2 box restriction I want to pair something that will endure the progression in style and power. With a Bard main, I'm leaning towards any of the previously mentioned classes. I'm not trying to duo anything and everything - I'm attempting to be a powerful catalyst to any group, to any raid. While leaning towards Bard/Cleric or Bard/Wizard, I'm curious what other combinations the community might recommend. Ideally I'll get both boxes optimally geared, and, for hypothetical sake, let's assume that happens. Nearly did on Coirnav

Please keep replies on topic, keep responses to replies to a minimum, and help sway my decision. How persuasive is your suggestion? Who pairs with a Bard the best from Classic to Live?

I would think Druid would be the natural complement. Heals, ports, and buffs.to go along with bard songs.

Plus, you could make them both Half-Elves (or Wood Elves) to make starting together easier.

You would also be a PL god in LGuk with that duo.

Bard regen and DS stacks with Druid regen and DS. Add to that a DS potion (which also stacks with Bard/Druid DS) and you will make some level 20-50s very happy ... and if you were so inclined could charge groups for your services, but that is not a popular topic to talk about around here.

Well..if you are really going to try and make it all the way to live, you need a class that's solid through all of the expansions.....that leaves....cleric lol. If you have the inclination to play a cleric, bard is a great box choice, because it can still be quite a help even if 100% afk.

Bard as a box character is very subjective. If you actually play the class doing all it's capable of doing, it's a very very busy class. Then again, most people put them on /follow with melody going.

It's pretty hard to get past cleric...with a bard in tow you could solo undead pretty well if you needed to, but you would be raid guild bait for sure. A cleric with a bard box is pretty much number 1 raid guild bait.

I love playing a bard main, and have done so a bunch, but I find I like having a chanter as a box character much better, just because the CC is long lasting and much less fiddly than on a bard. Trying to CC on a bard AND play a main healer in a group is really really tiring. You can do it but it's busy as all hell and incredibly mentally taxing.

Druid sounds good, I was pondering what I want to do with my bard and i'm still sure i'll do Necro/Druid to start and just PL my bard up

Making it all the way to Live is a bit... unrealistic. There are 26 expansions, so if they are opened every 3 months that's 6 and a half years. Also, since DPG has been putting out an expac a year, that's another 2 years added on. So approximately 8 years to catch up to live.

Selo's is the only one that will really catch up to Live in a reasonable timeframe, to be honest.

Probably. Phinny is going to make it. I'm not sure if any others will.

I've been leaning heavy towards bard/wizard on Aradune after doing monk/bard on Mangler. Really anything goes great with a bard, even other melee classes. It isn't terribly hard to position a box into melee range when they are on /follow.

I've actually done similar to you with bard and wiz and clr.

On selo I ran brd shm and it's a very synergistic duo. I definitely recommend it... and really if you're going bard it's one of the best pairs. Wizard also was great, but we both already did that.

Bard slows are fantastic but they nearly max out at pop, but shm slows get better and they really move ahead.

They have huge epic 2 surgery as well and turn melee groups into chainsaws with laser beams.

It's true in theory, but I've found that BRD/SHM really lacks DPS to function viably outside of a raid setting. You're much better off just pairing with a true melee or hybrid if you want duo functionality. Zerker, Monk or Ranger are good choices with Shaman.

If your goal is to main the Bard, the best box is probably a Mage or Beastlord.

I agree I had a bard box on Coirnav for my Shaman it worked but it was slow killing. The Shaman was geared and tanked everything just fine but he was also the main source of DPS.

SK is great to box with a Shaman but failing that Ranger/Paladin is solid too. If I could run a 3 box I would go Shaman/SK/Bard personally!

/buzzer sound. Bard songs don't work on pets until AA, huge waste, much better off with a chanter.