Bard DoTs & Aggro... (Anyway not to get trained?)

Discussion in 'Hybrid' started by KermittheFroglok, Jan 13, 2019.

  1. KermittheFroglok Augur

    Hi everyone,

    I started my first bard today and it was MUCH HARDER than I imagined. I was in Crescent Reach, at first I just stayed in the corner and fought drakes, but I noticed I kept getting ganged up on. After a few levels I tried moving up the hill, that's when I finally realized that my DoT was pulling extra enemies. I had about 8 mobs on me at the same time. If I didn't have an expansion stat mount I would've been toast. I barely survived, I think I only did because a nearby shaman tried pulling one or two. (Which is funny, earlier I got annoyed with a monk I thought was trying to steal my kills a minute before the train, anyhow.)

    I was boxing with my chanter on my main account and just using her for buffs, but could my low level bard get exp if my also chanter mezzed the enemies training my bard? Similarly, would my bard's DoT pull the mezzed enemies out of mezz?

    If duo'ing with my chanter won't work, then does anyone know if there's a way to stack Kelin's Lugubrious Lament & Chords of Dissonance in such a way that I won't get trained? I know that sounds silly since bards are popular for kiting, but I'm trying to find a way to level that doesn't involve getting trained.

    Be honest, let me know if it sounds like this might be the wrong class for me. The premise seems cool, I'm just struggling to understand the best way to level WITHOUT GETTING TRAINED (e.g. NOT KITING.)

    Thank you again everyone!
  2. Nniki Augur

    Chords of Dissonance is an AE DoT. It'll land on (and thus aggro) anything within 30'. If you are only playing that song or have it in your /melody, it will continuously recast, hitting any creatures roaming near you.
    Your enchanter can certainly non-damage debuff creatures your bard is fighting without concern of stealing experience. This includes mez; however, if the bard lands Chords of Dissonance (or, in the future, any DoT song) on it, the DoT will break that mez, yes.
    Kelin's Lugubrious Lament is used to prevent aggro with the target you cast it on. It won't do you any good if it's the creature you're already fighting. It also won't do any good to cast it on creatures around you if you're landing a detrimental AE on them as they path by you. It's mostly a pulling tool: it has components that reduce frenzy and social radii. Reducing the frenzy radius makes it so a PC must be closer to a KoS creature in order for it to automatically aggro. Reducing the social radius makes it so creatures that assist each other must be closer to each other in order to gain assist aggro.
    Pirlo and KermittheFroglok like this.
  3. KermittheFroglok Augur

    Thank you! Not the answers I wanted to hear but that's makes more sense... I guess I could use a tank merc to help with the aggro.

    Later in the game are Bards expected to have dots in their melody or are their AA's that would offset a good amount the aggro?
  4. Nniki Augur

    Upgrades to AE DoT song lines stopped long ago. They aren't worth using in the end game.

    You will end up using single target DoT(s), like many other classes (although, to a much lesser degree), but that's not really of the same concern. There's the Cacophony AA, and depending on your group makeup or what you're doing, you may find yourself using the chant line of songs.

    There are the Combat Subtlety and Fading Memories AAs if aggro ends up being a concern of yours later on.
  5. KermittheFroglok Augur

    That sounds good, would the single target dots stack like a necro's or would the most powerful override the others?

    Sounds like the endgame bard plays a little more like a chanter w/ some spit healing like a pally?
  6. Brohg Augur

    wut
    Pirlo likes this.
  7. Nniki Augur

    The damage portion of chant songs all stack. Each chant line also has a secondary resist debuff component that does not stack within its line (e.g. fire resist debuff stacks with cold, but fire resist debuff does not stack with another fire).

    As a more specific example, Tuyen's Chant of Flame and Tuyen's Chant of Fire themselves are both DoTs. These will stack together for the damage, even in addition to casts from other bards. However, both of these songs also trigger a secondary effect called Chant of Flame, a fire resist debuff. This secondary effect will simply refresh itself rather than land as an additional stack.

    Bards can fill quite a few roles, but, while bards do have a few songs that provide healing, healer isn't a role they can fill. A paladin can somewhat stand in as a healer if needed, but bards really only have their Crescendo and Dichotomic songs, which aren't heals to be relied upon. I'd say a bard's primary roles are ADPS and Puller/CC. Bards also have songs to support tanks and healers, and their personal DPS has made improvements lately as well. Song lineups can vary a bit depending on your group's needs.
    KermittheFroglok likes this.
  8. Wulfhere Augur

    Actually you want to grab at least 4 mobs and you want to have a wizard merc on AE BURN stance. Play your PBAE songs (blue song gems) like Chords, Denon's and Largo's, and Hymm (HP regen). Watch the xp roll in.
  9. KermittheFroglok Augur

    This is all very interesting, I definitely appreciate the feedback!