If in a group with several melee, and hybrids, with potentially 1 caster which would be a bigger boost to a group. I have not played much in recent years so am not quite sure what utility enchanters and bards provide to groups short of dps increases. any help on which would be better for a group and why would be awesome.
Enchanter would be better imo. Better CC tools, runes, stasis, better slows, better self dps. Bard songs are sweet but they have to stop singing em to use their CC tools which sucks cause thats why they are barding.
I have to echo Coronay... Enchanter all day everyday for their buff cc and dps capacities. Sure melee love bards, but no way can they CC when crap hits the fan- anyway near as well as enchanters
If you have a good Bard then you won't need to worry about CC (cause they can pull singles), and if you do need CC, they can handle it no problem. Bards have always been better for melee than enchanters when it comes to dps. Enchanters are better for casters.
Not all situations allow for perfect pulling. As well, that can be incredibly boring waiting for a bard to split, when things can just be handled in camp. Also, Lanadili, you just set the bar very high. A well played bard who is very good at his class and not being boxed. The OP stated he doesn't know the class well (nor has he even played much in years). Plus, while cc is going on, the group gains zero benefit from a bard, cause he isnt singing.
I'll agree that the enchanter class probably has an easier learning curve with their arsenal of different mez abilities and having runes as a buffer to take a few extra hits in a rough spot (in that, they'd also make a much easier bot for CC situations), but when actually played (non-bot) at a knowledgeable level, I'd argue that it really just comes down to group makeup for the class preference. In a melee-centric group, a bard will provide the most boost. In regards to pulling and CC for a bard... these days, most mobs aren't positioned so that pulling is difficult. Usually a single pull is just a mez or instant silent displacement away if the most isn't already by itself. However, a lot of times it really isn't even worth the time splitting anymore. A bard can just use A Tune Stuck in Your Head AA and cast AE mez every 30 seconds, keep everything locked down, and keep songs up at the same time due to the extra song tick on all songs. Missions/HAs these days can literally just be run room to room and cast AE mez even as a bard. Plus some benefits can be partially covered with almost 100% uptime using the bard's aura/echo. You can do some awesome stuff with either class, and neither class, if played right, is going to hold you back from completing time trials and mission achievements where heavy CC is needed.
Try both classes and keep the one you're most comfortable with. For me, bard is just more fun compared to enchanter which is how I ended up a bard main. Not saying enchanter is bad in any way, just of the 2, bard was more interesting to me. A lot of that has to do with today's game, back before pop, I preferred enchanter because back then massive cc ability was a necessity. These days, not so much. Using the one off exceptions as a reason to pick any class really doesn't make sense because those situations are so very rare in the first place. so, make one of each, and give 'em a go. Your play style will pretty quickly tell you which one will work better for you. There isn't anything in the group game that will dictate one over the other and hasn't been for several years.
You'll be fine with either. If it's a group of friends you're playing with, they'll want you to enjoy what you're doing. Maybe if caster stuff drops, you'll be easier gearing up as a chanter than competing with the other hybrids/melees. But the CC issue isn't an issue, if you're playing and they let you pull, all the CC'ing will be done before they get to the group, time your pulls well and there'll be no downtime.. Or... Play a mage and offtank adds with a pet.
For a group that consists of several melee, hybrid and 1 caster I have to disagree. Can an Enchanter increase the dps of the melee by 30%+? Can an Enchanter give the group selos? Can an Enchanter fade constantly? Can an Enchanter increase the group's health/mana/endurance? (Cause Bards can do all three, vs the Enchanters who increase only mana with their buff) Please explain to me again how an Enchanter is better than a Bard in every way, cause I'm not quite seeing what your trying to say. Especially if you are referring to a group of melee. Now if you are talking about a group of casters, that is a different story. Although Bards are good for them also As far as CC goes, like I said earlier, a good Bard can handle it no problem. Enchanters might have more dps than a Bard, but that doesn't matter because we're providing the melee in the group 30%+ more dps which will always be better than an enchanters dps.
RFLMAO, thank you so much for the laugh Cloud! Here I was thinking you were just clueless when it comes to Bards, but after reading that last comment, it's obvious you are clueless when it comes to Enchanters as well. You seriously think that membluring the mob is the same as Fade?!? Not even close. Please learn to play your class before you come here and try to bash Bards. We do have a song that increases Health/Mana/Endurance (actually more than one!). The fact that you have no idea what I'm talking about proves yet again that you are clueless. Also learn to count...you said, "the only thing bards are truly good at atm is melee dps on raid and tracking / running fast". That's three things, not 1. Only means 1. If you hate your class so much, re-roll to another one.
So lanadili basically what Cloud is saying is that bards suck compared to casters and the bard class should be deleted... take a mental note guys the BARD is bashing on his own class /golf clap Cloud, let me know when you have pulled your head out of your cloud then we can talk some real bizness
And if you cant keep up with a chanter on raids combine wise you don't know how to dps as a bard class man just saying.
Here is a recent parse from Wednesday, wither and decay [Mon Nov 23 15:07:47 2015] Lanadili tells you, '/GU Combined: Decay in 1124s, 2018775k @1796063sdps --- #23 Bard 43677k@38859sdps (38963dps in 1121s) --- #24 Bard 39554k@35190sdps (35253dps in 1122s) --- #26 Enchanter 36834k@32770sdps (33455dps in 1101s) --- #27 Enchanter 31254k@27806sdps (28081dps in 1113s) --- #29 Bard pets 25360k@22562sdps (22583dps in 1123s) --- #30 Bard pets 24350k@21663sdps (21760dps in 1119s)' with NO Cc on that raid just straight up burn fights.
Here is another one from Vim and Vigor raid that is just killing the 2 names and adds. [Mon Nov 23 15:10:23 2015] Lanadili tells you, '/GU Combined: Ritualist of Life in 688s, 1094666k @1591085sdps --- #25 Bard pets 14672k@21325sdps (21608dps in 679s) --- #26 Enchanter 13891k@20190sdps (20857dps in 666s)' So it really depends on WHAT bard you are looking at and WHAT enchanter you are looking at imho they're some good bards and good chanters.
I run a Ranger, Enchanter, and Wizard right now and a Druid joins in. Having boxed both the Bard and the Enchanter I have to say the Enchanter is the easiest one for CC. To be fair though I am novice at both classes, but I think I am picking up the Enchanter better than the Bard. In my opinion you should just try them both out and see which one works best for you.
All I know is I want both in my raid group...Mmkay? Gimme yo goodies! And FFS, DO NOT OVERRIDE MY IOG! P.S Satellite on Luclin has to be the worst freaking Bard in game../end rant.
Lol so true. I just don't even care anymore. Instead of improvements and changes we just get nerfed! YAYYY! Amen. If your caster groups don't have bards in em, I feel bad for you son. I got 99 problems but not having a bard ain't one! (my main problems are having entirely too many kids!)
