Bard
Bards are versatile virtuosos that inspire allies, and dishearten enemies with an extraordinary repertoire of abilities, encompassing the arts of music, song, dance, and storytelling. These efficacious entertainers excel at amplifying strengths, and exploiting weaknesses. This makes them a rock-solid, but flexible pillar of support for any adventuring party. With their mesmerizing melodies, peerless pantomime skills, and wondrous weaving of souls-stirring tales, bards leave a lasting impression on friend, and foe alike.[1]
Bard is an archetype in Ashes of Creation.[3]
- Bards are intended to amplify a party or raid's ability to perform within their own class. That amplification isn't just intended for DPS, but also for support, for healing, for taking damage, for movement. Bards have often been portrayed as a musical class and while they can be that, many Bard applications may exist in just telling a story. Telling a story is going to be the thematic component of how the Bard interacts with the party. And that story is going to enhance player's abilities to perform. Very similar in a way to buffing up a party, but you are not going to see him as a "buff bot" that you might have experienced in previous games, where they are only good for their buffs and then you kick them out of party and they sit in a corner and come back in 30 minutes. Those buffs are going to be related to how they perform.[4] – Steven Sharif
- Bard fills a tactical support role that makes a party better as a whole through a range of buff-oriented and proximity-based abilities.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
- Q: Regarding the class composition and design revolving around the Holy Trinity, if that is the case where does a non-healing support fall into that concept of design and how will players who choose that path remain relevant throughout the gameplay loops?
- A: This is a more old school idea of the Holy Trinity and where non-healing support classes fall into that mix. Generally you see in my experience most non-healing support classes fall into between the hybrid of support to tank or support to DPS, so they tend to fill a hybrid role. The Bard has an opportunity to fill that space and is a very integral component to maximizing a particular group or archetypes ability to perform through the use of their supportive and buff-oriented abilities as we've talked in the past. Many of these are support based on proximity. Some of them are support based on targeted buffs. We're going to be following the format of abilities that adhere to dances, songs, and stories when it relates to the Bard; and the scope of their particular ability sets- each of those provide a certain type of benefit to to other characters within proximity. The idea here again, pointing back to a more old-school trinity design is that no party is complete without the non-healing support class, which is the Bard in Ashes of Creation.[6] – Steven Sharif
Bard classes
Class | Primary | Secondary |
---|---|---|
Magician | Bard | Mage |
Minstrel | Bard | Bard |
Siren | Bard | Tank |
Song Warden | Bard | Ranger |
Songcaller | Bard | Summoner |
Soul Weaver | Bard | Cleric |
Tellsword | Bard | Fighter |
Trickster | Bard | Rogue |
Skills/abilities
Bards fill a tactical support role, including a broad range of offensive and defensive combat skills in addition to support abilities and buffs.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
- Bard mechanics include melodies, dances, songs, and stories.[5][6][12][9]
- Bards (like other archetypes) cannot use their abilities while mounted, but this may change in future.[13]
- One of the big things we wanted to do with this Bard specifically was not to focus specifically on just song or dance, but have a culmination of a bunch of different of these themes all together in the same kit.[14] – John Collins
- Bard AoE effects are generally not obstructed by line-of-sight.[15]
- Bards may choose to activate buffs that augment tanking, DPS and healing in their proximity.[16]
- Bard buffs apply to characters in the same group.[17]
- Bards offer proximity-based or proc-based healing, but to a much lesser degree than Clerics.[18][6][8][19]
- Bards are able to aid in the restoration of Mana.[20]
- Bards are able to play musical instruments.[21][22][9][23][24]
- Sagas are powerful Bard ultimate abilities that can have big effects on the battlefield.[25][26]
- Bards will have utility outside of combat, but this will not include restoring rested XP, and also may not include stealth type skills.[27][28]
- Bards are not intended to have siege summon capabilities, but sagas may fulfill a similar role on the battlefield.[30]
Skill | Icon | Description |
---|---|---|
Anthem of Alacrity | ![]() |
Target ally gains Anthem of Alacrity: Attack speed increased by 25% and casting speed increased by 25%. Lasts 10 seconds.[31][32] |
Anthem of Alacrity (AoE) | ![]() |
You and the 3 closest allies in front of you gain Anthem of Minor Alacrity: Attack speed increased by 10% and casting speed increased by 10%. Lasts 10 seconds.[31] |
Cathartic Melody | ![]() |
Nearby party members gain Cathartic Melody Melodies can be played concurrently with other abilities. Multiple instances of the same melody do not stack. |
Chaos | ![]() |
Nearby party members gain Chaos This buff can stack once with itself at reduced efficacy. Generates Theme of Tragedy ![]() |
Cheerful Melody | ![]() |
Nearby party members gain Cheerful Melody Melodies can be played concurrently with other abilities. Multiple instances of the same melody do not stack. |
Chilling Lament | ![]() |
Target enemy is dealt (75%🢆) ice damage and afflicted with four seconds of Chilled every second. Deals bonus damage to frozen targets.[31][33] |
Chilling Lament (AoE) | ![]() |
Enemies in front of you are dealt (50%🢆) ice damage and afflicted with three seconds of chilled every second. Deals bonus damage to frozen targets.[31] |
Clever Retort | ![]() |
Interrupt your target with a clever retort, applying 1 stacks of Silenced. Applies Humiliated if the target is Demoralized. |
Conflict | ![]() |
Nearby party members gain Conflict This buff can stack once with itself at reduced efficacy. Generates Theme of Tragedy ![]() |
Dark Lullaby | ![]() |
Deal (50-100%🢆) spirit damage to target enemy each second (scales in power over the course of the cast). This damage will not wake an incapacitated target. The final hit applies Stunned for 6 seconds if the target is incapacitated.[31][34] |
Dark Lullaby (AoE) | ![]() |
Deal (25-75%🢆) spirit damage each second to enemies in front of you (scales in power over the course of the cast). This damage will not wake incapacitated targets. The final hit applies Stunned for 6 seconds to any incapacitated targets.[31] |
Destiny | ![]() |
Nearby party members gain Destiny This buff can stack once with itself at reduced efficacy. Generates Theme of Mystery ![]() |
Discordance | ![]() |
Launch a wild burst of 3 discordant notes at your target, each dealing (50%🢆) Arcane damage and applying Staggered. The notes will bounce to random nearby enemies dealing reduced damage. Song Mastery: Dissonance |
Epic Melody | ![]() |
Nearby party members gain Epic Melody Melodies can be played concurrently with other abilities. Multiple instances of the same melody do not stack. |
Flourish | ![]() |
Slide forward gracefully in your aimed direction and gain Pep. Can be used concurrently with any other ability. Dance Mastery: EnergyDance Mastery: Power |
Fortissimo | ![]() |
Costs 5 Resonance to activate. Gain Fortissimo |
Gambit | ![]() |
In a daring maneuver, transfer life to or from target party member, depending on who has a lower percent health. This ability will not reduce either player below 25% health. The character that loses life in this exchange gains Solace. |
Get Off The Stage | ![]() |
Knockback enemies in front of you with your instrument, dealing (125%🢆) Bludgeon damage and applying 3 stacks of Snared that tapers off over the course of 6 seconds. Also applies Disarmed to targets with Staggered. |
Hymn of the Mind | ![]() |
Target ally gains mana equal to 2+5% magical power. Every second Mana gained increases up to 200% based on the amount of Mana the target is missing.[31] |
Hymn of the Mind (AoE) | ![]() |
Up to 4 allies in front of you gain mana equal to 0.8 + 4% magical power every second. Mana gained increases up to 200% based on the amount of mana the target is missing. This ability will favor low mana party members and yourself.[31] |
Jest | ![]() |
Jest with target ally, healing for (150%🢆) healing and applying Glee and Pep. Shares cooldown with Mock. |
Joy | ![]() |
Nearby party members gain Joy This buff can stack once with itself at reduced efficacy. Generates Theme of Comedy ![]() |
Lovely Serenade | ![]() |
Target ally is healed for (150%🢆) healing every second. The final hit applies Glee.[31][35] |
Lovely Serenade (AoE) | ![]() |
Up to five allies in front of you are healed for (50%🢆) healing every second. This ability will favor injured party members and yourself.[31] |
Maddening Dance | ![]() |
Deal (55%🢆) Arcane damage and dispel 1 buff on nearby enemies every second. Damage increases with less targets, up to (55%🢆) Arcane damage. Avert Your Gaze To your allies, this dance merely looks silly, but to your enemies, it is a maddening, horrific sight. |
Marionette | ![]() |
Target enemy is afflicted with Marionette When Marionette expires, the target becomes Humiliated. "How embarrassing..." |
Menacing Melody | ![]() |
Nearby party members gain Menacing Melody Melodies can be played concurrently with other abilities. Multiple instances of the same melody do not stack. |
Mesmerizing Dance | ![]() |
Quickly strike a dazzling pose! Mesmerizes all nearby enemies, applying 1 stacks of Incapacitated for 10 seconds. Any targets with Staggered also become 1 stacks of Stunned for 3 seconds. |
Misdirection | ![]() |
Use your wiles to reduce both your own and nearby party members' threat against nearby monsters by (1000%🢆) Magical damage. Additionally breaks all disabling effects on the caster. |
Mock | ![]() |
Ridicule target enemy, damaging them for (125%🢆) Bludgeon damage and applying 1 stacks of Demoralized. Fierce Wit Shares cooldown with Jest. |
Nimble Dance | ![]() |
Grants Nimble, Pep, and cleanses 1 debuff (favoring crowd control effects) from yourself and nearby allies every second. |
Pensive Melody | ![]() |
Nearby party members gain Pensive Melody Melodies can be played concurrently with other abilities. Multiple instances of the same melody do not stack. |
Quick Wit | ![]() |
Jest with target ally, healing for (150%🢆) healing and applying Glee and Pep. Ridicule target enemy, damaging them for (125%🢆) Bludgeon damage and applying 1 stacks of Demoralized. Fierce Wit |
Saga | ![]() |
Complete your tale with a grand finale, consuming all of your current themes. The specific saga you have access to is determined by the combination of your current themes. |
Shielding Dance | ![]() |
Heal yourself and nearby allies for (50%🢆) healing every second and apply up to one instance of 1 stacks of Shield to each target as they enter the dance radius. |
Triumph | ![]() |
Nearby party members gain Triumph This buff can stack once with itself at reduced efficacy. Generates Theme of Comedy ![]() |
Wonder | ![]() |
Nearby party members gain Wonder This buff can stack once with itself at reduced efficacy. Generates Theme of Mystery ![]() |
- Some buffs are related to how the Bard performs in combat: If a bard lands a skill shot against a target, allies within a certain range might be granted a temporary buff that relates to the skill that the bard used.[4]
- Certain higher tier Bard abilities will utilize proximity-based ground templates that require the party or raid to move into (and out of) formations indicated by the template to gain added benefits or buffs.[36][7]
Skill Upgrades
Skill upgrade | Icon | Upgrade to | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Avert Your Gaze | ![]() |
Maddening Dance | Each tick of Maddening Dance also applies Shaken, and the final tick will apply Humiliated to any targets facing you. |
Dance Mastery: Energy | ![]() |
Flourish | Flourish now only has 1 charge, but each time you complete a Dance or use Get Off The Stage, your Flourish cooldown resets.[31] |
Dance Mastery: Power | ![]() |
Flourish | Flourish causes your next dance to have a 50% increased radius.[31] |
Dynamism | ![]() |
Flourish | Pep lasts 1 second longer. You apply Pep to nearby allies after you Flourish. |
Endless Jest | ![]() |
Quick Wit | Increases the number of charges of Quick Wit by 1. Additionally, Quick Wit will apply Pep to your allies. |
Fierce Wit | ![]() |
Quick Wit | Quick Wit will apply (60%🢆) Fire damage Burning to enemies with two or more other debuffs. Quick Wit will apply Tripped to enemies with two or more movement impairing debuffs. |
Instrument Drum | ![]() |
Menacing Melody,Cathartic Melody,Epic Melody,Pensive Melody,Cheerful Melody | Choose to play your melodies with a drum.[31][37] |
Instrument Fiddle | ![]() |
Menacing Melody,Cathartic Melody,Epic Melody,Pensive Melody,Cheerful Melody | Choose to play your melodies with a fiddle.[31][38] |
Instrument Flute | ![]() |
Menacing Melody,Cathartic Melody,Epic Melody,Pensive Melody,Cheerful Melody | Choose to play your melodies with a flute.[31][39] |
Merriment | ![]() |
Glee | Each time your Glee heals it has a 5% chance to bounce to another nearby ally. Glee grants an additional 1% mitigation. |
Mighty Step | ![]() |
Shielding Dance | Your Shield applies at an additional 50% power. When any of your applied Shield effects are fully absorbed, you gain a stack of Resonance. |
Monologue | ![]() |
Quick Wit | Increases the number of charges of Quick Wit by 1, but increases the cooldown by 2.[40] |
Music Mastery: Counterpoint | ![]() |
Menacing Melody,Cathartic Melody,Epic Melody,Pensive Melody,Cheerful Melody | The effects of your melodies are applied at increasing durations depending on your melody cast progress. At full melody charge they will last up to 20 seconds, allowing you to weave back and forth between melodies to upkeep multiple buffs at once.[31][41] |
Music Mastery: Crescendo | ![]() |
Menacing Melody,Cathartic Melody,Epic Melody,Pensive Melody,Cheerful Melody | Your melodies increase in power over the course of 20 seconds, with up to 50% greater effect at the end of the cast.[31][42] |
Resonant Weapon | ![]() |
Menacing Melody,Cathartic Melody,Epic Melody,Pensive Melody,Cheerful Melody | Casting non-melody abilities will grant you 1 stack of Resonance Some songs and dances will grant an additional stack upon completion. Stacks up to 10 times. Resonance |
Sagas: Volume II | ![]() |
Saga | Unlock additional Saga combinations: The Horrors of the Void ( Theme of Tragedy ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Song Mastery: Dissonance | ![]() |
Anthem of Alacrity,Anthem of Alacrity (AoE),Chilling Lament,Chilling Lament (AoE),Dark Lullaby,Dark Lullaby (AoE),Lovely Serenade,Lovely Serenade (AoE) | Completing a song during a clashing melody will apply 3 stacks of Discordant Note.[31][42] |
Song Mastery: Harmony | ![]() |
Anthem of Alacrity,Anthem of Alacrity (AoE),Chilling Lament,Chilling Lament (AoE),Dark Lullaby,Dark Lullaby (AoE),Lovely Serenade,Lovely Serenade (AoE) | Playing songs during their matching melody will cause them to gain 30% increased effect.[31] |
Spirited Serenade | ![]() |
Lovely Serenade | Single target Serenade applies Emboldened AoE Serenade healing increased by 20% and applies Glee to targets below 50% health. |
Musical abilities
The Bard archetype chooses a musical instrument on the first tier of their skill tree.[21][22][9][23][24]
- Musical instruments are currently cosmetic, but there are plans to add functionality to instruments in the future, such as adding custom music creation, but not along the same lines as ArcheAge's Artistry.[44][45][46]
- Instruments are at this moment in time cosmetic, but we have plans for instruments in the future... including custom song authoring for players to utilize- to have skills within; and then for you to be able to to use those also in a roleplay fashion.[45] – Steven Sharif
- The way we decided to do instruments is they're mainly just a cosmetic choice right now. So, players can choose as their first choice at the Bard what instrument they want to play all their melodies with. And so this will actually change the animations and change the sound effects of how the melodies will play.[21] – John Collins
- Other archetypes may also be able to play certain musical instruments at some future time.[22]
- There may be a specific gear slot for musical instruments, but this has not been finalized yet.[47]
Skill | Icon | Origin | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Instrument Drum | ![]() |
Bard | Choose to play your melodies with a drum.[31][37] |
Instrument Fiddle | ![]() |
Bard | Choose to play your melodies with a fiddle.[31][38] |
Instrument Flute | ![]() |
Bard | Choose to play your melodies with a flute.[31][39] |
Bard augments
Bard schools of augmentation currently include Regeneration and Buffs. The remaining two schools will be revealed later in Alpha-2 as designs are finalized.[48][49]
- What are the core purposes of the Bard? These are regenerative effects. These are buff effect types. When you think about then the active skill that you might apply those augments to, you are likely going to be adding certain effects types that relate then to those Bard primary effects. So, if you're a Tank and and right now you have an ability to cast Aegis that absorbs damage from nearby party members, now you might be conferring a certain buff to those party members as a result of that, or inspiration, or you might be applying some type of regenerative healing effect, or mana restoration as a result that's available. So, we haven't fully fleshed out what those augments are going to look like on a per-archetype basis. Our Focus for Alpha-2 has been establishing the core archetypes, the active ability archetypes, and then when we get into having the Rogue and Summoner added into the base archetypes, that's when we're going to start focusing on augmentation and the secondary class choices.[49] – Steven Sharif
Timeline
The Bard archetype was released in Alpha-2 phase-1.[50][51][52][53]
Visuals
2024-12-04 2024-08-14 2024-08-13 2024-08-12 2024-08-12 2024-08-12 2024-08-12 2024-08-12 2024-08-12 2024-08-12 2024-08-12 2024-08-12 2024-08-12 2024-08-12 2024-08-11 2024-08-11 2024-08-11 2024-08-11 2024-08-11 2024-08-11 2024-08-11 2024-08-11 2024-08-11 2024-08-11 2024-08-10 2024-08-10 2024-08-10 2024-08-10 2024-01-31
Archetype list
Icon | Archetype | Type.[56] | Role.[57] | Resource.[58][59] |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Bard | Arcane | Support | Themes |
![]() |
Cleric | Arcane | Support | Divine Power |
![]() |
Fighter | Martial | Damage | Momentum |
![]() |
Mage | Arcane | Damage | Spell charges |
![]() |
Ranger | Martial | Damage | - |
![]() |
Rogue | Martial | Damage | Advantage |
![]() |
Summoner | Arcane | - | - |
![]() |
Tank | Martial | Tank | Courage |
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ashes of Creation - Bard.
- ↑ Newsletter - September 2024.
- ↑ Archetype breakdown.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Livestream, 2018-04-8 (PM) (46:11).
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Livestream, April 7, 2023 (1:05:57).
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Interview, June 13, 2021 (8:33).
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Podcast, April 11, 2021 (13:30).
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Livestream, June 28, 2019 (1:21:02).
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Livestream, January 18, 2018 (45:52).
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Livestream, May 17, 2017 (1:06:19).
- ↑ Livestream, December 2, 2022 (1:04:16).
- ↑ Livestream, July 31, 2024 (2:13:49).
- ↑ Video, July 31, 2024 (4:20).
- ↑ Livestream, July 31, 2024 (2:38:35).
- ↑ Interview, July 19, 2020 (1:00:04).
- ↑ Livestream, July 31, 2024 (2:13:32).
- ↑ Video, July 31, 2024 (8:14).
- ↑ Livestream, July 25, 2020 (58:38).
- ↑ Video, March 29, 2024 (55:06).
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Video, July 31, 2024 (7:25).
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Livestream, December 2, 2022 (1:26:47).
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Livestream, 2018-04-8 (PM) (1:18:37).
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Livestream, July 28, 2017 (40:15).
- ↑ Livestream, July 31, 2024 (2:32:50).
- ↑ Video, July 31, 2024 (1:00:56).
- ↑ Livestream, July 31, 2024 (2:33:55).
- ↑ Livestream, May 19, 2017 (39:55).
- ↑ Livestream, July 31, 2024 (2:34:29).
- ↑ Livestream, July 31, 2024 (2:36:06).
- ↑ 31.00 31.01 31.02 31.03 31.04 31.05 31.06 31.07 31.08 31.09 31.10 31.11 31.12 31.13 31.14 31.15 31.16 31.17 31.18 31.19 31.20 31.21 Blog - Guide to Alpha Two.
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ Livestream, January 28, 2022 (1:09:26).
- ↑ 37.0 37.1
- ↑ 38.0 38.1
- ↑ 39.0 39.1
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ 42.0 42.1
- ↑ 43.0 43.1 Livestream, February 29, 2024 (1:10:23).
- ↑ Interview, January 19, 2025 (1:42:27).
- ↑ 45.0 45.1 Livestream, July 31, 2024 (2:15:35).
- ↑ Livestream, November 30, 2020 (1:15:35).
- ↑ Livestream, September 29, 2023 (1:08:25).
- ↑ Livestream, July 31, 2024 (2:35:29).
- ↑ 49.0 49.1 Livestream, July 31, 2024 (2:31:08).
- ↑ Livestream, August 16, 2024 (53:55).
- ↑ Livestream, April 30, 2024 (51:54).
- ↑ Interview, July 9, 2023 (1:11:29).
- ↑ Interview, July 9, 2023 (1:06:53).
- ↑ Interview, October 17, 2020 (53:50).
- ↑ Interview, July 29, 2020 (49:53).
- ↑ Group dynamics blog.
- ↑ Livestream, April 28, 2023 (1:02:04).
- ↑