Bard Swarming - HOW TO - Key Binds?

[Mignart]

Hey everyone,

I was hoping someone could explain the exact key binds + methods used for bard swarming.

I've watched several videos, and think I understand how to do it, but in practice, it does not work.

1) Bind E or Q to STRAFE
2) Hit Autorun
3) Use E or Q to strafe to enlarge hitbox
4) Right click with mouse and drag to close in the circle until mobs are within the corner / range of screen.

Issues: It seems as though the strafe button does not register 100% of the time when I am right clicking mouse / dragging so I'm not able to "smoothly" circle without random jerks as the strafe button does not register and causing me to get in range of mobs.

Troubleshooting: I suspect its either A) I am not doing this right. B) There is an issue perhaps with my hardware (keyboard and mouse) which is causing some latency or glitch.

Would be extremely grateful if somebody could either help me figure out what is wrong with what I am experiencing with the glitch or direct me as to proper key binds + keys hitting when swarming.

Thank you,

[Mignart]

Just to follow-up:

This video recommends another method https://youtu.be/bi08K3B0dME?t=1289 in which you:\
1) Autorun
2) Hold right click (mouse)
3) Left + right + enter
4) Then all you need to do is use mouse right click to tighten up.

Will try this method as this is the first Im hearing of it.

[Legidias]

There's different methods to AE kite. I personally like to tap click into an actual circle. I find it much more consistent than strafe ovals and is simpler to understand as well, except that it does need you to have a run speed buff (you just autorun forward and tap left or right to turn, longer key press = shorter diameter).

You don't need to bind keys to actual strafe, holding right click and turning will do it already. Be careful with the chat use one. Just make sure to always watch and make sure you're strafing cause you can turn that off easily on accident. The same method also works if you strafe and click off screen then back in game.

Some mice don't fully register right clicks or are prone to stuttering (holding right click just right clicks a whole bunch of times instead of holding it down).

[Wallicker]

I just autorun and tap the turn button, no strafe, no mouse. I can swarm kite anything just fine. Do whatever works for you, the key is being able to consistently stay in range of your dots and out of reach of the monsters. Like anything else practice will make you better.

[Mignart]

I just autorun and tap the turn button, no strafe, no mouse. I can swarm kite anything just fine. Do whatever works for you, the key is being able to consistently stay in range of your dots and out of reach of the monsters. Like anything else practice will make you better.

Question is: How can you tell what is a safe distance? For instance the strafing circle indiciator is I can see their legs / heads in the bottom corner of my screen so it makes the distance easy to judge. Do you use any form of a visual indicator or is it just over time you get a feel for it (please dont say it that :) )

[Mignart]

There's different methods to AE kite. I personally like to tap click into an actual circle. I find it much more consistent than strafe ovals and is simpler to understand as well, except that it does need you to have a run speed buff (you just autorun forward and tap left or right to turn, longer key press = shorter diameter).

You don't need to bind keys to actual strafe, holding right click and turning will do it already. Be careful with the chat use one. Just make sure to always watch and make sure you're strafing cause you can turn that off easily on accident. The same method also works if you strafe and click off screen then back in game.

Some mice don't fully register right clicks or are prone to stuttering (holding right click just right clicks a whole bunch of times instead of holding it down).

Interesting, I didn't know about that click off game trick. I guess same question for you as I asked above: Do you have any form of an indicator that you use to know what the mobs are in range of the non strafing turn tapping?

[Wallicker]

Question is: How can you tell what is a safe distance? For instance the strafing circle indiciator is I can see their legs / heads in the bottom corner of my screen so it makes the distance easy to judge. Do you use any form of a visual indicator or is it just over time you get a feel for it (please dont say it that :) )

Heh, it’s a little bit of both, if you are zoomed out in third person and have the camera raised slightly on some larger mobs or slower mobs you will be able to just barely see them in the bottom left or bottom right corner of the screen. some you want just off screen and if it’s a new mob this where you should start. With the 4 mob limit it’s a great time to learn as you can survive a hit and hymn up and go again. And yes you will get a feel for it over time... I can kite once gathered up for the most part with my eyes closed

[Mignart]

Appreciate the breakdown a bit further @Wallicker. I would always see guys do these insanely tight circles when bard kiting and not being able to replicate with the strafe method.

I will give this a try with some lower level mobs and go from there. Thanks again!

[Wallicker]

Yea twist selos or get a sow until pbaoe snare at 54 or kite beetles they run slower than normal

[Legidias]

Run speed never really bothered me with mobs since I used selo's and it out speeds even sow'd mobs.

The real killer is mob size. Drolvargs, while plentiful in FV and DL, are probably the most challenging things to kite due to their hitbox being larger than what the actual mob looks like (in comparison, spiders are smaller hitboxes than their graphics make them appear).

[Mignart]

Appreciate all the feedback guys. I will give this a try when I hit 18 and get Denon's which has a bit larger range (35). Don't quite feel safe trying it with just Chord's of Dissonance (30 range) just yet.

If anybody wants to join me / hit me up on Teal, I'm on my bard there - Mignart (14)

Cheers,

[Tethler]

Appreciate all the feedback guys. I will give this a try when I hit 18 and get Denon's which has a bit larger range (35). Don't quite feel safe trying it with just Chord's of Dissonance (30 range) just yet.

If anybody wants to join me / hit me up on Teal, I'm on my bard there - Mignart (14)

Cheers,

If you just want to practice, turn on misses in your combat log so you can see if you go into melee range while kiting, round up some skeletons and black bears and try it out on green mobs that wont kill you. It'll give you an idea of what to expect before you try it on xp mobs.

[Mignart]

Yea thats definitely the plan. Will check out these other methods as hardware wise doing the strafe running seems to be broken for me.

I overlooked something critical here - you guys mentioned there is a current 4 mob limit? As I remember there was a 25 mob limit? Is this different in classic (teal / green) servers? If so, when is this lifted?

[zipidi]

I found that prior to lvl 18 you will need to strafe, otherwise the distance is very hard to judge and you will get hit faily often.
Once you hit 18 and get the new song you dont really need to strafe, unless your going try hard and trying to hit with both the lvl 18 and lvl 2 song.

As for the 4 mob limit;
Based on the patch note date that mentions the fix:
https://www.project1999.com/forums/showthread.php?t=334283
It was fixed September 1999
Looking at the timeline for Green/Teal that is landing around April/May 2020,if they stick to the timeline.
http://wiki.project1999.com/EverQuest_Timeline

[Wynd]

Mignart if you need some tips doing the strafe kiting then msg me on teal Wyndbringer.
Its really simple once you figure out how to do the strafe part of it.

[Wallicker]

Man you can kite all day without strafe even using the lvl 2 dot...

[Wallicker]

I was AoEing unrest on teal on my bard at lvl 8 no strafe

[MaCtastic]

Video of mine from Red, I cover it all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGK3KBd-aCs

[Mignart]

I suppose it wouldnt be right to write up the post without following up!

I've been doing the non-sow / selo's strafe running method which creates wide circles when possible. When I'm limited to tight spaces, I'll try and get a SoW or twist in Selos and do very tight circles, but again with the strafe / mouse right click method.

I have yet to attempt to use just the move left / right method (non strafe) as right now what Im doing works well. Happy to show anyone in need live on Green if they need. Can catch me on my bard Mignart.

[Genedin]

Going to be playing on the new rise of zek pvp server. Looking for obscure bard swarm locations at launch on the 13th that will have mobs. Any suggestions?