How do I keep from dying as a Bard?

[nilzark]

So I'm playing a Bard now. How do I keep from dying?

[Jibartik]

Stand in the back of the group singing a regen song and go afk.

[nilzark]

Good advise for sure. But when soloing I have been spending a lot of time retrieving my corpse. I try not to be squishy by wearing plate armor and dodging the melee. It's just, that it seems these creatures get stronger as I go up in level and my pathetic noodle like arms can't keep up.

[Tunabros]

you might not be strafing correctly

I recommend watching videos on kiting or asking experienced bards you see around

you sort of have to be moving slightly on your side and in the front at the same time

so you'll be "faster" than actually running in a circle

by doing so, you can avoid mobs hitting you barely

but it has to be done perfectly

you might get hit a few times during a swarm but practice makes perfect

[branamil]

He didn't say he was swarming. He could be trying to melee. Bards have pathetic combat skills and really shouldn't be trying to melee or tank after 30. At this point you have to either group, use charm songs, or swarm kite.

[Jibartik]

Good advise for sure. But when soloing I have been spending a lot of time retrieving my corpse. I try not to be squishy by wearing plate armor and dodging the melee. It's just, that it seems these creatures get stronger as I go up in level and my pathetic noodle like arms can't keep up.

With my bard I just use fear kite to kill everything outdoors with a sow and some swords but thats mid level.

edit: yea! (after 30!)

see a red mob? Kill it with fear kite.

see a blue mob? Kill it with fear kite.

[Videri]

Some random tips off the top of my head:
• Like others said above, past level 30ish, if you're soloing, stop trying to tank mobs at all. Use fear+snare to avoid damage, use charm
• Group with other players and use your skills for pulling and crowd control
• Make use of your Sneak skill to sneak behind mobs - even ones that see invis, such as undead
• Learn to swarm kite 25 mobs at a time. I recommend not doing this exclusively...get exp in other ways periodically so you learn all the rhythms of your class.

[Sizar]

Your question kinda depends on your level and your gear. I have a super twinked bard that can easily face tank and melee down blue mobs at level 50 and with near zero downtime to regen back up. But if you have shit gear then you should get creative. Charming starting at level 27 is your best bet and if you're fairly new to the class start by doing so out doors. When you get better at it you can move to dungeons with little space to move.

[wax0nn]

What level is your bard, and what tactics are you trying? If you give some more details I can reply with suggestions. Bards have lots of tricks to avoid face tanking as you level up.

[nilzark]

I honestly forgot about the fear kite. I'm going to head back into the fray and do that for a bit.

I have practiced the swarm kite a little bit, not a fan although I can see how easy that would be doing Drolvargs in Firiona. Overall has been super fun to play and the utility songs are really convenient.

How does sneaking as a bard help if you can't backstab?

[Jimjam]

You need good sync between you and the server to kite en mass. If the server loses track of your updated position it may think your kite is in melee range of you and get you crumped.

Have you tried charming?

[nilzark]

Yea I charmed a crap load in upper guk around the warden and a few other spots. Found it was necessary when facing shamans and druid types.

[unleashedd]

turn on heal song if about to get killed - if it ticks while you are unconscious, you come back with full HP

[Ravager]

Take less damage than the amount of health points you have.

[darkreap]

What level is your bard?

[nilzark]

What level is your bard?

Let's just say old enough to know better.

[Videri]

How does sneaking as a bard help if you can't backstab?

It allows you to walk around in full view of a see-invis mob as long as you're not in its frontal 90-degree arc.

You asked "How do I keep from dying," but you didn't say whether you died from combat or from accidentally aggroing some dangerous creature. That's why I said Sneak. It has no combat application at all.

[nilzark]

Ok, word, I'll practice the sneak. I mostly die against casters. What are some tactics to counter their spelling?

[Ravager]

MR, and if you're higher enough in level, you'll resist more. Stun proc weapons, but waiting for procs is unreliable. Use https://wiki.project1999.com/Crystallized_Pumice to dispel damage shields.

Never really played a bard though, so don't know if there are any other more class specific tricks.

[Sizar]

Ok, word, I'll practice the sneak. I mostly die against casters. What are some tactics to counter their spelling?

Your current level would be helpful for everyone giving you advice. If you are between like level 10-40 then beat down the caster to 50% then start spamming your mez song to interrupt all his spells.

[rahni]

Step 1. Find place with mobs and a guard or npc that hates said mobs but does not hate you.

step 2. Run mob to guard

step 3. charm mob before guard kills mob (just barely)

step 4. run away from guard, break charm and kill pathetic mob.

step 5. Bard laugh.

[Videri]

Ok, word, I'll practice the sneak. I mostly die against casters. What are some tactics to counter their spelling?

If you land a mez during a mob's spell, it will interrupt that spell.

You can keep a snare and a fear on a mob and it won't be able to cast at all.

You can charm a caster mob and make it fight another mob until it's low health, then finish it off.

[nilzark]

Bard is god character. Thanks everybody!

[Nerfromancer]

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