Bards solo. What is possible?

[busted]

Reviving this thread https://www.project1999.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87598

Excluding swarming/kiting around non-summon mobs, What are some impressive things you've soloed on your bard?

Any examples out there of bards doing the solo artist challenges?

What is possible?

Thank you friends!

[enjchanter]

Kindof a loaded question
Of it doesn't summon you can kinda just kill anything eventually and if it doesn't summon it's probably a blue con mob thats easily killed in General.

[Toxigen]

Sugz does some pretty amazing solo bard stuff, namely HS west.

https://www.twitch.tv/sugz4/videos

[busted]

Dang nice mention Toxigen

Found these 2 videos:

- Bard soloing skeletal procurator in HS west https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1232511853
- Swarming in HS West https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1155754690 (woah!)

What else have you all killed (Summoning or non-summoning that was challenging to kill / get to)?

[Vivitron]

At 60 while working on my epic, I decided to kill a drolvarg warlord (bog standard level 53 warrior mob afaict, and on the solo artist list) by doing melee/slow/ds and mez/regen when I was low.

It took 27 minutes. Would not recommend.

You can pbaoe the room easily when the named isn't up though, which is kind of cool. In one of Sugz's HS videos he shows the technique of keeping a summoner mezzed nearby while pbaoeing the rest, so if I were going to try to solo it again maybe I would mez lock the warlord, pbaoe the room and jail, then use the space to have a little room to fear.

[Sizar]

If you can mez it, a 60 bard can kill it solo. Some exceptions

[mattydef]

https://wiki.project1999.com/Yeldema

Can solo kill a dragon!

[Jibartik]

If you can fear it...

https://i.imgur.com/rlAqgUN.png

[damaddar]

you can probably do everything on the solo artist challenge up through solo disciple, maybe even some of the howling stones named as long as they are mezzable (if 53 or lower u should be good). getting something like orb of tishan or journeymans walking stick is really important because your mezz will resist and potentially break otherwise on the higher level mobs.

the hardest part would be pulling some of them to somewhat of a safe spot because you will likely have respawns trying to kill something like Froggy, It will take a long time unless you have some decent gear, otherwise you just wont much damage before you have to mezz and heal. fungi/singing steel bp (both) are great items to have. Everything in karnors castle you can just pull/train to the zone in (as long as nobodys there :D) and mezz/snare, zone out, and retag.

a fully decked out bard on p99 might be able to solo some tougher non mezzable, summoning mobs by kiting and sustaining with regen songs / singing steel BP and slowly killing with chants or damage shield. I know on live during PoP era i could do this on the dark elves in kithicor that dropped RBG, twisting regen and singing steel bp and innate tankiness i was able to outregen the damage i took from getting summoned while slowly killing them. An unlucky stun might be too punishing here though, but im sure its possible with raid gear, dain ring, vp lute, maybe a few wort pots etc. basically you're a bootleg torpor shaman that runs in circles.

tldr; if you can mezz it you can kill it!

[mathe34]

Reviving this thread https://www.project1999.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87598 fnf (https://fnfonline.co/)

Excluding swarming/kiting around non-summon mobs, What are some impressive things you've soloed on your bard?

Any examples out there of bards doing the solo artist challenges?

What is possible?

Thank you friends!

Bards' solo game can be challenging and isolating. Yes, bards are the finest class in the game (thanks KarmaThaKing! ), but there are three ways to solo and meleeing is effectively out of the question until about level 60.

[Vivitron]

At 60 while working on my epic, I decided to kill a drolvarg warlord (bog standard level 53 warrior mob afaict, and on the solo artist list) by doing melee/slow/ds and mez/regen when I was low.

It took 27 minutes. Would not recommend.

You can pbaoe the room easily when the named isn't up though, which is kind of cool. In one of Sugz's HS videos he shows the technique of keeping a summoner mezzed nearby while pbaoeing the rest, so if I were going to try to solo it again maybe I would mez lock the warlord, pbaoe the room and jail, then use the space to have a little room to fear.

I should update that I'm down to 7-8 minutes to toe-to-toe a level 53 mob including mid fight mez/regen breaks, bringing it into the practical range for named hunting.

[Tigerstyle Wutangfist]

It’s not solo but I’ve done scout in WW duo clr/bard no consumables (but fully buffed).

[BenDerisgreat]

King Tranix, Warlord Skarlon, a cliff Golem, Verix.

[chevy79bu]

I know this is an older thread but I wanted to add to it that I have solo killed Efreeti Lord Djarn on my 58 bard. It was not to hard and have done it 3 times solo. I have also killed the skeletal procurate solo on my bard many times to get the mask. Just a couple of things I did not see listed in the thread. I am a returning player so reading through the last years worth of bard threads lol.

[Vivitron]

I know this is an older thread but I wanted to add to it that I have solo killed Efreeti Lord Djarn on my 58 bard. It was not to hard and have done it 3 times solo. I have also killed the skeletal procurate solo on my bard many times to get the mask. Just a couple of things I did not see listed in the thread. I am a returning player so reading through the last years worth of bard threads lol.

Very cool getting Djarn at 58. Probably makes that area much more appealing for leveling.

I'm glad you bumped the thread, I have some updates too.

I managed an Ayillish solo. I used 3 clicks of a wort so I'd like to redo it without that sometime, but it already took 93 minutes of generally good luck to kill so I might not get back to it. The strat is to keep it blinded with a bio orb in the dn scar and use ranged dots, but it's still a spicy fight because its resists are so high, and the fight is so long you're bound to hit some very bad rolls.

The same bio orb strategy works on A4 mobs. I did Grink/Gronk but Brenn and Grenn weren't open so I'll have to return some time. Speaking of PoM the main room chest isn't bad to melee in place if you have the gear for it.

I did the other interesting outpost mobs for fun too, using a similar charm strat to Cliff Golem kills. Captain Rottgrime / General D'Veers / Admiral Tylix.

For Rottgrime, if D'Veers is not in the bank and no other guards are nearby you can pull him and a pet clean. Lull the first three marines, pulse selos, mez the fifth marine, and book it to leash the mezzed marine. Don't pulse selos again or otherwise buff yourself until the captain and pet are past the gargoyles.

For V'Deers and Tylix bury a sow as deep as you can. Against a cliff golem you can often avoid taking hits from your pet by either burning the cg summon with pet back off, or by running through the cg and away from your pet when you get summoned. It's harder to do that with these guys because their casting and slightly faster runspeed make it take longer to burn the summon, and they have a smaller hitbox. And their dots can actually do some significant damage to you. I haven't setup a pet tick timer for timing recharms like Melatunin showed; it would probably help a lot against these guys.

I should update that I'm down to 7-8 minutes to toe-to-toe a level 53 mob including mid fight mez/regen breaks, bringing it into the practical range for named hunting.

I'll add another update on this with some improved gear: my best tanked/no-mez/self-buffed/no-strong-clicks I've done was Hierophant Prime Grekal -- I think I was lucky to win that without mez with my current gear, but level 52 mobs are pretty easy to melee without a mez break for me now.

Edit: Have any of you broken a full fire giant spawn tranix room on the bard? I made some attempts to split but got Tranix + both static guards.

[chevy79bu]

Very cool getting Djarn at 58. Probably makes that area much more appealing for leveling.

I'm glad you bumped the thread, I have some updates too.

I managed an Ayillish solo. I used 3 clicks of a wort so I'd like to redo it without that sometime, but it already took 93 minutes of generally good luck to kill so I might not get back to it. The strat is to keep it blinded with a bio orb in the dn scar and use ranged dots, but it's still a spicy fight because its resists are so high, and the fight is so long you're bound to hit some very bad rolls.

The same bio orb strategy works on A4 mobs. I did Grink/Gronk but Brenn and Grenn weren't open so I'll have to return some time. Speaking of PoM the main room chest isn't bad to melee in place if you have the gear for it.

I did the other interesting outpost mobs for fun too, using a similar charm strat to Cliff Golem kills. Captain Rottgrime / General D'Veers / Admiral Tylix.

For Rottgrime, if D'Veers is not in the bank and no other guards are nearby you can pull him and a pet clean. Lull the first three marines, pulse selos, mez the fifth marine, and book it to leash the mezzed marine. Don't pulse selos again or otherwise buff yourself until the captain and pet are past the gargoyles.

For V'Deers and Tylix bury a sow as deep as you can. Against a cliff golem you can often avoid taking hits from your pet by either burning the cg summon with pet back off, or by running through the cg and away from your pet when you get summoned. It's harder to do that with these guys because their casting and slightly faster runspeed make it take longer to burn the summon, and they have a smaller hitbox. And their dots can actually do some significant damage to you. I haven't setup a pet tick timer for timing recharms like Melatunin showed; it would probably help a lot against these guys.



I'll add another update on this with some improved gear: my best tanked/no-mez/self-buffed/no-strong-clicks I've done was Hierophant Prime Grekal -- I think I was lucky to win that without mez with my current gear, but level 52 mobs are pretty easy to melee without a mez break for me now.

Edit: Have any of you broken a full fire giant spawn tranix room on the bard? I made some attempts to split but got Tranix + both static guards.

That's a hell of a list of accomplishments! Bard is such a unique class in EQ. I always tell everyone Bard feels hands down the most powerful class in eq right up until you die lol.

[Toxigen]

That's a hell of a list of accomplishments! Bard is such a unique class in EQ. I always tell everyone Bard feels hands down the most powerful class in eq right up until you die lol.

nah its enchanter and its not even close lol

dont get me wrong, bards are great...but man you sure do have to put in 10x the work to get halfway to what enchanters are doing

[busted]

dont get me wrong, bards are great...but man you sure do have to put in 10x the work to get halfway to what enchanters are doing

This makes the juice worth the squeeze!

Hardcore bard mode is the true p99 end game.

Aside: We just really need our aggro fixed https://www.project1999.com/forums/showthread.php?t=416857

[chevy79bu]

nah its enchanter and its not even close lol

dont get me wrong, bards are great...but man you sure do have to put in 10x the work to get halfway to what enchanters are doing

Lol don't get me wrong Enchanter is king for what they can accomplish by themselves I agree! But on my bard I feel 100% confident that I am in control at all times and in no risk of dieing right up until that splat moment lol. On my enchanter when I'm doing sketchy shit I always feel the reaper knocking at that door.

[enjchanter]

Lol don't get me wrong Enchanter is king for what they can accomplish by themselves I agree! But on my bard I feel 100% confident that I am in control at all times and in no risk of dieing right up until that splat moment lol. On my enchanter when I'm doing sketchy shit I always feel the reaper knocking at that door.

Do you only play in zones where you can selos to a zone line or something

Enchanter so much better at living than a bard

[Toxigen]

Do you only play in zones where you can selos to a zone line or something

Enchanter so much better at living than a bard

yeah...gate alone not to mention the whole kit lol

[chevy79bu]

Do you only play in zones where you can selos to a zone line or something

Enchanter so much better at living than a bard

No, I have been playing in skyshrine, KC basement, and HS mostly lately. It's just my personal feel lol. I even said I know enchanter are technically stronger. Just for me bard feels the best. I have many more hours logged on a bard. I'm on my 3rd level 60 bard now lol. So my timing is really good and just overall better flow during solo encounters.

[enjchanter]

Okay you can selos in 2/3 of the zones you just listed so

[chevy79bu]

Okay you can selos in 2/3 of the zones you just listed so

Lol ok ok ok your right I'm wrong the world is all good now! Thing is your assuming Selos Acceleration when in reality that's hardly ever even on my bar while I'm in those zones. Selos Assonant Strane however...why kill 2 mobs at a time like an enchanter when I can be a bard and kill the entire surrounding area?

[Toxigen]

because summoning merbs

[Troxx]

I got bored trying to trophy kill anything on my bard at 60. On any mob that game mechanics allows to be 'solo-able', it doesn't take extraordinary skill ... just extraordinary time and much of it can be done in scrub level gear.

I have no interest in spending 20-45 minutes or more slowly killing something just to say "I did it!".

[busted]

I don't think you are barding right Troxx...

Here is Tranix dead in 7min https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNfDQ4cQ9w and many more sub 10min kills https://www.youtube.com/@melatuninthevirtuoso3659/videos

Summoning mobs are soloable by bards and you don't need selos to achieve greatness!

Believe in yourself.

[Toxigen]

I don't think you are barding right Troxx...

Here is Tranix dead in 7min https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNfDQ4cQ9w and many more sub 10min kills https://www.youtube.com/@melatuninthevirtuoso3659/videos

Summoning mobs are soloable by bards and you don't need selos to achieve greatness!

Believe in yourself.

lol hooray full bis BoTB bard can kill Tranix in ultra late velious

bro Eratani was doing this on a druid years ago

lmao

Bards are groupers, raiders, and plvlers...not solo artists.

[fortior]

it's cool to push classes to the limit instead of using an ench to do everything

[busted]

lol hooray full bis BoTB bard can kill Tranix in ultra late velious
...
Bards are groupers, raiders, and plvlers...not solo artists.

You indeed need solid gear on a bard to do a lot of this stuff safely. Melatunin isn't full BiS though. No ring 10. That would make it even easier.

I do similar things on my bard but am missing VP lute from silverwing for an easy +7 regen vs lute of howler.

The fact that bards can regen ALOT makes them able to be a solo artist.

Hymn of Restoration (13 base) (32.5 w/ vp lute)
Niv's Melody of Preservation (9 base) (22.5 w/ vp lute)
Fungi (15 worn)
Ring 10 (10)

That is 80hp regen a tick. (32.5+22.5+15+10 = 80). This turns your bards ~3k hp into much more when you are getting 800hp back a minute.

Melatunin in these videos is getting 70 (no ring 10)

If you add to this some BiS weapons that lifetap/rune.... you are talking about a beefy battle bard.

(out-of-battle regen is even higher with singing steel BP clicks + songs.)

No one is arguing bard is better soloer than enc/shm. Enc is easier (charm, haste pet, hope no break, kill thing). Enc also needs less gear but you die much more with crit lull fails/charm breaks/stun resists etc. But because enc is easier and you need less gear I'd say it's less impressive of a feat. (still cool but not as much). If bard charm was capped at 55 and not 51 there would be much less of a gap between enc/bard.

Bard is more clicks for killing anything due to the nature of songs lasting 18 seconds. But you essentially know when a charm break will happen and can time re-charms nicely (once you get a feel for the class)

[Troxx]

I don't think you are barding right Troxx...

Here is Tranix dead in 7min https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNfDQ4cQ9w and many more sub 10min kills https://www.youtube.com/@melatuninthevirtuoso3659/videos

Summoning mobs are soloable by bards and you don't need selos to achieve greatness!

Believe in yourself.

I haven’t barded in years and my bards gear level is best defined as: thurg quest gear and the rest is “meh”. I have no interest in trophy solo kills on my bard.

If I want to solo something worthwhile, I’ve got a bag full of level 60s that can do it more efficiently.

[Vivitron]

My first character here was an enchanter. One thing I enjoyed about solo challenges on the bard is personally I had more more joy of discovery on my bard than on my enchanter.

On the enchanter I got the basics from Tecmos's videos and picked up some more tips watching streamers like Sugz or Nybras. If I didn't know a camp, there was often another enchanter at it that I could talk to or watch.

If I didn't know a camp on the bard, instead of finding a bard there to help me I was more likely to have someone watch me figure it out, curious because they hadn't seen a bard to it.

I think the amount of gear-check is about right for motivation if you enjoy the class. You can do some without much gear, and if you gear the bard it significantly helps. That said I'm also sure I'm not the only p99er that has had the thought "it looks like it would have been fun if I had built a monk and spent all my dkp there."

[Crede]

I feel like a geared sk with willsapper could do circles around bard solo with far less apm. Cool vid tho. Troll sk with epic proc/fungi/ring 10 is like 87/tick as well.

[Snaggles]

It’s always nice seeing people who love their class pushing it. I don’t think most would argue a bard is the most optimal class for something like this. But skill wise I don’t think it’s any less impressive than a meta solo class killing something equally as difficult for them.

[Toxigen]

I feel like a geared sk with willsapper could do circles around bard solo with far less apm. Cool vid tho. Troll sk with epic proc/fungi/ring 10 is like 87/tick as well.

yes because FD

just like blur for enc...having no "oh shit" button cuts any class off at the knees

[Vivitron]

I feel like a geared sk with willsapper could do circles around bard solo with far less apm. Cool vid tho. Troll sk with epic proc/fungi/ring 10 is like 87/tick as well.

I wonder what a sk can kill that a bard can't. I do think sk can face tank some beefier stuff. Maybe most relevant in chardok, can a bard solo something like kennelmaster or overseer, I think an sk can?

[PatChapp]

There's a video of an SK soloing 22.
I think chardok stuff would be hard to bard,no room to kite and mostly too high level to mez + heal

[enjchanter]

How much does willsapper lr cost
My paladin needs

[Vivitron]

I got a Vkjor solo yesterday. Killed toe to toe after getting him single. Wiki says he's 50 but he's 54, I should get my wiki account working again at some point.

Edit: Have any of you broken a full fire giant spawn tranix room on the bard? I made some attempts to split but got Tranix + both static guards.

I figured this out. You can pull a fire giant into the magi side tunnel; then you run up on the right side of that tunnel and one of the Tranix guards will social aggro and come single. After you kill those, you can wait for the Skarlon roamer to path away and kill Tranix+1 as Melatunin showed (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNfDQ4cQ9w).

[Vivitron]

I wonder what a sk can kill that a bard can't. I do think sk can face tank some beefier stuff. Maybe most relevant in chardok, can a bard solo something like kennelmaster or overseer, I think an sk can?

I finally got Overseer Dal`guur solo on my bard. Toe to toe melee, self buffed, no worts. Not yet sure whether I have him on farm or had good luck, but I want a halfling mask for an alt so I may find out.

I think a few others in the area, including Kennelmaster, are basically the same difficulty, so I'll have to try them as well. Maybe a4 mobs will be in toe to toe range for me now too (except 22)? I'll try to get up there soon and see. I think they're the same level, higher hp, but lower max hit than Overseer.

[Snaggles]

I finally got Overseer Dal`guur solo on my bard. Toe to toe melee, self buffed, no worts. Not yet sure whether I have him on farm or had good luck, but I want a halfling mask for an alt so I may find out.

I think a few others in the area, including Kennelmaster, are basically the same difficulty, so I'll have to try them as well. Maybe a4 mobs will be in toe to toe range for me now too (except 22)? I'll try to get up there soon and see. I think they're the same level, higher hp, but lower max hit than Overseer.

That’s amazing. What is your setup and approach?

[Vivitron]

That’s amazing. What is your setup and approach?

I have about 3500ish self buffed hp and 1340ish displayed ac now. Still some weak slots but also a fair amount of bis. My relevant self buffs for this are Ring 10, blazing vambraces, and Dain hammer. No angry ring or tuna belt yet (although tuna doesn't stack with hammer afaik, but would probably swap it in mid fight).

I pre-procced my primal and vyemm whip on eyes, then started the fight with tuna dagger+epic. Once I got a haste proc I swapped to vyemm whip + essence mace. I mostly sung denon's bereavement, 2x tuyens, and regen, keeping angstlich's assonance on for the slow.

I tried proccing my orbs of tishan on the placeholders because I have struggled to land slow sometimes when duoing these mobs, but I think that was costing me more than I gained and didn't use them on the Overseer.

[busted]

Nice work Vivitron

I killed the Watch Sergeant Riz`oul up top like this on my bard. So I figured it would be possible to do some deeper guys (once i get more HPs)

My bards at 3000hp right now. Will beef em up a lil bit and see what we can do.

Silver whip + essence mace are legittttt for tanky bard setup.

Do you have a magelo?

Aside, one underutilized bard strat, imo, is using DIRGE. Puretone + dirge (1 or 2x if u have 1600+mana) to start fight, DA, swap to normal songs will give you a 966dd (1 or 2) head start on DPS. I used this strat to solo ring 8 war on my bard. To min/max it you can do dirge + bellows (5min recast one) then DA and swap songs to normal ones

[Vivitron]

Nice work Vivitron

I killed the Watch Sergeant Riz`oul up top like this on my bard. So I figured it would be possible to do some deeper guys (once i get more HPs)

My bards at 3000hp right now. Will beef em up a lil bit and see what we can do.

Silver whip + essence mace are legittttt for tanky bard setup.

Do you have a magelo?

Aside, one underutilized bard strat, imo, is using DIRGE. Puretone + dirge (1 or 2x if u have 1600+mana) to start fight, DA, swap to normal songs will give you a 966dd (1 or 2) head start on DPS. I used this strat to solo ring 8 war on my bard. To min/max it you can do dirge + bellows (5min recast one) then DA and swap songs to normal ones

Interesting strat with Dirge+Bellows I'll have to try that, and nice ring 8 and Watch Sergeant solos.

I'll have to setup a proper magelo someday but for now:


Hammered Golden Loop
Fingerbone Hoop
White Dragon Helm
Flayed Barbarian Hide Mask
Melodic Charm
Pauldrons of the Deep Flame
Beldron's Vambraces of Impiety
Hierophant's Cloak
Bracer of Benevolence
Bracer of Benevolence
Do`Vassir's Gauntlets of Might
Ring of Dain Frostreaver IV
Djarns Amethyst Ring
Chestplate of Vindication / Fungi
Troubadour's Greaves
Boots of the Storm
Girdle of Dark Power
Brain of Cazic Thule
Antonian Javelin
Drums of the Beast
Singing Short Sword

[Snaggles]

That’s really impressive. Thanks for sharing :). My 60 bard is super scruffy but good to keep notes.

I’m looking for a scale now to pair with my Vyemm whip for the ranger. Won’t be soloing that stuff but it does seem extremely tanky.

[Crede]

That’s really impressive. Thanks for sharing :). My 60 bard is super scruffy but good to keep notes.

I’m looking for a scale now to pair with my Vyemm whip for the ranger. Won’t be soloing that stuff but it does seem extremely tanky.

EC/whip is fine for Ranger. I’d do the mace on bard, higher ceiling.

[Vexenu]

Curious how the nearly BiS Bard face tanking compares to similarly geared Monks/SKs/Paladins for this sort of solo attempt. Do the Bard songs and procs together make up for the reduced DPS and defensive abilities? I mean, obviously it works well as Vivitron proved. But now I'm wondering if the Bard can actually pull off melee solo feats that those other classes couldn't.

[busted]

I made (what I think) Bard BiS setups would look like

- All around BiS https://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Phenomic_BiS - Melee focus with max base dex
- Mana focus https://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Phenomic_BiS_(mana)) - Theoretical max mana.
- Hp build https://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Franswa (didn't make this one, but he's stacked!)
- My toon is here right now https://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Phenomic

I think my "All around BiS" is a good balance of +HP, Max dex (for proc city), and decent mana pool (for 2x dirges). Could swap out BP of eradication for vindi BP for max Aura of battle. Additionally you might swap out an item or 2 for 3x dirges etc.

The mana build sacrifices some HP, BUT you get insane burst DPS:

4k mana means 5x https://wiki.project1999.com/Denon%27s_Desperate_Dirge

5x dirge with epic is 691dd * 5. 3456dd in 17 seconds

5x dirge with puretone is 966dd * 5. 4830dd in 17 seconds

Add in https://wiki.project1999.com/Brusco%27s_Bombastic_Bellow for extra 600dd

BiS DPS 4830 + 600 = 5,430 in 21 seconds (6 songs). 258 DPS

258 DPS + whatever melee dps u can dish out. $$$

---

So in theory, you can start a fight, do 5,430dd in 21seconds, DA, swap songs, and continue to beat down whatever mob you trying to kill with your 3.1k hp + regens + rune/lifetap weapons

---

TLDR; Battle bard setup IS FIRE

---

Aside: https://wiki.project1999.com/Blood_Runed_Scimitar is legit for bards who dont have ST key and want to have a 45dd lifetap weapon with ok* ratio

[WarpathEQ]

I made (what I think) Bard BiS setups would look like

- All around BiS https://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Phenomic_BiS - Melee focus with max base dex
- Mana focus https://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Phenomic_BiS_(mana)) - Theoretical max mana.
- Hp build https://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Franswa (didn't make this one, but he's stacked!)
- My toon is here right now https://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Phenomic

I think my "All around BiS" is a good balance of +HP, Max dex (for proc city), and decent mana pool (for 2x dirges). Could swap out BP of eradication for vindi BP for max Aura of battle. Additionally you might swap out an item or 2 for 3x dirges etc.

The mana build sacrifices some HP, BUT you get insane burst DPS:

4k mana means 5x https://wiki.project1999.com/Denon%27s_Desperate_Dirge

5x dirge with epic is 691dd * 5. 3456dd in 17 seconds

5x dirge with puretone is 966dd * 5. 4830dd in 17 seconds

Add in https://wiki.project1999.com/Brusco%27s_Bombastic_Bellow for extra 600dd

BiS DPS 4830 + 600 = 5,430 in 21 seconds (6 songs). 258 DPS

258 DPS + whatever melee dps u can dish out. $$$

---

So in theory, you can start a fight, do 5,430dd in 21seconds, DA, swap songs, and continue to beat down whatever mob you trying to kill with your 3.1k hp + regens + rune/lifetap weapons

---

TLDR; Battle bard setup IS FIRE

---

Aside: https://wiki.project1999.com/Blood_Runed_Scimitar is legit for bards who dont have ST key and want to have a 45dd lifetap weapon with ok* ratio

This is wild! Definitely going to have to play around with some Dirge strats now.

@Vivitron can you confirm that CT Brain does increase mana regen? I know in theory FT is only improvement to mana regen for bards but I've heard mixed reviews that it might be broke on P99.

Don't think it will really be material to these strats or fights but more so just curious to know before I get my hands on one.

[busted]

100% FT1 items work for bards. I have the shawl on my bard for that reason for when I'm charming but eyeballin a CT brain for perma FT slot.

So instead of 1 per tick you get 2 mana standing or 3 sitting (instead of base 2)

[Vivitron]

Curious how the nearly BiS Bard face tanking compares to similarly geared Monks/SKs/Paladins for this sort of solo attempt. Do the Bard songs and procs together make up for the reduced DPS and defensive abilities? I mean, obviously it works well as Vivitron proved. But now I'm wondering if the Bard can actually pull off melee solo feats that those other classes couldn't.

I still think those other classes can toe-to-toe harder mobs. A good source publicly pushing solos on one of those classes is Keerarae's SK youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@KeeraraeTheDESK/videos). For example they pull off a cliff golem solo; my latest attempt I got a CG down to ~66%.

I'm starting to think about Phinigel Autropos but I don't know if that will be possible for a bard.

I made (what I think) Bard BiS setups would look like

- All around BiS https://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Phenomic_BiS - Melee focus with max base dex
- Mana focus https://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Phenomic_BiS_(mana)) - Theoretical max mana.
- Hp build https://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Franswa (didn't make this one, but he's stacked!)
- My toon is here right now https://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Phenomic

I think my "All around BiS" is a good balance of +HP, Max dex (for proc city), and decent mana pool (for 2x dirges). Could swap out BP of eradication for vindi BP for max Aura of battle. Additionally you might swap out an item or 2 for 3x dirges etc.

The mana build sacrifices some HP, BUT you get insane burst DPS:

4k mana means 5x https://wiki.project1999.com/Denon%27s_Desperate_Dirge

5x dirge with epic is 691dd * 5. 3456dd in 17 seconds

5x dirge with puretone is 966dd * 5. 4830dd in 17 seconds

Add in https://wiki.project1999.com/Brusco%27s_Bombastic_Bellow for extra 600dd

BiS DPS 4830 + 600 = 5,430 in 21 seconds (6 songs). 258 DPS

258 DPS + whatever melee dps u can dish out. $$$

---

So in theory, you can start a fight, do 5,430dd in 21seconds, DA, swap songs, and continue to beat down whatever mob you trying to kill with your 3.1k hp + regens + rune/lifetap weapons

---

TLDR; Battle bard setup IS FIRE

---

Aside: https://wiki.project1999.com/Blood_Runed_Scimitar is legit for bards who dont have ST key and want to have a 45dd lifetap weapon with ok* ratio

Some interesting gear options in there. I think my tastes lean more towards Franswa's build, but I really need to plan it out to see if swapping a piece or two lets me hit some stat goals.

I'm thinking:
- 205 MR when holding instrument/epic so I would be max with blue flower
- 155 dex and agi so I'm max with primal (it would be a nice to have 175 dex to max with focus+vog, too. And I have had trouble pre-proccing my primal at the overseer camp, almost makes me regret not camping beads too)
- Would rather not give up any +hp
- As close to 255 sta as possible (even without sta weapons). Hitting that could lead to some compromises especially since I went cha with starting stats
- Pack on AC and other resists when possible

I'm not sure how much I value the face and belt AoB. I alraedy have the Barb mask and I think I want the Tuna click; hard to imagine bagging those items. Also no sure about Truesight. I want it but it seems like any Truesight is a stat compromise.

This is wild! Definitely going to have to play around with some Dirge strats now.

@Vivitron can you confirm that CT Brain does increase mana regen? I know in theory FT is only improvement to mana regen for bards but I've heard mixed reviews that it might be broke on P99.

Don't think it will really be material to these strats or fights but more so just curious to know before I get my hands on one.

The brain does increase mana regen.

[Vivitron]

I made (what I think) Bard BiS setups would look like

- All around BiS https://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Phenomic_BiS - Melee focus with max base dex
- Mana focus https://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Phenomic_BiS_(mana)) - Theoretical max mana.
- Hp build https://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Franswa (didn't make this one, but he's stacked!)
- My toon is here right now https://wiki.project1999.com/Magelo_Blue:Phenomic

I think my "All around BiS" is a good balance of +HP, Max dex (for proc city), and decent mana pool (for 2x dirges). Could swap out BP of eradication for vindi BP for max Aura of battle. Additionally you might swap out an item or 2 for 3x dirges etc.

The mana build sacrifices some HP, BUT you get insane burst DPS:

4k mana means 5x https://wiki.project1999.com/Denon%27s_Desperate_Dirge

5x dirge with epic is 691dd * 5. 3456dd in 17 seconds

5x dirge with puretone is 966dd * 5. 4830dd in 17 seconds

Add in https://wiki.project1999.com/Brusco%27s_Bombastic_Bellow for extra 600dd

BiS DPS 4830 + 600 = 5,430 in 21 seconds (6 songs). 258 DPS

258 DPS + whatever melee dps u can dish out. $$$

---

So in theory, you can start a fight, do 5,430dd in 21seconds, DA, swap songs, and continue to beat down whatever mob you trying to kill with your 3.1k hp + regens + rune/lifetap weapons

---

TLDR; Battle bard setup IS FIRE

---

Aside: https://wiki.project1999.com/Blood_Runed_Scimitar is legit for bards who dont have ST key and want to have a 45dd lifetap weapon with ok* ratio

Wiki seems a little wrong on Dirge; I'm seeing 621 with epic. Still useful though. I started using it and/or deftdance on the closer fights.

I lucked out getting a Regal Band of Bathezid then went a bit overboard camping Overseer. Overseer seems to usually hit me about 50 times so that's ~800 free damage above the Blazing Vambraces.

I am able to repeatably kill him. I'm up to 71 succesful kills of the cycle (14 Dal`guur), and I only remember having to cap once. Of the three mobs on the cycle only the "a scarred Overseer" is stunnable, but Brusco's Bombastic Bellow does the full 8 seconds on him (and is a fine nuke on the others), so that was a good tip.

Pre-proccing proved to be too much of a PITA, so I'm just starting with werewolf click. I may yet be swayed to your dex views.

I haven't justified the following mathematically, but I've stopped singing regen and do a dot twist instead. So my current twist is to open with Angstlich; if it is resisted get Denon's+Fufil's in and recast as soon as it recycles, then Denon's->Fufil's->(maybe Angstlich or Bellows)->Tuyens 1->Tuyens 2, not recasting on resist unless I need the mr debuff.

I am now regularly using Kazumi's through enrage, I think that has been a solid boost.

I got a couple A Wizened Herb Collector and Foreman Mirt`akk kills as well; it seems most of the nameds on this level are basically equal to eachother, so expanding the target list is a matter of pulling singles and avoiding wall healers or issues with the target fleeing.

[Snaggles]

It seems Puretone plus Psalm of Cooling + McVaxius would add 59dmg/hit. On that same mod, Chant of Fire and Frost are each 86.8/tick or 14.46dps each on top the Angtslich Assonance at 11.6dps. I guess Denon’s could take the place of a Chant depending on if poison lands easier than fire or cold (only in my shaman experience is poison annoying to land without malo & sini).

I expect the two damage shields will do slightly more dps than two dots (59/hit vs 28dps). There is the possibility of a resisted slow which favors a rolling DS. As you mentioned, 50 hits would be almost 3,000 damage. Not to mention the gains to Dirge and Bellow.

If you are toggling in drums of the beast/Denon Horn not discing Puretone it seems the dots might have the edge over the DS twist.

Again…I could be way off. My bard is very humble and I haven’t pressed the class much. This is very interesting stuff though :).

[Vivitron]

It seems Puretone plus Psalm of Cooling + McVaxius would add 59dmg/hit. On that same mod, Chant of Fire and Frost are each 86.8/tick or 14.46dps each on top the Angtslich Assonance at 11.6dps. I guess Denon’s could take the place of a Chant depending on if poison lands easier than fire or cold (only in my shaman experience is poison annoying to land without malo & sini).

I expect the two damage shields will do slightly more dps than two dots (59/hit vs 28dps). There is the possibility of a resisted slow which favors a rolling DS. As you mentioned, 50 hits would be almost 3,000 damage. Not to mention the gains to Dirge and Bellow.

If you are toggling in drums of the beast/Denon Horn not discing Puretone it seems the dots might have the edge over the DS twist. (edit: good point that puretone helps the ds relatively more.)

Again…I could be way off. My bard is very humble and I haven’t pressed the class much. This is very interesting stuff though :).

I think the dots do have the edge of ds until you get high resists, I'm looking at ballpark 150 second fights for these 50ish hits. So something like a third of the value of the damage shield as its dps, probably a bit less.

[Snaggles]

I think the dots do have the edge of ds until you get high resists, I'm looking at ballpark 150 second fights for these 50ish hits. So something like a third of the value of the damage shield as its dps, probably a bit less.

Ah that makes sense then.