Half Elf Bard Cultual Armor
 

I have a Half Elf Bard and I’m looking to start gathering materials to make cultural armor. I’m looking at both High Elf and Dark Elf Armors. I would like some input from the Bard community as to which they believe to be best and why.

High Elf Cultural Armor, Mystic Koada`Dal Mithril Full Set: AC: 172 STR: 35 DEX: 48 AGI: 18 CHA: 60 MANA: 5

Dark Elf Cultural Armor, Enchanted Teir’Dal Adamantite Armor Full Set: AC 172, INT 52, AGI 26, DEX 51, STR 41, Mana 5, Wgt 35.7

Also, if you know anyone who might be able to construct either armor please PM me. Thanks.

Are you making them for RP or fashion purposes?

The stats on them aren't that good on bards (Dex / Cha are pretty much worthless... except CHA for pulling).

If you are dead set on one of the two, KOada Dal is better with the CHA. You also get to look like a teal highlighter.

Well, I was assuming that the gear was pretty decent for the casual player. Am I wrong with that? Not sure what RP means, is it Role Play or Real Play? If it’s real play, yes. I can’t seem to find much else that is any better unless you get Thurg Armor or higher. I cannot seem to find any pics of the Teir’Dal stuff so it’s definitely not for fashion purposes.

RP means Role Play- aka do you like how it looks?

Tier'dal stuff is like a really dark blue color. Pretty cool looking.

The main difference between the two is INT vs. CHA. For bards Charisma is probably better, although not much of a significance either way.

As has been said in many places, armor is mostly irrelevant for bards past level 20 or so, so pretty much get what looks cool to you. Patchwork armor + nice instruments will allow you to be 99% effective as a bard, so as long as you've got that covered it's all personal preference.

Yeah, if you're gonna lay in 5k+ on armor, spend that on drums / lute if you dont have em.

Why is this that armor is so irrelevant? I seem to get hit quite a bit when I’m in groups and such and sometimes I even have to “tank”. What if I was playing duo with say a shaman?

If you're duo with a shaman, you're better off either kiting a mob around while shaman dot / nukes it (you can dot it too) or just root rot it with you casting songs on it / helping shammy regen.

Unless you're massively twinked / geared out in end game, its the unfortunate truth that you wont be putting up DPS #'s.

Tanking is fine too, but you won't be tanking in racial armor. If thats what youre concerned about, consider a set of crusty armor. It has -CHA, but again, CHA is only important if you're trying to lull mobs while pulling so you can pull off armor if you need to. Bards can tank just fine, but most bards dont build for it.

Go with the mystic koadal! Slightly better stats and yes armor is significant Lol to people saying it’s insignificant! I would say perhaps get a phase spider carapace as your BP if you don’t care so much about matching! Ac/Hp/MR are your main stats with bard, but cha with lulls is a nice bonus bc getting a crit resist down in a dungeon on a lull sucks ass

Going to buck the trend and say go with the Teir`Dal. CHA is pretty thoroughly not worth having. In 99.9% of scenarios, a lull crit resist will not have serious consequences. If you are relying on a lull to not wipe, you are pretty well hosed no matter what. DEX has a minor impact on missed notes, and the additional STR will help you at least be able to carry your armor better.

Both sets have high AC, which is important, despite what everyone is saying. In group content a naked + instrument bard is not even close to as effective as a high ac / high resist / high hp bard. Bards aren't meant to be afk with mana song on, they are meant to use their toolbox and support their group.

Also dark blue > light blue for fashionquest.

Thank you for this analysis, it was actually helpful.