Rangers:
-do less focused damage than rogues, monks, mages, necromancers
-damage comparable to a warrior
-track can be a huge boon depending on where/what hunting
-situationally are assets via snare, regen (higher lvs if none other can cast)
-root cc could be situationally useful
-unresistable harmony outside is amazing
-could tank if needed (aggro is easy) but not ideal.
Summary: *modest* damage dealer with some extras that could be useful or might not be worth anything. A smart and well played ranger is an asset but not really min/max.
Bard
-some of the lowest melee damage in the game, comparable to a paladin or shaman pet unless they have raid gear and even then it is bad
-can track but short range
-can lull effectively in all zones, resistable but works everywhere
-can lock down multiple mobs via mez. when focusing on this job. The fewer mobs to lock down the more they can focus on other jobs
-can short duration charm as means of cc while adding some dps
-can provide up to 50% haste for the group in the absence of enchanter/shaman
-some nifty group buff songs for combat
-lv 55 cantana gives more mana regen than clarity 2 and stacks with everything
-regen component of cantana and (pre 55) regen from level 6 song are modified by lute effectively giving your entire group 2 fungis that stack with everything
-Nivs as a niche is 5 more hp regen modifiable by lute and stacks with the other song line allowing you to give nearly THREE fungis when combined with the above lines to the whole group
-mana pulse is a flat 7 per 3 second song that stacks with everything
-it is possible to stack up to 72dps sustained in dots once all are loaded onboard at level 60 but you can't sing anything else
-faster and more mobile than any class in the game.
-hold aggro better than any other class. AC is ok but his are low. They can get the job done.
-can pump resists up insanely high
-Cannot do all of the above at the same time and need to stay flexible and constantly adapt to the needs of the group.
Summary: bard melee sucks. Bad bards focus on meleeing. Good bards do all the other stuff and melee as an afterthought. Bards do their best by making everyone else's job easy. they solo for fast xp. Good ones are always busy.
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