http://wiki.project1999.com/Hymn_of_Restoration
From level 6 on this song along with a vendor lute will contribute more to a group than arguably anything else, especially in classic when everyone has shit gear. As soon as you can train strings this will have a base regen of 2 per tick (4 with lute) and gains 1hp per tick (2 with lute) every 5 levels.
6: 4hp per tick
11: 6hp per tick
16: 8hp per tick
21: 10hp per tick
26: 12hp per tick
31: 14 hp per tick
36: 16 hp per tick
40: 18hp per tick
45: 20hp per tick
50: 22hp per tick
That’s a lot of healing with a 1pp vendor lute.
In the classic era where everyone has crap gear, casters have low mana pools, and downtime will be a thing ... a bard prioritizing using an instrument is a powerful force multiplier that will keep the stress/heat off your healers.
http://wiki.project1999.com/Niv%27s_...f_Preservation
At 47 bards get this (also strings) which stacks with hymn.
47 with stack: 32hp/tick
50 with stack: 36hp/tick
By the time you have a weapon worth using, you’ll be high enough level that your dps will suck. If you’re willing to instrument swap then by all means do it like a boss and be a boss. If you’re unwilling to swap, you’d be best off with your weapons in your bags 99% of the time in a group situation unless nobody is taking damage or your healer is bored and full mana (highly unlikely without twink gear and high level buffs).