Best solo melee class?

[Snaggles]

It’s easy to lose track of the original post/topic. I’m guilty as well.

I’d go ranger or bard. Bard is the least gear dependant melee by a mile. Even charm kiting 1v1 mobs is much faster. Rangers are a blast…then painful from like 51-59…then amazing to have at 60.

If you want a shiny armor toon that’s easy to level, nothing beats a bard.

[Zuranthium]

Spamming Bard songs is not MELEE. It's like calling a Cleric spamming undead nukes a melee class just because they can stand in melee while they do it. Or a Necro with lifetap spam.

Originally Posted by DeathsSilkyMist [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Hymn of Resoration gives you between 2 and 13 HP per tick, depending on level.

Way more than that with an instrument (which ofc should be used during downtime).

[DeathsSilkyMist]

Originally Posted by Zuranthium [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Spamming Bard songs is not MELEE. It's like calling a Cleric spamming undead nukes a melee class just because they can stand in melee while they do it. Or a Necro with lifetap spam.

Bards can swing their melee weapons while casting songs. It's different from a Cleric casting spells in melee, as the Cleric cannot swing their melee weapon until the spell finishes.

Originally Posted by Zuranthium [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Way more than that with an instrument (which ofc should be used during downtime).

Indeed, instruments will help. I am just not familiar with how the instrument modifiers work, so I didn't include them.

[bcbrown]

Originally Posted by Zuranthium [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Spamming Bard songs is not MELEE. It's like calling a Cleric spamming undead nukes a melee class just because they can stand in melee while they do it. Or a Necro with lifetap spam.

What, is your definition of bard melee just autoattacking without playing songs? That's dumb as hell. Bard melee is when you have weapons equipped and attacking. You would still be twisting songs, you just don't (exclusively) have an instrument wielded for the modifier. The alternative would be snare-kiting or fear-kiting with drum dots, or charm killing, or swarming.

This is not to say that that scenario is realistic or illustrative, though. The Monk would be using bind wound and the bard would be using a lute while recovering, for one thing. What that napkin math really demonstrates is how powerful bard recovery is. Bard melee sucks shit relatively speaking, but the recovery benefits outweigh that deficit. Plus the ability to split with lull, cc with mez/charm, and snare runners means you have huge QoL benefits. Bard melee is fine, it's just relatively overlooked due to how powerful and efficient it is to swarm, fear kite, snare kite, or charm. That melee scenario has over four minutes of recovery, but with any of these other tactics it will be close to zero downtime.

Originally Posted by DeathsSilkyMist [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Indeed, instruments will help. I am just not familiar with how the instrument modifiers work, so I didn't include them.

It's pretty simple. Instrument modifiers multiply the effects by the modifier, so an 18 drum results in dots/selos 1.8x as strong, and a 21 lute means your hymn is 2.1x as powerful. But it doesn't apply to every effect, so things like haste, charm, lull, mana regen, maybe snare/slow aren't affected by modifiers.

[DeathsSilkyMist]

Originally Posted by Crede [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

https://www.project1999.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=50223

Check out the spreadsheet in this post. You plug in your level and instrument mods and you can get an idea. Shows how much more dot damage you get with instruments for example.

Thanks! That is really handy.

Originally Posted by bcbrown [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

The Monk would be using bind wound.

Bind wound wasn't included in my example because the Monk would be above 50% HP after the fight.

I'd be curious to know if bards can bind wound while singing Hymn. If so then both can bind wound below 50%, so it would even out anyway.

[bcbrown]

Originally Posted by DeathsSilkyMist [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I'd he curious to know if bards can bind wound while singing hymn. If so then both can bind wound below 50%, so it would even out anyway.

Yes they can. You should try playing a bard, they're really fairly unique in terms of game mechanics, and a lot of fun to level.

[Zuranthium]

Originally Posted by bcbrown [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

What, is your definition of bard melee just autoattacking without playing songs?

I just think it's wrong to classify Bard as a melee class. That term should be reserved for classes who gain the majority of their worth by attacking in combat. Bard's power is tied to their songs, with their melee attacks just being a bonus sometimes.

Especially if you don't have an epic. You will do more DPS by instrument swapping between DoT's than you will by keeping weapons equipped.

[DeathsSilkyMist]

Originally Posted by Zuranthium [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I just think it's wrong to classify Bard as a melee class. That term should be reserved for classes who gain the majority of their worth by attacking in combat. Bard's power is tied to their songs, with their melee attacks just being a bonus sometimes.

Especially if you don't have an epic. You will do more DPS by instrument swapping between DoT's than you will by keeping weapons equipped.

Bards are hybrids, which is why their classification is in a grey area. They are have more melee skills than any traditional caster. This includes Shamans, who are the most melee oriented of all the traditional caster classes.

Remember that Bards get Dual Wield, Parry, Riposte, Weapon Skills that exceed 200 past level 50, Offense skill that exceeds 200 past level 50, and Defense Skill that exceeds 200 past level 50. That is quite a bit more melee prowess than a Shaman, who caps at 200 Weapon skill/Offense Skill/Defense Skill, cannot dual wield, cannot double attack, cannot Parry, cannot Riposte, and only has 75 Dodge Skill. Shamans don't get the main hand damage bonus either.

Bards do get the main hand damage bonus, while casters do not. This is probably the clearest indicator that Bards are melee oriented.

[Snaggles]

Originally Posted by Zuranthium [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I just think it's wrong to classify Bard as a melee class. That term should be reserved for classes who gain the majority of their worth by attacking in combat. Bard's power is tied to their songs, with their melee attacks just being a bonus sometimes.

Especially if you don't have an epic. You will do more DPS by instrument swapping between DoT's than you will by keeping weapons equipped.

Bards gain the majority of their worth by what is equipped in their primary and secondary melee slot. Their spell caps are obviously melee based and they have 1 skill in Meditate.

They do pretty bad melee dps but have you ever parsed a priest or caster swinging a staff?

[Crede]

Originally Posted by DeathsSilkyMist [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Bards can swing their melee weapons while casting songs. It's different from a Cleric casting spells in melee, as the Cleric cannot swing their melee weapon until the spell finishes.



Indeed, instruments will help. I am just not familiar with how the instrument modifiers work, so I didn't include them.

https://www.project1999.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=50223

Check out the spreadsheet in this post. You plug in your level and instrument mods and you can get an idea. Shows how much more dot damage you get with instruments for example.