Bard Slow Question

[GardylooGubbins]

In a group setting, if I'm slowing/snaring, should I use Largo's Absonant Binding or Selo's Consonant Chain? I've heard people advocate both. What say you all?

[DeathsSilkyMist]

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

In a group setting, if I'm slowing/snaring, should I use Largo's Absonant Binding or Selo's Consonant Chain? I've heard people advocate both. What say you all?

I'm not a bard expert. Looking at the wiki, the main problem I see with Largos is it is Pbaoe, so you will be building up agro on other mobs in camp if your group is pulling multiple mobs and AoE mezing. So the mob is more likely to go after the Bard when Mez breaks.

Selo's single target nature is easier for agro management when you are focusing one mob down at a time. It also has snare built in, so you still have the ability to weave in two other songs.

Largos would be nice in a scenario where you need to slow multiple mobs, like if there is an emergency where the group has lost control of multiiple mobs.

I could also see a scenario where a group with charmed pets would want Largos, as the charmed pets would become slowed on a charm break. It could make dealing with charm breaks easier.

[Vivitron]

I'd just ignore largo's and use chain or strane until you get angstlich's.

AE strane can be good for crowd control.

Chain/strane have opposite stacking issues with snare and slow. You can have strane+snare on a mob but chain overwrites snare. You can have chain+slow on a mob but slow blocks strane.

[DeathsSilkyMist]

Sorry, I was thinking of the wrong Largo's. Largo's Absonant Binding is also single target. Selo's has a better snare it looks like, and I would imagine Largo's generates more hate due to the AC reduction component. So I would guess that Selo's is better when the Bard isn't tanking. Largos would be better if the Bard wants agro.

I am not sure if Largo's slow is improved with Bard Epic though. Wiki doesn't say Largo's slow is excluded from instrument improvement. Selo's slow doesn't look like it can be improved.

[Crede]

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

Sorry, I was thinking of the wrong Largo's. Largo's Absonant Binding is also single target. Selo's has a better snare it looks like, and I would imagine Largo's generates more hate due to the AC reduction component. So I would guess that Selo's is better when the Bard isn't tanking. Largos would be better if the Bard wants agro.

I am not sure if Largo's slow is improved with Bard Epic though. Wiki doesn't say Largo's slow is excluded from instrument improvement. Selo's slow doesn't look like it can be improved.

I don’t believe slow is impacted from bard epic, but pretty sure the snare is which makes bards able to do some really good fear kiting in tight quarters.

[DeathsSilkyMist]

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

I don’t believe slow is impacted from bard epic, but pretty sure the snare is which makes bards able to do some really good fear kiting in tight quarters.

Yeah the bard snare numbers are crazy. 90% snare must be awesome for fear kiting.

[Crede]

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

Yeah the bard snare numbers are crazy. 90% snare must be awesome for fear kiting.

Yea and the mod makes the dot dmg really good too so you can melee while twisting. Also if you have flayed barb mask you can slam with barb illusion so the mob is barely going to move heh. Bard epic is that good.

[kjs86z2]

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

In a group setting, if I'm slowing/snaring, should I use Largo's Absonant Binding or Selo's Consonant Chain? I've heard people advocate both. What say you all?

Depends on your group comp and how well your healer is doing.

I like to be the puller when playing bard. In your typical KC-esque large group setting, pull entire groups with eye helm while you're still sitting in camp (can keep a chill 3-4 song twist while piloting the eye). Move up to the "front" of the camp, as the mobs arrive, Selo's Assonant Strane (pbaoe snare) and kite them in a circle to the side of your group, while weaving in the appropriate buffs for your group as you circle nearby them. The tank / dps can rip them out one by one. If you have an enchanter they can AoE mez the pack and you can go back to your other bard stuff.

Smaller / less capable groups may not like this. If you're the only slower then its Largo's. You'll need all the mitigation you can get to help out the healer.

I never, ever take PBAOE snare off my bar. Countless times I've saved groups. You can be a total hero with just 1 spell. Keep stringed on always unless you're doing drum charm/dot solo.

[WarpathEQ]

It depends on a lot of factors such as level, zone, and composition. I don't see any reason you would ever use selo's constant chain once you have higher level snare/slows.

Largo's is your main single target and Selo's assonant strain is your PBAOE. 95% of the time I have assonant strain on my bar. It works for multiple mobs, allowing you to kite if needed as either a primary strat, to CC a bad pull, or to GTFO if things go south. Built in preparedness if you get adds unexpectedly or if you're doing something new you're not familiar with.

Largo's is really just when you need to do things from a distance, I put it on my bar anytime I'm loading up drum dots which I primarily use for charm kiting. Only did fear kiting at lower levels when I was still primarily DPSing via melee attacks and didn't have a high end drum. Possible it would make sense to fear kite with Largos and using drum and dots instead of melee dps at higher levels.