Are Bards strong enough/sturdy enough to solo in melee combat?

[Adron]

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

Why would you mele when you can bring down an enemy faster with target dots and or charm at a safe distance resulting in much less down time.

On blue, the 10/18 and 14/24 weapon choices make it faster to melee down something that dot dot dot. I tested with two 10/18's, 34% haste, vs a walrus skin drum. not really that close. recover time is higher, but if you're doing a static spawn spot or two, thats not relevant, only how fast you down it and get the timer going.
So yes, on green, triple dot is faster, so you would. Not on blue with a 2.3 mod drum, at any rate. Reminder: bard dots do 2/3 dmg if target is moving, like anybody else's.

[gladeous]

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

On blue, the 10/18 and 14/24 weapon choices make it faster to melee down something that dot dot dot. I tested with two 10/18's, 34% haste, vs a walrus skin drum. not really that close. recover time is higher, but if you're doing a static spawn spot or two, thats not relevant, only how fast you down it and get the timer going.
So yes, on green, triple dot is faster, so you would. Not on blue with a 2.3 mod drum, at any rate. Reminder: bard dots do 2/3 dmg if target is moving, like anybody else's.

Great. Something to look forward to on green.

[Crede]

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

On blue, the 10/18 and 14/24 weapon choices make it faster to melee down something that dot dot dot. I tested with two 10/18's, 34% haste, vs a walrus skin drum. not really that close. recover time is higher, but if you're doing a static spawn spot or two, thats not relevant, only how fast you down it and get the timer going.
So yes, on green, triple dot is faster, so you would. Not on blue with a 2.3 mod drum, at any rate. Reminder: bard dots do 2/3 dmg if target is moving, like anybody else's.

Bards should be charming while loading up both mobs with dots. Melee is pitiful.

[Loadsamoney]

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

Bards should be charming while loading up both mobs with dots. Melee is pitiful.

On Green I believe this is because Bards are on a crappier melee table than they are on Blue. Their melee parse table got changed either in Kunark or Velious.

[Keebz]

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

On Green I believe this is because Bards are on a crappier melee table than they are on Blue. Their melee parse table got changed either in Kunark or Velious.

It got changed as of Chardok 2.0, the last patch in the timeline. Adron was also using near rather excellent droppable weapons / haste and comparing against a mediocre drum. Also, it didn't sound like fear was used to do full dot damage. That being said, the comparison is valid for blue at this point in the timeline assuming you just want to kill a single spawn as fast as possible (a somewhat contrived situation).

Nonetheless, charm kiting is just fundamentally more powerful than meleeing. Mobs deal way way more damage, and you get to kill two (or more even) mobs at the same time. This is true on green and blue.

[Wallicker]

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

On blue, the 10/18 and 14/24 weapon choices make it faster to melee down something that dot dot dot. I tested with two 10/18's, 34% haste, vs a walrus skin drum. not really that close. recover time is higher, but if you're doing a static spawn spot or two, thats not relevant, only how fast you down it and get the timer going.
So yes, on green, triple dot is faster, so you would. Not on blue with a 2.3 mod drum, at any rate. Reminder: bard dots do 2/3 dmg if target is moving, like anybody else's.

Fear kiting negates this, for example a 46 bard using 3 drum dots snare and fear can kill all 12 BG goblins before repops one at a time, the damage output is greater than splurt and completely mana free to give you idea. If you really wanna be a masochist - buy or farm drums of the beast and lute of the howler, you can swap instrument in for your primary weapon right before tic lands then right back. The most fun thing to do however is equip a dwarven two handed axe go /role and War LFG

[Loadsamoney]

You guys are making me not want to play Bard at this rate. I wanted to play it like a Hybrid. Beat things to death with a bit of support magic on the side.

But if that's not gonna fly, then I may as well go Ranger like I was originally planning. The gear I have put aside will fit the Ranger as well, only the weapons will differ: Lamentation x2 and Talisen, Bow of the Trailblazer.

Actually, I've got a full set of Crystal Chitin now, so that would probably go to the Ranger instead, and my Paladin would go back to using his old crap until I start filling it in with Thurgadin gear.

[greenspectre]

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

You guys are making me not want to play Bard at this rate. I wanted to play it like a Hybrid. Beat things to death with a bit of support magic on the side.

But if that's not gonna fly, then I may as well go Ranger like I was originally planning. The gear I have put aside will fit the Ranger as well, only the weapons will differ: Lamentation x2 and Talisen, Bow of the Trailblazer.

Actually, I've got a full set of Crystal Chitin now, so that would probably go to the Ranger instead, and my Paladin would go back to using his old crap until I start filling it in with Thurgadin gear.

Honestly that seems like the wisest decision if that's your preferred playstyle. Ranger with a slow weapon, maybe eventually get your PoSky cloak, and you're basically playing the character you're describing that you want to play.

Or just roll the bard and play it. Once you hit the point melee doesn't become as good, you might find you enjoy the other things a bard can do. I started a bard on blue intending to play melee, but once I learned how to swarm kite I didn't look back. Moot point since I only got him to 22, but still.

Even my shaman melees better than a bard with a solid 2hb and DoT's/pet going.

[Saisu]

I’m not trying to be a storm cloud of negativity, just sharing firsthand experience so you can know what you’re in for. Based on you having a Paladin for a main, and wanting to “beat things to death with a bit of support magic on the side” you’re basically looking at either Shadow Knight or Ranger. Ranger will dish out much more damage, and should scratch your itch for dual wielding, double attacking, and gearing for melee damage.

[Sabin76]

I mean Bard seems to be far more on the "caster" side of the hybrid equation than the "melee" side. I think you may be too narrow on what "hybrid" means.