Long time EQ player, first time bard

[Kremit]

Hey how goes. Long time EQ player...and a long time ago at that. Just got P99 up and running and decided to go with a bard. Any professional maestros have some tips or tricks for a first timer?

[Ronnie328]

Melee to 18, then swarm.

[Udabut]

Originally Posted by Ronnie328 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Melee to 18, then swarm.

Don't 100% swarm up the levels. Otherwise when you get to level 53 and go to get a group you will suck.

[DarthMartigan]

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

Don't 100% swarm up the levels. Otherwise when you get to level 53 and go to get a group you will suck.

If you know how to bard, the above statement isn't really true... Just make sure all your instruments are maxed out. When you start grouping, you'll be fine with the instruments. It took me all of 2 hours to go from 50 1hs to 200 on a raid with my guild.

1. Do whatever makes you have fun, as long as you aren't having fun at the expense of others... unless you are on Red. Then only do the first part of that last sentence.

2. Figure out how to kite in small spaces early, so when you hit 50 you don't have to relearn in Burningwood.

3. Don't kite in Dreadlands. When you DC wipe or just plain wipe, it ruins the zone for all the people trying to level there. Do FV 30->50 and then move to BW.

4. Find a guild and get to know people early. As a bard, you will have to deal with a lot of irrational hate from people that can't stand how bards ruin zones like OT and DL. Find people that you can group with and show that you don't suck at everything except leveling.

5. DONT BUY LAMBENT ARMOR. The stats suck, and when people wear it they look like idiot twinks. Get instruments, HP/AC rings, and banded. If you get more money, get HP gear. The spider fur belt and shimmer terror cloak are pretty nice (0.0 weight, ac, 40 hp, dex, and str on both).

6. When you get high enough in level to power level people and earn money doing it, remember how much people hated you pulling in zones with them, and find times and places to power level that don't ruin the experience for 10-40 people in a zone. It's possible to power level without ruining everyone's day.

[Tann]

Stay away from the dark side and don't learn how to aoe kite at all, this will help when trying to make friends and join a guild. You have more options than any other class for leveling, being an ahole (aoe kiting) while clearly the fastest is never the best choice.

you can:
group
melee mobs yourself (OP hp regen, aoe slow lv20+)
bellow kite (lv12+)
aoe dot 1-5000 mobs (lv2+ but easier 18+)
fear kite (26+)
charm (27+)
chant kite (30+)

all with no downtime, again while aoe kiting is the clear winner in terms of leveling speed what in the bleeding gums murphy are bards in such a hurry for? Even doing the least efficient method, probably bellow kiting, bards still level faster then any other class.

take your time, group and have fun, the raid rotation piece of pie crap will still be there 10 years from now.

[Daldaen]

Grind grouping is boring that's why you swarm.

To skip all the crappy UGuk, LGuk, Sol B, Sol A, and Kunark groups you otherwise would've had to endure from 18-60.

[Qtip]

Watch a guide on aoe kiting. After you get the hang of it after 20 deaths just charge people for power lvls while you lvl up already. I hope you have strong wrists because doing 15 min pulls then a 8 min circle is rough. 18-24 Sk. 24-49 Ot. 49+ Bw.

[Udabut]

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

If you know how to bard, the above statement isn't really true... .

I was looking at the title of this thread "Long time EQ player, first time bard"

I do 100% agree with the other 6 points you made, every kiting bard should read it imho.

Getting your 1hs/1hb up is the easy part, knowing what songs to play when what classes are in your group and all the other "bard tricks" a good bard knows is what I was talking about.

If you are in a guild already with other lvl 50's, and a mentor bard to get though the learning curve you are golden, kite away. If you are trying to impress people you don't know with your level 54 bard skills after only kiting up. And only ever singing 5 songs in 54 levels you might have a hard time finding a group.