bard needs worn haste items?

[nostalgic99]

Do Bards need FBSS? Does that worn haste help our songs to be more effective?

[supermonk]

so i found haste to be useful when grouping in my 20s and 30s bc you'll end up tanking half the time. i was convinced by a smarter bard to sell my fbss after that. you don't melee as often once you get higher up in level in both solo/group

[nostalgic99]

so worn haste items has ZERO effects on songs? in blue, i see some high lvl bards wear Cloak of flames lol

[Issar]

Originally Posted by nostalgic99 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

so worn haste items has ZERO effects on songs?

Correct.

Originally Posted by nostalgic99 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

in blue, i see some high lvl bards wear Cloak of flames lol

Haste is not useless. CoF has good dex, good HP, decent resist, and 36% haste. If the bard has an epic, they will melee to proc the song. Also, higher end haste items are relatively cheap on Blue.

[supermonk]

just makes you swing faster. worn haste + song/spell haste stack.

[Galenbor]

Haste items indeed have no effect on songs themselves, if you've heard/read about stacking in that context, it was likely referreing to the haste itself stacking (1 item+1song/spell+bard overhaste come Velious).

As Supermonk found, once you reach the 30s, haste items lose their appeal as a bard, since lack of double attack means your melee damage is very subpar. Couple that was the fact that you by then have the ability to use 3 dots, regen and slow/snare with instruments to double the damage of the dots, and it's no contest.

Bards are the one melee class that never needs to worry about having a haste item, not even for tanking (some songs generate more aggro than any other spell you can mention), meaning you can skip the no AC FBSS for a more tanky belt. Part of the appeal for me not needing a heavily contested class of item.

[Wallicker]

Until you get epic.

[Swish]

I wouldn't make worn haste a priority, bard dps gets worse into the 40s/50s versus what a rogue/monk/ranger is putting out.

Definitely a good point on the epic though, if it helps proc it - at that point it becomes worth it <3

[Dolalin]

The Dex on a CoF will help you proc, but increased swing rate doesn't affect proc rate. Proc rates are a constant per unit time. All you have to do is be swinging at all.

[Issar]

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

The Dex on a CoF will help you proc, but increased swing rate doesn't affect proc rate. Proc rates are a constant per unit time. All you have to do is be swinging at all.

That's correct, and how I've always understood it from the original developer's notes, way back in the day. I should clarify what I had meant with my comment.

If a bard has an epic, he will be meleeing to gain procs. While the procs are not influenced by haste, you may as well increase the little damage you're doing while you're doing it. As such, if you're not sacrificing any significant stats by wearing a haste item, then you may as well put one on.

I've only played one bard, which is my early 50's bard on blue. So limited experience to reference from. Aside from maintaining skills, my weapons have basically been bagged since the late 30's in both group and solo situations. We are the weirdest melee class...