Bard

Introduction

“

The word "bard" ordinarily puts folk in mind of those itinerant minstrels, fair of voice and nimble of finger, who earn their coin performing in taverns and the halls of great lords. Few know, however, that bards in fact trace their origins back to the bowmen of eld, who sang in the heat of battle to fortify the spirits of their companions. In time, their impassioned songs came to hold sway over the hearts of men, inspiring their comrades to great feats and granting peace unto those who lay upon the precipice of death.

— FinalFantasyXIV.com Bard

Bards inspire allies to battle forward with melodies of soothing, strengthening or healing properties. Born as archers, these minstrels learned how to evoke magicks to empower their allies' spirits, greatly boosting their prowess in battle.

General information

Guild

The Archer's Guild is in New Gridania. Archers must specialize into bard once they reach level 30, and complete the quests Sylph-management and The One That Got Away.

Equipment

The bard is a disciple of war and wears armor "of Aiming." They use bows as weapons. The following crafting classes can create items that are useful to the bard:

• Carpenter — Bows.
• Leatherworker — Aiming armor.
• Goldsmith — Earrings, bracelets, necklaces and rings.

Quests

Quest	Type	Level	Quest Giver	Unlocks	Rewards
A Song of Bards and Bowmen		30	Luciane	Bard   Mage's Ballad	1   Soul of the Bard
The Archer's Anthem		35	Jehantel	The Warden's Paean
Bard's-eye View		40	Jehantel	Army's Paeon
Doing It the Bard Way		45	Jehantel	Rain of Death
Pieces of the Past		45	Jehantel		1   Choral Chapeau 1   Choral Ringbands 1   Choral Tights 1   Choral Sandals
Requiem for the Fallen		50	Jehantel	Battle Voice A Bard's Tale I	1   Choral Shirt 1   Bard's Attire Coffer
On the Road Again		50	Jehantel
The Stiff and the Spent		52	Sanson	The Wanderer's Minuet
Requiem on Ice		54	Sanson	Empyreal Arrow
When Gnaths Cry		56	Sanson	Iron Jaws
A Saint of Song		58	Sanson
The Ballad of Oblivion		60	Sanson	Sidewinder A Bard's Tale II	1   Aoidos' Attire Coffer
Three's a Company		60	Jehantel
Masked Motives		63	Sanson
One Autumn's Secret		65	Sanson
Sleeping Truths Lie		68	Sanson
Sweet Dreams Are Made of Peace		70	Guydelot	Refulgent Arrow   Straight Shot Mastery A Bard's Tale III	1   Storyteller's Attire Coffer
A Harmony from the Heavens		80	Jehantel	A Bard's Tale IV	1   Heavens' Eye Materia VII 1   Savage Aim Materia VII 1   Savage Might Materia VII

Actions

PvE actions

Action	Acquired		Level	Type	MP	Casting	Recast	Description
Heavy Shot	ARC		1	Weaponskill		Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 160.
Straight Shot	ARC		2	Weaponskill		Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 200.
Raging Strikes	ARC		4	Ability		Instant	120s	Increases damage dealt by 15%.
Venomous Bite	ARC		6	Weaponskill		Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100.
Bloodletter	ARC		12	Ability		Instant	15s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 110.
Repelling Shot	ARC	1	15	Ability		Instant	30s	Jump 10 yalms away from current target. Cannot be executed while bound.
Quick Nock	ARC		18	Weaponskill		Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 110 to all enemies in a cone before you.
Windbite	ARC	1	30	Weaponskill		Instant	2.5s	Deals wind damage with a potency of 60.
Mage's Ballad	BRD	1	30	Ability		Instant	120s	Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100.
The Warden's Paean	BRD	1	35	Ability		Instant	45s	Removes one select detrimental effect from self or target party member. If the target is not enfeebled, a barrier is created nullifying the target's next detrimental effect suffered.
Barrage	ARC		38	Ability		Instant	120s	Triples the number of strikes for a single-target weaponskill. Additional effects added only once.
Army's Paeon	BRD	1	40	Ability		Instant	120s	Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100.
Rain of Death	BRD	1	45	Ability		Instant	15s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100 to target and all enemies nearby it.
Battle Voice	BRD	1	50	Ability		Instant	120s	Increases direct hit rate of self and all nearby party members by 20%.
The Wanderer's Minuet	BRD	1	52	Ability		Instant	120s	Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100.
Pitch Perfect	BRD		52	Ability		Instant	1s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100 when Repertoire stack is 1, 220 when Repertoire stack is 2, and 360 when Repertoire stack is 3.
Empyreal Arrow	BRD	1	54	Ability		Instant	15s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 200.
Iron Jaws	BRD	1	56	Weaponskill		Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100.
Sidewinder	BRD	1	60	Ability		Instant	60s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 300.
Troubadour	BRD		62	Ability		Instant	90s	Reduces damage taken by self and nearby party members by 10%.
Caustic Bite	BRD		64	Weaponskill		Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 150.
Stormbite	BRD		64	Weaponskill		Instant	2.5s	Deals wind damage with a potency of 100.
Nature's Minne	BRD		66	Ability		Instant	90s	Increases HP recovery via healing magic for a party member or self by 20%.
Refulgent Arrow	BRD	1	70	Weaponskill		Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 280.
Shadowbite	BRD		72	Weaponskill		Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 170 to target and all enemies nearby it.
Burst Shot	BRD		76	Weaponskill		Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 220.
Apex Arrow	BRD		80	Weaponskill		Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100 to all enemies in a straight line before you.
Ladonsbite	BRD		82	Weaponskill		Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 130 to all enemies in a cone before you.
Blast Arrow	BRD		86	Weaponskill		Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack to all enemies in a straight line before you with a potency of 600 for the first enemy, and 60% less for all remaining enemies.
Radiant Finale	BRD		90	Ability		Instant	110s	Increases damage dealt by self and nearby party members.

PvP actions

Action	Acquired		Level	Type	MP	Casting	Recast	Description
Powerful Shot (PvP)	BRD			Weaponskill		1.44s	2.4s	Delivers a ranged attack with a potency of 4000.
Apex Arrow (PvP)	BRD			Weaponskill		Instant	20s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 6000 to all enemies in a straight line before you.
Silent Nocturne (PvP)	BRD			Ability		Instant	20s	Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 2,000.
Empyreal Arrow (PvP)	BRD			Ability		Instant	15s	Delivers a ranged attack with a potency of 4000.
Repelling Shot (PvP)	BRD			Ability		Instant	15s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 2000.
The Warden's Paean (PvP)	BRD			Ability		Instant	30s	Removes one status affliction from self or target party member that can be removed by Purify. If a status affliction cannot be removed, creates a barrier that will nullify the next status affliction that can be removed by Purify.
Pitch Perfect (PvP)	BRD			Weaponskill		Instant	2.4s	Delivers a ranged attack with a potency of 4000.
Blast Arrow (PvP)	BRD			Weaponskill		Instant	2.4s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 8,000 to all enemies in a straight line before you.

Common actions (PvP)

Action	Acquired	Level	Type	MP	Casting	Recast	Description
Standard-issue Elixir (PvP)	ANY	30	Ability		4.5s	5s	Restores your HP and MP to maximum. Casting will be interrupted when damage is taken.
Recuperate (PvP)	ANY	30	Ability	2,500	Instant	1s	Restores own HP.
Purify (PvP)	ANY	30	Ability		Instant	30s	Removes Stun, Heavy, Bind, Silence, Half-asleep, Sleep, and Deep Freeze.
Guard (PvP)	ANY	30	Ability		Instant	30s	Reduces damage taken by 90% and grants immunity to Stun, Heavy, Bind, Silence, Half-asleep, Sleep, Deep Freeze, and knockback and draw-in effects.
Sprint (PvP)	ANY	30	Ability		Instant	1.5s	Increases movement speed. Effect ends upon reuse or execution of another action.

Limit Break (PvP)

Action	Acquired	Level	Type	MP	Casting	Recast	Description
Final Fantasia (PvP)	BRD	30	Limit Break		Instant	10s	Grants Final Fantasia to self and Heroes' Fantasia to nearby party members.

Physical Ranged DPS actions

Action	Acquired	Level	Type	MP	Casting	Recast	Description
Leg Graze	Physical Ranged DPS	6	Ability		Instant	30s	Inflicts target with Heavy +40%.
Second Wind	Melee DPS Physical Ranged DPS	8	Ability		Instant	120s	Instantly restores own HP.
Foot Graze	Physical Ranged DPS	10	Ability		Instant	30s	Binds target.
Peloton	Physical Ranged DPS	20	Ability		Instant	5s	Increases movement speed of self and nearby party members as long as they remain within distance.
Head Graze	Physical Ranged DPS	24	Ability		Instant	30s	Interrupts the use of a target's action.
Arm's Length	Melee DPS Physical Ranged DPS Tank	32	Ability		Instant	120s	Creates a barrier nullifying most knockback and draw-in effects.

Traits

PvE traits

Trait	Acquired		Level	Effect
Heavier Shot	ARC		2	Adds to Heavy Shot a 20% chance that you will become Straight Shot ready.
Increased Action Damage	ARC		20	Increases base action damage by 10%.
Increased Action Damage II	ARC		40	Increases base action damage by 20%.
Bite Mastery	BRD		64	Upgrades Venomous Bite and Windbite to Caustic Bite and Stormbite respectively.
Enhanced Empyreal Arrow	BRD		68	Guarantees the trigger of the additional effects for Mage's Ballad, Army's Paeon, and the Wanderer's Minuet when Empyreal Arrow hits a target.
Straight Shot Mastery	BRD	1	70	Upgrades Straight Shot to Refulgent Arrow.
Enhanced Quick Nock	BRD		72	Adds to Quick Nock a 35% chance that you will become Shadowbite Ready.
Bite Mastery II	BRD		76	Adds to Stormbite, Caustic Bite, and Iron Jaws a 35% chance that you will become Straight Shot Ready.
Heavy Shot Mastery	BRD		76	Upgrades Heavy Shot to Burst Shot.
Enhanced Army's Paeon	BRD		78	While under the effect of Army's Paeon with at least one stack of Repertoire, singing Mage's Ballad or the Wanderer's Minuet will grant Army's Muse, reducing weaponskill cast time and recast time, spell cast time and recast time, and auto-attack delay.
Soul Voice	BRD		80	Increases Soul Voice Gauge by 5 each time Repertoire is granted.
Quick Nock Mastery	BRD		82	Upgrades Quick Knock to Ladonsbite.
Enhanced Bloodletter	BRD		84	Allows a third charge of Bloodletter and Rain of Death.
Enhanced Apex Arrow	BRD		86	Grants Blast Arrow Ready upon executing Apex Arrow after the Soul Voice Gauge has reached 80 or higher.
Enhanced Troubadour	BRD		88	Reduces Troubadour recast time to 90 seconds.
Minstrel's Coda	BRD		90	Grants Mage's Coda, Army's Coda, or Wanderer's Coda upon singing Mage's Ballad, Army's Paeon, or the Wanderer's Minuet respectively.

Job mechanics

Singing Mage's Ballad will display its corresponding Song Gauge, which indicates the effect's remaining duration.

During a song, there is a chance you will be granted Repertoire, shortening the recast timer of Bloodletter (required at level 12) and Rain of Death (acquired at level 45).

Singing Army's Paeon will display its corresponding Song Gauge, which indicates the effect's remaining duration. During a song, there is a chance you will be granted Repertoire, reducing weaponskill cast time and recast time, spell cast time and recast time, and auto-attack delay. This effect increases for each stack of Repertoire you accumulate up to a total of four.

Singing The Wanderer's Minuet will display its corresponding Song Gauge, which indicates the effect's remaining duration. During a song, there is a chance you will be granted Repertoire, allowing the execution of Pitch Perfect. The Repertoire effect can be stacked up to three times.

Simple Mode

Mage's Ballad

Army's Paeon

The Wanderer's Minuet

Song Gauge in PvP

Singing Army's Paeon will display its corresponding Song Gauge, which indicates the effect's remaining duration. When damage over time is dealt by your Caustic Bite or Stormbite, there is a chance you will be granted Repertoire, reducing weaponskill cast time and recast time. This effect increases for each stack of Repertoire you accumulate up to a total of four.

Singing the Wanderer's Minuet will display its corresponding Song Gauge, which indicates the effect's remaining duration. When damage over time is dealt by your Caustic Bite or Stormbite, there is a chance you will be granted Repertoire, allowing the execution of Pitch Perfect. The Repertoire effect can be stacked up to three times.

Simple Mode

Army's Paeon

The Wanderer's Minuet

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Soul Voice Gauge:

Upon learning the trait Soul Voice, the Soul Voice Gauge will be displayed. This gauge increases in tandem with Repertoire, and is depleted when using the action Apex Arrow (acquired at level 80).

Coda:

When you learn the trait Minstrel's Coda, the Coda will be displayed.

There are three types of Coda: Mage's Coda, Army's Coda, and Wanderer's Coda. Each is granted respectively by executing the actions Mage's Ballad, Army's Paeon, and The Wanderer's Minuet. You can execute the action Radian Finale if you have at least one Coda.

Simple Mode:

Soul Voice Gauge in PvP

The Soul Voice Gauge increases when using certain actions such as Burst Shot, and is consumed to execute Apex Arrow. The potency of Apex Arrow increases as the Soul Voice Gauge exceeds the minimum cost.

Simple Mode

Gallery

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  Bard Artifact Armor in 3.0 Heavensward.

• 

  Bard Artifact Armor in 4.0 Stormblood.

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  Bard Artifact Armor in 5.0 Shadowbringers.

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  Bard Artifact Armor in 6.0 Endwalker.

See also

• Bard Guide
• Bard Endgame Rotations
• Bard Macros

External links

• FinalFantasyXIV.com Bard on the official website.

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Jobs