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 may 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 leather armor. They use bows as weapons. The following crafting classes can create items that are useful to the bard:

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

Quests

Quest	Type	Level	Quest giver	Unlocks
A Song of Bards and Bowmen		30	Luciane Corne	Mage's Ballad
The Archer's Anthem		35	Jehantel Fointeaume	Foe Requiem
Bard's-eye View		40	Jehantel Fointeaume	Army's Paeon
Doing It the Bard Way		45	Jehantel Fointeaume	Rain of Death
Pieces of the Past		45	Jehantel Fointeaume
Requiem for the Fallen		50	Jehantel Fointeaume	Battle Voice A Relic Reborn (Artemis Bow)
On the Road Again		50	Jehantel Fointeaume
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 Warden's Paean
The Ballad of Oblivion		60	Sanson	Sidewinder
Three's a Company		60	Jehantel Fointeaume
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

Actions

PvE actions

Action	Acquired		Level	Type	MP	TP	Casting	Recast	Description
Heavy Shot	ARC		1	Weaponskill		50	Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 150.
Straight Shot	ARC		2	Weaponskill		50	Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 140.
Raging Strikes	ARC		4	Ability			Instant	80s	Increases damage dealt by 10%.
Venomous Bite	ARC		6	Weaponskill		60	Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100.
Misery's End	ARC		10	Ability			Instant	12s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 190. Can only be executed when target's HP is below 20%.
Bloodletter	ARC		12	Ability			Instant	15s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 130. Shares a recast timer with Rain of Death.
Repelling Shot	ARC	1	15	Ability			Instant	30s	Jump 10 yalms back from current position. Cannot be executed while bound.
Quick Nock	ARC		18	Weaponskill		120	Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 110 to all enemies in a cone before you.
Windbite	ARC	1	30	Weaponskill		60	Instant	2.5s	Deals wind damage with a potency of 60.
Mage's Ballad	BRD	1	30	Spell			Instant	80s	Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100.
Foe Requiem	BRD	1	35	Spell			1.5s	2.5s	Increases damage taken by nearby enemies by 3%. MP is drained while singing. Effect is lost if targets move out of hearing distance, and ends upon reuse.
Barrage	ARC		38	Ability			Instant	80s	Triples the number of strikes for a single-target weaponskill. Additional effects added only once.
Army's Paeon	BRD	1	40	Spell			Instant	80s	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. Shares a recast timer with Bloodletter.
Battle Voice	BRD	1	50	Ability			Instant	180s	Increases direct hit rate of all party members by 15%.
The Wanderer's Minuet	BRD	1	52	Spell			Instant	80s	Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100.
Pitch Perfect	BRD		52	Ability			Instant	3s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100 when Repertoire stack is 1, 240 when Repertoire stack is 2, and 420 when Repertoire stack is 3. Can only be executed when the Wanderer's Minuet is active.
Empyreal Arrow	BRD	1	54	Weaponskill		50	Instant	15s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 230. This weaponskill does not share a recast timer with any other actions.
Iron Jaws	BRD	1	56	Weaponskill		50	Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100.
The Warden's Paean	BRD	1	58	Ability			Instant	45s	Removes one select detrimental effect from a target party member or pet. If the target is not enfeebled, a barrier is created nullifying the target's next detrimental effect suffered.
Sidewinder	BRD	1	60	Ability			Instant	60s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100.
Troubadour	BRD		62	Ability			Instant	180s	Adds an additional effect to the song currently being sung.
Caustic Bite	BRD		64	Weaponskill		60	Instant	2.5s	Delivers an attack with a potency of 120.
Stormbite	BRD		64	Weaponskill		60	Instant	2.5s	Deals wind damage with a potency of 120.
Nature's Minne	BRD		66	Ability			Instant	45s	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 300. Can only be executed while under the effect of Straighter Shot.

Physical Ranged DPS actions

Action	Acquired	Level	Type	MP	TP	Casting	Recast	Description
Second Wind	Melee DPS Physical Ranged DPS	8	Ability			Instant	120s	Instantly restores own HP.
Foot Graze	Physical Ranged DPS	12	Ability			Instant	30s	Binds target.
Leg Graze	Physical Ranged DPS	16	Ability			Instant	30s	Inflicts target with Heavy +40%.
Peloton	Physical Ranged DPS	20	Ability			Instant	5s	Increases movement speed of self and nearby party members as long as they remain within distance.
Invigorate	Melee DPS Physical Ranged DPS	24	Ability			Instant	120s	Instantly restores 400 TP.
Tactician	Physical Ranged DPS	32	Ability			Instant	180s	Gradually restores own TP and the TP of all nearby party members.
Refresh	Physical Ranged DPS	36	Ability			Instant	180s	Gradually restores own MP and the MP of all nearby party members.
Head Graze	Physical Ranged DPS	40	Ability			Instant	30s	Silences target.
Arm Graze	Physical Ranged DPS	44	Ability			Instant	25s	Stuns target.
Palisade	Physical Ranged DPS	48	Ability			Instant	150s	Reduces physical damage taken by a party member by 20%.

Traits

PvE traits

Trait	Acquired		Level	Effect
Heavier Shot	ARC		8	Adds to Heavy Shot a 20% chance that your next Straight Shot will deal critical damage.
Enhanced Dexterity	ARC ROG MCH		20	Increases dexterity by 8.
Increased Action Damage	ARC		20	Increases base action damage by 10%.
Enhanced Dexterity II	ARC ROG MCH		40	Increases dexterity by 16.
Increased Action Damage II	ARC		40	Increases base action damage by 20%.
Enhanced Dexterity III	ARC ROG MCH		60	Increases dexterity by 24.
Bite Mastery	BRD		64	Venomous Bite and Windbite are upgraded 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.

Job mechanics

Song Gauge is Bard's Job Gauge.

Song Gauge in PvE

Singing Mage's Ballad will display the action's corresponding Song Gauge, indicating the effect's time remaining.

If the Repertoire effect is triggered while Mage's Ballad is being sung, the recast times for Bloodletter and Rain of Death (learned at level 45) are reset.

Singing Army's Paeon will display the action's corresponding Song Gauge, indicating the effect's time remaining.

If the Repertoire effect is triggered while Army's Paeon is being sung, the bard is granted increased attack speed and damage.

Singing the Wanderer's Minuet will display the action's corresponding Song Gauge, indicating the effect's time remaining.

If the Repertoire effect is triggered while the Wanderer's Minuet is being sung, the action Pitch Perfect will become available.

Repertoire is accumulated when the damage over time effect for Venomous Bite (Caustic Bite) or Windbite (Stormbite) deals critical damage. When active, the status grants additional effects to songs such as increased damage dealt.

Song Gauge in PvP

Singing Wanderer's Minuet or Army's Paeon will display their corresponding song gauges, indicating their remaining time.

Using Heavy Shot on a target suffering from a Caustic Bite effect inflicted by you will grant Repertoire. Likewise, Straightshot will grant Repertoire when used on a target suffering from a Stormbite effect inflicted by you.

When Wanderer's Minuet is active, Repertoire can be spent to use the action Pitch Perfect. When Army's Paeon is active, Repertoire increases damage dealt and reduces weaponskill cast time and recast time.

Gallery

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See also

• Bard Guide
• Bard Endgame Rotations
• Bard Macros

External links

• FinalFantasyXIV.com Bard on the official website.

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Jobs