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.
Bard is a job unlockable at level 30 as an upgrade from the archer class and is one of three physical ranged DPS jobs.
General information
Guild
The Archers' 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. The job trainer is Jehantel, who is normally located in South Shroud (21.8, 21.3).
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
Actions
PvE actions
Action | Acquired | ![]() |
Level | Type | MP | Casting | Recast | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heavy Shot | ![]() |
1 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 160. | ||
Straight Shot | ![]() |
2 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 200. | ||
Raging Strikes | ![]() |
4 | Ability | Instant | 120s | Increases damage dealt by 15%. | ||
Venomous Bite | ![]() |
6 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. | ||
Bloodletter | ![]() |
12 | Ability | Instant | 15s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 110. | ||
Repelling Shot | ![]() |
1![]() |
15 | Ability | Instant | 30s | Jump 10 yalms away from current target. Cannot be executed while bound. | |
Quick Nock | ![]() |
18 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 110 to all enemies in a cone before you. | ||
Windbite | ![]() |
1![]() |
30 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Deals wind damage with a potency of 60. | |
Mage's Ballad | ![]() |
1![]() |
30 | Ability | Instant | 120s | Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100. | |
The Warden's Paean | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
38 | Ability | Instant | 120s | Triples the number of strikes for a single-target weaponskill. Additional effects added only once. | ||
Army's Paeon | ![]() |
1![]() |
40 | Ability | Instant | 120s | Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100. | |
Rain of Death | ![]() |
1![]() |
45 | Ability | Instant | 15s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 100 to target and all enemies nearby it. | |
Battle Voice | ![]() |
1![]() |
50 | Ability | Instant | 120s | Increases direct hit rate of self and all nearby party members by 20%. | |
The Wanderer's Minuet | ![]() |
1![]() |
52 | Ability | Instant | 120s | Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100. | |
Pitch Perfect | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
1![]() |
54 | Ability | Instant | 15s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 230. | |
Iron Jaws | ![]() |
1![]() |
56 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. | |
Sidewinder | ![]() |
1![]() |
60 | Ability | Instant | 60s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 300. | |
Troubadour | ![]() |
62 | Ability | Instant | 90s | Reduces damage taken by self and nearby party members by 10%. | ||
Caustic Bite | ![]() |
64 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 150. | ||
Stormbite | ![]() |
64 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Deals wind damage with a potency of 100. | ||
Nature's Minne | ![]() |
66 | Ability | Instant | 120s | Increases HP recovery via healing actions by 15% for self and nearby party members. | ||
Refulgent Arrow | ![]() |
1![]() |
70 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 280. | |
Shadowbite | ![]() |
72 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 170 to target and all enemies nearby it. | ||
Burst Shot | ![]() |
76 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 220. | ||
Apex Arrow | ![]() |
80 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 100 to all enemies in a straight line before you. | ||
Ladonsbite | ![]() |
82 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.5s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 130 to all enemies in a cone before you. | ||
Blast Arrow | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
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) | ![]() |
30 | Weaponskill | 1.44s | 2.4s | Delivers a ranged attack with a potency of 4,000. | ||
Apex Arrow (PvP) | ![]() |
30 | Weaponskill | Instant | 20s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 8,000 to all enemies in a straight line before you. | ||
Silent Nocturne (PvP) | ![]() |
30 | Ability | Instant | 20s | Silences target. | ||
Empyreal Arrow (PvP) | ![]() |
30 | Ability | Instant | 15s | Delivers a ranged attack with a potency of 4,000. | ||
Repelling Shot (PvP) | ![]() |
30 | Ability | Instant | 15s | Delivers an attack with a potency of 4,000. | ||
The Warden's Paean (PvP) | ![]() |
30 | 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) | ![]() |
30 | Weaponskill | Instant | 2.4s | Delivers a ranged attack with a potency of 4,000. | ||
Blast Arrow (PvP) | ![]() |
30 | 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) | ![]() |
30 | Ability | 4.5s | 5s | Restores your HP and MP to maximum. Casting will be interrupted when damage is taken. | |
Recuperate (PvP) | ![]() |
30 | Ability | 2,500 | Instant | 1s | Restores own HP. |
Purify | ![]() |
30 | Ability | Instant | 30s | Removes Stun, Heavy, Bind, Silence, Half-asleep, Sleep, and Deep Freeze. | |
Guard (PvP) | ![]() |
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) | ![]() |
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) | ![]() |
30 | Limit Break | Instant | 10s | Reduces your weaponskill cast time and recast time by 10% while also increasing movement speed by 25%. |
Physical Ranged DPS actions
Action | Acquired | Level | Type | MP | Casting | Recast | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leg Graze | ![]() |
6 | Ability | Instant | 30s | Inflicts target with Heavy +40%. | |
Second Wind | ![]() ![]() |
8 | Ability | Instant | 120s | Instantly restores own HP. | |
Foot Graze | ![]() |
10 | Ability | Instant | 30s | Binds target. | |
Peloton | ![]() |
20 | Ability | Instant | 5s | Increases movement speed of self and nearby party members as long as they remain within distance. | |
Head Graze | ![]() |
24 | Ability | Instant | 30s | Interrupts the use of a target's action. | |
Arm's Length | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
32 | Ability | Instant | 120s | Creates a barrier nullifying most knockback and draw-in effects. |
Traits
PvE traits
Trait | Acquired | ![]() |
Level | Effect |
---|---|---|---|---|
Heavier Shot | ![]() |
2 | Adds to Heavy Shot a 20% chance that you will become Straight Shot ready. | |
Increased Action Damage | ![]() |
20 | Increases base action damage by 10%. | |
Increased Action Damage II | ![]() |
40 | Increases base action damage by 20%. | |
Bite Mastery | ![]() |
64 | Upgrades Venomous Bite and Windbite to Caustic Bite and Stormbite respectively. | |
Enhanced Empyreal Arrow | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
1![]() |
70 | Upgrades Straight Shot to Refulgent Arrow. |
Enhanced Quick Nock | ![]() |
72 | Adds to Quick Nock a 35% chance that you will become Shadowbite Ready. | |
Bite Mastery II | ![]() |
76 | Adds to Stormbite, Caustic Bite, and Iron Jaws a 35% chance that you will become Straight Shot Ready. | |
Heavy Shot Mastery | ![]() |
76 | Upgrades Heavy Shot to Burst Shot. | |
Enhanced Army's Paeon | ![]() |
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 | ![]() |
80 | Increases Soul Voice Gauge by 5 each time Repertoire is granted. | |
Quick Nock Mastery | ![]() |
82 | Upgrades Quick Knock to Ladonsbite. | |
Enhanced Bloodletter | ![]() |
84 | Allows a third charge of Bloodletter and Rain of Death. | |
Enhanced Apex Arrow | ![]() |
86 | Grants Blast Arrow Ready upon executing Apex Arrow after the Soul Voice Gauge has reached 80 or higher. | |
Enhanced Troubadour | ![]() |
88 | Reduces Troubadour recast time to 90 seconds. | |
Minstrel's Coda | ![]() |
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
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:
Achievements
This job is associated with the following achievements:
Name | Points | Task | Reward | Patch |
---|---|---|---|---|
Just Talkin' 'bout Shafts IV | 5 | Achieve archer level 40. | - | 2.0 |
Just Talkin' 'bout Shafts V | 5 | Achieve archer level 50. | - | 2.0 |
Just Talkin' 'bout Shafts VI | 5 | Achieve archer level 60. | - | 3.0 |
Just Talkin' 'bout Shafts VII | 5 | Achieve archer level 70. | - | 4.0 |
Just Talkin' 'bout Shafts VIII | 5 | Achieve archer level 80. | - | 5.0 |
Just Talkin' 'bout Shafts IX | 5 | Achieve archer level 90. | - | 6.0 |
Gallery
See also
External links
- FinalFantasyXIV.com Bard on the official website.
- Comprehensive Job Guide provided by The Balance.