Boss.

[Mini Neruto]

I feel like im really bossy all the time as a Bard. Telling mages over and over again not to run around, or stand by melee, and telling melee over and over to provoke not run with the mob. Seems like i do this every party. People repeatidly do these things and complain about song not hitting them. Friends have told me "Its not your fault its theirs" but i dont want to look like a bad bard to one person in every party. What do you guys do about this... (btw im brd 31).

[greydaze]

I'm a BRD50, and I will tell them once and only once where to stand. After that, if a song like ballad repeatedly hits a melee, i will say, "Okay, if you REALLY want MP refresh, you can have it! -.-;;" That normally gets a few LOLs and a moved melee. Aside from that, I sing melee songs at the beginning of fights (right after elegy) when they're all situated, then run back and sing mage songs, sing offensive songs again. By this time, the mob is dead or nearly dead, so with a PLD tank I sing ballad so it'll hit him. Then for pulling (whih I've been doing a lot) or waiting for puller.

[Icemage]

All you can do is make sure you're standing in the right place when you sing. If people move into or out of range, that's their problem not yours.


Icemage

[Yeargdribble]

I found the biggest problems started in that range for me. Also, dealing with places like Garlaige teaches you how difficult it can be when you are limited by walls. I'm with Icemage on this. I might mention what to do once, but honestly, most peope these days should know where to stand. After mentioning it once just sing where you should sing and if they miss it, sucks to be them. Or worse, just pick one mage song and one melee song and give it to everyone.

[Balfree]

If you want to make sure people dont get angry at you, try to communicate your tactics to them through tells, they get less of a "stop telling me what to do" feeling, ive tried, it works. Also, try to be talkative in party so people know that youre actually 100% there and youre not just babblin. Be cordial, ignore provocative comments, and be cool :D

[Mini Neruto]

Thanks everyone. Im going to garliage (or however you spell it) right now so i guess ill find out ; ;. Wish me luck!

[Icemage]

Garlaige is a definite challenge for Bards. Even more challenging is Boyahda Tree if you end up in the Processionaire tunnels, or fighting Steelshells on the big tree in the lake. Those are some of the tightest quarters I've ever dealt with as a Bard during XP.


Icemage

[x1ang]

Yeah I think the most painful spots were the tunnels in the Boyahda Tree and those ledges for the crab camps around the lake xD, but the tunnels by far were the worst if I remember correctly haha..

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

I'm with Icemage on this. I might mention what to do once, but honestly, most peope these days should know where to stand. After mentioning it once just sing where you should sing and if they miss it, sucks to be them. Or worse, just pick one mage song and one melee song and give it to everyone.

I disagree with this sentiment. While there is only so much you can do to tell people where to stand in tight camps like GC, there is something a BRD can do to remedy the situation - they're called Etudes. If you think you can lay down two AoE songs and call it a day, it sucks to be the PT that had you as a BRD.

Neruto might not have learned all of the first tier etudes yet, but when you're in a camp where no one stands where you want them to and everyone is getting nailed with Ballad(s), that is when you start throwing down some Etudes. They have short cast times and while they may not be as potent as the AoE buffs themselves, you can give each melee something beneficial as opposed to the ballad(s) they don't need.

So Ballad first, melee buff second and then throw on some individual etudes. Don't just let the ballad sit there on melees.

VIT is good for a PLD as AGI is good for a NIN or THF (AGI is the damage modifier for Sneak Attack). Dig a little deeper and you'll find new uses for Etudes. For example, MND plays big into two MNK job traits - Chi Blast and Chakara - don't be surprised if they ask for it.

When a PT actually listens or knows to line up, Etudes aren't really needed, but the can be of benefits to using them in certain situtions, learn to look for them

Also, in the event you're in an open area and people are still crowding, you'll need to get a feel for your range on various buffs. Some people fall on the crutch known as windower to accomplish this, but you can learn to do this by nature after some trial and error.

Don't be the BRD that expects the PT to do all the work for you or the BRD that just PTs with people that sub /NIN (cough) to make things easier. Be procactive and know the potential of your songs and how they can benefit the jobs around you.

And don't be afraid to be assertive, get a little bossy if you must, you're the maestro of the orchestra, after all. Hone that PT into a wrecking ball and they'll remember that spunky little taru BRD.

[x1ang]

The issue with using etudes as a fix for mis-targetted songs is the order of songs landed. Most of the time when the PT is all in disarray, the member has one needed song and one unneeded.. often the unneeded being the 2nd song (otherwise it would be rather simple to correct no?). Unless the people getting the wrong songs is a constant and consistent occurance, etudes really wouldn't fix the situation. Plus, if it is a constant problem in a PT, it is even easier and efficient to tell the member to move over a few steps in x direction rather than reordering/positioning your enitre song list (as you mentioned ^^)

In truth, it's probably easiest to start out with the distance plugin as you feel where the song cuts off and after enough playing, you really don't need the distance plugin at all. Just make the step towards knowing where your song cuts off as it is a lot faster than using the plugin.

[Icemage]

One thing to note is that it's very important that you are consistent about where you stand for songs.

Once you figure out where everyone will be during the battle, make a mental note of the places where you'll be singing your songs (Ballad, Minuet, etc.), and make sure you stand as close as possible to your predetermined spots singing each song. This helps mobile party members like Corsairs and Thieves when they must shift into and out of your singing range.

P.S. I agree with x1ang about Etudes. You can "fix" a melee who's accidentally wandered into Ballad range using an Etude usually (assuming you sing your melee songs with the appropriate +2 instrument to raise its duration above that of the Ballad even when Ballad is sung 8-16 seconds afterwards). However, you can not repair the damage on a mage who has wandered into melee range, or has wandered out of Ballad range (this is particularly annoying with Paladins and Blue Mages who sometimes shift out of Ballad range).

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

The issue with using etudes as a fix for mis-targetted songs is the order of songs landed. Most of the time when the PT is all in disarray, the member has one needed song and one unneeded.. often the unneeded being the 2nd song (otherwise it would be rather simple to correct no?). Unless the people getting the wrong songs is a constant and consistent occurance, etudes really wouldn't fix the situation. Plus, if it is a constant problem in a PT, it is even easier and efficient to tell the member to move over a few steps in x direction rather than reordering/positioning your enitre song list (as you mentioned ^^)

Sure, you can send people tells and ask them to try to position themselves properly, but again, we're mainly talking about cramped camps. Its not always the PT members that pose the problem, but the camp itself. Whatever BRD feels about this issue, COR feels it tenfold due to a very lengthy recast time and a total lack of single target buffs. Take advantage of what you have and don't sell Etudes short. They can make a difference, even if weaker. STR and DEX Etudes, at the very least will help out your non-MP using melees in this situation

And are you saying you can't possibly play Balled first , the melee buff second and then hit them with an Etude? If Ballad is played first, its also the first song to go when the third new song is played

I think your problem lies in macros, some BRDs have a nasty habit of stacking tier buffs or pairing them in macro, that's the only way you get stuck with such an issue. The solution there is to just separate your songs. Yeah, it may force an additional macro list on you in time, but other BRDs have managed somehow.

In truth, it's probably easiest to start out with the distance plugin as you feel where the song cuts off and after enough playing, you really don't need the distance plugin at all. Just make the step towards knowing where your song cuts off as it is a lot faster than using the plugin.

Windower is for the weak, period. And no, don't start the derail with your excuses for needing to Alt-Tab out to view the internet, its undeniable that it has be exploited for other purposes in-game and this plug-in could qualify as one of them. Its worth noting that the Terms of Service agreement was updated as of Oct. 24, 2006. Note this info from section 6:

6.2Limitation of Liability.(a)You acknowledge that SEI has the right to monitor the use of your PlayOnline account to verify your compliance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. You further acknowledge that, in the event that SEI suspects that you may not be in compliance with any of the terms of this Agreement, SEI may use any method permitted by applicable law to verify your compliance. If SEI believes (in its sole discretion) that you are not in compliance with any of the terms of this Agreement, SEI may, in addition to any other remedy available to SEI, immediately suspend or terminate your PlayOnline user account without any prior notice to you, and you hereby agree that such decision by SEI is final.

So yeah, I'd watch my butt now about windower, lol. But as you said and I said before, you really can just learn to eye your range with some practice. Not all tight camps are totally preventive of AoE buffs. Its more to the end that tight camps that contain close sight or sound aggro like in GC or Tree will be an issue

[x1ang]

Singing ballad first still wouldn't fix the mages, but you are talking about fixing the melee users. In that case, your point is correct :D.

Personally, I agree with you with using 1 macro = 1 song. It offers more control over what you do (more lines for equipment swapping, etc.), but there are BRDs I know that do just fine with multiple songs stacked into one macro - it's more of a personal playing style.

Wandering a bit off topic but while the use of the distance plugin is technically illegal (and if you're banned for it, you're banned), I don't mind whether people choose to use it or not. Nonetheless, my point was that using the distance plugin does in fact make it easier to learn the range of songs whether or not it is "ethical" (not too sure if that would be the right word). I wouldn't judge between good and bad BRDs on whether or not they choose to use the distance plugin. But, hey, to each his/her own. Though, I probably should not have brought the issue of this into this discussion as it doesn't really belong orz.