[Rothy]

So after finishing my BLM to 75 and while working on merits I was thinking.. "Jeez it's been over a year since I touched my BRD.." So here I am, back on a level 38 BRD. (Yes, I'm aware BRDs get harassed and stuff but it was a fun job for my first 1-75 levels and If I get whored out for Endgame.. aslong as it helps my friends!)

So I was wondering, do you all have any good tips and gear choices I should know about?

[Raydeus]

As you know BRD is pretty straight forward, the only thing needed are song +2 intruments and having all the songs needed.

For the rest just get chr gear as it becomes available and then skill/haste/fastcast when you are closer to 75 (many of which I dont have yet btw). The job (like so many others) is more about skill than gear and people probably wouldn't even notice even if you went naked as long as you do a good job with songs and usually pulling/back up healing.

As for recomendations for later levels I'd say probably Minstrel's ring (and an HP to MP set to put yourself in yellow at will) is probably the most important item I can think of.

[Sabaron]

You need instruments for the following songs:

Minuet
Madrigal
March
Lullaby
Paeon

Optional but good:

Requiem
Mambo

A full instrument set can be taxing on the inventory, but with the new satchels out it shouldn't pose too much of a problem to get an instrument for most buffing songs.

A good CHR build is essential for landing Lullaby.

Buy your scrolls several levels in advance.

Make sure you have both /WHM and /NIN fully levelled. I was contemplating adding /SCH, myself, but haven't quite finished it--the lack of personal defensive buffs makes it less appetizing, but it's got a lot interesting options on it including an extra Dark-based Sleep. With the new update, it also has Reraise.

[Rothy]

My NIN sub is almost finished (I need it for BLM anyway) And Fenrir server has a real lack of instruments whenever I log on for some reason. So I'm not even swapping to BRD until I can get them.

[Raydeus]

No kidding, yesterday I had to ask someone from the LS to synth a Carol instrument for me because I never saw one in stock (let alone the +1 version of it.)

[IfritnoItazura]

If using BRD for Assault/Salvage is possible in the future, plan on a Storm Fife as well; no MP user would say "No!" to one more free MP per tick.

Don't really need a Paeon instrument in my opinion--at least, not for playing Paeon. (I really only used Paeon after some major wipe--DDs tend to forget they can do no TP loss hHP with Signet now, and go AFK before I can needle them.) However, an Ebony Harp (+1) is handy to have in inventory when you're tossed to the BLM+SMN party or in tank party when kiting in some places. String instrument's wider range makes catching roaming BLMs and errant healers/kiters quite a bit easier; it's especially nice when Pianissimo isn't practical due to the number of people in party scattered about.

[Solymir]

I can help you with the lower level instruments. My current WW skill is 80+2+synth help.

[Sabaron]

Originally Posted by IfritnoItazura

Don't really need a Paeon instrument in my opinion--at least, not for playing Paeon. (I really only used Paeon after some major wipe--DDs tend to forget they can do no TP loss hHP with Signet now, and go AFK before I can needle them.) However, an Ebony Harp (+1) is handy to have in inventory when you're tossed to the BLM+SMN party or in tank party when kiting in some places. String instrument's wider range makes catching roaming BLMs and errant healers/kiters quite a bit easier; it's especially nice when Pianissimo isn't practical due to the number of people in party scattered about.

1. Sanction and Sigil do not provide 0-TP loss resting.
2. If your healer dies and you still have mobs to fight.
3. In Nyzul Isle on White Magic Pathos.
4. Travelling with a damaged party.

I could probably think of more, but I found Paeon to be really useful especially at low levels when your healer doesn't have enough refresh to keep up.

[IfritnoItazura]

Originally Posted by Sabaron

1. Sanction and Sigil do not provide 0-TP loss resting.

Sigil does.

[Quetzalcoatl]

get a Horn +1 too (Elegy)

[Sabaron]

Originally Posted by Quetzalcoatl

get a Horn +1 too (Elegy)

Forgot about that one.. Definitely a must-have.

Originally Posted by IfritnoItazura

Sigil does.

Ah, cool. I don't do to much Shadowreign as yet. As for the Paeon Harp, it's definitely not a required instrument, but I find it very useful--you get a big boost out of it. I like having it around in non-XP situations mostly at high level, but got a bit of use out of it low-level, too. Of course, I carry every instrument except Carol, Mazurka, Hymnus and Virelai.

[Raydeus]

True, but it would be wise to have all the Song +2 instruments you can even if you don't carry them around, for when you do events and other non-xp activities.

For instance I never bothered buying a Carol until now (+40 resistance was more than enough for me), but I wish I had bought the +1 version sooner. Mazurka is a must have for me since that was 90% of the reason I started playing BRD, and Virelai/Hymnus can really save your hide in some specific situations.

So not required, but damn good to have for those times you'll need em.

[Rothy]

Originally Posted by Solymir

I can help you with the lower level instruments. My current WW skill is 80+2+synth help.

I may have to take you up on that offer, there is like NOTHING in the AH and it's really starting to annoy me.

[Murphie]

Originally Posted by Rothy

I may have to take you up on that offer, there is like NOTHING in the AH and it's really starting to annoy me.

This is my concern. I am planning on taking BRD to 75 as soon as I get DRG up a bit higher, and the instrument selection on Seraph's AH is disheartening. I blame either too many people leveling BRD, or lazy Bards not bothering to swap out instruments.

Or hell, maybe crafters just don't feel like making them.

[Aksannyi]

Originally Posted by Sabaron

I could probably think of more, but I found Paeon to be really useful especially at low levels when your healer doesn't have enough refresh to keep up.

Really the only thing I use Paeon for is skilling up string, since there's a cheap harp that's like level 1 with Paeon + on it, and I've used that. Though it's easier nowadays to go to sea and sing to the fishies.

Here and there I will use it, but really only during downtime, (which is rare) because if the other members are fighting, they want Mad/Min.

Also, you'll get used to where to stand to Ballad people. Ballading a PLD is tricky but it can be done, if other players want to camp behind the PLD, they're gonna get stuck with Ballad, at least until you get Pianissimo. Now, I'm not saying this can't be done without windower, but it has been REALLY helpful for me to have distance plugin for the explicit purpose (on Bard, at least) of being able to Ballad the PLD.

Bard can be quite the inventory rape, but there aren't nearly as many gear swaps for Bard as there are for RDM or BLM, (and hell, in my case, WHM!) so the instruments, while they do take up a lot of space, you're not carrying around 12 different gear sets, instead maybe 3 or 4 at the most that I can think of. I'm not 75 yet, but I rarely see a lot of BRDs really gear swap. More of them do at endgame really than anywhere else, and there are indeed sets, but some pieces you'll pretty much wear fulltime.

You will want a Light/Apollo's Staff and an Earth/Terra's staff when you get to that point. You have BLM 75 so you should probably have those already. Light is for (correct me if I'm wrong) Lullaby and Requiem, and Earth is for Elegy and basic idle (DMG reduction is hot stuff). You might want to consider getting a Water/Neptune's staff for casting Stoneskin (4 MND NQ, 5 MND HQ), but BRD has access to a good bit of MND gear so it may not be necessary.