End Game Body

[Kizna]

Hi, not sure if this has been posted before, sorry if it has m(_ _)m looked and didn't see anything ^^;

Anyhow, I've redone my gear recently and am fairly happy with it, but the body slot has left me wondering what to do.

As far as I see there's a few options:

Minstrel's Coat - I'm currently using this, +3 wind/string skill.
Errant - +10CHR and -enmity
Sha'ir - No usefulness besides looks and burns IMO.
Yigit - Havn't seen this around much, looks like a nice replacement for Sha'ir if you don't want to spend that much.
Osode - Looks pretty awesome, 10CHR and +MP.
AF+1 - 10CHR, looks nice if you have access to the coins and no hope on osode.

So, I guess my main question would be, which would be better? +10CHR and -enmity from errant/osode/AF+1, or +3 skill from Minstrel's? I havn't had much of a chance to test out the differences, and was wondering if anyone else had? =)

Thanks a ton!

[Rodin]

Okay, a BRD friend of mine has been asking the same question. My BRD is 21, BUT, I can tell you which IMO would be good.

Minstrels coat gives +3 skill. BUT, the thing about BRDs is that their resist rate for spells is low as hell, even on IT mobs when naked. (I've tested this out with his account.) So Minstrels Coat really isn't bad, but it's not the best either.

Osode = Very good, but you usually need to get into an experienced LS who have many osodes already. I know that since the Manteel came out, and it's secret for desynthing one became widely known, BRDs have been LAST on the list for Osodes.

AF+1: Okay. A friend of mine has it, but she says it's really only good for meleeing in skill up parties with. It's okay from what I'm told.

Manteel: It's really only for looks, unless you happen to be a pulling BRD. The Song Casting Time -12% really helps in managing to keep songs up + pull and bring it back to camp without as much downtime.

Houpellande: Standard body for parties. From what I'm told.

[Icemage]

For long end-game battles (anything that lasts longer than 10 minutes, like Tiamat), enmity and Refresh effects are your key elements, with CHR coming in as fairly important for offensive songs. I'd rate the various armors as:

Offensive songs: Elegy, Threnody, Lullaby

Choral Justaucorps+1 (Nursemaid's Harp/Lullaby, Sorrowful Harp/Threnody) > Mahatma Hpl. > Errant Hpl. > Kirin's Osode > Shi'ar/Sheikh Manteel > Minstrel's Coat > Yigit Gomlek

While singing buffs or not doing anything special:

Dalmatica(+1) > Vermillion Cloak > Mahatma Hpl. > Choral Justaucorps+1 > Errant Hpl. > everything else unless using full Yigit set (and why would you?). The point about Dalmatica and Vermillion being more useful than the -enmity armors is arguable, though.


Icemage

[Rones]

Icemage sums it up pretty well. Refresh body armor is convient when not doing anything serious. However, when it comes to tough battles where it matters, -enimity would take precedence over the refresh.

[Kizna]

Thanks a ton! =)

[Palom_FF]

I'm really not into the whole CHR+ deal. I like skill+ for debuffs and speed+ for buffs. I use Minstrel's Coat for debuffs and Manteel for buffs. RDM sub + Manteel + Loq. Earring + Rostrum Pumps I find extremely helpful in getting songs off when people aren't cooperating well and are moving around erratic. Can sub in gloves, head, and legs for extra -enmity on buffs if I need it.

Quite honestly, I have no desire to even use an Osode. I never use Errant as it is.

[Icemage]

CHR+ seems to improve the potency of Elegy. It's worth stacking for that reason alone.


Icemage

[Thott]

I sold my manteel about a week ago and got a osode on thursday ^^
I want to say manteel was not only looks, it is a usefull body piece that comes in handy at times... also at 75 when your in burn pt's "YOU PULL" the manteel comes in really handy then when your trying to hold extra mobs and give ur pt songs. now the osode I have taken in and I really really really like it. more chr then manteel and it does help you in every way. less damage taken, more agi more mnd int everything... I really would use a vermy though if you can, dalm is better but any refresh if your not able to cast it while your pulling helps... I donno

[_11of8]

From my own play experience, the important thing to keep in mind isn't any one piece of equipment, it's the overall stats that all of your equipment gives and that it is situational.

The one thing I almost always go for is + wind skill, and I keep it at B+ level, which is 256. All my songs except Final use a wind instrument as I've had B+ string and its success rate was lower then B+ wind skill. The next target I try to maintain is 100 total chr for landing non HQ staff songs. With 256 skill and either 94 chr + hq staff or 100 chr threnodys, I can consistently land songs on almost everything but some HNMs, in which case I use an MB to put up the only real worthy song in those situations, Elegy. Next I focus on + MP gear because I'm usually /mage subjob. After that, haste gear is nice to have if it doesn't go in a place taken up by skill/chr/mp.

At the end of the day, I've learned to have three equipment sets end game:

A Skill/CHR set for normal running around and standard HNMs
A -Enmity/MP set, for HNMs like Oreo, JoL, and Kirin, where hate and healing matter.
A Haste/MP set for burn parties where offensive songs don't matter much.

As you can see, all of the body armor you listed can all fit into those gear setups; what really defines which one you eventually use in a given situation is the other gear you have access to. That being said, I'll give you my thoughts on each one.

Minstrel Coat - used this until I obtained my first end game gear, which was an Osode. Gives you some skill for wind/string.
Errant Body - used this for - enmity and MP regen. It can be used for debuffing if it's your only option.
Shair - Arguably the best best body we have. It has good chr, has MP, and it has a big does of haste for casting songs. It is useful for almosy any situation since it has almost everything a bard wants for his job. Depending on your gear, you can make it the body you use all of the time.
Yigi - If you cant afford Shair/kill Vrtra, then you could go for this, but with only -song casting on it and +MP healing, it's lacking in any over all usage.
Osode - Arguably the best body we have. It has high CHR and MP, and it has VIT. This was my first end game body, and I still use it consistently.
AF +1 - A good de-buff/enmity body, depending on how you want to use it. Vit is also nice.

You could also go for a Dalmatica or Vermilions, but 1mp tic refresh just isn't needed in most situations, and I don't like too much HP -> MP gear. Nice to have on if you're doing nothing else, but realy, when is a bard not doing something else?

I currently use Osode for most situations and use the AF +1 for situations where I need a -Enmity/MP setup. Once I get my Shair body, I will replace the Osode. I have the gear to do a very nice Skill/CHR/MP/Haste setup that allows me to hit my B+ Wind skill, 94-100 CHR target, 379 MP with merits, and 20 haste for casting songs.

[tordall]

There isn't a single best peice of body armor for bard in endgame, the job is just too versitile.

Yigit body is a poor man's version of a manteel unless you're going for the whole set. The whole Yigit set is the only way to get both -% singing time and autorefresh at the same time.

For a "I want defence but don't want to pull hate" build I'ld go with the AF+1 body.

For a "I want to be a fake white mage" build I'ld go with the Dalmatica.

For a straight up pulling build I'ld go with Osode or AF+1 body.

For Meleeing I'ld go with Bard's Justaucorps or Osode.

For Tanking HNMs I'ld macro between the Osode and the Manteel (have the manteel macroed on for the 2 seconds around when you're casting mazurka).

[iDrizzle]

>.> it was mentioned that resists are nonexsistant as is....but I gotta tell yah, maybe it's because I"m still a newb in the dunes with my brd, but even with every +chr I can get, which is like +18 or something, I still get mad resists lol.

I know I'm a galka, but it just gets discouraging at times....wondering if I"ll even be able to do BC40 >.> because if you get resisted then you can wipe easy -.-

[Kizna]

>.> it was mentioned that resists are nonexsistant as is....but I gotta tell yah, maybe it's because I"m still a newb in the dunes with my brd, but even with every +chr I can get, which is like +18 or something, I still get mad resists lol.

I know I'm a galka, but it just gets discouraging at times....wondering if I"ll even be able to do BC40 >.> because if you get resisted then you can wipe easy -.-

Just wait, it gets better =) I'm Mithra, and I just gotta say that the CHR difference between the races isn't very big, not to mention relatively access to insane amounts of CHR+ gear easier than any other stat. The race your Bard is won't change how well you preform very much. Wearing RSE you'll probably get around the same CHR stat is other races for bc40, and more MP, and you'll have more HP, so I wouldn't worry too much =)

[Leri]

I'm pretty much like 11.. but I have a few things to add. ^^

I have also experienced resists with string instruments so I would rate AF1+1 as the last thing I would want. I simply do not like string instruments, but I am experimenting with meriting singing over wind atm.

From my experiences I do not like Osode. Its good for basic HNM's and things where hate does not become an issue. But I can kite Kirin as BRD/SMN wearing like -12 Enmity. Osode is like a deathwish at most HNM's in my eyes. Yeah I've gone to Kirin as /SMN sj for AA rolling >>; I dont spam elegy either, my guess is just the tanks died too much and I became most tasty?

I mostly use Errant and Vermillion on my bard. I'm working towards a Yigit body piece because I do not wish to spend that much on a Manteel~

The first set of gear you should work towards is Skill/CHR and then MP/-Enmity and last but hella fun Haste/MP for burn parties I'd say. =)

I'll end with everything and all playstyles aside: Errant body will last you a long time so be sure to pick one up.

[Valyana]

I have also experienced resists with string instruments so I would rate AF1+1 as the last thing I would want. I simply do not like string instruments, but I am experimenting with meriting singing over wind atm.

I use Mary's Horn and Piccolo+1 myself, but still use AF+1 body most of the time, for the HP, CHR, -Enmity and VIT. The only thing Errant has over it is +hMP, and when do we ever rest?

[Laifierr]

Who says you only need one thing? If I had the option, I'd have multiple pieces to be macroed in for different songs.

I'd love to have Sha'ir Manteel, Dalmatica, AF+1 and Minstril's coat

[Leri]

I use Mary's Horn and Piccolo+1 myself, but still use AF+1 body most of the time, for the HP, CHR, -Enmity and VIT. The only thing Errant has over it is +hMP, and when do we ever rest?

Obtaining the AF1+1 vs the Errant, I pick Errant.

I don't believe the slight different in stats is even worth the trouble for the body piece. I'm only shooting for gloves and pants myself. You're right a bard doesn't rest but I dont see why that rules out Errant. Besides BRD is not my only mage job. =X

[Icemage]

Ease of acquisition aside, AF1+1 is strictly better than Errant Houppelande for Bards. If you have the resources and capabilities to get the Bard AF1+1, you should definitely do so.


Icemage

[Leri]

Well then you might want to tell me why its so damn worth it.. cause I fail to see why. =X

[Palom_FF]

Just going to list the similar aspects:

AF+1
------
Def:45
HP+20
VIT+10
CHR+10
Enmity-3
String+6

Errant
--------
DEF:42
VIT-7
CHR+10
Enmity-3

With AF+1, you get more HP, more DEF, more VIT (17 VIT difference for pulling is huge), same -enmity, and extra string skill for sleeps.

[Yeargdribble]

The AF+1 body is potentially more useful than Osode because of all that it adds. I'd say by the time you can equip Errant you may as well stick the Minstrel's Coat in the closet to collect dust. 10 CHR > 3 skill without a doubt.

So for sheer landing power either Houppelande (basicaly useless with either of the following), Osode or Justa+1.

For times when you need a lot of MP Dalmy or Vermy.

For macroing in faster speeds Manteel or Gomlek.

For soloing Bard's Justaucorps or to a less extent Osode.

For tanking Osode.

The only time I could see the Minstrel's Coat being useful is if you had a painfully over-zealous CHR build and had far more than enough CHR on other slots and wanted the extra 3 skill on your body. But you definitely get more bang for you buck by wearing 10 CHR on your body and putting skill/MP/other on the rest of you.

[Ciros]

Since you have both a Minstral's Coat and an Errant body, I would macro them both in.

When using Elegy/Requiem/Threnody, switch to Errant, and when using any buffing song, switch to Minstral's Coat.

That's my two cents, anyway.

[Yeargdribble]

Well at 75 your buffs are essentially capped. Vilirum ran some tests on this. It requires a ludicrous amount of skill to add even 1 point to Minuet at 75 and all of the others are pretty much capped. Macroing in the Minstrel's Coat for buffs before 75 is a good idea but not so much at 75.

However, the Minstrel's Coat could have it's place. When going for a build to land songs it seems that there is a number that you need your CHR at. Most people have found that number to be 100 total and adding more CHR past that brings diminishing returns. For me thats +30 (70 base). Past this point it's more beneficial to add skill.

So if your CHR build (like mine once did) is hitting some ridiculous number over that you're not adding much to your landing power. It's easy to have a huge amount of CHR late in the game. While 10 CHR (Errant) is more powerful for landing compared to the Minstrel's keep in mind that's only comparing the two directly. You could easily replace the Errant with the Minsrel's if you put that 10 CHR somewhere else and the landing power would actually be greater.