Are the Carols optional?

[Anna]

Hello^^

I have all bard songs but wanted to see if buying the Carols was worth it...

I mean won't the melee usually have melee songs, and the mages the ballads?

When would a bard have time to sing a carol?

I will buy them if there's instances that I will use them or if it's an end game thing (I have no clue :wasted: )

Replies are apreciated ;)

[lionx]

I believe its situational, usually i dont see BRDs use them for exp, however when fighting Fenrir, i think Dark Carol would be exceptionally useful, and for Carbuncle Mitt NM, Light Carol would be awesome. So i see it as something situational, not something for everyday exp.

[Tirrock]

I'd rank them as slightly more important than those resist status songs that bards get, if only because they're usually cheaper and easier to obtain. (NPC in lower jeuno.)

[Maju]

They are very useful in Avatar battles especially if your tank isn't on a very high level.

[Regenshire]

They are not used widely in XP parties, because there is always something better. However, they are very useful for non-xp parties where the enemy has a powerful AOE elemental attack that you want to mitigate damage on, such as Avatar battles, fighting bombs, ect. Always stack it with the corrisponding Bar- spell.

[UnnamedGalka]

I'd say don't pass on them. They're very useful situational songs.

[Regenshire]

I'd say don't pass on them. They're very useful situational songs.

Yeah, and they are not exactly expensive. Shouldn't hurt your bank much. I probally wouldn't buy the +1 instrument though, unless you plan on doing avatar battles. The +1 instrument might not be worth the cost if you don't use the songs much.

[Icemage]

Not optional if you're at end-game. Quite a few battles have elemental alignments that Carols can cover (the aforementioned Fenrir, as well as CoP Wyrms, Ouryu Cometh, and a handful of other occasional but important occasions).

For just XP parties, you'll never be singing Carols unless it's just to pass time and entertain parties durig downtime. :P


Icemage

[Goldesper]

Please, please, don't skip any of your spells. All of them are cheap enough with the exception of Carnage Elegy and Mage's Ballad, and there is no reason not to anyway.

[Yeargdribble]

I'd agree not to skip any of your spells. There are a few that I suppose are almost 99% useless but often your special songs can save you in certain situations. If Bind is an issue Gavotte+Barblizzara+Ice Carol makes it very difficult for a mob to land a solid bind on you.
If you're fighting Tavnazian Rams in XP without a WHM (or with a WHM) sometimes it's worth it to throw up Capriccio. I also use Capriccio for Rostrum Pumps runs.

Get all of your spells and never base their use only on what is good for XP.

[Ciros]

In EXP situations, Carol never really comes into play, but Carols can be very useful in certain BCs.

Water Carol can save your tank in the Steamed Sprouts BCs if the head mandy gets Flood off.

Dark Carol can save everyone several times in the Fenrir BC, and every Carol can be useful during Avatar battles.

Earth Carol comes in very handy during Ouryu Cometh.

Anyway, you get the point. The bottom line: They'll collect dust during EXP parties but get a workout in BCs.