Anyone playing the Bard?

Trying some new classes here
Bard looks interesting,I like music, seems not too hard to play along these notes…but still…to use that in combat may be quite difficult or not?
Feels like ages to lead up one of these orbs and one is somehow disconnected from the world because hitting those notes and look if that crescendo is loaded up, then you have to look “correctly” at the enemy to hit it…

Didn’t play too long since I’m back…but I didn’t see any bards in public events or elsewhere

It’s that a playable class?

It’s not only playable but considered a better healing class than the Musky, by some, since it got a broad AoE-Heal, the bigger heals are auto-heals (idiot-safe, no aiming needed like with the Musky) and it does damage with its third orb, too. The orbs will charge faster once you got the talent, also the main thing about bard is to learn when to release your bigger heals and when to hold them back (I mostly hold back to safe them for critical situations). And how to move of course but that’s not much of an issue, you get used to it and also can hit notes while moving.

In some fights I can’t really imagine to use it since I miss the strong tank-heals with a shorter cd and the musky-shield, but that’s likely a matter of practice; in most fights and for trash bard is awesome.

its a grate class but don’t expect to hit off ground targets or bosses for some reason the crescendos miss most of the hits on them even when stood up. This has not been fixed but thanks to passive damage from harm its a tolerable bug (it’s also funny watching people bounce up and down on bard fun runs)

@Metris_Marshmallow
Which talent do you mean?

Mmmh…too many classes…where should I invest my time? :smile:

Aah damn it!

I still like my bow the most atm :smile:

I love my bard! I started playing it after the rework in beta 6, and dual-leveled it with my runemage to 30, pretty much solo. It is totally doable as a solo class. One thing is that it doesn’t have much visual feedback, so it is hard to know if the passive effects are working. (Trust me, the damage and healing passive effects work just fine :upside_down_face:)

Also, it is really easy to get sucked into the mini game. Being able to stay aware of your surroundings, move, and play at the same time takes practice. But it is doable! :slightly_smiling_face:

I rarely use the damage crescendos just because they are so hard to aim. To hit some of the bosses, I have to jump upwards at the same time I smack the instrument to make it hit. I use the passive ability of the Instrument of Harm almost exclusively for damage because it is easier than bothering with the zig-zagging bolts that sometimes hit another mob I wasn’t aiming for.

Wait a minute…what? You almost never use the damage crescendos?:hushed::hushed:
I must confess that was exactly what drove me away again yesterday…I played and waited hard that the crescendo is activating…and then I missed the enemy :unamused::grin:

So then I didn´t understand the mechanics of that class after all…could you help me?
What is necessary to have that passive effect working? Is it just that I have to activate the damage instrument (globe in the instrument) or does the crescendo has to be active (instrument “glowing”)?
If it is the first, then I just would concentrate on the notes of the instruments where I use the crescendo, or not?

Which instruments do you recommend for the beginner bard? or is it the same ones till lvl 30 anyway?

So…to “fight” you just position yourself near to the enemy and start playing without activating crescendos? or at least not the damage ones…when I would be solo I mean… which crescendos do you activate and when?
I mean there must be some! Otherwise I would play the tune once and then just walk around doing nothing :joy:

Still…just standing in front of a big monster and just play ´till it “dances to death” without really attacking it feels strange :upside_down_face:
The “realistic” and rewarding feel of aiming and acurately shooting the bow gives me more satisfaction somehow :hugs:

But that is the awesomeness of Orbus!! I can switch to anything I like (almost) anytime I want :smiley::love_you_gesture:

have to try that passive stuff tonight :wink:

This is something I’d actually like to see reworked/fixed. I got many hours in and still be unable to even hit a mob in front of me, which I’m facing straight forward, can’t even reckon why that thing never works but literally goes around the one you are facing.

What I noticed is that the mallet is not always following my sight… (oculus quest)
So I look to the right but the mallet stays more left and is then only in my peripheral view…I then have to go back and make a quicker head movement to make the mallet follow.

You can change that in General settings. It is called “head gaze” if I remember correctly. Try playing with that setting how much you want the mallet to be followed.

Bard has been hard for me in Orbus…but not because they aren’t a useful class.

First, I love bards in fantasy games and MMOs in general. In OG Orbus I remember thinking that this game really would be great for a bard because there is so much cool stuff the class could do in VR…so, when I heard that Reborn had new classes and one of them was a bard I was so so excited.

The problem with bard in orbus is that it one of the most awkward gaming feelings I’ve ever had. Mobs are hitting me/my allies and I don’t even look at them…I just keep tapping away. When I solo I don’t feel like I am actually “fighting” the mobs (I very much do in every other class in Orbus), but I notice every so often their health drops or mine goes up. I feel disconnected from this though as I just keep tapping the exact way I would if I was standing alone in my house. I find this disconnection from the action to feel very weird to me.

In terms of usefulness, bard is actually super good. DPS love us. Our heals are pretty much idiot proof as long as you know you range and can move enough to avoid the AEs and keep tapping in range of the group.

The crescendos work well aside from the offensive ones. Knowing when to release them makes a big difference in healing. The offensive ones are strange. I honestly feel like they need to be overhauled somehow…they don’t need to be more powerful per se, but their zig-zag release is just not playing right for me.

The throwing the baton? Weird…all I have to say about that. It doesn’t throw right for me (no matter how I try to do it there seems to be some VR or game issue that makes the throw feel awkward)…the loss of not having it isn’t worth it 99% of the time. Not sure if this is how it was supposed to be when they came up with it or not.

The instruments themselves could use some work too. First, it would be cool if each mix of orbs generated a recognizable tune. This would create an in-game musical pattern that folks would recognize what the bard is doing just by listening to him after experience of playing along with a bard in a group. Second, I would like to see more instruments eventually — if only for fun or quasi utility modes. Virtual flutes for mezzing comes to mind as just one example…but really this is just more about making the best use of immersion in a VR world where you character is playing a virtual instrument all of the time. I would love a drum, flute or lute just for the RP if not actual abilities.

Overall, I feel like the class plays well in terms of utility…but the mechanics still feel a little beta-ish to me. Hopefully more good things to come!

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You can have 6 instruments equipped, but only three (or four with the lvl 30 talent) active. The active instruments have a passive effect as long as you are playing the associated notes. The glow around the instrument only shows when the crescendo is available.

I still play almost the same instrument combo as when I first started, with a few minor tweaks:

  • Gentle Healing
  • Cure Wounds
  • Harm
  • Defense
  • Protection
  • Speed or Inspiration, depending on the situation

Getting into combat as a bard can be hard. If I’m alone, I either facepull or throw my mallet. If I’m with a group, I usually use the Gentle Healing crescendo to acquire aggro.

BTW, the baton throw is your interrupt for bard.

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That exactly! This is the feeling I had! That was why I kept releasing the offensive crescendos because I thought I must “fight” in some way at least.

On the other hand…I guess that is what Bards are doing, or not? They give the group (!) morale and strength by playing music…but with that said Bard does not fit to play solo so much for me…
If I played in a group and watch the others around and I see how I support them its fine that I´m not fighting that active I think…but running around alone dangling my tune mmmh…I´m not sure :grin:

I would like it more if I could learn a tune and then are allowed to play it in my own rythm and speed. Would be great then if that has influence on my performance…maybe faster activation if I´m able to play faster (to a certain reasonable degree of course)

I like your idea very much to have a musical pattern, even recognizable melodies…would make much more fun to play these!! Of course that could give copyright issues I guess?

There are actually subtle recognizable melodies. Each instrument has it’s own pattern, so each combo has it’s own tune. Unfortunately, they are very similar. I notice them because I’ve played the combos so much. If I accidentally switch an instrument during combat, I can tell within a few notes. But as far as being able to say, “Oh, the bard is using ‘X’ instruments right now”? Nope. It’s a little too subtle for that!

There is a talent which speeds up the notes falling. It isn’t exactly what you’re asking for, but it does change the speed :upside_down_face:

OK…so what if I make a mistake playing these notes? Is the passive effect interrupted? And if yes how do I notice?

No kidding? Throwing the mallet to get into combat?? :rofl::rofl:
I didn´t even know thats possible :grin:

I´m sorry…I´m not so fluend in MMO language…what is the “interrupt” when I throw the baton? :pensive:

There is no penalty for hitting the wrong notes, but either a decreased effect or loss of effect if you miss too many notes. Play with the speed instrument to see what I mean - it gives you a buff that vanishes if you don’t hit the notes occasionally.

Just having the damage orb active produces a small amount of damage, but by hitting the notes associated with it, you can do much more damage.

The interrupt is used to cancel certain actions mobs do - this is designated by a pink “interrupt” bar above their head. This includes the healing abilities of the fliers, the staff guys, and the shield guys. It also includes the poison ability of the mage mobs.

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