The Bard's Melee Weapon powers

[Merlin the Tuna]

Hmmm... Perhaps I should have been clearer?
I am not asking whether you think the Bard class is good or not, nor am I asking you to compare it to other Classes; I am asking if you also feel the Bard's Melee Weapon powers - and only his Melee Weapon powers - are noticeably weaker, for the most part, when compared to his - and only his - Implement or Ranged Weapon powers, and If so, I was also wondering if you agree that's a problem, or not.

The biggest problem I found in playing a Bard through a fair chunk of Heroic was just that there simply weren't enough Melee Weapon powers. There's only one or two at any given level, so if they don't suit your concept or your party composition pretty well, you're quickly stuck going with ranged or area powers, which is kind of a bummer.

 

[Ryujin]

Well, when I use Guiding Strike, the victim is usually ignored or attacked on a different defense, while when I use Vicious Mockery the target tends to be focus fired to death prior to making another attack. Let's call it a wash.

And when I use Cunning Ferocity everyone wants to jump on that one creature and spend an AP, so that they can get a big +7 damage per hit (4 from CF and 3 from a Warlord multi-class). If I want something taken out, like yesterday, all I have to do is throw that power out.

Then again they rather enjoy when I bounce opponents' heads off the wall for a lousy 4hp, with Staggering Note, because they get to take another whack at the guy they're beating on.

 

[fafhrd]

Then again they rather enjoy when I bounce opponents' heads off the wall for a lousy 4hp, with Staggering Note, because they get to take another whack at the guy they're beating on.

This one is particularly fun when you're running around with a bunch of int and cha based gimps with MBAs reminiscent of the antics of a peewee softball team.

Perhaps I wasn't fair on my first pass. Melee bard, while lacking a diversity of options, seems to have the edge on range in terms of effectiveness.

 

[Ryujin]

[MENTION=61026]tuxgeo[/MENTION] - Yes, Resourceful Leader is the feat. I've thought about taking Bravura Leader also, for a total of +10 when I toss out Cunning Ferocity, but I doubt that any of my party members would want to give up Combat Advantage.

"He's not so tough; the cross-eyed git. Give 'im a stab and a twist. Whattaya stepping back for? Twist it again! He won't hit back. Honest."

This one is particularly fun when you're running around with a bunch of int and cha based gimps with MBAs reminiscent of the antics of a peewee softball team.

Perhaps I wasn't fair on my first pass. Melee bard, while lacking a diversity of options, seems to have the edge on range in terms of effectiveness.

I have dreams of a cultured group of Elardin Bard/Warlord multis doing an Alphonse and Gaston routine, while pounding the opposition into compost.

After you.

No, no. After you.

I couldn't possibly. After you.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

I have dreams of a cultured group of Elardin Bard/Warlord multis doing an Alphonse and Gaston routine, while pounding the opposition into compost.

After you.

No, no. After you.

I couldn't possibly. After you.

I was going to do this with a player, we were going to be paladin brothers. Never happened, unfortunately.

As for bard melee powers, I will weigh in to say that with my current bard, I find most of the melee powers a little weak, compared to the other options. I've had to fill in with implement and ranged powers in several spots, because the melee powers either sucked really bad or there were better flavour choices for me to make.

That said, he's a leader, not a damage monkey, so I guess it's expected. I wish there were better variety of melee powers for them to choose from, or at least that the ones presented be a little more potent. It's almost like the melee powers have crappy effects because they're expected to do more damage, except that they don't. Almost like all the powers are missing a 1[W] or something.

As far as the leadership goes though, he is pretty effective at bailing party members out of trouble, so I guess weaksauce melee powers isn't a problem.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

His melee powers all have an effect. This is the point. He does not have to hit with his dailies...
it just decides if he does full or half damage... nothing more. And many powers have an effect for the rest of the encounter.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Guiding Strike rocks. If a character has only one melee power, that's a damn good one to start with. Cunning ferocity is ... not bad. It actually looks better than it is IMO (in practice it's little better than guiding strike).

But beyond that there are no real wins in heroic IMO. You can't beat Rhyme of the Blood Seeking Blade - a truly awesome ranged weapon power. And implement powers tend to be more useful and flexible. Which makes bards ranged skirmishers who can pull out their swords when they ahe to.

 

[Aulirophile]

Hmmm... Perhaps I should have been clearer?
I am not asking whether you think the Bard class is good or not, nor am I asking you to compare it to other Classes; I am asking if you also feel the Bard's Melee Weapon powers - and only his Melee Weapon powers - are noticeably weaker, for the most part, when compared to his - and only his - Implement or Ranged Weapon powers, and If so, I was also wondering if you agree that's a problem, or not.

Yes. Guiding Strike doesn't compare to either Vicious Mockery or Staggering Note, really, and for second At-Wills you're looking at some minor THP generation. There are many levels with outright terrible options, particularly for dailies. The best thing to do as a Bard is to take MC Swordmage/AIP/or use a Songblade so you can use a Heavy Blade as an Implement. I also really enjoy using the Farbond Spellblade enchant so I can take Implement/Melee/Range powers and use them all with the same weapon.

 

[Ryujin]

Though Guiding Strike can be used with flanking to give an effective +4 to hit, vs. a specific defence, thereby making it much more likely that some melee class party member can lay the Daily power beating on the target.

Bards aren't specialists, unlike most of the other classes, but rather generalists. They're the Swiss Army Knife leader.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

Don't get me wrong, I like Guiding Strike, it's just too bad that the Ardent has a melee at-will that does all that, and more, in that it makes a penalty to all defences, not just one.

I also like Warsong Strike. It's good early on in heroic tier, but it's no Sacred Flame.