Bard/Minstrel Mechanics

[Reckqq]

Rogue - Bard - Minstrel
Requirements: 16 Str, 12 Int, 16 Agi, 16 Chr
Experience points to level 25: 330 million exp

Skills and Features
Rob - Bards may attempt to rob gold from both players and monsters. Their chances at success are not as high as that of a Thief.
Play Instruments - A musical instrument, such as the Lute, is required for Bards to play a song.

Song - Ballad of Belzur

Much like Illuminatus, this song allows the performer to create an orb of light that follows them for a short period of time.
lasses: Bard (8)
Mana Cost 15

[Zeroun]

I think this class in general should be entirely reworked to be an aid to Priests during oads. They should be a support song based class with different songs that aid the party. Such as auras that affect the entire party, but significantly reduced for PvP interactions. They should have like song buffs that slightly increase some of the following: hit/dodge rate, healing over time, slightly increase AC, damage buff, etc. They should have a cycle of songs, but they can only play one song to buff at once and a player can only receive 2 or 3 buffs at once. So now minstrels become insanely useful for PvE, but be careful for PvP. I don't think they should have damaging spells period, but that's up for debate. I think playing songs should consume mana over time instead of a flat amount so they can't just reap the aura benefits with one cost. Having 2-3 minstels in an oad group would almost be necessary to help take a load off the priest and give additional effect.

TL;DR Make them aura supports with light single target healing, maybe one damage spell.

[NiteHawk]

I think this class in general should be entirely reworked to be an aid to Priests during oads. They should be a support song based class with different songs that aid the party. Such as auras that affect the entire party, but significantly reduced for PvP interactions. They should have like song buffs that slightly increase some of the following: hit/dodge rate, healing over time, slightly increase AC, damage buff, etc. They should have a cycle of songs, but they can only play one song to buff at once and a player can only receive 2 or 3 buffs at once. So now minstrels become insanely useful for PvE, but be careful for PvP. I don't think they should have damaging spells period, but that's up for debate. I think playing songs should consume mana over time instead of a flat amount so they can't just reap the aura benefits with one cost. Having 2-3 minstels in an oad group would almost be necessary to help take a load off the priest and give additional effect.

TL;DR Make them aura supports with light single target healing, maybe one damage spell.

I fully agree with minstrels being a heavy support role. That is exactly how I pictured it too, one song 'active' at a time giving passive bonuses to the group itself. I don't think they should be a damage class at all. Mana being consumed is an okay way of doing it. Passive 'same' spells should not stack. What about attacking? Does attacking stop a song? Should it just be a passive thing that consumes a attack to change and then you can stop it whenever afterwards? They would require the main weapon to actually be an instrument i'd say, right? Or should this be an additional item?

They should still have healing spells. I would say low amounts though, maybe only 'curel' (as we'd call it.)


Think up 4-5 SIMPLE 'songs' too. Start off very small and smart. As you stated.

Damage Buff
AC Buff
Dodge Buff

are the three typical ones. The next onces could be:

'INT buff' (would be simple to add this way.), would boost spells in general though.
or what you said, a simple passive healing over time.

[Rodeo]

War song could be a spell...but this could make bards awesome supper In pvp aswell. I like where this is going bard is the only class I refused to lvl. Now they might be worth looking ito.

[Kawasaki]

I agree with the support role. The class should have a specific instrument required to play the songs and it should be equipped in the weapon slot in order for them to be able to cast the song. Having a small group heal over time (10-15hp per 10 seconds?) would be a good start. Should the song drain mana over time or require a large bulk of mana (51%?) to cast so that they had to wait until playing another song if they needed to switch to a defensive song.

Maybe a small DoT song for usage to damage a group of monsters (terrible music hurts the ears of every opponent in the room)

[NiteHawk]

I agree with the support role. The class should have a specific instrument required to play the songs and it should be equipped in the weapon slot in order for them to be able to cast the song. Having a small group heal over time (10-15hp per 10 seconds?) would be a good start. Should the song drain mana over time or require a large bulk of mana (51%?) to cast so that they had to wait until playing another song if they needed to switch to a defensive song.

Maybe a small DoT song for usage to damage a group of monsters (terrible music hurts the ears of every opponent in the room)

A different item per song could work too. It depends on how people feel on that. As we get more people we will adjust stuff.

Changing spells should probably 'exhaust' you. Aka take all your turns. I think that requiring 51% of mana is getting a bit too difficult to process. I would say changing spells has an initial mana fee, then a slow drain if anything. So rapid changing spells would hurt your mana.

[Satsujin]

I think a different instrument being needed per song might be overkill a bit. Something more like a divinity amulet might be more in order, where the song in question isn't as effective without the right amulet, so switching between them would be slower.

[Lateralus]

I think a different instrument being needed per song might be overkill a bit. Something more like a divinity amulet might be more in order, where the song in question isn't as effective without the right amulet, so switching between them would be slower.

Like the amulet idea or it being tied to an ammy as well.

[Dorgon]

I think a different instrument per effect is overkill, but the idea of a small mana cost then drain over time to continue the song is awesome. Bards were the only ones I couldn't think of a reason to play other than RP'ing, which was completely gone by the time I started doing that. Making them important in PVE is a great idea. Also, on a sort of side note, I can't offer any art or anything, but I can definitely can write descriptions. If you guys want me to do some of that, please let me know. This is so cool!

[NiteHawk]

I think a different instrument per effect is overkill, but the idea of a small mana cost then drain over time to continue the song is awesome. Bards were the only ones I couldn't think of a reason to play other than RP'ing, which was completely gone by the time I started doing that. Making them important in PVE is a great idea. Also, on a sort of side note, I can't offer any art or anything, but I can definitely can write descriptions. If you guys want me to do some of that, please let me know. This is so cool!

Feel free to help with writing 8)