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Class idea: Bard

ArRashid
ArRashid
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I've noticed that the amount of support spells went down rapidly since launch, so I'm gonna blurt out some ideas for more or less pure support class that could become a capable healer, or a weapons oriented damage dealer. Heavy attacks are buffed so player feels less discouraged to take support abilities instead of damage dealing ones.

Bard is centered around buffs (both to himself and to the group) so there is minimum class abilities that deal damage. Also, all spells are cast centered on caster, so Bard needs to position himself in the thick fight, often risking his hide for someone else's sake.

Skill tree:

I Entertainment (lute)
- emphasis on miscelanous buffs and CC

R - Burst of Joy
-> Removes all movement impairing effects in 20m radius around caster and makes affected allies immune to them as long as they stay in area of effect. Last until caster performs another action. Chanelled (character is playing a lively song with lute for the entire time).
Morph1: Spirit of Joy
-> Summons a spirit of a deceased bard to perform the song for you. Lasts 20 seconds. (Spirit is stationary and can be killed)
Morph2: Dance of Joy
-> Caster can move without breaking the chanelling. (Gotta get running animation while playing lute for this though :D)

1 - Whiplash
-> Strikes target enemy with a whip (20m range), dealing 1.5x WeaponDamage and reducing his movement speed by 30% for 10 seconds.
Morph1: Disarming Lash
-> Has a 25% chance of knocking off enemy's weapon ( = enemy must get down to pick it up, works pretty much like knockdown for 2 seconds)
Morph2: Whip Choke
-> Adds an IMPALE synergy. Whip wraps around the enemy, immobilizing it for up to 5 seconds (caster can't do anything for 5 sec, unless he doesn't care synergy activation window disappears). In this window, ally can activate IMPALE synergy which deals high damage to the enemy.

2 - Encouraging Song
-> Buffs allies around caster, making their first attack in 10 seconds deal 25% more damage.
Morph1: Nerves of Steel
-> The first damage taken in 10 seconds is reduced by 50%.
Morph2: Pre-battle Rush
-> Increases movement speed of affected allies by 25% for 10 seconds or until they deal damage.

3 - Rhapsody
-> Sacrifices 20% of your maximum magicka to restore 10% of your maximum magicka to every affected ally.
Morph1: Energizing Rhapsody
-> Also increases your magicka regeneration by 20% for 10 seconds.
Morph2: Magnificent Solo
-> Increases your stamina regeneration by 20% for 10 seconds.

4 - Trickster
-> For 30 seconds caster becomes gradually harder to hit by physical attacks, increasing dodge chance by 5% every 2 seconds.
Morph1: Drunken Fist
-> If caster successfully dodges an attack, enemy has 25% chance of being thrown off balance.
Morph2: Elusiveness
-> Caster has 25% chance of dodging physical and magical single target attacks for 30 seconds.

5 - Lover's Kiss
-> Target enemy turns on his allies ( - in PvP target can now hit his allies.. "accidentally") for 10 seconds.
Morph1: Jealousy
-> Target also takes 15% increased damage for the duration.
Morph2: Poisoned Lips
-> Target also suffers poison DoT.

passives:
- Increases the amount of stamina and magicka generated by heavy attacks by 10/20%.
- Eating food and drinking beverages is 15/30% more effective.
- Damage dealth by critical hits is increased by 10/20%.
- Decreases the chance of being hit by enemy attacks by 5/10% for 30 minutes after drinking alcohol.




II Warsong (drums)
- emphasis on combat utility and performance

R - Battledrums
-> Increases attack speed of allies in 20m radius by 20% for 15 seconds. Caster is immobile. Chanelled (character is violently beating drums in insane rhythms)
Morph1: Battle March
-> Caster can move around while chanelling. Also increases movement speed of all affected players by 15%.
Morph2: Drums of War
-> Also increases heavy weapon damage by 20% for the duration.

1 - Improvised Strike
-> Strike with your weapon in melee range (bash animation), dealing 1,2x WeaponDamage and stunning and throwing enemy off balance for 3 seconds.
Morph1: Desperate Bash
-> Adds more power into the strike, dealing 20% more damage and knocking the target 5m away and down for 5 seconds (instead of stun+offbalance)
Morph2: Improvised Slash
-> Affects all enemies in front of you.

2 - Battle Focus
-> Toggle: Increases heavy attack damage by 20% while reducing light attack damage by 30%.
Morph1: 6th Sense
-> Also detects nearby stealthed players.
Morph2: Battle Insight
-> Every 10 seconds your light attack deals damage equal to heavy attack and has 25% chance of throwing enemy off balance.

3 - Lucky Shot
-> Shoots a crossbow for 1x heavy attack damage (instantly). If the enemy is hit from behind, deals double damage. (this attack has 25% increased chance to critically hit)
Morph1: Miracle Shot
-> Shooting from behind while stealthed also stuns the enemy for 5 seconds and throws him off balance.
Morph2: Finishing Shot
-> Deals up to 300% increased damage depending how low enemy health is. (ability uses stamina)

4 - Battle Command
-> Passive: Increases stamina and health of allies within 30m by 15%. Active: Increases stamina regeneration by 20% for 10 seconds.
Morph1: Attack Command
-> adds TO BATTLE synergy for the active effect - Reduces the Stamina cost of abilities of all affected allies by 20% for 10 seconds.
Morph2: Defend Command
-> adds TURTLE UP synergy for the active effect - Reduces the Stamina cost of defensive actions (block, roll dodge) by 30% for 10 seconds.

5 - Drum
-> 1,2 second cast time, caster centered 15m radius. Hit the drum so loud that enemies around you have their movement speed reduced by 70% for 5 seconds.
Morph1: Loud Drum
-> Enemies also cover their ears in pain, becoming unable to use their weapons and abilities for the duration. (enemies are then deaf for 30 seconds, becoming immune to this ability)
Morph2: Thundering Drum
-> Enemies in 10m radius are knocked down and thrown off balance for 3 seconds.

passives:
- Increase heavy attack damage by 15/30%.
- Increase attack speed by 5/10%.
- Roll Dodge distance increased by 25/50%.
- Enemies damaged by bard skills have 5/10% chance of missing, throwing them off balance instead.



III Ballad (flute)
- emphasis on healing and magic

R - Remembrance
-> Increases healing taken by allies in 20m radius by 20% for 15 seconds. Caster is immobile. Channeled (character is playing a sad song on flute)
Morph1: Remember the Fallen
-> Rise Again synergy: A single ally who has died while affected by Remembrance can be instantly resurrected with 50% health, stamina and magicka.
Morph2: Funeral March
-> Caster can move around while channeling. Also decreases damage taken by affected players by 15%.

1 - Harmony
-> Heals the target with lowest health for a large amount.
Morph1: Symphony
-> Adds I CAN DO THIS synergy: Healed ally can activate synergy to reduce damage taken by 20% for 10 seconds.
Morph2: Peace of Mind
-> Additionally heals for the same amount over 12 seconds.

2 - Hope
-> Allies around you are shielded for 25% of their maximum health.
Morph1: Paragon of Hope
-> Targets are also healed for 25-50% of the shield strength based on their distance from caster.
Morph2: Opportunity
-> While shields hold, allies deal 15% more damage. (ability costs stamina)

3 - Lullaby
-> Puts target into magically induced sleep for 15 seconds.
Morph1: Deadly Lullaby
-> Attack that wakes the sleeping target deals double damage.
Morph2: Bad Dreams
-> Target also loses 0,5x SpellDamage health each 2 seconds. This damage does not wake target up.

4 - Sadness
-> Toggle: Increases healing done by 15% but reduces damage done by 30%.
Morph1: Purifying Tears
-> Healing spells also cost 10% less magicka.
Morph2: Lasting Sadness
-> All healing spells with a duration last 15% longer (adds tick(s) for HoTs)

5 - Sacrifice
-> Swaps positions with ally with lowest health.
Morph1: Willing Sacrifice
-> Also heals target you've swapped with for 30% of your remaining health. (your health is not consumed)
Morph2: Protector of the Weak
-> For 5 seconds after swapping positions you take 50% less damage from Area of Effect abilities.

passives:
- increases healing done by 4/8%.
- decreases magicka costs by 4/8%.
- increases spell critical chance by 3/6%
- decreases the cost of sprinting in combat by 12,5/25%.


Finishing Shot and Opportunity are the only morphs using stamina.. Opportunity would probably be the first group absorb shield to use Stamina to cast it.

Example of Support Damage dealer:
R Drums of War, unless you rather take guild/vampire ultimate for more actual dps
1 Finishing Shot (finisher)
2 <weapon ability>
3 Opportunity (active shield+buff)
4 Battle Insight (toggle)
5 Attack Command (passive + active buff)

Support builds can be too many to even pick..
  • glak
    glak
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    Templar + PvP support skills, done.

    EDIT: DK's earthen heart tree by itself does pretty well for offensive support
    Edited by glak on 21 March 2015 23:34
  • PKMN12
    PKMN12
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    Bard as the class that powers through song has not really been a thing in TES, the bards of TES are illusion-based battle mage like characters.
  • Cody
    Cody
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    no ultimates?:(
  • Cody
    Cody
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    I myself want the shaman and the hunter to come into play at some point.
  • timidobserver
    timidobserver
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    Not a fan of the bard idea at all, but very good write up nonetheless.
    V16 Uriel Stormblessed EP Magicka Templar(main)
    V16 Derelict Vagabond EP Stamina DK
    V16 Redacted Ep Stam Sorc
    V16 Insolent EP Magicka Sorc(retired)
    V16 Jed I Nyte EP Stamina NB(retired)

  • Kahrgan
    Kahrgan
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    I would play it.

    EQ1 bard represent!
  • gurugeorgey
    gurugeorgey
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    As a musician irl, I love playing Bards. The TES lore hasn't really had much room for Bardishness, I'd definitely play a Bard class in TESO.
  • icjaeger90b16_ESO
    icjaeger90b16_ESO
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    I loved to bard in DAOC for many years, then I was mainly bard in RIFT and I would like to bard in ESO.
  • Deviante
    Deviante
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    As nice as most of these class ideas are (the bards, the monks, the necromancers, the reapers etc) I seriously doubt any new class lines will be introduced to the game.

    What is more likely is DLC featuring a quest/story line with a single skill tree attached that will allow you to adapt the current classes into this playstyle.

    Personally I would like to see something along the lines of my bearshaman from aoc :P
    Edited by Deviante on 23 March 2015 00:41
  • ArRashid
    ArRashid
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    Cody wrote: »
    no ultimates?:(

    If you were reading carefully, each tree has ultimate, 5 abilities and 4 passives. Each ability has 2 morphs..

    I was trying to make most spells not actually do any "real magic", instead Bard would only use their overwhelming charisma to inspire the group to do better (with a song or "taking the lead" as a battle commander shouting orders), or perform a cheap trick of a sort (like whipping mobs and powerbashing them with your weapon's handle and such..).. my fantasy ain't that good though so there are a few abilities that ARE spells no matter how you look at them (Sacrifice, Harmony), so perhaps those would need replacing to be entirely "lore friendly"
  • glak
    glak
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    Deviante wrote: »
    As nice as most of these class ideas are (the bards, the monks, the necromancers, the reapers etc) I seriously doubt any new class lines will be introduced to the game.

    What is more likely is DLC featuring a quest/story line with a single skill tree attached that will allow you to adapt the current classes into this playstyle.

    Personally I would like to see something along the lines of my bearshaman from aoc :P
    Paul Sage had said in the past that they won't add any new classes in the foreseeable future but willing to add more skill lines to current classes. So far we have not heard a peep about what they have planned thus far as they have been bitten too much on things like the shelved One Hand & Rune.
  • ArRashid
    ArRashid
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    glak wrote: »
    Templar + PvP support skills, done.

    EDIT: DK's earthen heart tree by itself does pretty well for offensive support

    Well, after Molten Weapons rework, it was kinda weakened.
    Not that Molten Weapons mattered above lvl 20 anyway.. they didn't scale, they've just added a static buff to weapon damage..

    You get 1 group absorb shield (rather weak, or at least it used to be.. it was gone in a single (blocked even! as the order of damage was shield first, THEN block and armor mitigation) attack on allies or two on you) and 1 70% slow with small area of effect (but it deals quite a lot of damage now), in addition to that, you have 1 short stun and 1 long (but VERY easily breakable) stun.. which are both virtually useless now thanks to CC diminishing returns, as they are probably largely ignored by mobs.
    Edited by ArRashid on 23 March 2015 16:02
  • WraithAzraiel
    WraithAzraiel
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    Spellcrafting.
    Shendell De'Gull - V14 Vampire Nightblade

    Captain of the Black Howling

    "There's no such thing as overkill..."

    "No problem on the face of the Earth exists what can't be fixed with the proper application of enough duct tape and 550 cord."

    P2PBetaTesters
    #Tamriel_BETA_Team
    #BETA_TESTER4LYF
    DominionMasterRace
    #GOAHEADTHEYGOTCANDY
    #SEEMSLEGIT
  • ArRashid
    ArRashid
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    Spellcrafting.

    I somewhat really doubt it will be "free enough" to do such things. I really fear we'll get a list of ~20 most basic magic effects and we'll get to pick 1-2 for a spell and additional one for a morph and that will be it.. but I haven't researched anything about it as I wasn't reading any TESO related news since about August 2014
  • Feidam
    Feidam
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    Bard college skill line would solve the this and then be accessible to the 4 current classes expanding on the "flavor" of the bard
  • kokoandshinb14a_ESO
    PKMN12 wrote: »
    Bard as the class that powers through song has not really been a thing in TES, the bards of TES are illusion-based battle mage like characters.

    good! im down for that-- Ive enjoyed my melee bards since EQ1, DAoC, and Shadowbane.
  • Cody
    Cody
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    ArRashid wrote: »
    Cody wrote: »
    no ultimates?:(

    If you were reading carefully, each tree has ultimate, 5 abilities and 4 passives. Each ability has 2 morphs..

    I was trying to make most spells not actually do any "real magic", instead Bard would only use their overwhelming charisma to inspire the group to do better (with a song or "taking the lead" as a battle commander shouting orders), or perform a cheap trick of a sort (like whipping mobs and powerbashing them with your weapon's handle and such..).. my fantasy ain't that good though so there are a few abilities that ARE spells no matter how you look at them (Sacrifice, Harmony), so perhaps those would need replacing to be entirely "lore friendly"

    well label them "U" and not "R"

    I myself would never enjoy something like this; i I prefer to be taking the fight to the enemy. but it still sounds interesting
  • gurugeorgey
    gurugeorgey
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    What would be really cool would be some kind of environmental trigger (in any given fighting area) that does something really tide-of-battle-turning, the equivalent of an "ultimate", that would duplicate the kind of thing trickster/bardish characters do in films - like, you know, he sidles out of the battle trying to avoid trouble, notices a broom, correctly positioned so that if he were to kick it, some strategic piece of furniture comes crashing down on the baddies' heads - that type of thing. Environmental "traps" that are there but can only be found and activated by tricksterish characters. So the "ultimate" is to be found in the environment, so to speak.

    It could be a line like legerdemain, but more "trickster" archetype
  • Rust_in_Peace
    Rust_in_Peace
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    Maybe not as a full on class but a World skill line would be interesting.
  • Francescolg
    Francescolg
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    Beside all the attractive advantages of getting a new class, we already had a very nice class which was able, pre-1.6, to do a "stamina song" (and hp) for an 80% increased regen. time buff.

    The templar's Radiant Aura skill was what made our fellow Templars the "bards of ESO".

    Unfortunately, an unexperienced development team nurfed this very useful group support buff ability to the ground from 80% to 20% in 1.6.

    Second, this ability became a new buff, which is triggered by many other skills/etc., as stamina-pots, making the Templar skill much less attractive and nowhere unique.

    Many Templars didn't use radiant Aura but in skilled PvP teams it was a must-have, enabling all your team members to use their stamina for break-frees, to keep up immovable, etc. etc.

    FANTASTIC SKILL! (it was)
  • ArRashid
    ArRashid
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    That's essentially what I said in the first post - that many of the current support spells were nerfed hard (probably again for the sake of PvP) - sorc's dark magic ultimate, nightblade's shadow ultimate, templar's aura, DK's molten weapons...

    Then again, if you're trying to "balance" horde vs horde fights, you're trying to do the impossible (ESPECIALLY in a game that has no cooldowns). The most you can do is make buffs unique so they won't stack from several players.
  • montgomery.luke07b16_ESO
    My god I would be all over this class in a heartbeat. Played a similar type class in Archeage and it was hella fun
    By Hircine's hand i mark thee!
  • Uviryth
    Uviryth
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    I love songbased classes in every mmo possible. I would play that!
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