Mandallorean
11-16-2006, 04:06 AM
Originally posted by Toyotomi
Role and expectations
The dirges' main roles in a group and raids are 1) Group Power Regen 2) Group DPS increase 3) Swinging Weapons with Rear and Sneak attacks 4) Slowing, Debuffing, and Weakening Mobs 5) Combat Rezes 6) Movement Run Buff 7) Escaping if needed. 8) Scouting - Invis and Tracking
Help make others do better and mob do worse:
Don't expect high damage output of any form. Your job is to help others do higher damage and to decrease the enemies performance.
At Higher Levels DPS output is high considering the Group Effect of the Songs. While looking individually at a Dirge, the damage output is one of the lower amounts. Add in the group combat effect and the amount that the group does damage increases to about 30 percent. Possibly 40 or 50 percent when debuffs and slows are counted in. The Dirge is not made to solo really, nor output damage on its own. It is the best Utility Character for Tanks and Healers or large groups of melees. The troubadour is more of a caster support and back up crowd control.
1) Power Regen:
The dirge has a line of Power Regen songs. This song really helps recharge power even during the battle and can help sway battles, or provide a little bit more for that last heal. If Power is not an issue, another melee battle song could be used.
Current Power song is : *Lvl 55- Bria's Glorifying Ballad = 28.0 per tick or 280power per minute
Prior Versions where Lvl 41- Bria's Exalting Ballad = 19.8 per tick
Lvl 27- Bria's Thrilling Ballad = 11.8 per tick
Lvl 13- Bria's Stirring Ballad = 5.0 per tick
Vs Troubadours they also get Health Regen song
Lvl 58- Quiron's Blissful Celebration = 58.0 per tick
Lvl 44- Quiron's Ecstatic Celebration = 43.0 per tick
Lvl 30- Quiron's Joyous Celebration = 26.0 per tick
Troubadours get Both Power and Health Regen. At level 64 (which is 2 levels away) I get a Heal over time takes from dirge , gives to target.
Lvl 65- Oration of Sacrifice = 81 hp per .3 secs for 8 secs gives from dirge to target. 45 sec recast. [= 2160 hp heal/45 secs]
2) Group DPS:
This is one area I enjoy. Several group songs help in this area. The DPS increase song, Str/Agi song, Combat Skill song, Proc song, and the Turbo Song. All of these helps all melee swing faster, harder, more accurate, and with procs.
*1.) DPS Riana's Spiteful Sustain Lvl 42- Increases Group 24% Combat Damage Per Second.
*2.) Harl's Rousing Strain Lvl 52- Increases Group 49 Str Agi
*3.)Turbo (Cacophony of Blades) Lvl 58- 12 Second Group 39% Haste, +each successful melee = Blade Chimes-Interupt Target + 71-119 Disease Damage
4.) Dissonant Boon Lvl 59- Increases Combat Skills Slash, Crush, Pierce, and Ranged by 21%
5.) Tomb's Stillness Lvl 5- Group wide allows 12% proc on successful attack of 83 to 138 disease dam.
*** 6.) Hyran's Seething Sonata Lvl 60- One of the most important songs for a Main tank. This Increases Hate to the given recipient by 31%. This means taunts are 31% better at getting aggro. It has an added bonus of giving 56 more strength which adds on to damage of the recipient, and helps generate a little more hate.
3) Swinging Weapons:
Duel Wielding is the way to go. Slashing or Piercing.
This is one area I like to focus on, that is normally passive and un tweaked in bard classes. Many bards go for the AGI focus route. Agi is considered the main stat for Avoidance and Power Pool.
Traditional Bard logic says AGI is primary stat.I focus more on Str then secondary Int. Str improves Melee Damage. Int improves Spell Damage.
Dirges Damage Spells are rather weak. I choose to improve the swing damage primarily, then secondary try Int. I swing pretty good for a melee, though my special attacks (damage spells) normally leaves that damage area lacking.
Currently I am pursuing the Blademaster line of AA. This means I need at least one slashing weapon on to do my new attack. I have used both slashing and piercing, though currently I am slashing focused.
I am using Steelrend's Flight Blade 44.8 rating and Ravasect Scythe-Arm 42.0 rating. I also have Prismatic Swiftblade 34.0 rating and Devolving Whip 40.3 rating.
My str is 468 self buffed , Int 136, Agi 301
4.) Slowing and Debuffing:
By slowing, I mean EQ1 definition- decreasing the attack speed of the mob (how fast they swing and cast). Snaring (decreasing movement speed) is very similar but applies to movement and is a cousin of rooting. Eq2 also allows decrease dps.
I have both ways to decrease attack speed (how fast they swing and cast) and decrease the actual damage they do.
My Daro's Line is my Attack slow line. It Area affects grouped mobs, and does not break mez.
Daro's Disconsolate Dirge Lvl-58 Decreases attack spead by 19.0 percent, and snares mobs for 25%.
Daro's is normally my first spell casted in a series of 5 debuffs as soon as puller comes back. On higher mobs it takes several attempts sometimes. If Impossible to Slow attack speed, I give up and switch to damage mode. Duration 1 min.
Next in line is my Discante series. It decreases Str and Agi of the attacker, thereby decreasing physical damage and damage avoidance of the mob.
Disheartening Discante Lvl-61 - Decreases Attacker's (area effect grouped, doesnt break mez) Str and Agi by 100. Duration 1 min.
Next I decrease the Mitigation against Physical Attacks.
Clara's Cataclysmic Cacophony Lvl-52 - Decreases Attackers (area effect grouped, doesnt break mez) Physical Mitigation (against slashing, piercing, and crushing) by 624. Duration 1 min.
Next I decrease Agi (damage avoidance) more to the direct target.
Lanet's Tumultuous Scream Lvl-62- Direct cast (target) Decrease Agi by 58. Also will apply a Scream on termination (after 20 secs) which does 506 to 846 Mental Damage. Duration 20 secs.
Next I decrease Disease Mitigation more to the direct target.
Verlien's Keen of Despair Lvl-51 decreases Disease Mitigation by 1224. Also snare's again 48% to the direct target. Duration 24 secs.
My final 2 debuffs are included with swings.
First I decrease the target's DPS with a back stab.
Shrieking Stab Lvl-61- inflicts 387 to 645 melee damage, Must be flanked (side or behind), Also Decreases Target's DPS by 27%, duration is 10 secs.
Last, I do some more defense debuffing.
Tarvin's Cantankerous Verse Lvl-50- decreases defense by 15.7 percent. Interrupts Target. Inflicts 48 to 81 disease damage.
After all of these, which takes about 7 to 10 secs normally to do all 7, I switch to swinging focus, and damaging. When the debuffs expire, I repeat if necessary.
5.) Combat Rez
Dirges receive both single and group Combat resurrections
6) Movement Run Buff
7) Escaping if needed.
8) Scouting - Invis and Tracking
*= Song that I always play
Role and expectations
The dirges' main roles in a group and raids are 1) Group Power Regen 2) Group DPS increase 3) Swinging Weapons with Rear and Sneak attacks 4) Slowing, Debuffing, and Weakening Mobs 5) Combat Rezes 6) Movement Run Buff 7) Escaping if needed. 8) Scouting - Invis and Tracking
Help make others do better and mob do worse:
Don't expect high damage output of any form. Your job is to help others do higher damage and to decrease the enemies performance.
At Higher Levels DPS output is high considering the Group Effect of the Songs. While looking individually at a Dirge, the damage output is one of the lower amounts. Add in the group combat effect and the amount that the group does damage increases to about 30 percent. Possibly 40 or 50 percent when debuffs and slows are counted in. The Dirge is not made to solo really, nor output damage on its own. It is the best Utility Character for Tanks and Healers or large groups of melees. The troubadour is more of a caster support and back up crowd control.
1) Power Regen:
The dirge has a line of Power Regen songs. This song really helps recharge power even during the battle and can help sway battles, or provide a little bit more for that last heal. If Power is not an issue, another melee battle song could be used.
Current Power song is : *Lvl 55- Bria's Glorifying Ballad = 28.0 per tick or 280power per minute
Prior Versions where Lvl 41- Bria's Exalting Ballad = 19.8 per tick
Lvl 27- Bria's Thrilling Ballad = 11.8 per tick
Lvl 13- Bria's Stirring Ballad = 5.0 per tick
Vs Troubadours they also get Health Regen song
Lvl 58- Quiron's Blissful Celebration = 58.0 per tick
Lvl 44- Quiron's Ecstatic Celebration = 43.0 per tick
Lvl 30- Quiron's Joyous Celebration = 26.0 per tick
Troubadours get Both Power and Health Regen. At level 64 (which is 2 levels away) I get a Heal over time takes from dirge , gives to target.
Lvl 65- Oration of Sacrifice = 81 hp per .3 secs for 8 secs gives from dirge to target. 45 sec recast. [= 2160 hp heal/45 secs]
2) Group DPS:
This is one area I enjoy. Several group songs help in this area. The DPS increase song, Str/Agi song, Combat Skill song, Proc song, and the Turbo Song. All of these helps all melee swing faster, harder, more accurate, and with procs.
*1.) DPS Riana's Spiteful Sustain Lvl 42- Increases Group 24% Combat Damage Per Second.
*2.) Harl's Rousing Strain Lvl 52- Increases Group 49 Str Agi
*3.)Turbo (Cacophony of Blades) Lvl 58- 12 Second Group 39% Haste, +each successful melee = Blade Chimes-Interupt Target + 71-119 Disease Damage
4.) Dissonant Boon Lvl 59- Increases Combat Skills Slash, Crush, Pierce, and Ranged by 21%
5.) Tomb's Stillness Lvl 5- Group wide allows 12% proc on successful attack of 83 to 138 disease dam.
*** 6.) Hyran's Seething Sonata Lvl 60- One of the most important songs for a Main tank. This Increases Hate to the given recipient by 31%. This means taunts are 31% better at getting aggro. It has an added bonus of giving 56 more strength which adds on to damage of the recipient, and helps generate a little more hate.
3) Swinging Weapons:
Duel Wielding is the way to go. Slashing or Piercing.
This is one area I like to focus on, that is normally passive and un tweaked in bard classes. Many bards go for the AGI focus route. Agi is considered the main stat for Avoidance and Power Pool.
Traditional Bard logic says AGI is primary stat.I focus more on Str then secondary Int. Str improves Melee Damage. Int improves Spell Damage.
Dirges Damage Spells are rather weak. I choose to improve the swing damage primarily, then secondary try Int. I swing pretty good for a melee, though my special attacks (damage spells) normally leaves that damage area lacking.
Currently I am pursuing the Blademaster line of AA. This means I need at least one slashing weapon on to do my new attack. I have used both slashing and piercing, though currently I am slashing focused.
I am using Steelrend's Flight Blade 44.8 rating and Ravasect Scythe-Arm 42.0 rating. I also have Prismatic Swiftblade 34.0 rating and Devolving Whip 40.3 rating.
My str is 468 self buffed , Int 136, Agi 301
4.) Slowing and Debuffing:
By slowing, I mean EQ1 definition- decreasing the attack speed of the mob (how fast they swing and cast). Snaring (decreasing movement speed) is very similar but applies to movement and is a cousin of rooting. Eq2 also allows decrease dps.
I have both ways to decrease attack speed (how fast they swing and cast) and decrease the actual damage they do.
My Daro's Line is my Attack slow line. It Area affects grouped mobs, and does not break mez.
Daro's Disconsolate Dirge Lvl-58 Decreases attack spead by 19.0 percent, and snares mobs for 25%.
Daro's is normally my first spell casted in a series of 5 debuffs as soon as puller comes back. On higher mobs it takes several attempts sometimes. If Impossible to Slow attack speed, I give up and switch to damage mode. Duration 1 min.
Next in line is my Discante series. It decreases Str and Agi of the attacker, thereby decreasing physical damage and damage avoidance of the mob.
Disheartening Discante Lvl-61 - Decreases Attacker's (area effect grouped, doesnt break mez) Str and Agi by 100. Duration 1 min.
Next I decrease the Mitigation against Physical Attacks.
Clara's Cataclysmic Cacophony Lvl-52 - Decreases Attackers (area effect grouped, doesnt break mez) Physical Mitigation (against slashing, piercing, and crushing) by 624. Duration 1 min.
Next I decrease Agi (damage avoidance) more to the direct target.
Lanet's Tumultuous Scream Lvl-62- Direct cast (target) Decrease Agi by 58. Also will apply a Scream on termination (after 20 secs) which does 506 to 846 Mental Damage. Duration 20 secs.
Next I decrease Disease Mitigation more to the direct target.
Verlien's Keen of Despair Lvl-51 decreases Disease Mitigation by 1224. Also snare's again 48% to the direct target. Duration 24 secs.
My final 2 debuffs are included with swings.
First I decrease the target's DPS with a back stab.
Shrieking Stab Lvl-61- inflicts 387 to 645 melee damage, Must be flanked (side or behind), Also Decreases Target's DPS by 27%, duration is 10 secs.
Last, I do some more defense debuffing.
Tarvin's Cantankerous Verse Lvl-50- decreases defense by 15.7 percent. Interrupts Target. Inflicts 48 to 81 disease damage.
After all of these, which takes about 7 to 10 secs normally to do all 7, I switch to swinging focus, and damaging. When the debuffs expire, I repeat if necessary.
5.) Combat Rez
Dirges receive both single and group Combat resurrections
6) Movement Run Buff
7) Escaping if needed.
8) Scouting - Invis and Tracking
*= Song that I always play