I just come from TC and did two quest ( disco and Provo) and it seen that I can only use once Master skill at the time. I can switch between them. I still need to test this skill during combat and with friend. Look like it will be a nice add on for a bard support.
Hmm, that's interesting. What was required for you to switch between them?
Back to the ongoing argument in this thread. I think bards angry because all bard skills are being looked at as a single skill. In other words, someone who dedicates 240 skill points (music & either discord, provoke or peace) get the exact same amount of mastery skills as someone who dedicates 360 or 480 skill points.
The best example would be crafting skills, which already have something akin to mastery. Carpenters can read a book and be stone-masons. Alchemists can read a book and blow glass. Miners can read a book and learn to dig up gemstones and granite. 3 separate skills, and the same person can master them all. If instead "crafting" were classified as a single skill set like "barding" is being handled, then you could only master one of those things. (Ok, so nobody cares about crafting glassware or stone, but you get the picture).
People rarely run with more than one melee skill, but they often go with multiple spellcasting skills. Necro Mage, Mystic Mage, Necro SW Mage, and on and on. People are able to reap the benefits of each 120 points the dedicate to a new skill. For each 120 points they use, they can operate at the same efficiency as someone else who has just one spellcasting skill. Bard skills should be looked at in the same way. Otherwise, I think what we'll end up with is people choosing a max one bard skill, then mixing in with other skills. I'm not saying this is good or bad, personally i don't have any 480 skill bards, but I just don't believe you should be forced to operate a lower efficiency just because you selected more than one bard skill.
I'll just say that if the skill mastery is a way to enhance the bard experience and perhaps encourage more people to give the skills a try, then forcing mastery choice is a mistake. The main reason for my belief is that players will continuously find themselves in different situations. It's normal for people to hunt in a group, then go off and hunt on their own; to hunt a peerless boss then tiny creatures at a mini-spawn; to be killing monsters then forced into PvP. The different skills are beneficial in different situations, and being forced to choose one will limit the playability options. I think it makes most sense that people who have reached a certain level in a skill can achieve mastery in that skill and just limit use to one at a time. That makes the logical sense as well, that someone can be grandmaster (or legendary) in peace, provoke & discord, but they still can't play more than one song at a time.
Finally, a little rant. Yes, bards did get some of the stuff we asked for, but GOD is right when he says we've been asking for these things for 8 years. In the interim, every other adventuring class (I'm leaving crafters out of the discussion) has received lots and lots of new stuff. Dexxers have gotten massive swing speed & damage bonuses, hit spells and effects, special weapon attacks, not to mention support skills like chivalry, bushido & ninjitsu. Archers got all that and more. Mages have gotten gear for FC/FCR, Mana Regen, LMC, spell damage increase, invasion spellbooks and whole new schools of magic. Tamers get several new pets every major publish, not to mention greater dragons and dread warhorses. Bards got...nothing. Since discord was introduced (along with a HUGE nerf to provoke), bards have gotten no new skills. Bards have received no useful equipment (dread flute isn't exceptional, flutes of renewal were thrown in simply because instruments are the only items that can be repaired or runically crafted, they give no advantage). So, now that they have finally decided to give bards some attention, we're just hoping it's something we're happy with.
