Bard Masteries and a Sampire, which is most useful?

[Ender]

I have two accounts and finally got discord up to near GM, so I can bump it to 120 with jewelry and use it to support my sampire at peerless and SA bosses. I'm also working up provoking right now and have peacemaking above GM already. So with all 3 skills available, which bard mastery would likely be most useful for soloing?

I'm leaning towards peacemaking right now, with the damage reduction and regen bonus. Discord seems nice for extra damage but with the masteries apparently only lasting a few rounds re-casting them constantly may be too much of a hassle. Provoke may be good for extra stats, a damage modifier ignoring the 300% cap and extra HP, though I don't know if it breaks the 150 HP cap or not. Also extra healing every few seconds which could be nice.

 

[CorwinXX]

I believe none of masteries will be good before you get 120 real skill. Use Masteries to train them to 120 fast.

I would prefer Peacemaking.

 

[Ender]

That's what I've heard. I'm mostly using them as a bonus, the main draw is having the ability to discord things my sampire fights.

 

[azmodanb]

Peace.. Is my fav buff.

My bard uses discord when he goes out solo due to being his source of damage.

The difference between GM and 120 is huge. Area peace to 120 in a few days.. Or use masteries.

For discord or provo you just use masteries.

 

[Ender]

Peacemaking is already GM, so that'll be no problem. Provo is 82 though and that's been a pain so far. Will be easy at 90 though.

 

[Tuan]

I haven't fought in a party in at least a few years.

Does the bard need to stay close to the affected buffed party members, or can the bard be back in town while the group is in a dungeon?

 

[CorwinXX]

must be close

 

[Tuan]

By close I assume you mean the 18 tile max range for any barding ability?

@Ender how is it that you then plan to have a character from a 2nd account "support" the first? Seems like it's not so easy as simply buff and forget. It also looks like you must remain visible for masteries to be in effect, so I am a bit curious of the mechanics here.

 

[Logrus]

Masteries have an 8 tile range.
They also only factor true skill not modified skill values (unless in factions tat-loss)
Best buff for a sampire if you are already at max damage from slayer/perfection/enemy of one, would probably be the peace buffs. (The provo ones will provide stats, hp and healing and a minor damage increase, but the peace ones will provide serious regens and damage reduction which aren't subject to caps)

If you're going for a quick kill and can stand for the bard to be targeted, the disco masteries can drop strength or HCI on the target while dealing damage directly or stacking on sampires damage.

 

[Ender]

By close I assume you mean the 18 tile max range for any barding ability?

@Ender how is it that you then plan to have a character from a 2nd account "support" the first? Seems like it's not so easy as simply buff and forget. It also looks like you must remain visible for masteries to be in effect, so I am a bit curious of the mechanics here.

Usage will be against single targets so I'm not too worried about leaving the bard visible. His main purpose will be discording and the masteries are just a bonus.

Masteries have an 8 tile range.
They also only factor true skill not modified skill values (unless in factions tat-loss)
Best buff for a sampire if you are already at max damage from slayer/perfection/enemy of one, would probably be the peace buffs. (The provo ones will provide stats, hp and healing and a minor damage increase, but the peace ones will provide serious regens and damage reduction which aren't subject to caps)

If you're going for a quick kill and can stand for the bard to be targeted, the disco masteries can drop strength or HCI on the target while dealing damage directly or stacking on sampires damage.

Awesome, thanks.

 

[Merus]

Silly question. The obvious answer is 3 clients, 1 sampire and two bards, one running peace and one running provoke songs. I love bards and have a 4x one every account.

 

[Ender]

Silly question. The obvious answer is 3 clients, 1 sampire and two bards, one running peace and one running provoke songs. I love bards and have a 4x one every account.

That does sound really nice but I don't want to spend the monthly fee on a third account. Not right now, at least... Maybe in the future.

 

[Merus]

That does sound really nice but I don't want to spend the monthly fee on a third account. Not right now, at least... Maybe in the future.

It is about as close to god mode as your character will get. It works awesome for some of the more stationary bosses (slasher, Cora, etc.)

 

[Tuan]

Silly question. The obvious answer is 3 clients, 1 sampire and two bards, one running peace and one running provoke songs. I love bards and have a 4x one every account.

OHHH 3!?!? clients, no wonder I didn't think of that all by myself.

 

[Wolfman]

Provoke may be good for extra stats, a damage modifier ignoring the 300% cap and extra HP, though I don't know if it breaks the 150 HP cap or not. Also extra healing every few seconds which could be nice.

It breaks the HP cap (I was at 174 this morning....) It realy helps in party situations when no dragon meat-shield is available, i.e. the Shadowlord in the sunken Shipwreck. It is realy the lifesaver when all those wisps show up.
I cannot think of another situation where I needed it, but there it is very handy.

 

[Picus at the office]

I use both when doing Cora and basicly walk away from the room. I also use the damage increase special while working Despise, though I'm not sure if it works but I think it does. If there is a chance for a drop, like Cora, then the special that heals is the one to use as it allows that bard to have a chance for a drop. During that event with the bagballs and creatures(can't remember the name) I walked around adding people to a party and just healed but got nearly a drop every kill.

 

[Great DC]

Run your bard as a mystic and utuilize stone form and you can use him to tank anywhere, including paroxymous. Just FYI