Consume Damage v. Bard Mastery Songs

[ultima2005]

Hi all,

Random question, but I thought I'd throw it out there. Anyone ever compare the benefits of the bard song masteries v. consume damage? For years, my primary template has been a tamer bard, generally running taming/lore/magery/meditation/music/disco/peace or provo. My other main template is taming/lore/vet/magery/med/eval/spellweaving. I like the flexibility of switching between these two templates.

When running the peace or provo songs against harder foes, it seems the strategy is similar to using consume damage -- throw up a wall of stone to minimize the chance of switching targets. I also like that the bard songs also benefit the player -- for example, when Dreadhorn teleports me to him, damage is reduced by 27-30% when I'm running peace songs and I am poison immune.

Conversely, if I switch to a 120 taming/lore base, I would have room for spellweaving along with consume damage, which I really enjoy. However, this would require a major change to my template because I run with high skill +13 taming, lore, vet, and magery jewelry. I would probably just stick with 6x120 base template if I changed to 120 taming/lore and use the jewelry spots to improve my armor.

In short, do you think consume damage is worth it to change my template? Or should I just stick with what I am using?

 

[zieglers]

This is what I do:

Weaver/tamer - taming mastery
similar to your template

Tamer/bard - bard songs
4x120 real music skills
lots of skill bonus for taming (120), lore (120), magery (105ish)

 

[ultima2005]

This is what I do:

Weaver/tamer - taming mastery
similar to your template

Tamer/bard - bard songs
4x120 real music skills
lots of skill bonus for taming (120), lore (120), magery (105ish)

Yeah, I may end up taking this route, though it obviously will be costly and time consuming, haha. Do you prefer one template over the other?

 

[zieglers]

Do you prefer one template over the other?

As long as I'm playing with at least one other player, I always find the bard/tamer more useful. If I'm playing alone, I use my weaver/tamer or sampire.

 

[celticus]

Hi all,

Random question, but I thought I'd throw it out there. Anyone ever compare the benefits of the bard song masteries v. consume damage? For years, my primary template has been a tamer bard, generally running taming/lore/magery/meditation/music/disco/peace or provo. My other main template is taming/lore/vet/magery/med/eval/spellweaving. I like the flexibility of switching between these two templates.

When running the peace or provo songs against harder foes, it seems the strategy is similar to using consume damage -- throw up a wall of stone to minimize the chance of switching targets. I also like that the bard songs also benefit the player -- for example, when Dreadhorn teleports me to him, damage is reduced by 27-30% when I'm running peace songs and I am poison immune.

Conversely, if I switch to a 120 taming/lore base, I would have room for spellweaving along with consume damage, which I really enjoy. However, this would require a major change to my template because I run with high skill +13 taming, lore, vet, and magery jewelry. I would probably just stick with 6x120 base template if I changed to 120 taming/lore and use the jewelry spots to improve my armor.

In short, do you think consume damage is worth it to change my template? Or should I just stick with what I am using?

I think you are raising a good question, that is best answered by much better uo players than me at least. I suspect the answer to your question will depend on what you plan to be fighting against.
I hope that a super player like @PlayerSkillFTW , @Deadly Serious , @Pawain Or others with SW and bard experience weigh in.

 

[Pawain]

The mana regen is capped at 30 and the HP regen is capped.

Before the caps the peace spellsong was good for those. The poison time reduction works great. Perseverance works.
I use resilience when training the first round on low HP low resist pets.

The spellsongs from Provoke and Discord work with the party members and pets.

As said, if you have more than two players and one can use spellsongs your group is more deadly. Just keep aggro off their pet.

 

[Khaelor]

The mana regen is capped at 30 and the HP regen is capped.

Consume HPR is capped at 30. HP regen in general is NOT capped.

 

[PlayerSkillFTW]

Hi all,

Random question, but I thought I'd throw it out there. Anyone ever compare the benefits of the bard song masteries v. consume damage?

It really depends on what you're fighting, and if you're in a group or not. Consume Damage will allow your pet to shrug off most Physical damage, while consuming that physical damage to fuel a HPR/HCI buff for the pet. The HPR portion of Consume caps at +30 HPR. On a pet with 80 Phys Res or higher, a 120/120 Consume will make them virtually immune to Physical damage. That Tamer/Mage/SW template also has more pet healing capability through Vet/Gift of Renewal.
The Tamer/Mage/Bard template though has some very powerful group utility, which will also buff your pet, even against non-Physical damage with Peace Masteries. The Provo Masteries provide some particularly strong offensive buffs.

 

[Pawain]

Consume HPR is capped at 30. HP regen in general is NOT capped.

Yes, I was talking in general about the whole of HP regen thats why I did not use a number. We used to see 80 HP regens before the nerf to consume. We had a thread about this a long time ago. Some thought it ruined consume.

So to answer the main question for total HP regen. Which is better, Consume or Peace barding for HP regen. Consume plus 20 natural HP regen will give bursts of high numbers up to 50ish. 20HP regen plus the peace constant HP regen will be a value depending on skill.

I can take a pet to Navrey and give that a whirl. Ill use a squishy pet that does not keep full HP while running consume at Navrey. Cant take a pet that stays full health with consume plus it's HP adding bonus.

The mana regen is capped at 30. Theoretically if you are going to always run the peace spellsong you could reduce the amount of Mana regen on your pets build by the amount that your song gives. But you reduce the pets DPS if you are not always running the song close to the pet.

(when we say mana regen is capped at 30. We specifically mean the part that comes from the Mana regen ability and any thing added there.) Focus, med, intel can increase the total MR above 30.

The reason I say bard songs are better when there are more than two tamers is because I'm used to two tamers with SW and Mage. Two throwing WoD will knock out the last 30% fast. The added benefits from a spellsong will help all the pets and players so three with a spellsong would get the mob to that 30% faster than 3 just using pets and the owners own template.

 

[Pawain]

I was going to find a squishy horse to use but it is on the tamer account that has the bard.

Reptalon 900HP AI /chiv . Chiv is 109. HP Regen 20.
Testing on Navrey. Does not do 100% phy damage and poisons often.

I set up using consume only. The pet went to 760 HP and hovered in that area for about 5 minutes until it got webbed far away. I happened to get a phonecall so I talked a while. So the pet got back to 900 HP and mana back up. I lored often and saw HP regen at 50, 48, 20. It said 20 a lot.

Figured this was a good time to change to Resilience. Got the song going and verified the song was giving 18 more of each regen. So a constant 38 HP regen. Put the pet on Navrey and the HP slowly started dropping. In less than 5 mins the HP was at 550 so I sent the bard away and turned on Consume just to see what would happen. The HP went to 650 in a couple of minutes and stayed above that. It eventually got to 750 HP and I got bored and left.

So, if you are fighting against a pet that does some physical damage and is a hard hitter. Consume is better if you are comparing HP regen from Consume and Resilience.

I use resilience on 1 or 2 slot pets with low fire resist when training on the mage. So bard songs have a place.

When the account with the bard has a pet I run consume from the pet owner and do vets and heals from another tamer.

 

[Khaelor]

If you are using the Peacemaking masteries, you should be using them both together. Not just one or the other.

Together they are a very potent combination, Resiliences (at 4x120 barding) 22 HR, 22 SR, 22 Mana (though this usually overcaps a Pets MR attribute) reduced duration of curses, bleed and mortal wound (60% reduction at 4x120) And the increased resistance to poison.
Perserverance offers that DCI and 30% Damage reduction (and casting focus). And those are for ALL party members, not just the pets.

We mostly use our bard/bard tamer for a variety of useful things. Depends on what you are doing which mastery ends up being more useful. It can compliment a caster tamer well, if you have two accounts.

 

[Pawain]

Ugh 120 peace and music are not enough to get the max. That sux! Im out of room for more real bard skills.

 

[Pawain]

In short, do you think consume damage is worth it to change my template? Or should I just stick with what I am using?

If your pets are not dying them there is no need to switch.

If you play the two at the same time the mage tamer should be running consume and the bard running songs that best fit the encounter.

If you just play one at a time you can again choose which fits the scenario.

We just did a community hunt at Grizzle with 6 players. A bard toon would have been a welcome addition.

I got a swords primer III from Grizzle!

 

[ultima2005]

Thanks all for your input! I think, given the respective power of the bard and taming masteries, it makes sense to have two primary templates.

I finished up the first template this evening: 115 taming, 110 lore, 120 mage, 4X120 bard. I pieced together a decent high skill suit: all 70s, 40 LMC, 100% lrc, 25 DCI (45 with peace mastery), 16 MR (30+ with peace mastery), pads of cu, and a Kotl Black Rod. I am able to keep both peace songs running with the MR and human JOAT. I can't keep both provo songs running, but I usually only use inspire when I switch to provo mastery.

Next, I think I'll make a 120 taming/lore/magery/eval/med/sw template. I can use several of the same pieces from my bard suit to get 45 DCI, 90%+ SDI, 2/6, etc. This may take a while as I only have 90 taming, but the masteries will take me to 120, right?

Thoughts? Am I on the right track?

 

[Basara]

My tamer is

120 Taming
120 Provo
120 Lore (105+15)
120 Vet (105+15)
120 Music (105+15)
120 Disco (105+15) or Peace (105+15), depending on what's stoned on at the time.
100 Magery (most of it on equipment)

It's a fun template but you have to work to get the suit right (currently sitting at 1300 luck, but could get it better if I want to spend a lot of crafting on it)

 

[Pawain]

We just went over the DCI issue recently. Unless you are using a mage weapon in hand, or have wrestling you will not get the benefit.

Thoughts? Am I on the right track?

Both templates sound good. Is this one account or will they play together?

If just one account you can choose the one best for the encounter.

 

[PlayerSkillFTW]

Yes, I was talking in general about the whole of HP regen thats why I did not use a number. We used to see 80 HP regens before the nerf to consume. We had a thread about this a long time ago. Some thought it ruined consume.

I had seen HPR go up to 150 with Consume during Slasher's rock barrage attack. My Saurosaurus would regen all of his health back rapidly whenever Slasher did it, which was hilarious.

 

[ultima2005]

We just went over the DCI issue recently. Unless you are using a mage weapon in hand, or have wrestling you will not get the benefit.



Both templates sound good. Is this one account or will they play together?

If just one account you can choose the one best for the encounter.

One account.

Regarding DCI, I will be using a mage weapon (Kohl Rod) for the bard template, but a spellbook for the other. However, from my understanding, 120 eval + 20 anatomy from human JOAT = the equivalent of 80 weapon skills. This, combined with 45 DCI, should reduce hit chance to about 50%. Am I incorrect?

 

[Pawain]

One account.

Regarding DCI, I will be using a mage weapon (Kohl Rod) for the bard template, but a spellbook for the other. However, from my understanding, 120 eval + 20 anatomy from human JOAT = the equivalent of 80 weapon skills. This, combined with 45 DCI, should reduce hit chance to about 50%. Am I incorrect?

@PlayerSkillFTW can tell you if that works. He was just here.

 

[Pawain]

With or without the DCI. Both templates will be fun and practical.

I try to not get hit with any of my tamer or archer templates.