Pac Healer doesn't have 2x DD shouts, nor a melee spec line, so no they're not the same in PvE or even PvP.

Bards have had so much love it's ridiculous, and asking for more is disingenuous. They're already one of the strongest and most desired classes in the game, but they're overloaded with group responsibilities and that's why especially newer players hate playing them. They're the ultimate support hybrid, and that's why they can not have stronger offensive capabilities.

Almost every recent patch has seemingly had Bard loving in it, and even an entirely sensible swap of an ability that Bards don't actually need (GH) and Wardens certainly did, was scrapped because of complaints from the Bard community. It worked though, and now Hibs have 2 secondary healers, and since Bards have speed5 they will never have to compete for that secondary healer slot. So with a Druid and a Warden in a Hib group, you have 3 big ST heals and speed6; not to mention primary CC, Celerity, PBT, TWF, etc. In Mid/Alb you need 4 slots just to get the 3 big ST heals + speed6! (And a 5th just for primary CC.)

So as is probably often the case, there is a bit of a conflict of interest between existing Bards and making the class more enjoyable to play for other new players. The class' existing hard-core players obviously don't want to simplify the class, or give up anything, since they're excelling at it with all those tools & group roles. However, this keeps new players from wanting to play the class, or even when they do try to play a Bard, they give up quickly in frustration over all the important utility roles they have to perform, while the rest of the group gets to focus mainly on blowing stuff up with almost no other tangible group-responsibilities of their own.

This sorta situation naturally leads to a decline in the class' popularity over time. Lowering the learning curve of Bards simply requires simplifying the class, and at that point it would also make sense to add some offensive capabilities.

 

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Right now bards are pretty solid but for none of the reasons that our Alb friend above imagines/wishes/pretends/dreams.

 

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Agree with Wind though.

 

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bards.... seriously

 

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As someone who plays a bard every time I log in, I would agree that bards need nothing. I don't WANT anymore...I need like 5 hotbars already to have everything up that I can do, it's ridiculous.

Now I wouldn't complain if bards got the PvE lifetap thing, but as mentioned they can already spec in a weapon and have DDs (which hit decently hard) to help with leveling, healers didn't even have that. I would also wish that the two specs be merged, but with a loss in spec points. But I'd rather not have bards running around with weapons out instead of what they are supposed to be doing.

Without a doubt it is already the best support class. The Healer is very close but it doesn't have endo/fast speed. And honestly I think both classes have no reason to be adjusted.


unless of course the lurikeen are allowed to be bards, that's the only thing I do support, but even I know it's a little unbalanced. Which is why I asked for the VW...and probably won't get that either.

 

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You must be bad at playing if you need love given to your bard.

Serious?

 

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Most of the arguements against Bard love, are from those who play a level 50 Bard. For those of us who don't have a level 50 Bard we find it a pain to level it, in many cases you're stuck in a bg spamming Bard lfg xp. So you decided to go out and do it yourself, and with the 2 points you have into weapon and it takes forever to kill a mob.(and don't say spec more into weapon, because when you do get a group. they get pissed if you don't have the chants/speed/mezzes you're supposed to)

If a Skald or Minstrel catches you by yourself, you have nothing to fight back with and you're as good as dead.

So then you say, well a Bard is a group class. But once again some of those BG's are almost empty at certain hours, so instead of leveling like you want to do, you sit there and wait for someone to log in and hope they'll group you.

To be honest it's far easier to level a Druid then it is a Bard.

 

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