Overview
Bard (BRD) is a Disciple of War job unlockable at level 30 as an upgrade from the Archer class and is a Physical Ranged DPS job.
Unlock and Guild Information
- Guild: The Archers' Guild is in New Gridania.
- Guild: Archers must specialize into bard once they reach level 30, and complete the quests Sylph-management and The One That Got Away.
Equipment
The bard is a disciple of war and wears armor and accessories "of Aiming". They use bows as weapons.
History & Lore
The Bard's tradition is deeply rooted in the sylvan nation of Gridania and the sacred duty of the Gods' Quiver. The Archers of the Gods' Quiver are sworn protectors of the Black Shroud, using their unparalleled skill with the bow to defend the Twelveswood and its people from external threats and the wrath of the elementals. Their discipline is one of silence, patience, and precision, learning to become one with their forest home.
The Bard's art represents an evolution of this martial discipline. It is said that during the Autumn War, a lone Archer, moved by the despair and fading morale of their comrades, began to sing a ballad of home and hope amidst the chaos of battle. The song, carried on the wind, stirred the hearts of the weary Elezen and Hyur soldiers, granting them a second wind. This moment revealed a profound truth: that the soul of an Archer, tempered by the forest's whispers, could channel its focus not only into an arrow's flight but also into a melody that could fortify the spirit.
Thus, the path of the Bard was born. These individuals master the bow of the Gods' Quiver but also take up the harp or lute, becoming chroniclers and minstrels. They travel beyond the Shroud, gathering stories and songs from across Eorzea. In battle, they recite these tales through empowering songs, transforming their archery into a performance that bolsters allies' strength, speed, and magic. The most famous modern exemplar of this tradition is the Wandering Minstrel, a legendary bard whose retellings of the Warrior of Light's adventures are so vividly passionate that they manifest as even greater challenges.
Current Mechanics
- Job Gauge: Song Gauge
- Job Gauge: Soul Voice and Coda Gauge
Trivia
- The Bard's original Job Questline in A Realm Reborn involves seeking out a lost melody known as "The Song of the Wanderer," deeply tying the job's unlock to its lore as a storyteller.
- Prior to the major job redesign in the Endwalker expansion, Bard songs required active "performance" (a channeled action) to provide their buffs, and they had a more complex repertoire system tied directly to critical hits from damage-over-time effects.
- The "performance" action available to Bards (and later, all players through an orchestrion) allows them to play musical instruments freely, leading to the creation of large player-run bands and concerts in major cities.
- The iconic three-song cycle is a reference to traditional bardic tropes: the ballad (narrative song), the paean (song of praise or triumph), and the minuet (a dignified dance).
