Description
Bards in Dark and Darker are versatile performers, who use their skills in music, storytelling, and magic to support their allies and hinder their enemies. They can cast a wide variety of spells, ranging from healing and protection to charms. Bards can also inspire their allies with rousing speeches and music, boosting their morale and granting them temporary bonuses. In combat, bards can use their weapons and martial skills, but they excel at using their charm and wit to manipulate their enemies, making them an unpredictable and dangerous foe.
Class Info
To play the lute, the bard needs to hold the instrument and then activate the Skill: Music Memory by pressing the default E button. From there, the player can select the desired song and initiate it by right-clicking.
To successfully activate the song's effect, it is crucial to hit the right notes at the right time. As the song plays, the player should press the right mouse button at the correct moment to ensure a smooth and uninterrupted performance. If the player can successfully play the song to the end, the song effect will be activated, providing a variety of benefits in combat and other game scenarios.
Weapon of choice: Rapier
- Pros:
- Extremely good selection of powerful passive buffs. Passive healing, spell restoration for friendly casters, as well as defensive and offensive buffs alike.
- Able to manipulate NPCs with a variety of crowd control songs. Able to massively debuff NPC damage resistance, up to 60% extra damage with Shriek of Weakness which is great for bosses
- Access to melee weapons, a shield, and ranged options, allowing for high versatility.
- Several AoE damage sources and debuffs, allowing for strong space control and party play.
- High interaction speed and movement speed (when buffed).
- Highest potential Luck stat + Can unlock chests with Unchained Harmony
- Cons:
- Tunnel vision: it is difficult to be aware of your surroundings and make the right decisions while switching instruments, focusing on the music minigame, and rotating your buffs.
- Weak without buffs, leading to slow gameplay and clears when played solo. If played too hastily, there is the risk of getting caught in PvP while unbuffed.
- While versatile, has a limited gear selection and is a jack of all trades. Only bow is the Survival Bow, only shield is the Buckler, and only has access to a few melee weapons.
- Timing tunes is not easy in dire situations.
- Low durability and limited access to armor.
- Very loud, attracting attention from other players.
Music Minigame
Songs have different effects depending on how they are played, Bad/Good/Perfect each giving different performances.
Each hit add a score to the performance.
- Good Hit = 70 (White part of the note)
- Perfect Hit = 100 (Gold part of the note)
Score determines performance quality if it is higher than the thresholds:
- Bad = 50%
- Good = 65%
- Perfect = 90%
Total possible score:
You can equip an additional perk every 5 levels.
Currently maxed out at Level 15, so a total of 4 perks can be equipped.
Charismatic Performance |
Upgrades a 'good' performance into a 'perfect' performance. |
Dancing Feet |
Increases your flat Move Speed by +10 when holding an instrument. |
Lore Mastery |
Drinking Ale heals 5 HP and grants +10 flat Move Speed when drunk. |
Lore Mastery |
A high level of understanding of objects increases Regular Interaction Speed and Magical Interaction Speed by an additional flat +25%. |
Melodic Protection |
While playing, the caster's Physical Damage Reduction is increased by an additional flat +15%. |
Rapier Mastery |
When using a rapier, Weapon Damage increases by +3 and Action Speed increases by an additional flat +5%. |
Reinforced Instruments |
50% increased Physical Power Bonus when attacking with a musical instrument. (This does not apply to Piercing Shrill.) |
Story Teller |
Give all party members around a +3 Will and Knowledge buff. |
Superior Dexterity |
50% faster switching time when switching between weapons/utility items. |
Wanderer's Luck |
Increases the chances of finding high-quality items when opening treasure chests. Increases Luck by a flat +100. |
War Song |
If the performance is successful, increases nearby allies' Weapon Damage by +3 for 6 seconds. |
You can equip a total of 2 skills.
Dissonance |
Creates an unpleasant noise to block hostile targets within a certain area from casting spells and silence them for 3 seconds. |
30s |
Encore |
The next song is automatically played to the end without any input and is sure to succeed. |
30s |
Music Memory |
Can store up to 4 sheet music as space permits. |
/ |
Music Memory 2 |
Can store up to 4 sheet music as space permits. |
/ |
Drum
Accelerando |
Gradually increase the flat Move Speed of yourself and nearby allies for 8 seconds. The amount of boost (Poor - 3 per second, Good - 5 per second, Perfect - 7 per second) stacks up to 3 times over the duration of one song. |
Allegro |
Gradually grants additional flat Action Speed and Spell Casting Speed to you and nearby allies for 8 / 10 / 12 seconds. The amount of boost (Poor - +3% per second, Good - +4,5% per second, Perfect - +6% per second) stacks up to 3 times over the duration of one song. |
Beats of Alacrity |
Grants +25 additional flat Move Speed for 30/60/120 seconds. Song does not stack on itself. This buff only applies to yourself. |
Din of Darkness |
Does 1 / 3 / 5 Dark Magical Damage per beat to all enemies in an area around the performer. (Scales with 6%/9%/12% of added Magical Damage per beat.) |
Rousing Rhythms |
Increases all attributes of nearby allies by +1 / +2 / +3 for 30/60/120 seconds. |
Flute
Banshees Howl |
Reduces all Attributes of nearby enemies by -1 / -2 / -3 for 20 seconds. Does not work on Boss or Subboss monsters. |
Piercing Shrill |
Does 15 / 20 / 25 Physical Damage to a target causes the echo sound effect on the affected target for 3 seconds if the target is a player. (Scales with 50% physical damage) |
Shriek of Weakness |
Grants a debuff to nearby enemies that lowers Physical Power Bonus by a flat -2% / -4% / -5% and flat Armor Rating by -10 / -20 / -30 for 18 seconds.
Damage Increase Graph
 |
|
Unchained Harmony |
Open all nearby doors/containers, including locked doors and containers. Does not work for doors that require a special key. |
Lute
Aria of Alacrity |
Grants a flat +15% to Action Speed for 30 / 60 / 120 seconds. Song does not stack on itself. This buff only applies to yourself. |
Chaotic Discord |
Excites nearby monsters to attack the nearest target except the performer. |
Lament of Languor |
Reduces the Move Speed of all enemy targets by a flat -20 for 6 seconds. |
Peacemaking |
All nearby players and monsters temporarily lose the will to fight when enchanted by the channeling section of the song. 8 seconds cast time. 6 seconds duration. |
Song of Silence |
Intercepts both ally and enemy spells and prevents the caster from casting magic for 2 / 4 / 6 seconds. Does not work on boss or sub-boss monsters. |
Lyre
Ballad of Courage |
Grants +10% increased Physical Power Bonus for 10/60/120 seconds. Song does not stack on itself. This buff only applies to yourself. |
Chorale of Clarity |
Restores 2 Spell Points every 3 seconds of all nearby resting allies for 8 / 16 / 24 seconds. |
Harmonic Shield |
Grants a buff to self and all nearby allies that lasts for 60 / 90 / 120 seconds that gives +40 flat Armor Rating and +40 flat Magic Resist. |
Song of Shadow |
Turns self and all nearby invisible for 15 / 25 / 35 seconds. Invisibility breaks upon movement. |
Tranquility |
Gradually restores 1 Recoverable Health per second for 10 / 20 / 30 seconds for nearby resting allies based on your performance. |
Weapons
Armors
| Head |
Straw Hat, Feathered Hat, Leather Bonnet, Leather Cap |
| Chest |
Troubadour Outfit, Wanderer Attire, Regal Gambeson |
| Legs |
Bardic Pants, Leather Chausses, Loose Trousers, Leather Leggings, Cloth Pants, Heavy Leather Leggings |
| Hands |
Leather Gloves, Riveted Gloves |
| Feet |
Heavy Boots, Lightfoot Boots, Old Shoes, Laced Turnshoe, Adventurer Boots, Rugged Boots |
These Stats do not include the starting armor
| Stat Name |
Base Stats
|
| Strength |
14
|
| Agility |
14
|
| Will |
7
|
| Knowledge |
20
|
| Resourcefulness |
20
|
| Health |
98
|
| Spell Memory |
14
|
| Move Speed |
298 (99.3%)
|
| Action Speed |
-1%
|
| Spell Casting Speed |
0%
|
| Equip Speed |
-7%
|
| Regular Interaction Speed |
43.2%
|
| Magical Interaction Speed |
60%
|
| Buff Duration |
-20%
|
| Debuff Duration |
25%
|
| Armor Penetration |
0%
|
| Magic Penetration |
0%
|
| Headshot Reduction |
0%
|
| Projectile Damage Reduction |
0%
|
| Physical Damage Reduction |
-10%
|
| From Armor Rating |
0 (-10%)
|
| From Bonuses |
0%
|
| Magic Resist |
-4%
|
| From Resist Rating |
7 (-4%)
|
| From Bonuses |
0%
|
| Physical Power Bonus |
-2%
|
| From Physical Power |
14 (-2%)
|
| From Bonuses |
0%
|
| Magic Power Bonus |
-40%
|
| From Magic Power |
7 (-40%)
|
| From Bonuses |
0%
|
| Primary Weapon |
0
|
| Attack 1 |
(0) + 0(Blunt)
|
| Attack 2 |
(0) + 0(Blunt)
|
| Secondary Weapon |
0
|
| Impact Power |
0
|
| Primary Weapon Impact Power |
0
|
| Secondary Weapon Impact Power |
0
|
-Since songs take some time to perform, the Bard needs anticipation to be played well. Song speed will scale with your Spell Casting Speed stat.
-The Bard has access to many powerful songs. Considering bringing both Song Memory skills to maximize your versatility.
-Remember that not all of your buffing songs will buff your party. Some songs, such as Beats of Alacrity, Aria of Alacrity, and Ballad of Courage will only buff the Bard playing the song.
-Chaotic Discord is a great way to solo clean chaotic rooms. Mobs will kill each other while keeping the Bard safe. Can also be used as a protection if attacked by other players while in a room full of mobs.
-Peacemaking can be a powerful temporisation tool, but beware of ranged attackers outside of its AoE. The song is quite long to play, so beginning it before the encounter is recommended. It also will not disable spellcasters.
-Accelerando is a powerful tool both for fleeing and engaging.
-Tranquility is a reusable heal, but depends on the quantity of Recoverable Health. In groups, it is most useful on high Health classes, like the Barbarian, or classes who generate a lot of Recoverable Health, like the Warlock.
-Shriek of Weakness can nearly double your party's physical damage against mobs, and can provide significant assistance against plated Fighters and Clerics.
-Chests opened with Unchained Harmony gives experience to the Bard. In theory, this would mean that Bard's Luck is used to generate the loot of the chests, however this is not confirmed.
2023/09/12 Early Access Hotfix #11
- Accelerando's duration decreased from 12s -> 8s, and movement speed boost decreased from 5/7/9 -> 3/5/7 movespeed
- Drum's movespeed penalty increased from -20 -> -30 movespeed
- Bard’s Song of Silence now targets ALL nearby targets including oneself.
- The effect radius of Bard’s Unchained Harmony has been changed from 600 -> 300.
- Bard’s Tranquility now heals 1 recoverable hp/s over 10/20/30 seconds.
- Bard’s Tranquility effect now only applies while resting.
- Bard’s Chorale of Clarity effect now only applies while resting.
2023/08/22 Early Access Hotfix #6
- Bard’s Din of Darkness's ‘Attribute Damage Ratio’ reduced from 10%/30%/50% to 6%/9%/12%.
2023/08/17 Early Access Hotfix #4
- Din of Darkness attribute application factor has been changed from 50%/50%/50% to 10%/30%/50%.
- Piercing Shrill's attribute application factor has been changed from 50%/50%/50% to 10%/30%/50%.
- Accelerando's added flat Move Speed per stack changed from 5/10/15 to 5/8/11
- Allegro's added flat Action Speed and Spell Casting Speed per stack from 5%/7%/9% to 3%/5%/7%.
- Harmonic Shield additional flat Armor Rating and Magic Resist Rating changed from +50 to +40.
2023/08/14 Early Access Hotfix #3
- Shriek of Weakness's AR Debuff nerfed from -30 / -45 / -60 to -10 / -25 / -40.
- Chorale of Clarity's Spell Recharge per second nerfed from 8 to 2.
2023/08/07 Early Access Launch
- Several new songs and perks added
2023/04/15 Alpha Playtest #5 Hotfix #1
- Fixed an issue where Bard's Tranquility was not properly healing players.
2023/04/14 Alpha Playtest #5 Launch
- Added to the game
