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:
- Versatility: Bards have a wide range of skills and abilities that allow them to fill many roles in a party. They can heal, buff, debuff, and deal damage, all while providing support and utility to their allies.
- Crowd control: Bards have access to spells and abilities that can manipulate the battlefield and control enemy movements. They can stun, charm, and incapacitate foes, making them invaluable in difficult encounters.
Cons:
- Timing: Timing the tunes is not always in the dire of the situation.
- Fragility: Bards are not typically known for their durability, and are often targeted by enemies due to their support and control abilities. They can struggle in solo play or in situations where they are targeted by multiple enemies.
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. |
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. |
Lore Mastery |
A high level of understanding of objects increases Regular Interaction Speed and Magical Interaction Speed by an additional flat +25%. |
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 / 10 / 12 seconds. The amount of boost (Poor - 5 per second, Good - 8 per second, Perfect - 11 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 - +3% per second, Perfect - +7% 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 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 / -25 / -40 for 18 seconds. |
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 all 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 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 2 Recoverable Health per second for 4 / 8 / 12 seconds for yourself and nearby allies based on your performance. |
Weapons
| 2-Handed |
Lute, Crossbow, Survival Bow, Flute, Drums, Lyre |
| 1-Handed |
Rapier, Falchion, Arming Sword, Short Sword, Castillon Dagger, Rondel Dagger, Hand Crossbow |
| Shields |
Buckler |
| Utility |
|
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
|
| Weight Limit |
0
|
| Spell Memory |
14
|
| Utility Effectiveness |
0
|
| 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.
-Chaotic discord is a great way to solo clean rooms. Mobs will kill each other while keeping the bard safe. Can also be used as a protection if attacked 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.
-Dissonance can make skeleton mages easy to manage if you have high enough dps as a solo or a group.
-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.
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
