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:
(Note Count) x 100
You can equip an additional perk every 5 levels.
Currently maxed out at Level 15, so a total of 4 perks can be equipped.
Name
Description
Charismatic Performance
Upgrades a 'good' performance into a 'perfect' performance.
Dancing Feet
Increases your flat Move Speed by +10 when holding an instrument.
When a rapier is equipped in either hand, "Buff" Weapon Damage increases by +2 and Action Speed increases by an additional flat +5%.
Reinforced Instruments
50% increased Physical Power Bonus when attacking with a musical instrument as a weapon. (This does not apply to Song playing)
Story Teller
Give all party members within 4.5 meters +3 Will and Knowledge.
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 +50.
War Song
If the performance is successful, increases "Buff" Weapon Damage of yourself and allies within 4.5 meters by +3 for 6 seconds.
You can equip a total of 2 skills.
Name
Description
Cooldown
Dissonance
Creates an unpleasant noise to block hostile targets within a certain area from casting spells and Silence them for 3 seconds. See Silence page for more details.
30s
Encore
The next song is automatically played to the end without any input and is sure to succeed. Additionally, the song is played at the maximum 50% play speed regardless of the Bard's Dexterity.
- Cast Time Intervals are Rounded, and represent the time between each note in a song
- Base durations are calculated with (as of Patch #2) base 15 Persuasiveness
- Some songs are noted to not scale with Persuasiveness, meaning they always last the listed amount, before Buff/Debuff duration. Noted as "No Persuasiveness scaling"
- Some songs technically apply no duration where their affect lasts only while Channeling, like Peacemaking and Chaotic Discord, meaning they cannot possibly scale with Persuasiveness nor Buff/Debuff duration. Noted as "N/A (technically no duration to scale)"
Name
Description
Range
Damage/Persuasiveness Scaling
Cast Time
Cost
Sample
Rousing Rhythms
Increases All Attributes of nearby allies by +2/+2/+2 for 30/60/90 seconds.
3/4.5/6 meters
Persuasiveness: 2x/4x/6x
Total: 3s
Intervals: 0.75 > 0.75 > 0.75 > 0.75
3
Din of Darkness
Does 1/3/5 Dark Magical Damage per beat to all enemies in an area around the performer.
Grants +5/+7/+9 additional flat Move Speed for 30/60/120 seconds. Song does not stack on itself. This buff only applies to yourself.
3/4.5/6 meters
Persuasiveness: 2x/4x/8x
Total: 2.4s
Intervals: 1.2 > 0.6 > 0.3 > 0.3
1
Allegro
Gradually grants additional flat Action Speed and Spell Casting Speed to you and nearby allies for 8 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.
3/4.5/6 meters
No Persuasiveness scaling
Total: 3.75s
Intervals: 1.0 > 1.0 > 1.0 > 0.75
4
Accelerando
Gradually increase the flat Move Speed of yourself and nearby allies for 8 seconds. The amount of boost (Poor - 1 per second, Good - 3 per second, Perfect - 5 per second) stacks up to 3 times over the duration of one song.
Blocks enemies from casting magic for 1/1.5/2 seconds. See Silence page for more details. Does not work on boss or sub-boss monsters.
4.5/4.5/4.5 meters
No Persuasiveness scaling
Total: 3.83s
Intervals: 0.8 > 1.0 > 1.0 > 1.0
2
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 channel duration.
3/4.5/6 meters
N/A (technically no duration to scale)
Total: 5.9s
Intervals: 1.5 > 1.5 > 1.5 > 1.5
3
Lament of Languor
Reduces the Move Speed of all enemy targets by a flat -10 for 6/12/18 seconds.
3/4.5/6 meters
Persuasiveness: 0.4x/0.8x/1.2x
Total: 2.82s
Intervals: 0.7 > 0.7 > 0.7 > 0.7
2
Chaotic Discord
Excites nearby monsters to attack the nearest target except the performer. Monsters deaths inflicted by other monsters are accredited to the Bard, at least for Adventure Points.
-Total buff duration is equal to, (Bard's Persuasiveness * Song's Persuasiveness Scaling) * Buff Receiver's "Buff Duration"
-Since songs take some time to perform, the Bard needs anticipation to be played well. Song speed will scale with your Manual Dexterity stat, which is based on Dexterity.
-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 stalling 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.
