a little Bard equipment love please...

[eecsman]

From the leaked bard enhancements for the coming enhancement pass, it looks like bards will be getting Wall of Sound (sonic version of Wall of Fire). If it works like WoF, it should be viable for melee bards too. Assuming all that is true, I kindly ask (plead!) for a new bard-focused piece of equipment:

Resonance ( >= 90)
xxx Sonic Lore
Devotion ( >= 90)
xxx Healing Lore
maybe a sonic melee proc? sonic burst?
not a weapon / shield / armor

The Resonance / Devotion values don't need to be top-notch, just good enough to be usable. And if this item isn't a trinket, melee divines will probably want it too, to pair with their Holy Symbol of Lolth. I'd probably prefer bracers or necklace, but I would probably build around it as long as it's not a weapon / shield / armor. (I'd REALLY like this as a quiver, but there's zero chance of that happening, and would open a whole new can of worms)

If there aren't any new quests to put it in, add it to the Hound of Xoriat, like those new items in Update 12.

[Jaid314]

if i was going to pick, i'd recommend gloves. casters have very very very few gloves that matter... though i suppose for those with greensteel gloves, it'd be a bit disappointing.

that said, helmet could work too.

[sirgog]

/signed.

Although bard equipment varies so much from spec to spec that it's not funny.

I'd be interested to see something like this:

Charmed Blade
Shortsword
Augmented Critical: 18/x2
Augmented Damage: 2.5[1d6]
Special: Not an Implement bonus item despite looking like one (it should be good enough to be viable without that)
Devotion 120
Major Enchantment Focus (+3 DC)
Greater Spell Penetration 6
On hit proc - 100%, 3d6 sonic damage (I think this might exist in game but I'm not sure of the name)
Greater Cacophony (On hit proc, 5%, 200+8d20 sonic damage i.e. exact copy of Greater Incineration)

Basically what an Epic Elite Swailing Blade is to a druid, this is to a bard that's specced as a caster that melees in their spare time (many a spellsinger these days).


It also comes with the following image.

http://cdn.iwastesomuchtime.com/662012184350ggg.gif

[Jaid314]

Basically what an Epic Elite Swailing Blade is to a druid, this is to a bard that's specced as a caster that melees in their spare time (many a spellsinger these days).[/img]

would probably need cha to hit or at least to damage to be of much value to most spellsingers, i would think.

or an interesting variation might be to have one that uses your perform as if it was your strength value... would be kinda crazy, and would feel more like a kludge to keep sorcerers from getting the bonus (and i suppose the occasional weird paladin build?).

maybe have it proc something based on perform... like having spellsingers proc their SP bonus (one check every time you crit?), virtuosos could proc their HP bonus (again, check per crit)... and well... i dunno for warchanters. if i kept with the theme they'd probably get something incredibly "useful" like a bonus to fear saves. maybe just give a mini-song that lasts a few seconds and grants an extra +1 to hit and damage? still kinda wimpy compared to a chance to proc the other two abilities... maybe an attack speed boost in an area? (nothing huge, like, 5% or something? or might have to settle for double strike).

other possibilities could include making it keen (again, if you want this to be for use in occasional melee) and maybe give it inspiring echoes (or a similar effect that works for a few of the fatesinger abilities?)