Pure bard + Pure support viable?

[Erica9635]

I haven't played in so long and was wondering if a pure support build is still desired at all. Years ago I could solo heal dungeons and would break spell pen with a 2 (or maybe 1?) even on the hardest setting to make things dance, etc. It was a lot of fun, but I heard the game is now all high dps high survivability builds where everyone self heals and everyone does a ton of damage. I know you can build Swashbuckler and still have decent healing and support... I just find pure support to be a lot of fun. Appreciate any info! Thanks!

[Wh070aa]

Kinda? in reaper mode you would probably be more than welcome, but if you want to play pure support you probably need people to play with, so you don't get left being unable to solo stuff if you have bad luck with finding PUG's.

The thing is most people can self buff most of the stuff, so pure support does not add that much to the party, especially with the cast times, and immune enemies. Most people can deal with trash pretty efficiently by themselves.

That said there is certainly a place for charm spells and the high DC CC in reaper content, so yes its viable enough (as long as the quests don't bug out from that). I really dunno about epic stuff tho, since bard epic destiny is like, really bad.

Right now the Meta is Warlocks and ranged builds, so it probably wont be as fun as playing with melees back in the day tho. (The game play mechanics really punish melees, with the champions and stuff disregarding any armor/damage migration).

That said its not super optimal, since you know bards are kinda bad at killing stuff, and the game is all about killing stuff right now.

[Yamani]

I haven't played in so long and was wondering if a pure support build is still desired at all. Years ago I could solo heal dungeons and would break spell pen with a 2 (or maybe 1?) even on the hardest setting to make things dance, etc. It was a lot of fun, but I heard the game is now all high dps high survivability builds where everyone self heals and everyone does a ton of damage. I know you can build Swashbuckler and still have decent healing and support... I just find pure support to be a lot of fun. Appreciate any info! Thanks!

Truthfully, if you want to play that way then yes it is viable. You might have to put in some work though to get your DC's up to current game standards. Healers and bard buffs are always nice but very lacking in today's game as everyone just wants to play an easy button or be super powerful. Most won't put in the work to bring up old builds to current standards to. If you find the support build your cup of tea. Then play it, do what makes the game fun for you not fun for others.

[Thoden]

I enjoy healing and support. You might enjoy an elf race Arcane Archer Bard... like https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...ud-Terror-Bard.

This gives you lots of CC options from paralyzing/terror arrows and full charm/heal capability as well.

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

Short Answer. Absolutely.

I still bring out my purposely old school FIRST LIFE haggle bard Mississippee Queen.. and I can heal and CC and buff.

In a GOOD guild or party, you will be as instrumental (pun purely accidental!!!) as you ever felt before.

[Valerianus]

Yes, bard spellsinger is a totally viable and useful support class, lot of buffs, heals and cc, all in one. You may have only one problem: spell penetration in legendary elite if you have no wiz \ fvs past lives.

[Drelak]

With Bard pass and swashbuckling, your bard may have better melee DPS now than ever, even if you don't sacrifice CC for it.
I am beginning to feel like parrot, but check the build in this link for multipurpose bard:
https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...e-swashbuckler

[psykopeta]

I haven't played in so long and was wondering if a pure support build is still desired at all. Years ago I could solo heal dungeons and would break spell pen with a 2 (or maybe 1?) even on the hardest setting to make things dance, etc. It was a lot of fun, but I heard the game is now all high dps high survivability builds where everyone self heals and everyone does a ton of damage. I know you can build Swashbuckler and still have decent healing and support... I just find pure support to be a lot of fun. Appreciate any info! Thanks!

It works, even as 1st lifer your spells will land in reaper if you keep an eye on your gear, spend points in spellsinger (i think last tine i spent like... 49 points lol) and leftover on warchanter, or depending on your race, can spend on it for extra enchantment dc and spell penetration, can spend in harper too for extra sp and buff charmed mobs

Empower heal, spell focus enchant, greater spell focus enchant, spell penetration x2 and quicken will leave you in most races with only 1 extra feat, which can be for extend (haste, displacement and rage) or enlarge, quite useful feat

Don't forget to cast debuffs when mobs save often, like mindfugk (lol), hypnotic pattern and... There're 1 or 2 more, which even failing (due to awesome mob save) it will reduce the mob will save, so boost your sp pool and careful when using meta'ed spells, you won't have lots of sp