Introduction

Bard is a support class in Ashes of Creation that provides buffs to make their allies stronger in many ways. Learn everything we know so far about the Song-Slinging Arcane Support Class in our Ashes of Creation Bard Guide

General Information

The Bard Class is centered around Proximity-based buffs you can provide to your allies to help in battle. Here are the things we know about the bard class in Ashes of Creation so far

• The Bard class will fill a Hybrid roll of a Support Tank or Support DPS depending on subclass choice.
• Their abilities will involve Dances, Songs, and Stories
• Their abilities will be proximity-based
• They will have abilities that will Support Tanking, Evasion, DPS, and even Healing abilities
• Bards will have utility in and out of combat
• They will have weapon slots for both martial weapons and instruments.
• The Bard class will be available at the start of Alpha 2.
• Bards will be a “Jack of all Trades” and will not be ONLY support-oriented.

Weapon

Bards will be able to equip both martial weapons and Instruments such as flutes, bagpipes, drums, and fiddles. Below is an example of what bard instruments might look like in Ashes of Creation.

Bard Classes

First, let’s look at the Subclasses of Bard. In Ashes of Creation, once you choose your main class, you will get to choose a secondary class that will augment your skills and abilities to create a whole new subclass. Below are the names of the Subclasses for Bards and what class you’ll choose to become them.

Primary	Secondary	Class
Bard	Bard	Minstrel
Bard	Cleric	Soul Weaver
Bard	Fighter	Tellsword
Bard	Mage	Magican
Bard	Ranger	Song Warden
Bard	Rogue	Trickster
Bard	Summoner	Songcaller
Bard	Tank	Siren

Skills

	Cheerful Melody	Nearby Party Members Gain Cheerful Melody. Healing received increased by 20%. Also Lightly heals for X every 2 seconds.
	Pensive Melody	Nearby Party Members gain Pensive Melody: Restores mana equal to 1+ (X %) Magical damage every 2 seconds. Melodies can be played concurrently with other abilities
	Epic Melody	Nearby party members gain Epic Melody; Movement speed increased by 20%. Melodies can be played concurrently with other abilities.
	Cathartic Melody	Nearby Party Members gain Cathartic Melody: Your attacks have a 25% chance to heal yourself for 50% of the damage done. Melodies can be played concurrently with other abilities.
	Menacing Melody	Nearby enemies are afflicted with Menacing Melody: Increases damage taken by 10%. Melodies can be played concurrently with other abilities.
	Flourish	Slide forward gracefully in your aimed direction and gain pep. Can be used concurrently with any other ability.
	Shielding Dance	Heal yourself and nearby allies for (50%) every second and happy up to one instance of Shield to each target.
	Nimble Dance	Grants Nimble and Pep to yourself and nearby allies every second.
	Mesmerizing Dance	Quickly strike a dazzling pose! Mesmerizes all nearby enemies, applying incapacitated for 10 seconds. Any Targets with Staggered also become Stunned for 3 seconds.
	Maddening Dance	Damage nearby enemies for (40%) arcane damage every second. Damage increases with less targets, up to
	Get Off The Stage	Knockback enemies in front of you with your instruments, dealing (175) bludgeon damage and applying 3 stacks of Snared that tapers off over the course of 6 seconds. Also applies Disarmed to targets with Staggered.
	Quick Wit	ALLY: Jest with target ally healing for (150%) healing and applying Glee. ENEMY: Ridicule target enemy, damaging them for (100%) bludgeon damage and applying Demoralized.
	Lovely Serenade	Target ally is healed for (150%) healing every second. The final hit applies Glee
	Anthem of Alacrity	Target ally gains Anthem of Alacrity: Attack speed increased by 25% and casting speed increased by 25%. Lasts 10 seconds.
	Chilling Lament	Target enemy is dealt (75%) Ice damage and afflicted with 4 seconds of Chilled every second. Deals bonus damage to Frozen Targets
	Dark Lullaby	Deal (50-100%) spirit damage to target enemy each second (scales in power over the course of the cast). This damage will not wake an incapacitated target. The final hit applies stunned for 6 seconds if the target is incapacitated.
	Discordance	Launch a wild burst of 3 discordant notes at your target, each dealing 75% arcane damage and applying staggered. The notes will bounce to random nearby enemies dealing reduced damage.
	Gambit	In a daring maneuver, transfer life to or from target party member, depending on who has a lower percent health. This ability will not reduce either player below 20% health. The character that loses life in this exchange gains Solace
	Saga	Complete your tale with a grand finale, consuming all of your current themes. The specific saga you have access to is determined by the combination of your current themes.
	Destiny	Nearby party members gain Destiny: Physical critical chance increased by 15%. Lasts 30 seconds. Generates Theme of Mystery.
	Chaos	Nearby members gain Chaos: Magical critical chance increased by 15%. Lasts 30 seconds. Generates Theme of Tragedy.
	Wonder	Nearby Party Members gain Wonder: Increase magical power by 10%. Last 30 seconds. Generates Theme of Mystery
	Triumph	Nearby party members gain Triumph: gain 10% max health and 20% base block chance. Lasts 30 seconds. Generates Theme of Comedy.
	Misdirection	Use your wiles to reduce both your own and nearby party members treat against nearby monsters by (1000%) magical damage
	Joy	NEarby party members gain Joy: Gain temporary health equal to 10% of your maximum health. Lasts 30 seconds. Generates Theme of Comedy.

Ashes of Creation Bard Guide Conclusion

That concludes our Bard Guide! Check out our Ashes of Creation Home Page for more Ashes of Creation content.