World of Spite
Contents

Bard

The bard plays rather than swings: a bard wields only an instrument, a lute or a mandolin, and every note of it reaches as far as a spell.

Staccato is the bard's one direct attack: two sharp notes at a single foe for 12 damage, whatever you hold, as often as your instrument swings: every 2.2 s with the Minstrel's Lute. It is what a bard levels on. Being a spell, it can only be missed, never dodged, parried or blocked; the songs, being areas, are never turned aside at all.

Everything else a bard plays is an area. Dirge and Discord fall on every foe within 8 m of the target that the target can see. Nothing is hurt at once; each foe bleeds the song's damage away over the next few seconds. Dirge also leaves them weakened, dealing 25% less damage for 10 s. Discord slows them by 40%. One bard's two songs bleed side by side. Every tick draws threat, so a whole pack will turn on a bard who sings to it alone.

Refrain is the bard's defence, and the party's. It softens the blows that land on you and on everyone in your party within 30 m. Rally is its party buff: it heals you and everyone in your party within reach, and for a while afterwards every ability they use costs less. Lullaby puts everything within 8 m of the target to sleep until something hurts it. On players you may fight it is the bard's PvP answer, and lasts 50% as long.

Crescendo is a third song over the target's ground, bled away like the others. Thunderous Chord is played round yourself: everything within 6 m of you is stunned for 2 s. Quickstep lets you run 40% faster for a while, and Encore is your cooldown: your own pools refill twice as fast for 15 s.

You start knowing Staccato and Refrain; the rest are learned on your skill tree (N), one skill point every 2 levels.

AbilityRoleDamageHealingCostCooldownEffect
StaccatoOffensive12—2 Dexteritythe weapon's swing—
DirgeOffensive12—4 Dexterity12 sThe damage bleeds away over 10 s in 5 ticks. The target deals 25% less damage for 10 s. On every foe within 8 m of the target
DiscordOffensive10—4 Dexterity15 sThe damage bleeds away over 8 s in 4 ticks. Slows the target by 40% for 8 s. On every foe within 8 m of the target
RefrainDefensive——3 Dexterity30 sBlows taken are 25% lighter for 8 s. On you and your party within 30 m
RallyParty buff—83 Dexterity45 sYour party's abilities cost 30% less for 15 s
LullabyPvP——4 Dexterity30 sPuts the creature to sleep for 6 s, until it is hurt. On every foe within 8 m of the target
CrescendoOffensive14—4 Dexterity18 sThe damage bleeds away over 6 s in 3 ticks. On every foe within 8 m of the target
Thunderous ChordControl——4 Dexterity25 sStuns the target for 2 s. On every foe within 6 m of you
QuickstepUtility——2 Dexterity20 sYou run 40% faster for 6 s
EncoreCooldown——2 Dexterity90 sYour pools refill 100% faster for 15 s

Everything a bard plays, from a lute's note to Rally, spends dexterity rather than intelligence. So a bard's pool is dexterity, and its lutes and mandolins carry it first. Past that they part ways: a lute leans to willpower, to have the dexterity back sooner, and a mandolin leans to stamina, for a bard who plays close.

The target frame shows the range for what you are holding.

Abilities

In hotbar order. Every ability also waits on the 1 s global cooldown.

AbilityRoleDamageHealingCostCooldownEffect
StaccatoOffensive12—2 Dexteritythe weapon's swing—
DirgeOffensive12—4 Dexterity12 sThe damage bleeds away over 10 s in 5 ticks. The target deals 25% less damage for 10 s. On every foe within 8 m of the target
DiscordOffensive10—4 Dexterity15 sThe damage bleeds away over 8 s in 4 ticks. Slows the target by 40% for 8 s. On every foe within 8 m of the target
RefrainDefensive——3 Dexterity30 sBlows taken are 25% lighter for 8 s. On you and your party within 30 m
RallyParty buff—83 Dexterity45 sYour party's abilities cost 30% less for 15 s
LullabyPvP——4 Dexterity30 sPuts the creature to sleep for 6 s, until it is hurt. On every foe within 8 m of the target
CrescendoOffensive14—4 Dexterity18 sThe damage bleeds away over 6 s in 3 ticks. On every foe within 8 m of the target
Thunderous ChordControl——4 Dexterity25 sStuns the target for 2 s. On every foe within 6 m of you
QuickstepUtility——2 Dexterity20 sYou run 40% faster for 6 s
EncoreCooldown——2 Dexterity90 sYour pools refill 100% faster for 15 s

Skill tree

A bard starts knowing Staccato and Refrain, and learns the rest on its skill tree: a skill point every 2 levels, spent on an ability whose requirements it already knows. See Levelling.

AbilityRequiresTier
StaccatoKnown from the start1
RefrainKnown from the start1
DirgeStaccato2
RallyRefrain2
DiscordDirge3
CrescendoDirge3
QuickstepRally3
LullabyRally3
Thunderous ChordCrescendo4
EncoreDiscord and Quickstep4

Attributes

Every class starts with 50 points, in a different shape. Each level grows each by a share of its level-1 value.

AttributeLevel 1Level 20
Stamina926
Strength515
Dexterity1441
Intelligence823
Willpower1441

Starting kit

Wears Minstrel's Lute, Linen Tunic, Linen Trousers, and carries Parrying Dagger and Worn Glove.

Dungeon sets

Epic armour only a bard may wear, a piece at a time from a dungeon's keeper. See Gear and loot.