Beginner Guide: Bard
Music Made Manifest
Why play a Bard?
Music has charms to soothe the savage beast, so you don’t get yelled at by level 99 Sweat Lords.
Bards are versatile supports who excel at supplementing other classes through clever selection of their songs. The Siren’s Call songs allow the Bard to charm a human or beast, the Somniferous Serenade allows the Bard to mesmerize an enemy, Vellicosa’s Fanfare and Tantara cause damage-over-time to an enemy target. Additionally they also have access to Haste songs, both physical and magical, as well as a movement speed increasing song, and resistance songs. And many, many more.
Bards can maintain three songs at the same time during their early levels, increasing up to four when they reach level 30. Songs will overwrite each other if you cast more than you are able to maintain, starting with the oldest of the same type (beneficial/detrimental) first.
The strength of your songs is affected by both your Charisma statistic and the instrument’s level you are wielding. Different songs require different instruments, so it is important to maintain level parity between them.
While they are busy strumming along or banging on their drum, Bards can also use Shouts to damage enemies, send them running in fear, stun them or mesmerize them.
Bards only gain a single melee attack, Whistling Blade, which increases in strength as you level up, gradually adding more self-buffs.
When played solo, Bards perform decently. Whistling Blade and Shouts are quite strong and with Charm they can temporarily call in assistance.
In groups, Bards shine, bringing extreme levels of support to their group, assuming they tailored their songs to the group’s composition.
In closing, pick Bard if you’re looking to be the Swiss Army Knife of supports, complimenting your entire party or group of friends no matter what you they choose to play, and love the idea of making use of a variety of instruments.
The full official deep dive on Bards can be found [here].
Starter Quest: Night Harbor
Before we begin: You can always reference what NPCs have told you by accessing your journal (default key: J) and you can always ask follow up questions to them by simply targeting them and writing in Say chat, as if they were players. For instance: “Where can I find [key word]?”
A full list of beginner tips can be found [here].
Open your inventory and memorize any spells you might’ve started with, then read the Fanciful Note.
Directions to Jamee Langris
Enter the city through the West Gate and continue straight until you see the sign for the Night Market on your right. Enter the market and turn right once again where you will see a small amphitheatre. Head up onto the stage and turn left to head behind stage and enter the building. Follow the diagonal hallway until you find Jamee Langris.
Hand him your Fanciful Note and he will give you a Small Courier Bag, Jamee’s List of Names and six items to deliver to six people around town.
- Jiselle Heyley
- Assistant Researcher Farland
- Elrind Steele
- Harbour Master Daoud
- Guard Jeskal
- Cordelius Hollmion
There is no specific order in which you have to make the deliveries, so you are free to take this as an opportunity to explore the city and look for these people yourself, if you so desire. Otherwise, please follow along below.
Elrind Steele
Directions to: Elrind Steele (from Jamee Langris)
Head outside the West Gate, turn left and head towards the large gate and portcullis. Click the portcullis to open it and head straight through the courtyard and through the open doorway with the two blue banners flanking it. Head through the room and into the hallway and take the second right turn to enter the library. Elrind is a small distance from the entrance, hand him the Tiny Leatherbound Book and he will give you another Small Metal Parchment Vial. Place it within the Small Courier Bag and return to the West Gate.
Assistant Researcher Farland
Directions to: Assistant Researcher Farland (from Elrind Steele)
Exit the garrison through the portcullis gate and turn slightly left, continuing forward and crossing the ruins on the other side of the cobblestone road until you find a small camp with several torches in front of a crevasse in the cliff face. Farland is within one of the tents. Hand him the Vial of Cloudy Liquid and he will give you a Small Metal Parchment Vial. Place it within the Small Courier Bag and turn right back towards Night Harbor.
Jiselley Heyley
Diretions to: Jiselle Heyley (from Assistant Researcher Farland)
Enter the city through the smaller gate, then turn left once inside and go through the large open gate, this will take you to the Soujourner Camp. Then go left again, continuing forward facing slightly to the left until you hit the Wayfarer’s Hospice. Head inside and turn right into the room with Trey Fulton. Turn left and continue along, heading up two ramps before taking two quick left turns into a small room. Past the small room is the balcony above the main hall of the hospice where you can find Jiselle Heyley to the left. Hand her the Framed Pressed Flower and she will give you a Small Metal Parchment Vial. Place it within the Small Courier Bag and head out the way you came.
Guard Jeskal
Directions to: Guard Jeskal (from Jiselle Heyley)
Exiting the Sojourner Camp through the large gate, turn left and continue along this cobblestone road until you pass a small bridge and go through a keyhole shaped arch. Turn left and go up a large set of stairs with a gate at the top, above which is floating a large pink crystal. Pass through the gate and head halfway across the plaza until reach a well with a domed structure above it. Turn left and exit the North Gate, where you will find Guard Jeskal guarding it on the right side. Hand him the Perfumed Silken Sash and he will give you a Small Metal Parchment Vial. Place it within the Small Courier Bag and head back inside the city.
Cordellius Hollmion
Directions to: Cordellius Hollmion (from Guard Jeskal)
Turn left and go up the large sets of stairs towards the pink-purple wizard’s tower. Step onto the glowing bright pink teleporter pad found on the stone platform. Once you have been teleported up to the teleportation hub platform, turn left and head towards the Spellbinder’s Spire teleporter. Once you arrive at Spellbinder’s Spire, continue straight through the doorway and then through the second doorway and straight into a small corridor. Take the first left and you will be in Cordellius’ room. Hand him the Small Eye-Shaped Mirror and he will give you a Small Metal Parchment Vial. Place it within the Small Courier Bag and return the way you came, taking the teleporter at start of the large stone ramp once you return to the teleporter hub platform.
Harbormaster Daoud
Directions to: Harbormaster Daoud (from Cornellius Hollmion)
Once you are back down on the ground level, head down the large set of stairs towards the North Gate and turn slightly left, heading towards a large open arch with a pink glow. Here you will find another teleporter to take you straight to the docks. Once you are teleported to the docks, turn right and head through the arch and follow the cobblestone road along the river, taking the left path in the fork. You will arrive at the Customs House where you can find Harbormaster Daoud. Hand him the Pouch of Rare Tobaccond he will give you a Small Metal Parchment Vial. Place it within the Small Courier Bag along with the other five and press combine.
Now it is time to head back to Jamee Langris.
Directions to: Jamee Langris (from Harbormaster Daoud)
Return to the fork which you passed through a short while ago and turn left, away from the river and docks teleporter. Continue along the cobblestone road until you go down a small ramp, then turn right to head up a large slope, passing under a bridge and ending at the entrance to Seabreeze Park. Turn left at the park’s entrance and continue along the cobblestone road towards the West Gate until you once again find the Night Market sign, this time on your left. Enter the Night Market and make your way back into the Bard guild hall.
Hand Jamee the Small Courier Bag and he will give Jamee’s Coin, which can be exchanged for a free drink at the bar across the amphitheatre.
TIP: Handing in Jamee’s Coin to the barkeep will get you a Twilight Bay Rum, which can be sold for 45 copper pieces. If you go to the bathhouse nearby and soak in the waters for a short time, you will gain a Charisma increasing buff which will allow you to sell items for more.
Starter Quest: Faelindral
Before we begin: You can always reference what NPCs have told you by accessing your journal (default key: J) and you can always ask follow up questions to them by simply targeting them and writing in Say chat, as if they were players. For instance: “Where can I find [key word]?”
A full list of beginner tips can be found [here].
Open your inventory and memorize any spells you might’ve started with, then read the Perfumed Letter.
Directions to: Pine Brightreed
From where you spawned in, you will see a ramp, possibly leading up to a round hut. This is the “noob lift.” It is an elevator that will take you into the city proper. Walk inside and left-click the small bell hanging from a branch near the door. This is the “noob lift.” It is an elevator that will take you into the city proper. Walk inside and left-click the small bell hanging from a branch near the door.
At the top of the lift, take an immediate left and wrap around across the rope bridge. Once across, turn right and head up the curved ramp, then head straight to the Well of Order. From there turn right and cross another rope bridge, Pine Brightreed can be found under the small canopy next to the water basin with flowers.
Hand Pine Brightreed the Perfumed Letter.
Interaction with: Pine Brightreed
“Yes, what do you need?”
He will then ask you to deliver vouchers to NPCs around town:
- Sylvosa Pineweld
- Wyrdguard Mithrilvine
- Listener Maplebloom
- Lorinthal Skybranch
- Sersil Tangleroot
There is no specific order in which you have to make the deliveries, so you are free to take this as an opportunity to explore the city and look for these people yourself, if you so desire. Otherwise, please follow along below.
Sersil Tangleroot
Directions to: Sersil Tangleroot (from Pine Brightreed)
Head up the ramp next to Pine Brightreed and turn left onto the Traders Terrace. Continue forwards and head up the large curved ramp until you reach the top, then turn left and cross the rope bridge and then take another left, passing through Sentinels Gaze. Head down the rope bridge and Sersil Tangleroot will be straight ahead under the first canopy on your right.
Interaction with: Sersil Tangleroot
“Yes, tell me your message.”
Hand him the Bundle of Vouchers and he will give you Tangleroot’s Ticket. Place it within the Ticket Satchel.
Sylvosa Pineweld
Directions to: Sylvosa Pineweld (from Sersil Tangleroot)
Retrace your steps back down the large curved ramp until you are back at Traders Terrace. Turn left once you reach the platform and continue forwards towards the building with the red roof and head inside to find Sylvosa next to the forge.
Hand him the Bundle of Vouchers and he will give you Pineweld’s Ticket. Place it within the Ticket Satchel.
Listener Maplebloom
Directions to: Listener Maplebloom (from Sylvosa Pineweld)
Return to the Traders Terrance and turn left to cross the rope bridge towards Rangers Rest. Once on the other side, turn right and cross the rope bridge to the Balanced Branch. Head up the stairs and Listener Mapleblood will be on your left at the campfire.
Hand her the Bundle of Vouchers and she will give you Maplebloom’s Ticket. Place it within the Ticket Satchel.
Wyrdguard Mithrilvine
Directions to: Wyrdguard Mithrilvine (from Listener Maplebloom)
Return to the platform with Rangers Rest and turn slightly to the right, continuing on towards the elevator on the opposite side of the platform. Ride it down and Wyrdguard Mithrilvine will be just outside the elevator.
Hand him the Bundle of Vouchers and he will give you Mithrilvine’s Ticket. Place it within the Ticket Satchel..
Lorinthal Skybranch
Directions to: Lorinthal Skybranch (from Wyrdguard Mithrilvine)
Retrace your steps back to the “noob lift” and turn left once you reach the platform that the lift docks at. Pass by the Traveler Goods tree and cross the rope bridge and head inside the tree to find Lorinthal Skybranch.
Hand him the Bundle of Vouchers and he will give you Skybranch’s Ticket. Place it within the Ticket Satchel, along with the Bundle of Vouchers and press combine to create the Full Ticket Satchel.
Return to Pine Brightreed and hand him the Full Ticket Satchel.
Interaction with: Pine Brightreed
“I will put on a performance.”
Interaction with: Instrument Storage
“/look”
“/inspect shelf”
“/take recorder”
Interaction with: Stage
“/take stage”
“/take breath”
“/take moment”
“/inspect recorder”
“/open recorder”
“/push forward”
“/take breath” or “/bow”
Pick up four of the donations on the stage and place them within the Donation Basket and press combine.
Hand the Full Donation Basket and Odd Recorder to Pine Brightreed.
Interaction with: Pine Brightreed
“A curse?”
“I forgive you.” or “I do not forgive you.”
Pine will send you to see Laenyth Windharp at the Lambent Lantern.
Directions to: Laenyth Windharp (from Pine Brightreed)
From Pine, face the stage and head up the short curved ramp up to the house with the green roof. Continue forward until you reach the Lambent Lantern sign and turn right into the room.
Hand Laenyth the Fruit-Stained Washcloth. She will give you a Note for Sylphrena.
Directions to: Sylphrena Starfall (from Laenyth Windharp)
Head outside and up the stairs across from Laenyth’s room. Turn left at the top and enter the roof to find Sylphrena Starfall.
Hand her the note and she will give you a Ring of Introduction.
Interaction with: Sylphrena Starfall
“I will hear you out.”
