Itazura's Bard Puller Guide

This guide is aimed at Bard players who with to go beyond enhancing the exp party by songs, but also contribute by performing as a Puller. Not all parties benefits from using its Bard as a puller; in some, a BRD/WHM as a part-time healer is more far helpful than leaving the backline manned by a lone mage. However, in many parties, the best thing a Bard can do for the groups' performance is to pull--in a controlled, steady manner.

Why have a Bard in Party? Or, Worship the Exp/Hour!
There is only one true measurement of an exp party's performance: Experience Points per Hour. That's not "300 Exp on that last mob!", nor "Did you see my bad ass xxxx damage on WS?" It's experience points per hour--everything else is just a distraction.

A Bard's role, is to enhance the exp/hour. To do that though, a Bard must understand what are the major obstacles to getting decent exp/hour.


 * Over-hunting: This is when party hunts monsters which takes too long to kill or are too dangerous to the members. Keeping up the buff songs on melees and Ballad on BLM is about the only thing a Bard can do to compensate for this, and only so much.  Stomping feet and demand a new camp with more appropriate targets is likely a better solution.  Sometimes, not Level Sync to the lowest member, and go for a level or two above can solve this, but that's not something to count on.


 * Under-hunting: This is when party hunts monsters which do not give much exp per kill. Pulling faster is how a Bard can help, but that's not a cure all.  Level Synch to a lower level may help, but again, not something that's always possible.


 * Death: Nothing kills exp/hour faster than a party member getting K.O.'ed, especially if it's a tank or healer. A Bard with mage support job needs to keep an eye on HP of party members, and prioritize emergency cures over buffs and pulls--otherwise, exp will drop to 0 for 5 minutes.  Once again, emergency cures first--worry about songs and pulls after.