Greetings glorious adventurer! Welcome to our guide on the Bard archetype in Ashes of Creation!
This guide dives into their core abilities, synergies, and effective playstyles, helping you create a Bard build for either PvE and PvP.
Skills
The build is an example for Bard, who can assist with healing the party and provide additional mitigation to the Tank.
Melodies
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Cathartic Melody – Provides 25% lifesteal to party members. During this melody you can use either Hymn of the Mind or Hymn of the Mind (AOE). Resonant Weapon will add Bleed as well as Wounded debuff.
Cheerful Melody – Increases healing done within the party and adds heals every 2 seconds. During this melody, you can add frost damage to your rotation through Chilling Lament or Chilling Lament (AOE). Resonant Weapon will heal injured group members. A good melody to start if you do not have a Cleric in your group.
Epic Melody – Increases the movement speed of your party. During this melody, you will be able to use Dark Lullaby or Dark Lullaby (AOE). The damage is based on the amount of debuffs are on the target at the given time (up to 5). Resonant Weapon will remove up to 3 CCs and apply Pep.
Pensive Melody – Restoring mana to the party. During this melody, you will be able to use Anthem of Alacrity or Anthem of Alacrity (AOE) – increasing attack speed and magical casting speed. Resonant Weapon will restore mana. The most desired Melody, since it is the most efficient way to restore mana during combat.
Dances
Maddening Dance – Removes 1 buff from an enemy target. The final damage tick will apply Humiliated.
Mesmerizing Dance – Can be combined with skills which apply Staggered (Discordance) to stun the target(s).
Nimble Dance – Provides movement speed and cleanses 1 debuff from party members.
Shielding Dance – Provides healing and shield to the near by party members. Mighty Step improves the provided shield. Once the shield is absorbed, you will receive a stack for the corresponding Resonant Weapon effect.
Sagas
Use the skills mentioned bellow to unleash one of the ultimate arts of the Bard – Saga and Sagas: Volume II.
Red Masks
Chaos – Boosts the physical power of your party members with 110%.
Conflict – Boosts the magical critical chance of your party memers with 15%.
Blue Masks
Destiny – Boosts the physical critical chance of your party memers with 15%.
Wonder – Boosts the magical power of your party members with 110%.
Yellow Masks
Joy – Provides, temporarily, 10% of your maximum hp.
Triumph – Provides 10% Maximum health points and 100% stamina regeneration for 30 seconds.
Tailor the combination between the theatrical masks based on your current party:
- To boost up your Mages/Cleric – Wonder and Conflict.
- To boost up your Rangers and Fighters – Chaos and Destiny.
- The Tank your group will benefit from Triumph and Chaos.
Before using the Saga “The return to Verra” (tripple yellow masks), make sure you have used Nimble Dance. This will apply Glee on the friendly target – additional mitigation and healing.
Stamina Skill Tree
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The Bard can boost up own and party members movement speed. Flourish is an amazing ability in terms of mobility. You can further increase the traveled distance with adding boosted roll.
Sprinting can assist with covering more ground when Flourish is on cooldown.
Blocking without a shield is not recommended.
Melee Weapon
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First choice – Deadly Finisher: Wound. Reducing the healing against some mobs in PVE is needed in order to make the fight easier.
Second choice – Refreshing Followthrough. Helps restore mana while attacking with your weapon.
Third choice – Deadly Finisher: Snare. Slowing down an enemy while boosting party member’s movement speed. Nimble Dance has to be down within 5m of a friendly target.
Compared to damage dealing archetypes, on Bard we should focus on proc rates and proc duration.
Since a Bard can have many forms of crowd control effects, it is worth considering Weapon Training: Disable Duration.
Use whichever weapon will provide the most magical power increase.
Range Weapon
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Shortbows are good for the Bard because of their attack speed. You are interested in Finisher effects more than the damage output. More frequent attacks, more chances for Finishers.
Compared to damage dealing archetypes, on Bard we should focus on proc rates and proc duration.
Since a Bard can have many forms of crowd control effects, it is worth considering Weapon Training: Disable Duration.
Use whichever weapon will provide the most magical power increase until you get your hands on the highest magical power weapon, for level 20 and above – Blood Cursed Spellbook in Tower of Carphin.
Equipment
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Disclaimer: The process is slow! All items which are displayed below are obtainable. Armor and weapons mainly drop in various POIs. Recipes are dropping as well, therefor you can obtain higher rarity if you get high enough crafting skill and have the necessary materials.
1 Magic power increase provides the same amount of healing as it would 1 Healing power. However, Healing power is not boosting the Magic damage.
Stats
What kind of stats should you be looking for if you are a Bard and you want to perform well?
- Mentality – increases magical resis, magical critical avoidance rating, max mana
- Intelligence – increases magical power rating(equally adds to the healing as well), magical accuracy rating, magical penetration rating
- Wisdom – increases magical critical chance rating, magical casting speed, magical evasion rating
- Constitution – increases the maximum health points, armor, physical critical avoidance rating
Side note: Dexterity provides Physical Evasion Rating. However, the current stats and values are too low and it is hard to tell if Evasion (for both Physical and Magical damage) can be considered as a viable defense option.
In situations where you an get an upgrade with higher level or rarity item, focus on these stats, preferably in that order:
- Mentality will help you with the mana pool and will reduce the incoming magical damage from PVE and PVP.
- Intelligence and Wisdom will improve your damage and healing output.
- Constitution will help you against physical damage and will increase your health pool.
Final Thoughts
The Bard archetype in Ashes of Creation is more than just a support role—it’s the soul of strategy and synergy. Bards excel in buffing team performance, debuffing enemies, and controlling the flow of battle with their unique support abilities. Whether you’re boosting damage, improving defenses, or managing crowd control, the Bard’s versatile toolkit makes them a strategic powerhouse.
