User:Xiaoling/Bard

FORTHNOTE!!!
I already know the Create-a-Profession contest is over. I didn't know it existed until long after, but felt it would be fun to make a profession anyway. So there.

=Bard=

The Bard (B) profession is a travelling performer, using songs, ballads, and chords to empower their allies and despair their foes. Their primary attribute, Musical Talent, increases the duration of skill effects (3.2 seconds per level, rounded down). Similar to the Paragon and Ritualist professions, the Bard is primarily a support character, but capable of dealing significant damage when paired with other professions. Bards support the group from a distance, where they musically enhance battle conditions. In PvP, the Bard would most likely be used the same way as a Shout Paragon, but may also appear as a B/W or B/R, using song and steel to assault the enemy team's morale. The Bard's patron god is Lyssa.

Weaponry
The Bard uses stringed instruments, such as the lute and mandolin, which deal scant damage and should be wielded the perform rather than to attack. Instruments are required to use Chords, as well as most skills in the Minstrel line. The attack animation for mandolins would be using the instrument's neck to beat opponents away. Spellcasting, Singing, and Playing would appear as the Bard plucking their weapon's strings.

Mandolin
 * Maximum Damage Range: 10-18.
 * Damage Type: Blunt damage.
 * Attack Rate: 1.23/sec (slightly faster than normal).
 * Linked Attributes: Musical Talent, Minstrel Arts.


 * Example Mandolins:
 * Shamisen (Canthan), Lute (Common), Vabbian Guitar, Banjo, Thalia's Muse (Green weapon).

Armory
The bard's apparel is a mixture of a Ranger's survival gear and the regal attire of a Mesmer. Embroidered leathers, silks, and the like are usually included. The chest armors are Tunics, Vests, or Attire, the legs are Pants, Hose, or Leggings. Braces and gloves are worn on the arms, boots on the feet, and caps as headwear.


 * Armor: 3-60
 * Head: n/a
 * Chest: Energy +5
 * Arms: Energy +5
 * Legs: Energy recovery +1
 * Feet: Energy recovery +1

Bard Insignias
 * Sonstress Insignia; Increase Song durations that affect allies by 15% (chest) 10% (legs) 5% (other). (Non-Stacking)
 * Jester Insignia; Increase duration of Bard skills by 20% on Allies and 15% on Foes (req. 13 Musical Talent)(Non-Stacking)
 * Taunter's Insignia; Increase Ballad durations on foes by 15% (chest) 10% (legs) 5% (other). (Non-Stacking)

Skill Types

 * Song: Songs have long activation times, the lowest being three seconds, and last at least 15 seconds. They affect all allies or foes within earshot. Unlike chants, they are not classified with spells (i.e., skills that interrupt spells and chants).
 * Chord: Chords are activated through playing an instrument. Chords affect allies or target foes within earshot. Many Chords affect Ballads. Chords canprovide healing, enhance attack, and quicken allies, as well as other things. Expertise can lower the energy cost of Chords. A mandolin must be equipped to activate Chord skills.
 * Ballad: A unique action thats effects are put into place while activating. Ballads are affected and empowered by Chords, and do not stack.

Musical Talent (Primary)
''For every rank of Musical Talent, the duration of your Bard skills increase. Many skills, especially those that lengthen skill effects and enhance your performances, become more effective with higher Musical Talent.''


 * Example Skills:


 * Whistle: 5  2  15 Skill. For  seconds, your next Song recharges % faster.
 * Music of Lyssa: 5  30 Stance. For 25 seconds, all of your Bard attributes are increased by 1. This stance ends if you use a non-Bard skill. (50% chance of failure with less than 4 Musical Talent.)
 * Whimsicle Tune: 10  2  12 Chord. While Whimsicle Tune is active, you are healed for  health every time you use a Ballad. This Chord ends after 25 seconds.

Minstrel Arts
''No inherant effect. Many Bard skills, especially music that aids you and your allies, become more effective with higher Minstrel Arts.''


 * Example Skils:


 * Quickening Tempo: 5  1  25  Chord. For  seconds, all allies within earshot move 33% faster while under the effects of a Song.
 * Repetitive Tune: 15  2   15 Chord. For  seconds, target foe cannot use skills of the same attribute more than once.
 * Restring: 10  3  30 Skill. All of your Chords recharge. This skill is disabled for  seconds for each recharged Chord.

Storytelling
''No inherant effect. Many Bard skills, especially Ballads that motivate allies or depress foes, become more effective with higher Storytelling.''


 * Example Skills:


 * Legend of Triumph: 10  2  30 Ballad. For 15 seconds, all allies within earshot gain  health whenever a nearby foe dies.
 * Epoch of Woe: 15  2  12 Ballad.  For 5 seconds, all foes within target foe's earshot  have  health degeneration. This ballad renews itself whenever effected foes deal damage to your allies.
 * Signet of History: 1  35 Signet. If target other ally is under the effects of a Song or Ballad, you gain  energy.

Lyrical
''No inherant effect. Many Bard skills, especially Songs that increase your party's fighting conditions, become more effective with higher Lyrical Skill.


 * Example Skills:


 * Melody of Valor: 10  2  12 Song. For  seconds, all allies within earshot deal  more damage in combat.
 * Song of Mourning: 10  2  8 Song. For 15 seconds, all creatures within earshot gain  energy when a creature dies.

Whenever a nearby foe dies, adjacent allies of that foe lose health.
 * Peaceful Crescendo: 5  1  25 Song. For  seconds, foes within earshot cannot build adrenaline. After

seconds, nearby foes take damage for each adrenal skill they have equipped.

Elite Skills

 * Macabre Legend: 5  2  23 Elite Ballad. For 25 seconds, all foes within earshot have  life degeneration, and lose  health when they attack. If a foe is attacking when Macabre Legend would end, it is reapplied for 10 seconds. (Storytelling) (Captured from Doal R'ahhl)
 * Enfuriating Tempo: 10  1  30 Elite Chord. For  seconds, foes within earshot move 25% faster, but lose  health and  energy while moving. (Minstrel Arts) (Captured from Pan the Indignant)
 * Disruptive Chord: 15  1/4  45 Elite Chord. Interrupt the actions of all foes within earshot. For each foe effected, Disruptive Chord is disabled for 5 seconds. (Non-Attribute) (Captured from The Arrowsmith)
 * Pure Comedy: 10  2  13 Elite Ballad. For 15 seconds, all allies within earshot gain  energy whenever a nearby foe is knocked down. Foes knocked down while Pure Comedy is active are dazed for  seconds. (Storytelling) (Captured by Wu Pi, Golden Voice)
 * Signet of Amplification: 1  60 Elite Signet. For  seconds, your earshot range is increased by 25%. (Musical Talent) (Captured from Liam Layley)

Skill Branches

 * Crescendo - Songs that have a beginning effect, and a second effect that begins after a set time. (Found in Minstrel Arts and Lyrical Skill)
 * Melody: Songs that have an effect on allies. (Found in Lyrical Skill)
 * Tempo: Chords that have an effect on character under the effects of a Song.