Bard Job Changes and Updates — Endwalker 6.55

To start out, see the job action trailer showcase for Dawntrail Bard below:

Here are the changes and skill updates for Bard in Dawntrail, circa the Media Tour beta build. Remember that things can change (dramatically, even) on final release.

• Songs will not need a target anymore. To prevent long pre-pull sequences, songs will only be usable in combat.
• Battle Voice and Radiant Finale now last 20 seconds, as do most/all other party-wide buffs or enemy debuffs that used to last 15.
• Pitch Perfect will deal AoE damage with 50% falloff.
• The buffs that enable Refulgent Arrow and Shadowbite will be combined into one shared buff.
• Barrage now grants its own buff for Refulgent Arrow and Shadowbite to consume, instead of overwriting the existing buff Bard can get from its regular GCD skills. Also, only the two enabled skills can consume Barrage's triple/damage increase buff (no more Barrage'ing Iron Jaws).

Skill Name	Category	Changes
Heartbreak Shot	Ability	Upgraded version of Bloodletter (which is now 130p). Heartbreak Shot is 160p and is learned at level 92.
Resonant Arrow	Weaponskill	Barrage will turn into this new skill once activated, for 30 seconds. Resonant Arrow deals 600 potency in an AoE (50% falloff) and is learned at level 96.
Radiant Encore	Weaponskill	Radiant Finale will turn into this new skill once activated, for 30 seconds. Radiant Encore deals 400-700 potency, depending on coda, in an AoE (50% falloff)and is learned at level 100.
Wide Volley	Weaponskill	A new, lower level version of Shadowbite, learned at level 25. It deals 140p (220p under Barrage) and upgrades to Shadowbite at level 72.
Second Wind	Ability	Upgraded from 500p to 800p at level 94.
Troubadour	Ability	Upgraded from 10% damage reduction to 15% at level 98.

In terms of Bard's rotation, the most impactful change is the shift to a 20 second party buff window. This incentivizes us to look for a way to fit two Empyreal Arrow within that buff window. It also means that using Raging Strikes later for more buff overlap could be valuable.

Currently, we are looking at two rotational options. They output near-equal potency on average, but operate at different speed tiers. The "3-6-9" rotation, which works with a 2.50s GCD, will often enable the stronger gear set.

But, gear options do not always work out that way. "3-6-9" also has tighter execution requirements. So overall it is worth becoming familiar with the "classic" rotation as well, if you are not already - it is pretty much the same as Endwalker Bard.

As always, we will use Heartbreak Shot and Pitch Perfect as needed / available throughout.

A full rotational guide will come after release, but to describe the two rotations in simple terms:

In "classic", we will run Mage's Ballad until it has 3 seconds left, then swap to Army's Paeon, going into The Wanderer's Minuet after that timer reaches 12. The rest is much like the current rotation, save for using Raging Strikes one GCD later in 2m+ burst windows. This rotation runs best at a 2.48s GCD.

In "3-6-9", our song swaps are after the 3, 6, and 9 ticks on the song timers respectively, with the same song order. Weave Army's Paeon into Empyreal Arrow swiftly after the GCD when the time comes. The opener is repeated in each burst, just with a faster GCD thanks to the Army's Muse buff. This rotation runs at a 2.50s GCD, but can be run at 2.49s for a little buffer.

Over the course of Endwalker, Bard has gotten a few modest potency buffs, as well as some quality of life updates.

Skill Name	Category	Changes
Empyreal Arrow	Ability	Potency increased from 230 to 240
Sidewinder	Ability	Potency increased from 300 to 320

Skill Name	Category	Changes
The Wanderer's Minuet, Mage's Ballad, Army's Paeon	Ability	Range of passive buff increased to 50 yalms (from 30)
Troubadour, Nature's Minne, Battle Voice, Radiant Finale, Peloton	Ability	Range increased to 30 yalms

Skill Name	Category	Changes
Nature's Minne	Ability	Reworked to affect all party members, increasing healing received by 15%. Cooldown changed to 120 seconds.

Skill Name	Category	Changes
Empyreal Arrow	Ability	Potency increased from 200 to 230

Skill Name	Category	Changes
Battle Voice	Ability	Can now be used without a song active
Repelling Shot	Ability	Can be used from up to 15 yalms away, increased from 5
The Wanderer's Minuet	Ability	Skill button now changes to Pitch Perfect upon activation

1. Heavy Shot potency changed from 180 to 160, and duration changed from 10 seconds to 30 seconds.
2. Venomous Bite potency for damage over time changed from 30 to 15, and duration changed from 30 seconds to 45 seconds.
3. Quick Nock potency changed from 150 to 110, and the additional effect "30% chance the recast timer for Bloodletter and Rain of Death will be reset" has been changed to "35% chance of becoming Shadowbite Ready."
4. Windbite potency for damage over time changed from 40 to 20, and duration changed from 30 seconds to 45 seconds.
5. Iron Jaws's Straight Shot Ready duration changed from 10 seconds to 30 seconds.
6. Caustic Bite potency for damage over time changed from 40 to 20, and duration changed from 30 seconds to 45 seconds. The Straight Shot Ready duration changed from 10 seconds to 30 seconds.
7. Stormbite potency for damage over time changed from 50 to 25, and duration changed from 30 seconds to 45 seconds. The Straight Shot Ready duration changed from 10 seconds to 30 seconds.
8. Refulgent Arrow potency changed from 340 to 280.
9. Shadowbite changed category from ability to weaponskill. This action now delivers an attack with a potency of 170 to target and all enemies nearby it, and its recast time changed from 60 seconds to 2.5 seconds.
10. Burst Shot potency changed from 250 to 220, and its duration changed from 10 seconds to 30 seconds.
11. Apex Arrow maximum potency changed from 120-160 to 100-500. This ability now grants Blast Arrow Ready upon execution while Soul Voice Gauge is 80 or higher with a duration of 10 seconds.

1. Ladonsbite delivers an attack with a potency of 130 to all enemies in a cone before you. It has a 35% chance of becoming Shadowbite Ready with a 30 second duration.
2. Blast Arrow delivers an attack to all enemies in a straight line before you with a potency of 600 for the first enemy, and 60% less for all remaining enemies. This can only be executed while under the effect of Blast Arrow Ready. This action cannot be assigned to a hotbar.

1. Raging Strikes potency changed from 10% to 15%, and recast time changed from 80 seconds to 120 seconds.
2. Bloodletter potency changed from 150 to 110. This ability now has 3 charges.
3. Mage's Ballad's category changed from spell to ability. The additional effect "40% chance to grant Repertoire when damage over time is dealt by Caustic Bite or Stormbite" has changed to "80% chance to grant Repertoire." Repertoire effect changed from "Resets the recast timer of Bloodletter and Rain of Death" to "Shortens the recast timer of Bloodletter and Rain of Death by 7.5 seconds." The action's duration changed from 30 seconds to 45 seconds and has "Additional Effect: Grants Mage's Coda." The damage increase effect now also applies to the bard who casted it. The following note is no longer in effect: "This action does not share a recast timer with any other actions. Furthermore, the recast timer cannot be affected by other actions." Its recast time changed from 80 seconds to 120 seconds.
4. Barrage now increases the potency of Shadowbite to 270. Its Straight Shot Ready duration changed from 10 seconds to 30 seconds, and recast time changed from 80 seconds to 120 seconds.
5. Army's Paeon's category changed from spell to ability. The additional effect "40% chance to grant Repertoire when damage over time is dealt by Caustic Bite or Stormbite" has changed to "80% chance to grant Repertoire." The action's duration changed from 30 seconds to 45 seconds. The following additional effect has been added: "Grants Army's Coda." Direct hit effect now also applies to the bard who casted it. The following note is no longer in effect: "This action does not share a recast timer with any other actions. Furthermore, the recast timer cannot be affected by other actions." Its recast time changed from 80 seconds to 120 seconds.
6. Rain of Death potency changed from 130 to 100. This ability now has 3 maximum charges.
7. Battle Voice duration changed from 20 seconds to 15 seconds, and recast timer changed from 180 seconds to 120 seconds. This effect now also applies to the Bard that casted it.
8. The Wanderer's Minuet's category changed from spell to ability. The addition effect conditions "40% chance to grant Repertoire when damage over time is dealt by Caustic Bite or Stormbite" has changed to "80% chance to grant Repertoire". Its duration changed from 30 seconds to 45 seconds. The following additional effect has been added: "Grants Wanderer's Coda". Critical hit effect now also applies to the bard who casted it. The following note is no longer in effect: "This action does not share a recast timer with any other actions. Furthermore, the recast timer cannot be affected by other actions." Its recast time changed from 80 seconds to 120 seconds.
9. Pitch Perfect potency with 2 Repertoire stacks changed from 250 to 220, and potency with 3 Repertoire changed from 450 to 360. Its recast time changed from 3 seconds to 1 second.
10. Empyreal Arrow potency changed from 230 to 200.
11. Sidewinder now delivers an attack with a potency of 300.
12. Troubadour's recast time changed from 120 seconds to 90 seconds.

1. Radiant Finale increases damage dealt by self and nearby party members for 15 seconds. Its effectiveness is determined by the number of different Coda active in the Song Gauge. 1 Coda grants a 2% increase, 2 Coda 4%, and 3 Coda 6%. This can only be executed when at least 1 coda is active.

1. Heavier Shot's duration changed from 10 seconds to 30 seconds.
2. Enhanced Quick Nock's learning level changed from 74 to 72 and adds to Quick Nock a 35% change that the player will become Shadowbite Ready.
3. Bite Mastery II's duration changed from 10 seconds to 30 seconds.

1. Quick Nock Mastery upgrades Quick Nock to Ladonsbite.
2. Enhanced Bloodletter allows a third charge of Bloodletter and Rain of Death.
3. Enhanced Apex Arrow grants Blast Arrow Ready upon executing Apex Arrow after the Soul Voice Gauge has reached 80 or higher for a duration of 30 seconds. Apex Arrow becomes Blast Arrow while under this effect.
4. Enhanced Troubadour reduces Troubadour recast time to 90 seconds.
5. Minstrel's Coda grants Mage's Coda, Army's Coda, or Wanderer's Coda upon singing Mage's Ballad, Army's Paeon, or the The Wanderer's Minuet respectively.