~4 MIN
Intro
Welcome to the Ultimate Bard Guide for Final Fantasy XIV Patch 7.2 — expertly crafted by veteran raiders and powered by Onlyfarms.gg. Whether you’re just unlocking Bard or planning to main it in high-end raids, this guide will cover everything: rotation, burst windows, party utility, gear, traits, and more.
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🏹 What Is Bard’s Playstyle?
Bard is a Physical Ranged DPS job that combines high mobility, priority-based gameplay, and party-wide buffs. It uses DoTs, procs, off-global cooldowns, and a unique song system that rewards timing and awareness.
| Core Identity | Description |
|---|---|
| 🎶 Song Rotation | Three-song cycle: Wanderer’s Minuet, Mage’s Ballad, Army’s Paeon |
| 🔥 Burst Phase | Massive 2-minute burst window with Raging Strikes, Battle Voice, and Radiant Finale |
| 💥 Reactive Gameplay | Procs from songs and DoTs keep the job fast-paced |
| 📯 Group Utility | Buffs party damage and enhances healing |
| 🏃 Full Uptime | 100% mobility — dodge mechanics without sacrificing DPS |
🎯 Bard shines in coordinated groups where its party buffs are fully utilized.
✅ Bard Strengths and Weaknesses
| Strengths ✅ | Weaknesses ❌ |
|---|---|
| Best-in-class party burst buffs | Relies on party to fully benefit from buffs |
| Great raid-wide utility (mitigation, healing boost, cleanse) | Fixed 3-song cycle offers limited flexibility |
| Mistakes have low long-term rotation impact | Personal DPS lower compared to selfish DPS |
| Completely mobile — no cast times | RNG in procs can affect consistency |
🪄 How to Unlock Bard in FFXIV
To unlock Bard:
- Reach Level 30 Archer
- Complete class quest “The One That Got Away”
- Finish MSQ “Sylph-Management” (Level 20)
- Talk to Lucianne in New Gridania (X:15.4, Y:11.8)
- Accept the quest “A Song of Bards and Bowmen”
🎼 Understanding Bard’s Gauges
| Gauge | Description |
|---|---|
| 🎵 Song Gauge | Tracks the current active song and Repertoire procs |
| 🔥 Soul Gauge | Builds from Repertoire procs, used for Apex Arrow |
| ✨ Coda Tracker | Earned by using songs; spent on Radiant Finale for party damage buffs |
Each song has a chance (80%) to grant a Repertoire proc every 3 seconds. Each song has unique Repertoire effects and contributes one Coda.
🌀 Bard’s Songs and Repertoire Effects
| Song Name | Buff Effect | Repertoire Proc Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Wanderer’s Minuet | +2% Crit | Allows usage of Pitch Perfect |
| Mage’s Ballad | +1% Damage | Reduces CD on Heartbreak Shot and Rain of Death |
| Army’s Paeon | +3% Direct Hit | Increases attack speed (up to 4 stacks) |
🌟 Using all three grants maximum Radiant Finale potency — 6% party-wide damage increase.
🧨 Bard's Key Abilities (DPS and Utility)
🗡 Damage Abilities
| Skill | Role |
|---|---|
| Heavy Shot → Burst Shot | Primary GCD filler |
| Windbite / Stormbite | DoTs (apply and refresh with Iron Jaws) |
| Pitch Perfect | Instant proc-based burst |
| Empyreal Arrow | High-potency oGCD |
| Apex Arrow / Blast Arrow | Soul Gauge burst finisher |
| Sidewinder / Refulgent Arrow | Powerful oGCD finishers |
🎺 Party Buffs
| Buff Skill | Effect |
|---|---|
| Battle Voice | +20% Direct Hit rate for 20s (2-min CD) |
| Radiant Finale | +2/4/6% party-wide damage buff based on Coda (110s CD) |
| Troubadour | -15% damage taken by party (does not stack with DNC/MCH variant) |
| Nature’s Minne | +15% healing received by party (great for healing checks) |
| Warden’s Paean | Removes detrimental effects or shields next one |
🧠 Bard Rotation Overview
🔄 General Flow:
- Apply DoTs → Caustic Bite + Stormbite
- Cycle Songs → Wanderer’s → Mage’s → Army’s every 45s
- Use Procs → Pitch Perfect, Heartbreak Shot, etc.
- Burn Soul Gauge → Apex Arrow or Blast Arrow at 80+
- Hit oGCDs on Cooldown → Empyreal Arrow, Bloodletter, Sidewinder
🔥 2-Minute Burst:
| Skill Order (Example) |
|---|
| Raging Strikes → Battle Voice → Radiant Finale |
| DoT Refresh → Apex Arrow (if 80+) → Blast Arrow |
| Barrage → Refulgent Arrow → Pitch Perfect spam |
| Potions, Dancer Buffs, etc. |
🧪 Bard Traits (Highlights)
| Trait | Effect |
|---|---|
| Bite Mastery | Upgrades DoTs to Caustic Bite & Stormbite |
| Straight Shot Mastery | Grants Refulgent Arrow as proc |
| Soul Voice | Generates Soul Gauge on procs |
| Quick Nock / Ladonsbite | AoE combo with chance to grant Hawk’s Eye |
| Radiant Encore | Follow-up AoE based on Coda used in Radiant Finale |
🛡 Role Actions
| Skill | Use Case |
|---|---|
| Second Wind | Self-heal |
| Peloton | Movement speed outside combat |
| Troubadour | Raid-wide damage mitigation |
| Arm’s Length | Knockback immunity |
| Head Graze | Interrupt (niche) |
🧙♂ Bard Gear and Gearing Tips
Bard uses Aiming gear with Dexterity as its main stat. It benefits from:
- Critical Hit and Direct Hit as top substats
- Det for scaling; avoid Skill Speed (except in niche builds)
- Shared gear with Dancer and Machinist
| Slot | Stat Priority | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Crit > DH > Det | Meld Crit-heavy for burst |
| Accessories | Crit > DH | Avoid Skill Speed unless needed |
📖 Bard Lore
“Few know, however, that bards in fact trace their origins back to the bowmen of eld, who sang in the heat of battle to fortify the spirits of their companions…”
In FFXIV, Bard blends the art of battle and song to inspire, protect, and lead others to victory — all while staying mobile and stylish.
🏁 Final Thoughts
Bard is the perfect blend of support, rhythm, and precision. With unmatched raid buffs, incredible mobility, and rewarding rotation mechanics, it’s one of the most group-oriented DPS jobs in the game.
Whether you’re a raid lead or casual player, Bard brings value every step of the way — and Onlyfarms.gg is here to make sure you’re geared, ready, and performing at your peak.