Which Body Is Better...

So I finally got Emp body +1 and I was wondering what would be better in different situations.

Aoidos' Hongreline +1
CHR +8 Singing skill +8
Wind instrument skill +8
Increases song effect duration

Augur's Jaseran
INT +13 MND +13 CHR +13
Summoning magic skill +10
Light Elemental Magic Accuracy +10
Enmity -5

So for buffs, obviously Emp Body +1, but for debuffs such as Finale and Lullaby is Augur's better?

AF body should still be better for debuffs unless it totally messed up in my head how song acc works... +16/7 acc (or just 6/7 if not light element) from augur, +20 from AF along with increaced duration if that also effects debuffs

Aoidos' is much better for both. The only thing you'd use Jaseran for is Stoneskin and Cures, but even then Lore Robe (unless there's something else with more enm- and I'm HELP I AM TRAPPED IN 2006 PLEASE SEND A TIME MACHINE) would probably be better for Cures.

Honestly, i'd use the Augur's for Finale as it's instant and Empy for lullably IF you can land it comfortably, the increases song duration looks real nice. If you're struggling to land, probably go with the Augur's.

I'm not a hardcore bard though

Ah, alright. Thanks.

Works out that 1 skill = 1 acc (well .9something or something like that) and 2 chr = 1 acc... can't think of any debuffs you would be doing with string so should be safe to factor both the singing and wind in.

How'd Augurs be better for Finale. And if you're going that route, you'd most likely be better casting Finale in a Haste or Fast Cast body if your magic-accuracy is capped.

Oh yeah Augur's better for String Horde Lullaby. Doubt it matters enough to carry the piece around though.

I personally use Augur's for all light-based debuffs (dark threnody, lullaby, finale ect)

and AF3 +2 body for all the other threnodys and elegy.

Edit: wait if you only have +1 af3 might just wanna use Augur's until you get +2.

What I'm sitting at for most Debuffs is--

310 Singing
297 String
CHR 82+60
All +1 Staffs
12 Magic Accuracy


In Abyssea I land everything except Requiem. Outside, I do not have a problem either.

"Increases Song Effect Duration" sadly doesn't affect the duration of lullaby/debuffs :(

Empy +1 body is better for debuffs than Augur's Jaseran, even including Light-based debuffs. Augur's is better though for String Horde, but not by much, gap is even less with Empy +2 body.

So far for my BRD, I have two sets of macros set up-- one for debuffs and the other for buffs.

Buffs
(Takes up 2 macros-- CTRL 1 & 2; less if I use Spellcast)
- Aoidos Torque
- Aoidos Body +1
- Schellenband
- Aoidos Head +1
- Aoidos Legs +1
- Astute cape
- Rostrum pumps
- Dweomer knife (Songcasting -4% augment until I get Felibre dagger)
- Aoidos belt

(Note: Increased song duration does stack with Troubadour. Depending on the HP of the mob I'm fighting, the buff songs would last until the mob has 1/4th to half of its HP left if Troubadour was active.)

Debuffs
(Takes up 2 macros-- ALT 1 & 2; Staff/grip are macroed with their respective songs except Threnodies since carrying 8 staffs is overkill. I'll usually just cast it with Dweomer knife until I get Felibre dagger.)
- Apollo's or Terra's staff (may upgrade to Magian Ele staff later)
- Light or Earth grip
- Aoidos Body +1 (Yes, Inc. song duration does not apply to debuffs sadly...)
- Teal cuffs (until I get Aoidos Hands +1)
- Goliard clogs or Oracle pigaches (if I'm resisting too much then I use Oracle)
- Piper's torque
- Mesmeric cape
- Marching belt

For light element threnody (Dark threnody), lullaby and finale, if I'm resisting too much I use Augur's Jaseran. And, of course, use Apollo's/Light grip with their respective threnody, the same for Terra's/Earth grip.

Other than that, Requiem resists the most or always. Fighting light-based mobs doesn't help either like that Tiger NM in Uleguerand (A).

If and when I finish Empyrean Harp, I am not sure if I have to change anything. I'm still missing a lot of Iron Plates-- 44 more to go. Not a lot of my friends are willing to help me fight the Iron Giants since they tell me it's a "*** to tank" and trigger. Triggering blue I can understand since every move is a damn TP move.

Note: I play with the keyboard and a touch typist with a speed of 75 to 79 wpm so I have little to no issue hitting two macros quickly to gear up for a song then a third keystroke for the song itself.

So, essentially I'll go:
(- Hit F1 to F6 for the party member if I use Piannissimo.)
- Hold CTRL or ALT
- Hit 1 & 2
- Hit 3 (Ballad) to 0 (Finale)
- Release the CTRL/ALT key

Threnodies are on the ALT path. Troubadour/Nightingale with Paeon (since it's rarely used) are in the same macro set as Prelude and the etudes (ie- MND etude, etc.). Carols are in the macro set above the buff/debuff set.

I hit Piannissimo manually by menu. All buff songs have <t> on them. Target myself if mass-buffing or select PT member if I Piann. a single person. Debuffs have <t> since I always have a target on them when not buffing.

You'll never hit Requiem on NM's don't sweat it lol.

You could probably hit debuffs naked inside of abyssea pretty easily. Outside too (I haven't fought any voidwalker NMs yet)


If you're /whm inside of abyssea you want to be able to basically hit -50% songcast without using Deep devourer if possible. Merciless matriarch is still a worthwhile atma due to the fastcast on it.

If you're subbing nin and DDing you want to lose Merciless matriarch as well, which is tougher but still pretty easy if you have AF3+2 head, Sha'ir manteel, felibre's dague and a minstrels ring.

I made a list of all the best instruments here.

Dead thread revival party.
IT'S ON!

Bit of an update to BRDs

The new cap for songcast- is 80%.