Bard
Bard is the second job of the male Archer branch in Vortex Legends. Bards trade some of the Archer's raw bow output for a repertoire of songs, shouts and instrument techniques that empower an entire party while still holding their own in a fight. They wield Musical Instruments (and Whips for a handful of shared performances), sustain long-lasting songs that buff nearby allies, and can silence, freeze or put enemies to sleep with sound.
Bards share their whole performance list with Dancers: the two classes perform the same songs, the same duets, and the same support techniques, differing only in a few gender-locked skills. A song lowers the performer's movement speed while it plays, drains a little SP while it plays, and fades when the performer leaves the map.
Skills
Instrument techniques
Musical Lesson
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Passive |
| Max level | 5 |
Steady practice sharpens the Bard's ear and hands. Musical Lesson permanently raises the Bard's Intelligence and increases the physical damage dealt while a Musical Instrument is equipped. It is the foundation of the offensive instrument line and unlocks the Bard's attacking techniques.
Musical Strike
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Offensive (physical) |
| Target | Enemy |
| Max level | 5 |
| Range | 11 |
| Catalyst | 1 Arrow |
Musical Strike fires an arrow through a Musical Instrument, striking the target twice from a distance and knocking it back. It is the Bard's main single-target attack and costs less SP while a song is playing.
Pang Voice
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Offensive (physical) |
| Target | Enemy |
| Element | Neutral |
| Max level | 5 |
| Range | 9 |
Pang Voice unleashes a piercing shout that blends physical and magical power into a single Neutral hit. It deals extra damage to targets that are Frozen, turned to Stone or asleep, can be performed while a song is playing, and is one of the few sonic attacks that will strike Boss monsters.
Reverberation
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Offensive (physical) |
| Max level | 10 |
| Range | 9 |
| Catalyst | 1 Arrow |
Reverberation places a lingering sonic charge on the ground that bursts after a delay or when triggered, hammering every enemy in the area with melee damage that ignores part of their Defense and evasion. Its element follows the equipped arrow. This is a performance shared with the Dancer.
Songs
Apple of Idun
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Support (song) |
| Target | Party (area) |
| Max level | 5 |
Apple of Idun is a song that toughens nearby party members, raising their maximum HP and improving the healing they receive. It is a core survivability song for sustained fights.
Invulnerable Siegfried
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Support (song) |
| Target | Party (area) |
| Max level | 5 |
Invulnerable Siegfried is a song that shields nearby party members, boosting their resistance to the four basic elements and adding to their magic defense. It is the Bard's defensive counterpart to the Dancer's warding dance.
Assassin Cross of Sunset
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Support (song) |
| Target | Party (area) |
| Max level | 10 |
Assassin Cross of Sunset is a driving song that quickens the attack speed of nearby party members. It is a staple offensive buff for physical parties.
Poem of Bragi
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Support (song) |
| Target | Party (area) |
| Max level | 10 |
Poem of Bragi is a prized song that shortens both the cast time and the after-cast delay of nearby party members, letting casters chain spells far more quickly. It is one of the most sought-after support songs in the game.
Shouts and lullabies
Frost Joker
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Active (area) |
| Target | Enemies in view |
| Max level | 5 |
Frost Joker tells a chilling joke aloud that may leave enemies across the screen Frozen. The chance is higher on foes standing close to the Bard, and the shout affects enemies only.
Lullaby
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Active |
| Target | Single |
| Max level | 5 |
| Range | 9 |
Lullaby plays a drowsy melody that may put an enemy to sleep, and can be performed while a song is playing. Against a target that is already asleep it instead wakes it, so it never puts allies to sleep.
→ Lullaby
Support
Death Valley
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Support |
| Target | Dead ally |
| Max level | 5 |
| Range | 9 |
Death Valley recites a sacred poem that brings a fallen ally back to life and restores part of their maximum HP. Unlike a priest's resurrection it works on players warded against holy revival, and it is shared with the Dancer.
A Whistle
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Support (Platinum) |
| Target | Party (area) |
| Max level | 1 |
A Whistle is a Platinum skill that plays a calming tune, raising the evasion and perfect dodge of every party member in view, the Bard included. It can be played while a song is going.
Performance Discipline
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Passive |
| Max level | 5 |
Performance Discipline reflects the artist's mastery of the stage. It raises maximum SP and softens the movement-speed penalty that songs impose while they play. It is the root of the whole performance line and is shared with the Dancer.
Adaptation to Circumstances
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Active |
| Max level | 1 |
| SP cost | 1 |
Adaptation to Circumstances lets the artist break off the current song or dance at will. It cannot be used in the first few seconds after a performance begins. Shared with the Dancer.
Encore
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Active |
| Max level | 1 |
| SP cost | 10 |
Encore replays the last song or dance the artist performed without paying its SP again, at the fixed cost of the encore itself. Shared with the Dancer.
→ Encore
Into the Abyss
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Support (duet) |
| Target | Party (area) |
| Max level | 3 |
Into the Abyss is a duet played alongside another performer that frees party members from having to spend catalysts on their skills for a time; the items must still be carried but are not consumed. Only one duet can be active at once.
A Drum on the Battlefield
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Support (duet) |
| Target | Party (area) |
| Max level | 3 |
A Drum on the Battlefield is a duet that raises the physical and magical attack of party members for a time. Only one duet can be active at once.
Mr. Kim A Rich Man
| Job | Bard |
|---|---|
| Type | Support (duet) |
| Target | Party (area) |
| Max level | 3 |
Mr. Kim A Rich Man is a duet that increases the experience party members gain from defeating monsters for a time. Only one duet can be active at once.
Inherited skills
The Bard inherits all skills of the Novice and Archer classes.
Advancement
The Bard advances to Clown.