So I got really bored as an Aquamancer, so I decided to switch to the Cantors. Right now, I'm a level 76 Spiritsinger Merian with a 56% aptitude instrument. A couple questions:
1) How much does damage/speed improve from 0% aptitude to maestro bonded?
2) How much does the higher int/cha matter? Would human or merian be better?
3) Right now, because I can't hit as hard and have less health than before (4300 before with staff, 3600 now), I can't bash astral respawns and gorgogs anymore. I'm training chiefly on Water and the nexus world. Are there any recommendations for bashing grounds (besides krokanis, since they're always bashed out), either for money or for exp?
Thanks

For the third one, try the UV tunnels, just watch out for fisher and adoraths and maybe Mantekarrs.

3600 health is more than enough to bash Astral respawns and gorgogs as a bard, unless Furrikini Spiritsinger are significantly more tanky than a Merian Cantor. I can do singles of each unbuffed.

As far as I can tell, a maestro instrument really makes a huge difference. It takes ages to kill things otherwise.

influence tosha, perhaps kill spawn, and MAYBE snowcats/mammoths?

I just tried it out...and promptly got owned by a fisher that walked in on me while I was fighting something else. Heh.
About gorgogs: I don't know, I usually hit and ran as an aqua. I guess I'll try it out now ...

Yeah, avoid the fishers.

I don't really know how one is supposed to do that, when they move around and stuff.

I can do it.

How much health do you have?

3k.

So if you're hitting something that's already tough, and one of those walks in and starts hitting you, you always have time to get away? o_O

Most of the time, so long as I don't lag really bad and so long as I notice it. Monk hunting is really spammy, and I also have to put myself off-balance to run, 'cause I have to kata terminate.

Bleh. Had to run and heal a lot for lobs and for gorgogs. =(
EDIT: Aaaaandd just lost level 76. Gragh.

Go human, merian cantor is a waste of time.

Fishers can be rough. You should be able to survive at your level (maybe, merians are pretty squishy) long enough to get away, but who knows. I would suggest against UV in all honesty. Cavefishers and mantekarrs like to clump, and 3 or so in a room will insta kill you when you walk in. I'm a level 90 krokani monk and groups of fishers still make me say ouch. God forbid you find one of the wandering adoraths.

I dunno what to tell you about bashing spots. I bashed from 70 to 90 in UV and astral. Try lucidians in the observatory. They are pretty decent. Elfen in the Dell if you aren't too worried about making Serens cry. They team, so be careful. Orcs in shallach. Fishers (not diggers) on the TBC. If I were you, I'd avoid the UV until you can tank one fisher long enough to kill it.

Merian should be able to do some pretty decent damage, and if you have illusoryself you shouldn't be abysmally squishy. That being said, I agree with Aison. Go something else if your aim is to not get swatted by the first demi warrior that looks at you.

I'd hate to say it, but damage- and tank-wise, Spiritsinger Wild Elfen is the choice to go. Female kephera also is a good choice, with 13 con, 15 int, 14 cha and a load of resistances.

Otherwise, 10con hurts for merian. Disadvantage to fire and electricity also blocks you from hunting Gorgogs safely.

OK, I think I'll reincarnate into human. Does anyone know that approximate stats of a human at level 75?

Go female kephera, way tankier, but if you still want human (the level 2 experience bonus is hot!) then human is great too.
Human stats are random.

Thought they were preset for each archtype?

Yes they are 'random' as you level, but when you reach level 100 you've gained all the ones pre-set for your archtype.