Maybe it's those magic damage runes that need be nerfed or eliminated. If I can't do the damage I paid 1600cr for, I'd sure like to get the 1600cr back.

If you let a bard prep a room with octave, stack music affs, then do that combo you mentioned, you deserve to die.

Looking at the costs, 2 power vs. 0 (or even 1 for ancestralwatch, but it doesn't really matter) really isn't that big of a deal in the long run. I know you use QueensLament each and every time, though.

See, now, I've been trying to be extremely reasonable about this entire thing and I've even taken the steps to nerf myself as I have done to maze in the past. This spirit mechanic relies HEAVILY upon my number of spirits maintained and then progressively used up as I move to chase, let alone attack. People claim that gaining 1 spirit every 10 seconds is easy enough? Hardly, when sticking a spirit on a target doesn't count for my using up spirits, so I can have 5 on me and 5 on my target, but I won't summon more until either is used up. Add that to the fact that chasing makes me lose spirits? SpiritGuard eats up a spirit faster in combative situations than I would like, but that's the tradeoff I get for going defensive than offensive. AncientFeud's damage not only was already HALVED, but it's heavily reliant on the number of spirits I have following me. So if I stick a spirit on a target, my total passive damage goes down since those spirits don't count for my AncientFeud. CairnLargo's 5 spirit Freeze requires a 15s set up IF I'm lucky enough to not have to wait 50s for my spirits to be summoned first.
Mind, I'm not complaining since I these changes, and I understand that to gain something like this, the tradeoffs must be on par and I believe that things have been changed up enough to balance this out. If people are just saying, oh, it's only Xiel then yes, it's only me cause I paid enough to make myself this way as have other artied up classes.

Ah, the "I paid for it" justification. Never ceases to amaze and amuse.

Well, he did pay for those damage runes, for the Trans Wildarrane too, maybe. And note, not all bards spend as much as Xiel, and so not all bards cause as much damage as Xiel.

At any rate, I don't buy the trade off argument...because you aren't really trading anything. "I have to sacrifice half my absurd passive damage to do a huge burst of damage and stun." Whatever will you do.

People claim gaining 1 spirit every 10 seconds is easy because it is. It's passive. You can fart around with glamours and music while you wait. Stop acting like your songs are ALL you have to work with, because we all know that's a huge joke.

Well, he did pay for those damage runes, for the Trans Wildarrane too, maybe. And note, not all bards spend as much as Xiel, and so not all bards cause as much damage as Xiel.

They've always had the viable damage kill that was available to every other bard.

I'm sorry what?

What, having the highest caster-class dps in the game supported by damaging inflictions isn't enough for you? That goes right along with hunger is useless.

What, having the highest caster-class dps in the game supported by damaging inflictions isn't enough for you? That goes right along with hunger is useless.

The primary offence of warriors is their weapons

Explain2n00b exactly what other offensive options exist than hitting people with my weapons? Because honestly, I'm slightly at a loss.