Alright, so I’ve spent a good chunk of time lately messing around with the Bard in Dark and Darker. Wanted to share how I went about figuring out the skills, just my own experience trying things out.
When I first rolled a Bard, I honestly felt a bit lost. Looked at the big list of songs and perks, and wasn’t sure where to even begin. Seemed like a lot to juggle, you know? So, I just jumped in. Picked a couple of songs that sounded useful, equipped a lute, and went into the dungeon pretty much blind.
First Steps and Trying Things Out
My initial runs were clumsy. I focused on just trying to play the songs without getting killed immediately. I started with the basics, things like the speed boost song – I think it’s called Accelerando or something similar? I’d try playing it right when we spawned in, or before we pushed into a room. It felt okay, teammates seemed to like moving faster, but playing it mid-combat was tough.
Then I experimented with some of the party buffs. Tried the one that supposedly boosts damage. Again, tricky to use when axes are flying, but felt good when I pulled it off before an ambush. I spent several runs just rotating through these buff songs, seeing which ones felt impactful and which ones were too awkward to use reliably.
- Tried playing buffs before fights.
- Attempted using them during chaotic moments (usually got hit).
- Switched between different buff songs each run to compare.
Moving to Debuffs and Utility
After getting a feel for buffs, I started mixing in debuffs. That Shriek of Weakness seemed promising. I’d try to target big enemies, like those heavily armored skeletons or a miniboss. It felt pretty good when I landed it, seemed like the enemy went down quicker. But aiming and playing under pressure was still the main challenge.
I also messed with the utility songs. The small heal, Tranquility, was nice for topping off health between fights, saving some potions and bandages. But trying to use it as an emergency heal? Yeah, not so much. Too slow when you’re actually taking damage.
There were also songs for things like revealing enemies or opening locks. I dabbled with these, especially the lockpicking one. It was handy sometimes, saved lockpicks, but felt very situational. Often, just having a Rogue or the picks was faster and safer.
Instruments and Perks
Fiddled with the different instruments too. The lute felt like the standard, but I tried the flute and drums. Each seemed to have slightly different timings or maybe that was just me. Didn’t notice a massive difference in the songs themselves, mostly just the feel of playing.
Perks were another layer. I started swapping those around actively. That perk that makes you play songs faster? Felt almost essential after trying it. Made everything less risky. Tried perks for better buff duration, different instrument bonuses. It was a lot of back-and-forth, trying a setup, seeing how it felt in a few raids, then tweaking it.
Where I’m At Now
So, after all that testing, I’ve kinda settled into a setup I like for now. It’s usually a mix:
- One reliable speed buff: Good for escaping or engaging.
- One defensive or damage buff: Depending on team comp.
- Shriek of Weakness: Helps burst down tough targets.
- Tranquility: For patching up after fights.
I pair this with perks that boost playing speed and maybe buff duration. It feels like a decent balance for support without being totally useless on my own. Still need my teammates, obviously, Bard isn’t a solo powerhouse in my hands.
Biggest hurdle is still playing songs cleanly under pressure and managing the song wheel. Getting interrupted feels bad, man. Sometimes my fingers just fumble when things get intense. It’s a class with a high skill ceiling, I think. You gotta practice the actual playing part a lot.
Anyway, that’s been my journey with the Bard skills so far. Still learning, still tweaking things run by run. It’s a fun class, definitely different from just swinging a sword. Keeps you busy.
