Bard Job Guide for FFXIV — Endwalker 6.5

Bard is a physical ranged DPS job and is Final Fantasy XIV's bow user. Bard has a priority-based rotation, and the job is heavy on off-global cooldowns as you cycle through your songs and handle procs.

The centerpiece of the rotation is a big two-minute burst enhanced by their personal Raging Strikes buff, in addition to a pair of party buffs - Battle Voice and Radiant Finale — that give Bard the strongest group-wide buff package in the game.

Bard mixes its bow skills with a musical motif. They cycle through three songs - The Wanderer's Minuet, Mage's Ballad, and Army's Paeon - that roll an 80% chance to gain some effect every three seconds. Bard also has frequent off-global cooldowns on top of these, in addition to other random procs. This makes Bard both one of the fastest-paced jobs, and it is also one of the more reactive ones.

To unlock Bard, you need to first reach level 30 on Archer and complete the level 30 class quest "The One That Got Away." You also need to complete the level 20 main story quest "Sylph-Management." Once you have done both, talk to Lucianne at the Archer's Guild in New Gridania (x15.4, y11.8) to pick up the quest "A Song of Bards and Bowmen." This quest unlocks Bard.

Bard's Song Gauge has three parts - the song-specific gauge, the Soul Gauge beneath it, and your Coda to the right.

The Soul Gauge increases by five any time you get a Repertoire proc, and this is spent on Apex Arrow. You can get one Coda from each of your three main songs when starting it. Coda is spent by using Radiant Finale.

All three song-specific gauges will show the time remaining on the song. Every three seconds - at 42, 39, 36, and so on down to 3 - you get an 80% chance for a Repertoire proc. Repertoire has a different effect depending on the song.

In The Wanderer's Minuet (above), Repertoire gives you stacks that are spent on Pitch Perfect, up to three. The song gauge tracks how many you have.

In Mage's Ballad, the song gauge flashes when you get a Repertoire proc. Procs reduce the cooldown of Bloodletter and Rain of Death.

In Army's Paeon, Repertoire procs give you stacks that are shown on the gauge, up to four. These are not spent on anything. Instead, they give you 4% increased speed on your weaponskills and auto-attacks.

If you would prefer to watch a video that provides an overview of Bard, feel free to give the video below a watch. The video was provided by Julia Care, a member of the community on The Balance Discord server.

Action Name	Cast Recast	Range Radius	Effect
Heavy Shot Lv. 1	Instant 2.5s	↔ 3y 0y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 160. Additional Effect: 20% chance of becoming Straight Shot Ready Duration: 30s
Straight Shot Lv. 2	Instant 2.5s	↔ 3y 0y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 200. Can only be executed when Straight Shot Ready.
Raging Strikes Lv. 4	Instant 120.0s	↔ 0y 0y	Increases damage dealt by 15%. Duration: 20s
Venomous Bite Lv. 6	Instant 2.5s	↔ 3y 0y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Additional Effect: Venom Potency: 15 Duration: 45s
Bloodletter Lv. 12	Instant 15.0s	↔ 3y 0y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 110. Maximum Charges: 3 Shares a recast timer with Rain of Death.
Repelling Shot Lv. 15	Instant 30.0s	↔ 15y 0y	Jump 10 yalms away from current target. Cannot be executed while bound.
Quick Nock Lv. 18	Instant 2.5s	↔ 12y 12y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 110 to all enemies in a cone before you. Additional Effect: 35% chance of becoming Shadowbite Ready Duration: 30s
Mage's Ballad Lv. 30	Instant 120.0s	↔ 25y 0y	Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100. Additional Effect: Grants Mage's Ballad to self and all party members within 50 yalms, increasing damage dealt by 1% Duration: 45s Additional Effect: 80% chance to grant Repertoire Repertoire Effect: Reduces the recast time of Bloodletter and Rain of Death by 7.5s Additional Effect: Grants Mage's Coda
Windbite Lv. 30	Instant 2.5s	↔ 3y 0y	Deals wind damage with a potency of 60. Additional Effect: Wind damage over time Potency: 20 Duration: 45s
The Warden's Paean Lv. 35	Instant 45.0s	↔ 30y 0y	Removes one select detrimental effect from self or target party member. If the target is not enfeebled, a barrier is created nullifying the target's next detrimental effect suffered. Duration: 30s
Barrage Lv. 38	Instant 120.0s	↔ 0y 0y	Triples the number of strikes for a single-target weaponskill. Additional effects added only once. Duration: 10s Additional Effect: Increases the potency of Shadowbite to 270 Additional Effect: Grants Straight Shot Ready Duration: 30s
Army's Paeon Lv. 40	Instant 120.0s	↔ 25y 0y	Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100. Additional Effect: Grants Army's Paeon to self and all party members within 50 yalms, increasing direct hit rate by 3% Duration: 45s Additional Effect: 80% chance to grant Repertoire Repertoire Effect: Reduces weaponskill cast time and recast time, spell cast time and recast time, and auto-attack delay by 4% Can be stacked up to 4 times. Additional Effect: Grants Army's Coda
Rain of Death Lv. 45	Instant 15.0s	↔ 3y 8y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100 to target and all enemies nearby it. Maximum Charges: 3 Shares a recast timer with Bloodletter.
Battle Voice Lv. 50	Instant 120.0s	↔ 0y 30y	Increases direct hit rate of self and all nearby party members by 20%. Duration: 15s
Pitch Perfect Lv. 52	Instant 1.0s	↔ 3y 0y	Delivers an attack to the target. Potency varies with number of Repertoire stacks. 1 Repertoire Stack: 100 2 Repertoire Stacks: 220 3 Repertoire Stacks: 360 Can only be executed when the Wanderer's Minuet is active. ※This action cannot be assigned to a hotbar.
The Wanderer's Minuet Lv. 52	Instant 120.0s	↔ 25y 0y	Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100. Additional Effect: Grants the Wanderer's Minuet to self and all party members within 50 yalms, increasing critical hit rate by 2% Duration: 45s Additional Effect: 80% chance to grant Repertoire Repertoire Effect: Allows execution of Pitch Perfect Can be stacked up to 3 times. Additional Effect: Grants Wanderer's Coda ※Action changes to Pitch Perfect upon execution.
Empyreal Arrow Lv. 54	Instant 15.0s	↔ 3y 0y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 230.
Iron Jaws Lv. 56	Instant 2.5s	↔ 3y 0y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Additional Effect: If the target is suffering from a Caustic Bite or Stormbite effect inflicted by you, the effect timer is reset Additional Effect: 35% chance of becoming Straight Shot Ready Duration: 30s
Sidewinder Lv. 60	Instant 60.0s	↔ 3y 0y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 300.
Troubadour Lv. 62	Instant 120.0s	↔ 0y 30y	Reduces damage taken by self and nearby party members by 10%. Duration: 15s Effect cannot be stacked with machinist's Tactician or dancer's Shield Samba.
Caustic Bite Lv. 64	Instant 2.5s	↔ 3y 0y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 150. Additional Effect: Poison Potency: 20 Duration: 45s Additional Effect: 35% chance of becoming Straight Shot Ready Duration: 30s
Stormbite Lv. 64	Instant 2.5s	↔ 3y 0y	Deals wind damage with a potency of 100. Additional Effect: Wind damage over time Potency: 25 Duration: 45s Additional Effect: 35% chance of becoming Straight Shot Ready Duration: 30s
Nature's Minne Lv. 66	Instant 120.0s	↔ 0y 30y	Increases HP recovery via healing actions by 15% for self and nearby party members. Duration: 15s
Refulgent Arrow Lv. 70	Instant 2.5s	↔ 3y 0y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 280. Can only be executed when Straight Shot Ready.
Shadowbite Lv. 72	Instant 2.5s	↔ 3y 5y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 170 to target and all enemies nearby it. Barrage Potency: 270 Can only be executed when Shadowbite Ready.
Burst Shot Lv. 76	Instant 2.5s	↔ 3y 0y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 220. Additional Effect: 35% chance of becoming Straight Shot Ready Duration: 30s
Apex Arrow Lv. 80	Instant 2.5s	↔ 25y 25y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 100 to all enemies in a straight line before you. Soul Voice Gauge Cost: 20 Potency increases up to 500 as Soul Voice Gauge exceeds minimum cost. Additional Effect: Grants Blast Arrow Ready upon execution while Soul Voice Gauge is 80 or higher Duration: 10s Consumes Soul Voice Gauge upon execution. ※Action changes to Blast Arrow while under the effect of Blast Arrow Ready.
Ladonsbite Lv. 82	Instant 2.5s	↔ 12y 12y	Delivers an attack with a potency of 130 to all enemies in a cone before you. Additional Effect: 35% chance of becoming Shadowbite Ready Duration: 30s
Blast Arrow Lv. 86	Instant 2.5s	↔ 25y 25y	Delivers an attack to all enemies in a straight line before you with a potency of 600 for the first enemy, and 60% less for all remaining enemies. Can only be executed while under the effect of Blast Arrow Ready. ※This action cannot be assigned to a hotbar.
Radiant Finale Lv. 90	Instant 110.0s	↔ 0y 30y	Increases damage dealt by self and nearby party members. Duration: 15s Effectiveness is determined by the number of different Coda active in the Song Gauge. 1 Coda: 2% 2 Coda: 4% 3 Coda: 6% Can only be executed when at least 1 coda is active.

Action Name	Cast Recast	Range Radius	Effect
Leg Graze Lv. 6	Instant 30.0s	↔ 3y 0y	Afflicts target with Heavy +40%. Duration: 10s
Second Wind Lv. 8	Instant 120.0s	↔ 0y 0y	Instantly restores own HP. Cure Potency: 500
Foot Graze Lv. 10	Instant 30.0s	↔ 3y 0y	Binds target. Duration: 10s Cancels auto-attack upon execution. Target unbound if damage taken.
Peloton Lv. 20	Instant 5.0s	↔ 0y 30y	Increases movement speed of self and nearby party members. Duration: 30s Effect ends when enmity is generated. Has no effect in battle.
Head Graze Lv. 24	Instant 30.0s	↔ 3y 0y	Interrupts the use of a target's action.
Arm's Length Lv. 32	Instant 120.0s	↔ 0y 0y	Creates a barrier nullifying most knockback and draw-in effects. Duration: 6s Additional Effect: Slow +20% when barrier is struck Duration: 15s

Action Name	Acquired	Effect
Heavier Shot	Lv. 2	Adds to Heavy Shot a 20% chance that you will become Straight Shot Ready. Duration: 30s
Increased Action Damage	Lv. 20	Increases base action damage by 10%.
Increased Action Damage II	Lv. 40	Increases base action damage by 20%.
Bite Mastery	Lv. 64	Upgrades Venomous Bite and Windbite to Caustic Bite and Stormbite respectively.
Enhanced Empyreal Arrow	Lv. 68	Guarantees the trigger of the additional effects for current Mage's Ballad, Army's Paeon, and the Wanderer's Minuet when Empyreal Arrow hits a target.
Straight Shot Mastery	Lv. 70	Upgrades Straight Shot to Refulgent Arrow.
Enhanced Quick Nock	Lv. 72	Adds to Quick Nock a 35% chance that you will become Shadowbite Ready. Duration: 30s
Bite Mastery II	Lv. 76	Adds to Stormbite, Caustic Bite, and Iron Jaws a 35% chance that you will become Straight Shot Ready. Duration: 30s
Heavy Shot Mastery	Lv. 76	Upgrades Heavy Shot to Burst Shot.
Enhanced Army's Paeon	Lv. 78	While under the effect of Army's Paeon with at least one stack of Repertoire, singing Mage's Ballad or the Wanderer's Minuet will grant Army's Muse, reducing weaponskill cast time and recast time, spell cast time and recast time, and auto-attack delay. Duration: 10s Allowing the effect of Army's Paeon and accumulated stacks of Repertoire to expire without singing Mage's Ballad or the Wanderer's Minuet will grant Army's Ethos. Duration: 30s While under the effect of Army's Ethos, singing Mage's Ballad or the Wanderer's Minuet will grant Army's Muse. Both Army's Ethos and Army's Muse require stacks of Repertoire, the number of which will determine the potency of the latter. 1 Repertoire: 1% 2 Repertoire: 2% 3 Repertoire: 4% 4 Repertoire: 12%
Soul Voice	Lv. 80	Increases Soul Voice Gauge by 5 each time Repertoire is granted.
Quick Nock Mastery	Lv. 82	Upgrades Quick Nock to Ladonsbite.
Enhanced Bloodletter	Lv. 84	Allows a third charge of Bloodletter and Rain of Death.
Enhanced Apex Arrow	Lv. 86	Grants Blast Arrow Ready upon executing Apex Arrow after the Soul Voice Gauge has reached 80 or higher. Duration: 10s Apex Arrow becomes Blast Arrow while under this effect.
Enhanced Troubadour	Lv. 88	Reduces Troubadour recast time to 90 seconds.
Minstrel's Coda	Lv. 90	Grants Mage's Coda, Army's Coda, or Wanderer's Coda upon singing Mage's Ballad, Army's Paeon, or the Wanderer's Minuet respectively.

The word "bard" ordinarily puts folk in mind of those itinerant minstrels, fair of voice and nimble of finger, who earn their coin performing in taverns and the halls of great lords. Few know, however, that bards in fact trace their origins back to the bowmen of eld, who sang in the heat of battle to fortify the spirits of their companions. In time, their impassioned songs came to hold sway over the hearts of men, inspiring their comrades to great feats and granting peace unto those who lay upon the precipice of death.