Bard DPS DPS Melding, Stat Priority, and Consumables — Endwalker 6.4
On this page, you will find the best melding choices and consumables, as well as the stat priority they are based on, for Bard in Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker (Patch 6.4).
Materia Melds and Stat Priority for Bard
This section covers the best substats for Bard. This informs your materia melding and can impact gear choices as you work towards your best-in-slot set.
You can find the best-in-slot gear for Bard on our gearing guide linked below. It may include choices that go against this page due to advanced stat formula weighting.
Best Stats for Bard
Bard's general stat priorities are:
- Weapon Damage;
- Dexterity;
- Critical Hit;
- Determination;
- Direct Hit;
- Skill Speed
Weapon Damage and Dexterity are much more important than any secondary stat. Critical Hit, Direct Hit, and Determination are relatively close in value.
Skill Speed is further behind, but 474-546 Skill Speed allows for the cleanest rotation timings.
Best Materia Melds for Bard
As per the above, prioritize melding Critical Hit first, then Determination, and then Direct Hit. Do not use melds that cannot fit under an item's cap for that stat unless it is only over by one or two points.
Best Food and Potions for Bard
The best potion available for Bard is Grade 8 Tincture of Dexterity.
You do not need to use potions unless you expect a tight DPS check. If you want
to practice using potions in your rotation, you can buy lower grades to save
some gil.
If your gear has no Skill Speed on it, meld one Quickarm Materia X
somewhere, and eat
Baba Ghanoush. The best food to use if your gear
does have some Skill Speed is
Baked Eggplant.
Changelog
- 25 May 2023: Updated for Patch 6.4
- 10 Jan. 2023: Updated for Patch 6.3
- 20 Sep. 2022: Updated as of Patch 6.2
- 20 Apr. 2022: Updated for Patch 6.1
- 01 Feb. 2022: Guide added.
Guides from Other Classes
This guide was written by Cetonis, who has been a Bard theorycrafter and guide contributor since late ARR. He is also part of The Balance as a Bard mentor. All good theorycraft is a group effort, and credit goes out to the Bards of the ranged theorycraft discord for helping to work things out.
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