Introduction
This small sub-guide dives into the best skills to choose while levelling your Lost Ark Bard. If you want to see our Complete Bard Class Guide, make sure you check out this link. We recommend you to just try out all the skills and play for whatever is the most fun for you. However, if you just want to speed up the process (maybe that’s the most fun for you) or you’re tying to power through with levelling an alt, follow this level by level breakdown of what skills to use and level up and which tripods to activate.
You can swap between saved skill tree slots whenever for free (even in combat as long as no skills are on cooldown). It’s recommended to use both your skillbook slots, choose abilities based on this: one for AoE (packs of normal enemies) and one for Single Target (Boss/Elites).
Best Bard Skills to Choose While Levelling
Below is a chart that shows progression of placement of skill points and their Tripods.
Level | Icon | Name | Level | Tripod 1 | Tripod 2 | Tripod 3 |
11 | Dissonance | 4 | Melody Increase | |||
12 | Stigma | 4 | Sustain Enhancement | |||
15 | Dissonance | 7 | Melody Increase | Law of the Jungle | ||
18 | Soundholic | 4 | Sound Concentration | |||
19 | Soundholic | 7 | Sound Concentration | Sustain Enhancement | ||
20* (Skill Preset 1: used for Normal Enemies) | Dissonance | 10* (remove points from everything else) | Melody Increase | Law of the Jungle | Harmony Enhancement | |
20* (Skill Preset 2: used for Bosses) | Soundholic | 10* (remove points from everything else) | Sound Concentration | Sustain Enhancement | Focus Fire | |
21 | Stigma | 4 | Sustain Enhancement | |||
24 | Stigma | 7 | Sustain Enhancement | Brilliant Stigma | ||
25 | Soundholic | 4 | Sound Concentration | |||
28 | Soundholic | 7 | Sound Concentration | Sustain Enhancement | ||
30 | Soundholic | 10* (delevel all other skills except Dissonance) | Sound Concentration | Sustain Enhancement | Focus Fire | |
31 | Stigma | 4 | Sustain Enhancement | |||
32 | Heavenly Tune | 4 | Quick Preparation | |||
33 | Sound Shock | 4 | Maintained Explosion | |||
34 | Stigma | 7 | Sustain Enhancement | Brilliant Stigma | ||
39 | Stigma | 10 | Sustain Enhancement | Brilliant Stigma | Pain Brand | |
50 | Sound Shock | 10 | Maintained Explosion | Shock Enhancement | Rapid Fire |
Bard Skill Priority – Lost Ark
For Normal packs of enemies, the Bard rotation is generally Stigma>Dissonance. This combo will clear pretty much everything, however, if there are any leftovers use Sound Shock for a quick clean up.
Since Stigma has a longer cooldown than Dissonance, alternate between Stigma>Dissonance and Sonic Vibration>Dissonance
For Bosses you’ll use Serenade of Courage(if ready)>Stigma>Dissonance>Heavenly Tune>Soundholic
You’ll want to use Attack Buffs before Soundholic as it is the Bards highest Single Target damaging ability. Wait for a clear opportunity to use it and better yet: hit the boss from behind with it for extra damage potential.
Stat Priority for Bard
Just equip the highest Item Lv. item you find. Focus on Agility for increased movement speed, reduced casting time, and faster skill cooldowns. Secondly, your next best stat is Specialization.
Next Steps
Now that you’ve made it through this sub-guide, make sure you are ready for the End-Game once you hit level 50. Check out our End Game Bard Skills Guide.
Also note that these sub-guides are also part of our full-scope Bard Class Guide which will encompass all of these sub guides.