Untrained Melody III: Level 3 Bard Spells

By Ralsu

Third level bard spells provide a solid selection of buffs, debuffs, and crowd control spells. Moreover, Cure Serious Wounds is regarded as the most efficient healing spell in Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach (DDO).

Bards looking to specialize in boosting the fighting prowess of their party members need look no further than the bard-only spell Good Hope. Additionally, they can consider Haste to get faster and more accurate attacks while providing some extra defense. Finally, Remove Curse keeps the party fighting at optimum.

Bards who like to reduce the effectiveness of their opponents will be please with Charm Monster, Crushing Despair, and Fear. Charm Monster will make one enemy your ally and lasts longer than previous charms. Crushing Despair will soften an adversaries blows and make him more susceptible to spells. Fear can cause a room full of enemies to stop attacking and run for their lives.

If you're a bard who enjoys crowd control, look at Charm Monster, Fear and Slow. Slow will cause enemies to move at half their normal speed, and they'll attack less frequently, too.

Alas, bards can't learn every spell. You'll be limited to only 4 of the 12 spells listed here. And--as always--the best bard will select a nice mixture of spells so that he brings balance to his party.

The table below identifies and describes the 12 Level 3 bard spells. All spells are rated on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 5 being best).

Charm Monster Cool down (seconds): 9 Casting Time: fast School: enchantment Range: medium Components: somatic, verbal Duration: 10 minutes (extendable) Save: will to avoid, (special) Target: foe Official Description: “An enemy monster is charmed and will fight as a trusted friend and ally. Charmed monsters get additional saving throws every 3d6 +12 seconds.” Notes: This spell does not work on rust monsters, vermin, oozes, undead and constructs. For those enemies it affects, it is harder to resist and more effective than previous charms. Bards specializing in charming will definitely want this spell. A nice thing about Charm Monster is that it requires no material component. The bad part is that 9 seconds of cooldown! Rating: 3

Crushing Despair Cool down (seconds): 4 Casting Time: fast School: enchantment Range: medium Components: material, somatic, verbal Duration: 1 minute/level (extendable) Area: 10' radius circle Save: will to avoid Target: foe, positional Official Description: “An invisible cone of despair causes a great sadness in ones enemies, giving –2 penalties to attack, saving throws, skill checks and weapon damage.” Notes: This spell is a circle, not a cone, and the cast effect (but not the results) is visible. I wish there were a way for me to know which of my enemies has been affected by this spell. I find this spell very useful for weakening a foe's resistance to spells for the rest of the party. No more succeeding at your fortitude save for half damage for you, Mr. Giant! Use it on a room full of insignificant adversaries to reduce the damage your party takes. Your healer will love you for it. Rating: 3

Cure Serious Wounds Cool down (seconds): 3 Casting Time: Short School: Conjuration Range: short Area: single target Components: somatic, verbal Duration: Instant Target: Self, friend, undead Official Description: "Positive energy is channeled to heal serious wounds of your target or damage undead for 3d8 hit points +1 per caster level." Notes: Unless you're roleplaying a bard who does know healing spells, you can't go wrong with this spell. Cure Serious Wounds is considered by many to be the most effective healing spell in DDO. If you compare the ratio of health restored to spell points spent and the time it takes to accomplish all of this, those people are right. Rating: 5

Deep Slumber Cool down (seconds): 3 Casting Time: short School: enchantment Range: medium Components: material, somatic, verbal Duration: 1 minute/level (extendable) Save: will to avoid Target: foe, positional Area: 10' radius circle Official Description: “Induces a magical slumber to come upon targets, rendering them helpless until attacked or for a duration of 1 minute per caster level. Ineffective on undead or constructs.” Notes: This spell has the same problem that the original Sleep spell has, in that enemies will outrun the effect. Fortunately, the area is substantially larger, making it more reliable. You can also affect a larger number of hit dice (sum of the levels of of the targets). The plus sides are not enough to make me want this one. You have a much better crowd control spell available from this list in Fear. Rating: 1

Dispel Magic Cool down (seconds): 8 Casting Time: medium School: abjuration Range: medium Components: material, somatic, verbal Duration: instant Target: friend, self, foe Official Description: “Removes ongoing spells that have been cast on a target.” Notes: Dispel Magic is very useful to remove charms and similar effect upon creatures or many negative effects found on your party, but it is difficult to tell when this spell is useful to cast upon opponents unless you are sure you see them buff themselves or their allies. With only 4 slots to choose from among Level 3 bard spells, I can't imagine picking this over some of the other choices. Rating: 2

Fear Cool down (seconds): 4 Casting Time: fast School: necromancy Components: material, somatic, verbal Duration: 6 seconds per level (feared) or 3 seconds (shaken) (extendable) Area: 15' long, 10' wide cone Save: will to avoid or shaken Target: foe, directional Official Description: “An invisible cone of terror causes each living enemy in an area to become panicked. Cornered enemies cower.” Notes: Useful for herding enemies into traps, and affects all hit dice, unlike cause fear and scare. If an enemy saves, it is still shaken for 3 seconds. Fear is an extremely powerful crowd control spell that will serve you well. If I have any complaint it is how you have to chase down the enemies to slaughter them. At least they're not fighting back! Rating: 4

Good Hope Cool down (seconds): 4 Casting Time: short School: enchantment Area: 30 feet radius Components: material, somatic, verbal Duration: 8 minutes (extendable) Target: AoE Official Description: “Instills powerful hope, giving a +2 morale bonus to attack, saving throws, abilities, skills, and weapon damage.” Notes: Good Hope is crowd pleaser for sure. Everyone wants this buff. The only reason I could see not to pick this spell is if you are a bard who has used Enhancements to maximize the effectiveness of Inspire Courage. Even then, who doesn't want +2 to reflex, will, and fortitude spells? Plus, Good Hope is extendable up to 20 minutes! Get this spell! Rating: 5

Haste Cool down (seconds): 3 Casting Time:  medium School: transmutation Range: medium Components:  material, somatic, verbal, Duration: 6 seconds/level (extendable) Target: friend, self, positional Official Description: “Quickens allies, causing them to move 40% faster and attack 25% faster than normal. In addition the recipient gains +1 enhancement bonus to attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and reflex saving throws.” Notes: Stacks with Heroism, and the ability score buffs such as Cat's Grace.  This spell is an area effect centered on your target, so gather your allies when you cast it. Often considered an "always on" spell, so it might be more spell point-efficient to leave this one to a wizard or or sorcerer with extend spell. If you're picking between Haste and Good Hope, pick Good Hope; no one but a bard can bring that to the party! Rating: 3

Remove Curse Cool down (seconds): 3 Casting Time: fast School: abjuration Range: medium Components: somatic, verbal Target: friend, self Official Description: “Removes a curse on an ally, counters and dispels bestow curse.” Notes: When you need this spell, you'll wish you had it, but don't be swayed. Since bards only have 4 Level 3 spell slots, I can't recommend this one. In fact, using the unique bard spell Good Hope may prevent the curse from working on you in the first place--all the while adding bonuses to other saves, attack, and damage. Rating: 2

See Invisibility Cool down (seconds): 4 Casting Time: fast School: divination Range: medium Components: material, somatic, verbal Target: self Official Description: “You can see invisible creatures and objects.” Notes: ONLY you can see the invisible creatures when this spell succeeds. The rest of the party will still be clueless. You're better served by spamming Web or using Glitterdust. Or throw out some Hypnotic Patterns. Invisible creatures still show the swirling icons above their heads when hypnotized. Rating: 1

Slow School: transmutation Range: medium Area: 10' radius circle Components: material, somatic, verbal Duration: 6 seconds/level (extendable) Target: foe, positional Save: will to avoid Official Description: “Causes an enemy to move at 50% speed and attack at a 30% slowed rate.” Notes: This spell would be useful for large crowds of fast opponents, but it is difficult to place, similar to Deep Slumber or Sleep. I think you're better off casting Crushing Despair if you want to reduce the damage dealt by your foes. Even better, hit them with Fear and take no damage as they all scatter! Rating: 2

Summon Monster III Cool down (seconds): 90 Casting Time: long School: conjuration Range: medium Components: material, somatic, verbal Duration: 3 minutes Target: self, directional Official Description: “Summons a hellhound to fight for you for a brief time. Casting this spell locks out casting any other Summon Monster spell for 3 minutes.” Notes: This is lengthy enough to be useful, but hell hounds are overall fragile creatures.  Because they are able to hide, if they get confused or caught on a terrain feature, one will not see that they have been left behind. With a limited number of spell slots to use on this list, I cannot recommend this spell in good faith. Rating: 1