Untrained Melody IV: Level 4 Bard Spells

By Ralsu

Fourth level bard spells provide access to some solid crowd control spells, but the rest of the list is slim pickings. The only healing spell, Cure Critical Wounds, is regarded as the least efficient healing spell in Dungeons & Dragons Online. Shout, the lone damage spell on the list, has shotty performance and requires your bard to be right in the thick of a group of enemies--an unwise position at best. Even the useful Break Enchantment can make things go bad if you accidentally remove a helpful buff from a party member at the wrong time.

Bards who enjoy crowd control should be pleased with Dominate Person and Hold Monster. Both have long durations and good effects. These two become easy choices for the two 4th level spell slots a bard will have by the time he is Level 10. The only decision that must be made from the remainder of the list is for those bards who reach Level 12 after the release of Module 3: Demon Sands.

 The table below identifies and describes the 7 Level 4 bard spells. Like all of our DDO Guides, all spells are rated on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 5 being best).

Break Enchantment Cool down (seconds): 6 Casting Time: short School: abjuration Range: medium Components: somatic, verbal Area: 20 radius circle Target: friend, self, foe, positional Official Description: “Affected allies and foes are freed from enchantments, transmutations, and curses, whether helpful or harmful.” Notes: This spell will remove one negative status effect and one buff when it hits a target. The effects removed will be the most recent ones. If you think you might need to cast this on the party during your quest, ask the cleric or wizard to put up a less useful buff last. Good choices are buffs to elements you wont encounter in the dungeon or Remove Fear. Overall, this can be a useful spell, but clerics and wizards will have it, too. Considering the other spells available on this list, it's one of the 3 a Level 12 bard should know. Pick it at Level 12. Rating: 3

Cure Critical Wounds Cool down (seconds): 4 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 critical wounds of your target or damage undead for 4d8 +1 per caster level.” Notes: With a long cool down time and poor return for the spell points used compared to a lower heal spell, picking this spell would be wasting a slot. Rating: 1

Dominate Person Cool down (seconds): 12 Casting Time: medium School: enchantment Range: medium Components: somatic, verbal Duration: special (extendable) Save: will to avoid Target: foe Official Description: “Telepathically controls the actions of a humanoid enemy, causing it to change sides. Dominate acts like Charm, but the target gains additional saving throws only every 10d6+30 seconds hand has less chance to break free.” Notes: This is a great crowd control spell in that it can last 40-90 seconds minimum. It doesn't work on all creatures, but try it on minotaurs and giants for good fun. It's definitely one of the three spells a Level 12 bard should know. Rating: 4

Hold Monster Cool down (seconds): 6 Casting Time: fast School: enchantment Range: long Components: focus, material, somatic, verbal Duration: 6 seconds per level (save every 2 seconds) (extendable) Save: will to avoid Target: foe Official Description: “An enemy becomes paralyzed and freezes in place. It is aware, but can take no actions for a maximum of 6 seconds per caster level.” Notes: A Level 12 bard can potential hold an enemy for 72 seconds with this spell! What kind of damage can your party do in 72 seconds? You'll do well to make this your first selection from 4th level bard spells Rating: 5

Neutralize Poison Cool down (seconds): 4 Casting Time: Short School: Conjuration Range: Medium Area: single target Components: focus, somatic, verbal Duration: Instant Target: Self, friend Official Description: “Detoxifies any sort of venom in an ally, causing him to suffer no additional effects from the poison. Additionally, it immunizes the ally from any poison he is exposed to during the duration of the spell.” Notes: This is an okay spell, but your party's cleric will have it available, too. Pick this one over Cure Critical wounds if you are building a Singing Sawbones and manage to end up with access to 4th level bard spells. Rating: 2

Shout Cool down (seconds): 4 Casting Time: Short School:  Evocation Range: Medium Area: 20ft burst Components: somatic, verbal Duration: 6 seconds Save: Yes, negates deafness effect Target: Foe, Positional Official Description: “Emits an ear-splitting yell that does 5d6 damage to targets in its path.” Notes: The damage on this spell is not enough to make it a "nuke." The deafness effect does not consistently interrupt casters in my opinion. The range is short enough to get your bard into trouble. If you're looking for a spell that is good for interrupting casters, try Soundburst from the 2nd level bard spells list. Soundburst costs fewer spell points and performed more consistently in my testing. Rating: 1

Summon Monster IV Cool down (seconds): 240 Casting Time: long School: conjuration Range: medium Components: material, somatic, verbal Duration: 240 seconds Target: self, positional Official Description: “Summons a fiendish spider to fight for you for a brief time. Casting this spell locks out casting any other Summon Monster spell for 4 minutes.” Notes: The spider that is summoned stays at range and spits poison and webbing at opponents about half the time. It is fairly durable, and functions moderately well as a distraction and blocker in combat. I just don't think it is worth your spell points to summon this creature. You're much better off using Hold Monster. Rating: 2