Dirge Guide Index

Dirge
Main Page & Credits

1.0 -
Dirge Basics

2.0 -
Combat Arts List & Training Spells

3.0 - Methods & Techniques

4.0 - Where to Hunt

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3.0 Dirge Methods & Techniques

 

 

3.1 Combat Methods

 

 

This section is meant to give the dirge a little
bit of insight into their class, what their place is within Norrath, and perhaps
a starting point to go from as you stand their in front of the broker pondering
what combat arts you wish to upgrade.

 

We start out with some frequently asked
questions, and move onto spell line breakdowns.  the breakdowns make it
easy to see which spell lines you will be more attracted to, and most effective
for your style of play.

 

 

What's the most effective way for a dirge to solo?

For the dirge, and most classes in fact, questing will always be the most
effective way to gain experience and coin.  I've always personally enjoyed
soloing, and do a variety of different things.  I will occasionally gather
several quests in one area and do them all at once, or I might take quests here
and there that are more lengthy (such as the level 20 armor quests) and do short
legs of them at a time.  Other times, I might just run out, pick a nice,
comfortable spot, and grind away!  I always play on whim, and do whatever
suits my current mood.  When I get bored of doing it one way, I will do it
another way!

For a dirge, care will need to be taken in choosing what spell lines you
upgrade if you choose to be a regular soloer.  You'll most definitely want
to concentrate on the direct attacks, attacks + debuffs, DoTs, and lifetaps. 
Upgrading these lines will go a long way towards bolstering your offensive so
that you can take that mob down fast!

And since dirges are scouts, be sure to pick up a bow and arrow right away
and get to work on that ranged skill.  This is by far, the neatest way to
pull mobs in a open area (assuming that the mobs are not friendly to each other,
in which case body or proximity pulls are always best).  Then simply stun and
hack away until you are victorious.

*Player Tip! I play a 40 Dirge (at the time of writing) and often use an effective soloing tactic that is a quick way to deal extra damage. I begin by using Shroud to use Delusory Trill from the back or flank of the intended target. I continue fighting, alternating between debuffs and attacks. Once my Shroud has regenerated, I stop combat mode and use Cheap Shot, which stuns the target. Once stunned, I use my Shroud, sneak behind the target, and use Delusory Trill again. If my Shroud is unavailable, I also use Daro's Dull Blade instead. This technique is very good for taking down an opponent quickly when I'm soloing, which is more often than I'd like!

Great advice! Thank you Plethora Sorrowsong for sharing that with the players.

 

What is a dirges role in a group?

This was somewhat answered on the previous page, but to
elaborate;  Dirges are amazing to group with.  They not only come off
as hard workers with all that they can do, but those buffs make the entire group
far more competent, even against the toughest of mobs.

If you are a regular grouper, for your combat arts you'll
want to pay more attention to upgrading your buffs, debuffs, and your dirge
special abilities (such as the resurrects, and the ally hate buffs).

Within a group, a good scout is always found behind or to
the side of the main tanks target.  Your highest hitting attacks will be
flanking and stealthed attacks and you'll want to make sure that you get some of
those in.  Remember that you can stealth (Shroud) during combat repeatedly
to get those stealthed attacks off.  

Please keep in mind that occasionally (and this is
especially true if you deal in a lot of pick up groups) you might pull aggro
from the main tank.  As with any class, tanks vary in skill and abilities
with the class and the player, and not all tanks can always keep aggro off of
the high damage hitters.  This is what your evade line of CAs is for, and
you'll definitely want to use them.  If you are still pulling aggro even
with use of the evades, then you may want to space out your attacks to do
slightly less damage, or start with your lower damage attacks until the tank has gotten a chance
to get plenty of taunts in.

 

How do dirges fare in PvP play?

Well, I've been killed by a few, so they fare well it
seems!

Because of dirges great ability to stun, fear, and debuff,
they will make a very nice PvP class.  When you go up against your
opponent, you'll want to start off with a high damage stealthed attack whenever
possible, then alternate between stuns and damage CAs.  Cheap Shot is great
for this because it keeps your opponent facing in one direction, so you may slip
behind and get in 1 or 2 flanking shots before it wears off.  Duo with a
tank class that can keep the aggro, and you will be next to unstoppable!

 

 

3.2 - Combat Abilities Progression

This gives you a break down of your combat arts, what they do, and when
they are upgraded.  It's a good format to see what line of skills you may
wish to upgrade, and which are of less use to you.

Self and Group Buffs

Increases the agility
and intelligence of the dirge, and grants a chance at dealing disease
damage to anyone that attacks the dirge

Death's Door (13)

Death's Scent (27)

Lithe Disbelief (41)

Supple Disdain (55)

Death Bearer (69)

 

Increases the strength
and agility of the dirge's group

Harl's Athletic Tune
(2)

Harl's Rousing Tune
(10)

Harl's Quickening
Euphony (24)

Harl's Kindling Strain
(38)

Harl's Rousing Strain
(52)

Athletic Strain (77)

Increase the combat
skills of the dirge's group

Offensive Boon (3)

Songster's Luck (17)

Lucky Boon (31)

Discordant Boon (45)

Increases in-combat
power replenishment of the bard's group.  This ability does stack
with the enchanter's concentration group power replenishment spell

Bria's Stirring Ballad
(13)

Bria's Thrilling
Ballad (27)

Bria's Exhalting
Ballad (41)

Bria's Glorifying
Ballad (55)

Bria's Inspiring
Ballad (69)

 

Increases the combat
attack damage of the dirge's group

Relentless Tune (14)

Riana's Relentless
Tune (28)

Riana's Spiteful
Sustain (42)

Riana's Scornful
Sustain (56)

Riana's Maligning
Sustain (69)

 

Increases noxious
resistance of the dirge's group

Noxious Chorus (20)

Noxious Symphony (34)

Noxious Concerto (48)

Noxious Dissertation
(62)

     

Grants the dirge's
group a chance to strike for additional disease damage on a successful
attack

Crypt's Quiet (22)

Grave's Peace (36)

Tomb's Stillness (50)

     

A song played for an
ally that increases their strength and the amount of hate the generate in
combat

Hyran's Angry Sonata
(32)

Hyran's Raging Sonata
(46)

Hyran's Seething
Sonata (60)

       

A song that grants
the dirge's group a chance to absorb physical damage for a short duration
after having taken any physical damage

Percussion of Stone
(52)

           

Increases the parry
skill of the dirge's group

Jael's Elusion (18)

Jael's Mysterious
Mettle (32)

Wailing Elusion (46)

Screeching Elusion
(60)

   

 

 

Lifetaps and Direct Damage, and DoTs

A quick attack that
drains the target's health, granting a portion of it to the dirge

Singing Strike (1)

Singing Blade (8)

Singing Thrust (15)

Thuri's Doleful Thrust
(29)

Bereavement (43)

Siphon Blade (71)

Does a moderate
amount of disease damage to the target

Shriek (3)

Piercing Shriek (12)

Luda's Wicked Warble
(26)

Luda's Fiendish Howl
(40)

Luda's Nefarious Wail
(68)

Two quick attacks
that deal disease damage.  If one of these attacks misses, the
successive ones will miss automatically.  If all attacks hit, the
target suffers additional disease damage over time

Diseased Blade (11)

Darksong Blade (25)

Afflicted Blade (39)

Void Blade (53)

Infected Blade (67)

Does a medium amount
of disease damage to target encounter.  This spell is difficult to
resist against

Dissonance (15)

Dissonant Rhythm (29)

Jarol's Melancholy
Requiem (43)

Jarol's Sorrowful
Requiem (57)

Two ranged attacks
that deal disease damage.  If one of these attacks misses, the
successive ones will miss automatically.  If every attack hits, the
target is drained of power over time.  This requires a ranged weapon

Sapping Shot (16)

Thuri's Sapping Shot
(30)

Jael's Dreadful
Depletion (44)

Jael's Dreadful
Deprivation (58)

A stealthed attack
from behind that deals disease damage over time. The disease damage
increases intensity over time until the effect expires

Scream of Death (55)

Target and nearby
encounter members suffer from disease damage overtime. This spell deals
additional disease damage if it is not dispelled before it expires

Wail of the Banshee
(50)

Banshee (70)

A short range spell
that deals disease damage, and returns a portion of this damage as health
to the dirge

Cry of the Departed
(28)

Cry of the Dead (42)

Howl of the Dead (56)

Wail of the Dead (70)

   

 

Attacks + Debuffs, Debuffs

A stealth attack that
deals great damage and reduces the target's wisdom

Haunting Strike (2)

Wailing Strike (9)

Misfortune's Kiss
(21)

Delusory Trill (35)

Garsin's Haunting Wail
(49)

Grim Strike (75)

An attack made from
the side that deals moderate damage and impairs target's combat attack
damage

Side Blade (5)

Dull Blade (19)

Daro's Dull Blade
(33)

Guttural Shriek (47)

Shrieking Stab (61)

Decreases target's
defense, interrupts them, and deals minor disease damage

Tarven's Confounding
Chorus (8)

Tarven's Crippling
Crescendo (22)

Tarven's Bedeviled
Undersong (36)

Tarven's Cantankerous
Verse (50)

Tarven's Quarrelsome
Rhyme (64)

 

Reduces the strength
and agility of target encounter.  This song requires a recurrent
power cost to maintain

Reproaching Discante
(19)

Discouraging Discante
(33)

Oppressive Discante
(47)

     

Dazes target for a
short duration.  When daze effect expires, it deal disease damage to
the target

Lanet's Excruciating
Scream (20)

Lanet's Agonizing Scream (34)

Lanet's Violent Scream
(48)

Lanet's Tumultuous
Scream (62)

   

Severely decreases
target's resistance to disease and slows target's movement speed for a
short time. The slow effect has a chance to break each time the target is
attacked

Verlien's Enigmatic
Falsetto (23)

Verlien's Keen of Woe
(37)

Verlien's Keen of
Despair (51)

Verlien's Keen of
Calamity (65)

   

Decreases target
encounter's crushing, piercing, and slashing resistance. This song
requires a recurrent power cost to maintain

Clara's Chaotic
Cacophony (24)

Clara's Crazed
Cacophony (38)

Clara's Cataclysmic
Cacophony (52)

Clara's Catastrophic
Cacophony (66)

   

Decreases target
encounter's movement speed and attack rate. This song requires a recurrent
power cost to maintain

Daro's Doleful Dirge
(30)

Daro's Sorrowful Dirge
(44)

Daro's Disconsolate
Dirge (58)

     

Decreases spell
resistance of target encounter. This song has a recurrent power cost

Zander's Choral Rebuff
(35)

         

Interrupts all
enemies in a large area surrounding the dirge and blurs their vision for a
short duration. This ability does not require any power or casting time

Wail of Woe (40)

Hymn of Horror (54)

Wail of Horror (68)

     

Scout General Abilities

Allows the bard to
move undetected at an increased movement rate

Shroud (1)

     

Reduces the target's
hate toward the scout

Evade (6)

Divert (18)

Baffle (73)

Briefly stuns the
target on a successful hit

Cheap Shot (4)

     

Dirge Special Abilities

Causes the target to
flee

Garsin's Funeral March
(26)

Garsin's Burial March
(40)

Garsin's Burial Chant
(54)

Fearful March (78)

A song played for an
ally that increases their strength and the amount of hate the generate in
combat

Hyran's Angry Sonata
(32)

Hyran's Raging Sonata
(46)

Hyran's Seething
Sonata (60)

Resurrects a fallen
ally. This spell can be cast during combat

Elegy at Death's Door
(44)

Quickly channels
health over time from the dirge to an ally. While in effect, the dirge is
temporarily stifled

Oration of Sacrifice
(65)

Resurrects a group of
fallen allies. This spell can be cast during combat

Elegy of Awakening
(58)

 

 

Advice? 
Suggestions?  I'm always looking to add more useful information to this
guide.  If you are a dirge, and would like to add tips, tricks, or
helpful advice, please drop me a note at [email protected]!

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Dirge Guide Index

Dirge
Main Page & Credits

1.0 -
Dirge Basics

2.0 -
Combat Arts & Training Spells

3.0 - Methods & Techniques

4.0 - Where to Hunt

Have something to add? Want to submit a change? Please email us or post it on our forums!