The Complete Bard Minstrel Healer Build – Neverwinter Mod 29 Mountain of Flame

Welcome to our Bard Minstrel Guide, updated for Mod 29: Mountain of Flame.

Do you want to be the life of the party? The Neverwinter Bard Minstrel is the perfect class for you! This guide will teach you everything you need to know about playing this fun and versatile class. We’ll cover everything from basics like stats and abilities, to gear, companions, and mounts.

The Bard class is the latest edition of the class lineup in Neverwinter. The class was introduced in Mod 21 and uses songs to either deal damage or heal their allies.

The purpose of our class guides is not just to show you a build that you can copy and use on your character, but to show you a base build and teach you the mechanics and stats of the game, so you can understand and play your class to its fullest capabilities.

Try different gear, feats, and powers, and learn to tailor your own build for your playstyle. See our guide to making your own build for more info.

Basic Bard Minstrel Info

Below is all the basic information for the Minstrel from race choices to stats.

Other Bard Builds

• Bard Songblade DPS Build
• All Neverwinter Class Builds

Race

What race you play doesn’t play a huge role, but will give you a small boost. Generally, I would advise you to play a race that you enjoy.

• Aasimar – 2% bonus Power, Outgoing Healing, Defense and Hit Points. – +2 to any two stats – 2% bonus Hit Points to party members.
• Wood Elf – 5% Critical Strike – +2 Dex and +2 Int or Wis – 20% Resistance to Slow
• Menzoberanzan Renegade – Reduce Defense and Damage of mobs by 3% – +2 Dex and Cha or Wis – 5% Deflect Severity
• Human – 1% Bonus to all ratings – +3 to any Ability Score
• Metallic Ancestry Dragonborn – Recieve 5% more healing – +2 to Any two stats – 3% Critical Strike – 3% Power
• Dragonborn – Recieve 5% more healing – +2 to Any two stats – 3% Critical Strike – 3% Power

Ability Score Priority

Put all your available Ability Scores into Charisma and Wisdom. Alternatively, put a few points into Dexterity instead of Charisma depending on what you need.

Stat / Rating Priority

Your cap for each stat is based on your item level. To cap a stat, the numbers of the stat need to be equal to or higher than your item level.

If your stat number is higher than your item level, you are wasting stats and should try to allocate stats differently.

For every 1000 points, a stat is lower than your item level you lose 1% in that stat.

As a healer Outgoing Healing is your most important stat.

Paragon Path Feats, Powers & Rotation

This part is all about optimizing the Minstrel with the best feats, powers, and boons.

Combat Powers

At-Will Powers

• Arpeggio (Heal)
• Reprise

Encounter Powers

• Flourish
• Delayed Play
• Bassline or Serenade or Dancing Lights

Daily Powers

• Curtain Call
• Inspiration

Songs

• Blaze Flamenco
• Warding Carol (Situational Cleanse)
• Rejuvenating Carol (Keep Up)
• Defender’s Minuet (Big Emergency Heal)
• Aurora Fantasia (For AoE and Soloing)
• Sheltering Etude (Heal)

Class Features

• Sforzando
• Vamos Alla!

Feats

• Diminuendo
• Rhapsody at Arms
• Vamp
• Desperate Finale
• Storyteller

Boons

You should always choose boons based on what stats you currently need. Therefore a selection of several viable boons is available to you for each tier.

Tier 1 Boons

• Recruit’s Training – 0.2% Power Per Rank
• Critical Strike – 0.2% Critical Strike Per Rank
• Lingering Medicine – 1% Increase effectiveness of healing potions.
• Critical Avoidance – 0.2% Critical Avoidance Per Rank
• Cultist Bulwark – 0.2% HP Per Rank
• Cultist Power – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. Cultists.

Tier 2 Boons

• Squire’s Training – 0.2% Power Per Rank
• Armor Penetration – 0.2% Critical Severity Per Rank
• Lingering Fortification – 1% Increase effectiveness of healing potions.
• Defense – 0.2% Defense Per Rank
• Demonic Bulwark – 0.2% HP Per Rank
• Demonic Mastery – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. demons.

Tier 3 Boons

• Knight’s Training – 0.2% Power Per Rank
• Combat Advantage – 0.2% Combat Advantage Per Rank
• Lingering Power – 1% Increase effectiveness of healing potions.
• Awareness – 0.2% Awareness Per Rank
• Dino Bulwark – 0.2 HP Per Rank
• Dino Power – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. dinos.

Tier 4 Boons

• Captain’s Training – 0.2% Power Per Rank
• Accuracy – 0.2% Accuracy Per Rank
• Deflect – 0.2% Deflect Per Rank
• Necrotic Bulwark – 0.2% HP Per Rank
• Necrotic Mastery – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. undead.

Advanced Boons

• Blessed Touch – 1% Outgoing Healing Per Rank
• Masterclass – 1% Forte per rank
• Quick Turnaround – 1% Recharge Speed per Rank
• Call of Power – 1% Action Point Gain

Master Boons

• Blessed Advantage – 3/3
• Blessed Resilience – 3/3

Guild Boons

• Offense – Power or Critical Strike Bonus
• Defense – Defence or Hit Point Bonus
• Utility – Group Heal Potion Bonus

Weapons & Gear

If you are new to Neverwinter and need to know how to get better gear and increase your item level, check out our Gearing Up Guide.

Note that the best-in-slot for your build might vary depending on what stats you have.

The best way to gear up in Neverwinter is by making a lot of Astral Diamonds, check out our Astral Diamond Guide to learn all the secrets of AD farming.

Head

• Best-in-Slot Enchanted Depthcured Coif (Master Lair of the Mad Dragon)
• Abyss Conqueror’s Striker’s Healing Guard (Demonweb Pits)
• Enchanted Bregan D’aerthe Expert’s Coif
• The Dark Maiden Rejuvenation Hood (Temple of the Spider / Menzoberranzan Campaign Store)

Armor

• Best-in-Slot Enchanted Bregan D’aerthe Expert’s Cloth
• Enchanted Depthcured Vest (Master Lair of the Mad Dragon)
• Superior Plate / Tactful Leathers of the Dragon Hunter (Dragon Hunts)

Arms

• Best-in-Slot Enchanted Depthcured Armlets (Master Lair of the Mad Dragon) AOE or Ultraviolet Elven Wristguards (The Imperial Citadel) Single-Target
• Starhide Cuffs
• Serene Mitts / Sharp Reachers of the Dragon Hunter (Dragon Hunts)

Feet

• Best-in-Slot Enchanted Depthcured Boots (Master Lair of the Mad Dragon)
• Starhide Cackrows
• Radiant or Ultraviolet Elven Jackboots (The Imperial Citadel)
• Starweave Slippers
• Abyss Conquerer’s Healing Sollerets
• Serene Boots of the Dragon Hunter (Dragon Hunts)

Weapons

• Peer Into the Void / Voidtouched Set (The Imperial Citadel Master)
• Living Magma Set / Encased Magma (Master of Flame Campaign Store)
• Demonweb Empowerment / Perfect Set (Northdark Campaign)
• Dark Matter / Solarium & Starcore Set (Adventures in Wildspace Campaign Store)
• Scalebreaker’s Wrath / Duergar Set (Dragonbone Vale Campaign)

Main Hand Modification:

• Arpeggio

Offhand Modifications:

• AP Gain

Rings

• Eilistraee’s Grace
• Opal Abyssal Loop
• Red Dwarf Ring of Xaryxis (The Imperial Citadel Master)
• Phlogiston Band of Dominance
• Soothsayer’s Ring of Absolution
• Scintilliant Restoration Ring
• Glowing Restoration Ring

Neck & Waist

• Marilith Strike: Marilith Mask and Sash of the Marilith
• Vistani Set: Vistani Pendants and Vistani Raiments
• Spelljammer Set: Detector’s Girlde and Detector’s Amulet

Shirt

• Magma Burned Shirt (Lair of the Mad Dragon)
• Vivid Flarefiber Shirt
• Endless Void Shirt (The Imperial Citadel)
• Vibrant Dwarven Body Pattern

Pants

• Ember Stiched Pants (Lair of the Mad Dragon)
• Covert Branche Restoration Breeches
• Defiant Dwarven Body Pattern

Artifacts

Primary Artifact

• Xeleth’s Blast Scepter
• Mythallar Fragment
• Demogorgon’s Reach
• Wyvern-Venom Coated Knives
• Crystal of Soul’s Flight

Secondary Artifacts

Choose secondary artifacts based on the stats you are lacking.

• Jewel of Caldera
• Searing Conduit of Magma
• Astral Seed Tendril
• Portable Spelljammer Detector
• Macro’s Mystic Marker
• Xeleth’s Blast Scepter
• Scintillating Symbol of Water
• Rod of Pain
• Wand of Domination
• Marilith Mask
• Mystic Bolt
• Eye of Odran
• Assassin’s Dice

Enchantments

When getting enchantments, always get the ones with the stats you are lacking in with your gear, boons, etc in mind.

Offense Enchantments

• Cobalt Enchantment
• Garnet Enchantment
• Citrine Enchantment
• Amethyst Enchantment
• Jade Enchantment

Defense Enchantments

• Garnet Enchantment

Utility Enchantments

• Jade Enchantment

Bonus Enchantments

• Recharge Speed Bonus

Combat Enchantments

• Divine Aegis

Overload Enchantments

• Rage of Flames or Devil’s Precision
• White Dragon Glyph or Ward

Armor Reinforcement Kits

Accuracy, Power, or Critical Strike Kit +1, Depending on what stat you need.

Jewelry Reinforcement Kits

Combat Advantage Jewel

Consumables & Buffs

Consider getting VIP for the Power of VIP HP buff if you aren’t already. Also always stand in campfires to get the +1 ability campfire buff.

Pick one from each of the categories below depending on the stats you are lacking.

• Invocation Blessing: Grace of Battle / Gift of Awareness / Righteous Boon / Gamber’s Fortune
• Stronghold Food: Zurek
• Event Food: Squash Soup
• Elixir: Wild Storm Elixir
• Potion: Superior Flask of Potency +1
• Belt: Stone of Health – Wondrous Dragon – Forger’s Box

Companions

Summoned Companion

For your summoned companion you have the choice between using Augmented companions which will make it easier to cap stats or an active combat companion which will do damage. At the moment Active/Striker companions are usually better than augment companions.

Active Companion Choices

• Drizzt Do’Urden (DPS)
• Portobello Davinchi (DPS)
• Tutor (DPS)
• Harper Bard (DPS)
• Spined Devil (DPS)
• Stalwart Golden Lion (DPS)
• Black Death Scorpion (DPS)
• Linu La’neral (Healing)
• Apprentice Healer (Healing)
• Celeste (Healing)
• Dedicated Squire (Healing)

Enchantment Power

• Dulled Senses
• Reinvigorate
• Armor Break
• Vulnerability
• Slowed Reactions
• Advanced Nullification
• Weapon Break
• Any stat you might need

Companion Powers

Below is a selection of viable companion powers.

Offense Powers

• Golden Bulette Pup (Golden Bulette Pup’s Presence) – 7,5% Outgoing Healing
• Baby Deep Crow (Baby Deep Crow’s Presence) – 7,5% Power
• Deepcrow Hatchling – 7.5% Power
• Kenku Archer – 3.8% Power and Critical Severity
• Dog (Dog’s Insights) – 3.8% Power and Critical Severity
• Gromph (Gromph’s Confidence) – 7,5% Critical Strike
• Tamed Valociraptor (Raptor’s Instincts) – Part of the Pack (Good in Groups)
• Quickling – 10% Outgoing Healing and 2000 Critical Strike
• Neverember Guard – 10% Outgoing Healing and 2000 Awareness
• Siege Master (Siege Master’s Discipline) – Combined Rating – Increases the power of your At-Will powers by 11% (Doubled on Stronghold Map)
• Black Dragon Ioun Stone (Black Dragon’s Insight) – 7.5% Critical Chance
• Staldorf (Staldorf’s Presence) – 7.5% Combat Advantage
• Razorwood (Twigblight’s Insight) – 3.8% Critical Severity & Accuracy
• Hawk (Hawk’s Insight’s) – 3.8% Critical Severity & Critical Chance
• Armored Orc Wolf (Orc Wolf’s Instincts) – 3.8% Critical Chance & Accuracy
• Batiri (Batiri’s Wisdom) – 11% Damage Versus Bosses
• Dancing Blade (Dancing Blade’s Insight) – 3.8% Critical Severity & Combat Advantage
• Flame Sprite (Flamesprite’s Insight) – 3.8% Critical Chance & Accuracy

Defense Powers

• Zariel (Divine Judgement – 3.8% Critical Strike and Severity
• Polar Bear Cub – 3.8% Outgoing Healing and Defense
• Rebel Mercenary – 3.8% Outgoing Healing and Accuracy
• Ioun Stone of Radiance – 3.8% Outgoing Healing and Deflection
• Minstrel – 3.8% Power and 3.8% Awareness
• Phasespider (Phasespider’s Presence) – 3.8% Critical Chance & Combat Advantage
• Fire Archon (Fire Archon’s Insight) – 10% on At-Will use to increase Combat Advantage for 10 seconds

Utility Powers

• Proud Pink Yeti (Proud Pink Yeti’s Presence) – 7,5% Outgoing Healing
• Alpha Compy (Compy’s Insights) – 7,5% Power
• Ghost (Ghost’s Wisdom) – 3.8% Critical Chance & Power
• Wolf (Wolf’s Instincts) – 7.5% Critical Strike
• Fawn (Fawn’s Instincts – 3.8% Critical Chance & Power
• Alchemist Experimenter (Alchemist’s Discipline) – 3.8% Critical Chance & Combat Advantage

Mounts

Bolster

Mount Insignia Bonuses

All classes and specs should consider using Wanderer’s Fortune and or Traveler’s Treasures before you have refined all your gear and enchantments, for extra refinement every day.

Insignia bonuses are mostly down to preference. Some boost damage a bit, and some boost survivability, while others add utility.

Insignia Type

• Insignia of Brutality or Dominance
• Insignia of Aggression
• Insignia of Skill

Mount Collars

• Supportive Regal Collar
• Wayfaring Crescent Collar
• Wayfaring Regal Collar
• Unified Regal Collar
• Supportive Crescent Collar

Mount Powers

Mount Equip Power

• Mystic Aura (Power & Accuracy)
• Runic Aura (Power & Defense Party Buff)
• Pack Tactics (Combat Advantage & Awareness)
• Armor Breaker (Critical Severity)
• Ferocious Predator (Power & Critical Severity)
• Rapid Accuracy (Accuracy)
• Precision (Critical Strike & Severity)
• Ruthless Efficiency (Critical Strike
• Dominant Force (Power)
• Opportunistic (Combat Advantage)

Mount Combat Power

• Eclipse Armament (Eclipse Lion)
• Tyrannosaurus Rex’em (Tyrannosaur or King of Spies)
• Magnificent Inspiration (Pegasus)
• Hell’s Impact (Balgora)
• Cauldron (Cauldron)
• Aureal Armament
• Swarm (Bat Swarm)

If you have any questions or suggestions about our Neverwinter Bard Minstrel guide, please leave a comment below!