The Complete Bard Songblade DPS Build – Neverwinter Mod 24 Northdark Reaches

Welcome to our Bard Songblade Guide, updated for Mod 24: Northdark Reaches.

For the latest Neverwinter news, go to the MMORPG.GG Neverwinter Hub.

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.

Do you want to be the best Bard in Neverwinter? Of course you do! In this guide, we will teach you everything you need to know about playing the Bard class in the best way possible.

We’ll cover everything from Bard skills and abilities, to tips on how to maximize your DPS. So whether you’re a new player or just looking to improve your Bard gameplay, this guide is for you!

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.

1. Basic Songblade Info
   1. Best Songblade Races
   2. Ability Score Priority
   3. Stat / Rating Priority
2. Paragon Path Feats, Powers & Rotation
   1. Combat Powers
   2. Feats
   3. Rotation
3. Boons
4. Weapons & Gear
5. Artifacts
6. Enchantments
7. Consumables & Buffs
8. Companions
9. Mounts

Basic Bard Songblade Info

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

Other Bard Builds

• Bard Minstrel Healing Build
• All Neverwinter Class Builds

Best Songblade Races

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.

1. Metallic Ancestry Dragonborn – Recieve 5% more healing – +2 to Any two Ability Score – 3% Critical Strike – 3% Power
2. Dragonborn – Recieve 5% more healing – +2 to Any Ability Score – 3% Critical Strike – 3% Power
3. Human – 1% Bonus to all stats – +3 To any Ability Score
4. Tiefling – 5% + Damage to targets below 50% health – +2 Cha and +2 Con or Int – 10% to reduce damage of target for 5 sec by 2.5%
5. Gith – 5% Combat Advantage – +2 Dex and +2 Str or Int – 5% Stamina Regen
6. Half-Orc – 5% Crit Severity – +2 Dex and +2 Con or Str – 10% Movement Speed for 3 sec when entering combat

Songblade Ability Score Priority

Put all your available Ability Scores into Charisma and Strength.

Songblade Stat / Rating Priority

The Combat Rework introduced major changes to how stats and item level work, for more info see the official post.

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.

You won’t be able to easily cap all stats, but capping your power is quite easy.

Bard Songblade Paragon Path Feats, Powers & Rotation

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

Bard Songblade Combat Powers

At-Will Powers:

• Staccato (ST)
• Con Elemento (AoE)

Encounter Powers:

• Lunge (ST) – Duet (AoE)
• Dancing Lights (ST) – Flourish (AoE)
• Ad Libitum (ST) – Contre (AoE)

Daily Powers:

• Lore
• Inspiration

Songs:

• Tailwind Mambo – Good for AoE with Con Elemento / Con Moto
• Ballad of the Hero – Single Target
• Ballad of the Witch
• Steel March
• Blaze Flameco

Class Features:

• Mystifying Strikes
• Masterful Performance

Bard Songblade Feats

• Backup Performer or Voice Throw
• Elemental Medley
• Ballad Colla Voce
• Martial Performance
• Performer

Bard Songblade Rotation

Bard Songblade 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
• 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
• 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
• 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.

Tier 5 Boons (Choose 2)

• Masterclass – 1% Forte per rank
• Quick Turnaround – 1% Recharge Speed

Master Boons

• Blood Lust 3/3

Guild Boons

• Offense – Power or Critical Strike Bonus
• Defense – Defence or Hit Point Bonus

Bard Songblade 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

• The Dark Maiden Assault Shround
• Serene Hood of the Dragon Hunter
• Goristro’s Horns (Avernus Hunts)
• Blessed Whisper’s Hood of Quiet (Avernus Hunts)

Armor

• Tactful Leathers of the Dragon Hunter
• Mighty Cuirass of the Dragon Hunter
• Blessed Bone Devil’s Ribcage (Avernus Hunts)

Arms

• Tactful Gloves of the Dragon Hunter
• Wristguards of Precipitation
• Spiked Defenders Vambrace

Feet

• The Dark Maiden Assault Gaiters (Temple of the Spider)
• Wasteland Wanderers
• Rusted Iron Leggings (Avernus Rare Monsters)

Weapons

• Stormforged Set (AOE)
• Masterwork Set
• Lionheart Set
• Scalebreaker’s Wrath

Main Hand Modification:

• Staccato

Offhand Modifications:

• Recharge Speed or Forte

Rings

• Eilistraee’s Harmony + Elistraee’s Beauty (AOE)
• Soothsayer’s Ring of Absolution
• Waywatchers Ring of Precision
• Waywatchers Ring of Punishment
• Mightbreaker’s Ring of Elegance
• The Red Eye’s Glare
• Band of Air

Neck & Waist

• Demogorgon’s Wrath Set: Heart’s Twine& Sinous Chord
• Star Set: Starshard Choker & Twinkle of the Stars (Trickster’s Gift)

Shirt

• Mighty Dwarven Body Pattern
• Shirt of the Dragon Cult
• Vale Tunic
• Upper Pact Brands (Avernus Hunts)

Pants

• Mighty Dwarven Limb Pattern
• War-Worn Pants
• Lower Pact Brands (Avernus Hunts)

Bard Songblade Artifacts

Primary Artifact

• Demogorgon’s Reach
• Lantern of Revelation
• Frozen Storyteller’s Journal
• Staff of Flowers
• Wyvern-Venom Coated Knives

Secondary Artifacts

Choose secondary artifacts based on the stats you are lacking.

• Mythallar Fragment
• Neverwinter’s Standard
• Jewel of the North
• Demogorgon’s Reach

Or choose 2 Storyteller’s Journals for the bonus

• Envenomed Storyteller’s Journal
• Flayed Storyteller’s Journal
• Darkened Storyteller’s Journal

Other Artifact Choices

• Arcturia’s Music Box
• Trobriands Ring
• Staff of Flowers
• Halaster’s Blast Scepter
• Shard of Orcus’ Wand
• Lantern of Revelation

Bard Songblade Enchantments

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

For example, if you’ve capped Crit with your gear and boons, don’t get azure enchantments for your offense slots.

If you still need to refine your enchantments, see our Refinement Guide for tips on how to farm refinement.

Offense Enchantments

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

Defense Enchantments

• Garnet Enchantment

Utility Enchantments

• Garnet Enchantment

Bonus Enchantments

• Recharge Bonus

Combat Enchantments

• Poisoned Thorn
• Cursed Burn

Overload Enchantments

• Rage of Flames or Devil’s Precision
• Various Marks from Stronghold Vendor
• Corrupt Black Ice / Lethal / Piercing
• Black / Red Dragon Glyph

Armor Reinforcement Kits

• Power / Critical Strike or Severity / Accuracy Kit

Jewelry Reinforcement Kits

• Combat Advantage Jewel

Bard Songblade 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: Seared Tuna / Prime Rib / Ratatouille

Event Food: Watermelon Sorbet / Hotwings / Squash Soup / Mochi

Elixir: Wild Storm Elixir

Potion: Superior Flask of Potency +1

Reusable Item: Awakened Forger’s Box > Empowered Chain of Scales > Adorable Pocket Pet > Tymora’s Lucky Coin

Bard Songblade 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.

Augment Companion Choices

• Bulette Pup
• Deepcrow Hatchling
• Owlbear Cub
• Ioun Stones
• Quasit

Active Companion Choices

• Pseudodragon
• Honey Badger
• Tomb Spider
• Spined Devil
• Kuo-Toa
• Wayward Wizard (AoE)
• Regis (AoE)

Enchantment Power

• Acute Senses
• Potent Precision
• Precision

Companion Powers

Below is a selection of viable companion powers.

Offense Powers

• Wild Hunt Rider (Wild Hunt Discipline) – 2/3/5% chance to increase damage by 10% for 5 seconds.
• 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
• Misc (The Bigger They Are) – More damage against big mobs (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

• 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

• Alchemist Experimenter (Alchemist’s Discipline) – 3.8% Critical Chance & Combat Advantage
• Golden Cat (Golden Cat’s Insight) – 7.5% Combat Advantage

Companion Equipment

Double offense slotted “Of the Companion” gear

Companion Enchantment

• Companion Enchantment

Bard Songblade Mounts

Bolster

When it comes to mounts, you should focus on getting them all to Mythic quality to increase Bolster.

Bolster Contribution depends on the quality of the mount, with Mythic mounts contributing 10% Bolster, this again increases the values of your Equip Power and Combat Power.

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 Aggression
• Insignia of Skill
• Insignia of Brutality or Dominance if you still need power

Mount Collars

• Sturdy Crescent Collar
• Wayfaring Barbed Collar
• Unified Regal Collar

Bard Songblade Mount Powers

Mount Equip Power:

• Armor Breaker (Critical Severity)
• Rapid Accuracy (Accuracy)
• Precision (Critical Strike & Severity)
• Ruthless Efficiency (Critical Strike
• Dominant Force (Power)
• Opportunistic (Combat Advantage)

Mount Combat Power:

• Bat Swarm (Swarm)
• Magnificent Inspiration (Noble Pegasus)
• Tunnel Vision
• Cauldron Gasses
• Giant Toad Tongue Lash

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