Bards are wanted in pretty much every Raid or Abyss Dungeon party in Lost Ark. There's still a serious shortage of Supports, which means if you opt to boost a Bard with the Knowledge Transfer system and start leveling it through T3, you are very likely to find easy parties for content like Argos.

RELATED: Lost Ark: Complete Guide And Walkthrough

It's likely we've seen such a shortage because the leveling process with the Bard is a bit slow - especially clearing content like the Tower, or quickly rushing through Chaos Dungeons. That being said, the Bard is still an invaluable class with the potential to MVP high-level content. Your teammates will be happier that you're around. Here's a closer look at the class.

Want to get an overview of the Bard in PvE and PvP? Not sure if the class is for you? Check out our Bard class overview here.

Bard PvE Support Build

As you cast abilities, you stack your bubbles in the Serenade Meter. You get two options to burn these bubbles: Serenade of Courage (attack buff), or Serenade of Salvation (AoE healing). Balancing how you use these are essential to playing a successful Bard.

This is the classic support build for Bard, designed to carry you through endgame content. Here is a sample skill build for 244 skill points - essentially an entry-level build.

Awakening: Symphonia - a huge AoE heal that provides a huge 100% HP shield. This is literally a life-saving shield that can be used during crucial moments during raids and dungeons.

A complete Endgame build (384 skill points) looks like this:

Alternative skills:

• Rhythm Buckshot is a fantastic counter ability. Takes some getting used to, but once you've mastered it becomes a crucial part of your arsenal.
• Rhapsody of Light is a great endgame ability that you won't need to worry about during earlier content, though once you've got the skill points it's definitely worth picking up.

Combos And Mechanics

The Bard isn't just a healer - she also provides a range of buffs and debuffs, mostly through abilities like Sound Shock and the Sacred Shock Tripod, or the Intense Tune Tripod on Heavenly Tune. Rotate through these buffs and debuffs without overlapping. This takes some practice.

Playing the Bard well is all about understanding the fight's mechanics. Spamming abilities like you might with other classes will do something for the team, but you won't be getting the most out of the class. Make sure that your attack buffs don't overlap (time them), and use your Serenade of Courage song when the boss is staggered to maximize damage output from your team.

RELATED: Lost Ark: What Class Should You Play?

Best Stats For The Bard

You should focus on Swiftness/Specialization on your Necklace, then Swiftness on every other accessory. Swiftness is a great stat on Bard because you'll need to a) dodge damage, b) be close enough to the boss during some of your small-AoE abilities. Your abilities are also cast more quickly because of Swiftness.

Best Engravings For Bard

In Priority order, you should take these Engravings with Bard:

• Desperate Salvation - Bard class engraving
• Expert - provides massive healing
• Awakening - gets the most out of your powerful Awakening heal
• Heavy Armor - keeps you alive for longer as Bard
• Increased Max MP - Swiftness bards rotate abilities quick, which means you might need the extra MP (this is a late pick-up)

NEXT: Lost Ark: Bard Class Overview