Ballad

Ballads are some of the Minstrel's basic skills. Each Ballad applies a different buff to the Minstrel and up to three buffs can be active on the Minstrel. If you already have 3 Ballad buffs active, then the oldest buff will be replaced by the new one when you use your next Ballad ability. Ballads interact with other Minstrel skills like Anthems and Codas.

Skills

The Minstrel has access to three different Ballad skills:

Depending on the Minstrel's current stance, one of the Ballad skills will be transformed.

Resonance: Major Ballad becomes Major Ballad (Resonance)

Major ballad heals the fellowship while in Resonance stance

Melody: Perfect Ballad becomes Perfect Ballad - Melody

Perfect ballad heals the Minstrel while in Melody stance

Dissonance: Minor Ballad becomes Minor Ballad - Dissonance

Minor ballad deals increased damage while in Dissonance stance

Ballad Buffs

Using a Ballad applies a buff to the Minstrel. Each type of ballad applies a different kind of buff to the Minstrel; the transformed ballads based on stance do not affect the buff.

Major Ballad applies Ballad Healing Bonus
Perfect Ballad applies Ballad Incoming Healing Bonus
Minor Ballad applies Ballad Damage Bonus

The Minstrel can have up to 3 concurrent Ballad buffs. These buffs may be duplicates of each other, but whenever a ballad is used while the Minstrel already has 3 buffs, a new buff is applied to replace the oldest one. Ballad buffs expire after a short time out of combat.

Skill Interactions

Anthems require a certain number of Ballad buffs on the Minstrel to be able to be used. Some require 1 buff, some require 2 buffs, and some require 3 buffs. Using an Anthem does not consume the Minstrel's ballad buffs.

Cry of the Chorus applies 3 ballad buffs to the Minstrel. The type of ballad buff applied depends on the Minstrel's current stance:

Resonance: 3x Ballad Healing Bonus
Melody: 3x Ballad Incoming Healing Bonus
Dissonance: 3x Ballad Damage Bonus

Codas require 3 Ballad buffs on the Minstrel to be able to be used. Using a Coda consumes all ballad buffs. The set bonus Encore makes Codas have a 30% chance to not consume ballad buffs.

Perfect Performance

The trait Perfect Performance makes ballads apply a buff to the fellowship. These buffs do not overwrite each other, and can stack up to 3 times per buff. Additional ranks of the trait increase the duration of the buffs as well as the potency. Stance-based versions of ballads do not impact the buffs applied via this trait.

Major Ballad applies Perfect Performance - Major Ballad
Perfect Ballad applies Perfect Performance - Perfect Ballad
Minor Ballad applies Perfect Performance - Minor Ballad

Strike a Chord

The trait Strike a Chord makes ballads apply a debuff to the enemy target while in Melody Stance. These buffs do not overwrite each other.

Major Ballad applies Strike a Chord - Major Ballad
Perfect Ballad - Melody applies Strike a Chord - Perfect Ballad
Minor Ballad applies Strike a Chord - Minor Ballad

Call to Greatness

The skill Call to Greatness temporarily improves ballads. All ballads become AoE, with the exception of Major Ballad (Resonance), which is already AoE. Ballads in their AoE forms have a target count of 5 and hit enemies in a 7m radius. Additionally, the empowered ballads gain increased critical chance and apply 3 ballad buffs instead of just 1.

When specialized in The Warrior-Skald, Codas have a 30% less chance to consume ballad buffs from the Minstrel. This bonus stacks with the effect granted from Encore. Together, Codas have a 60% reduced chance to consume the buffs.

Interactions

Traits

Specializing in The Warrior-Skald trait tree increases the range of these skills by 5m.
The trait The Fundamentals in The Warrior-Skald trait tree increases the damage of these skills by up to 25%.
The trait Piercing Ballads in The Warrior-Skald trait tree increases the critical chance of these skills by up to 15%.
The trait Emboldening Finish in The Warrior-Skald trait tree makes these skills have a chance to grant a stack of Emboldening Finish to the Minstrel. At max rank, the proc chance is guaranteed.
The set bonus Discordant Ballads in The Warrior-Skald trait tree makes these skills apply War-speech to the Minstrel.
The set bonus Haste in The Warrior-Skald trait tree makes these skills reduce the active cooldown of Cries and Calls by 1s.
The trait Songs of Woe in The Protector of Song trait tree increases the critical chance of these skills by up to 5%.
The trait Sharing a Story in The Protector of Song trait tree makes these skills reset the cooldown of Piercing Cry upon a critical hit.
The trait Inspiring Finish in The Watcher of Resolve trait tree makes these skills have a chance to grant a stack of Inspiring Finish to the Minstrel. At max rank, the proc chance is guaranteed.
The set bonus Resonant Ballads in The Watcher of Resolve trait tree makes ballad buffs increase Outgoing Healing Rating by an additional 3%, and it makes these skills reduce the cooldown of Cry of the Chorus by 2s.