In Dark and Darker, the Bard can turn the tide of battle with music, buffs, and well-timed attacks. While many players gravitate toward high-damage melee or ranged builds, the Bard is an underrated and deadly force, especially when it comes to balancing damage and survivability. This guide will walk you through one of the most powerful Bard builds in the game - combining Divine Aegis and Retribution.
Whether you're grinding for loot or fighting for survival in a PvP lobby, this Bard build will easily take over the game. If you want to level up quickly, purchasing the Dark And Darker Gold Edition of Dark and Darker can help you equip your Bard with top-tier instruments and gear.
Why Play Bard in Dark and Darker?
The Bard class thrives in chaotic combat situations by:Buffing allies,Debuffing enemies,Providing heals and protection,Supporting or dealing direct magic damage
But with the right song choices and perks, the Bard can also transform into a front line hybrid, capable of absorbing damage and bursting down opponents while keeping allies safe. This makes the Divine Protection + Smite combo especially lethal.
Core Abilities: Divine Protection + Smite
Divine Protection (Spell)
Effect: Grants a temporary damage reduction or shield buff to the Bard or their allies.
Use: Emergency mitigation, teamfight utility, solo PvE/PvP clutch plays.
Cool down: Moderate
Why it's S-Tier: Divine Protection gives the Bard incredible survivability. When facing rogue ambushes, ranger traps, or fighter burst combos, this ability can turn a fatal blow into a second chance. It also synergizes with glass-cannon allies, keeping them alive longer in intense skirmishes.
Smite (Spell)
Effect: Imbues the Bard's or an ally's weapon with additional Holy damage for a duration.
Use: Amplifies burst damage potential, perfect for opening PvP engagements or burning down PvE elites.
Cool down: Short to moderate, depending on gear
Why it's S-Tier: Smite enables the Bard to become a major threat, especially with fast-hitting weapons. The damage stacks up quickly in close quarters, making the Bard a surprise assassin in 1v1s. When cast on a melee DPS teammate (like a Fighter or Barbarian), it enhances the entire team's burst damage.
Recommended Bard Skills:Spell Memory 1 & 2
These are essential for casting both Smite and Divine Protection. Using two Memory slots allows you to mix additional spells into your kit (like Allegro or Peacemaking).
Clarity
Reduces the cool down of your spells, allowing you to cast Divine Protection and Smite more often.
Best-in-slot for a utility Bard focused on uptime and tempo.
Tier perk setup to maximize this build:
1. Melodic Protection
Reduces damage taken after playing a song.
Stacks beautifully with Divine Protection to give insane survivability.
2. Symphony of Blades
Reduces weapon damage cool down after song use.
Lets you return to melee combat faster after buffing.
3. Rapidity
Increases weapon attack speed.When combined with Smite, your DPS spikes massively.
4. Nimble Hands
Faster interactions (open doors, loot chests), especially useful in solo PvE or dungeons.
Optional swaps:
Muse for party-based builds
Fortissimo if you rely heavily on song radius
Best Gear & Instruments
To get the most out of your Bard build, focus on the following:
Weapons
Rapier: Fast attack speed + Smite = DPS monster
Short Sword: Reliable backup weapon with low stamina drain
Instrument
Lute or Lyre with Casting Speed/Will bonuses: Prioritize casting speed to reduce channel time for Divine Protection and Smite.
Armor
Focus on movement speed, Will, and Magical Healing modifiers.
Use light to medium armor to maintain mobility and avoid slowing down your spell casting.
PvP Strategy
1v1 Fights
Open with Smite → buff yourself with Accelerando → dodge → weave → engage.
If you're losing, use Divine Protection → Peacemaking → disengage.
Group Fights
Cast Smite on your strongest ally (Barbarian or Fighter).
Drop Peacemaking in a choke point or front line.
Stay back, rotate Allegro to reposition.
Heal or mitigate using Divine Protection if someone gets focused.
Solo PvE Strategy
Rotate between Smite and Accelerando to burst down mobs.
Use Divine Protection if you're taking too much damage while fighting elite monsters or traps.
Buff before entering rooms and corridors—anticipate danger, don't react to it.
Best Use Cases for This Build
Trio Teams: You can Smite the melee DPS and Peacemaking the enemies, keeping everyone alive longer.
Solo Dungeons: Divine Protection gives a huge margin for error when soloing Red or High-Roller dungeons.
PvP Arenas: Smite turns your Bard into a shockingly powerful duelist if built around speed and timing.
Why Divine Protection + Smite?
Most Bard players stick to pure support builds with buffs like Peacemaking + Allegro or clarity stacking. While these are strong in teams, they lack kill pressure and defensive self-sustain.
Divine Protection + Smite addresses both issues:
1,Divine Protection saves you and allies when you're seconds from death.
2,Smite makes you or your ally a damage dealer on par with Fighters or Clerics.
In short: It adds lethality and safety—a rare combo for support classes.
Final Tips
Always cast Smite ore-engagement to maximize duration.If you sense danger (ambush, trap, flank), pre-cast Divine Protection.Use Allegro for both escapes and chase-downs. Upgrade your gear using Dark And Darker Gold to increase your survivability and cool down reduction. Happy gaming!
MMOexp Dark and Darker Team