Bard

The **Bard** is a class added by the Thorium Mod as of the rust and dust update. The Bard class' weapons, armor, and accessories focus on providing short, stat-improving empowerments while still dealing **symphonic** damage.

Although the Bard buffs themselves when fighting, a larger benefit can be found through teamwork; empowerments are also given to friendly players standing near the Bard, so they are a great addition to a multiplayer scenario.

The Bard class is largely developed, with content spread throughout the game. This includes 9 armor sets, 56 accessories, 30 buffs and 110 items.

## Mechanics

### Inspiration

*Main article: Inspiration*
Instead of using Mana, the Bard weapons draw from a unique resource called inspiration, which is increased using Inspiration Fragments, Inspiration Shards, and Inspiration Crystals. Inspiration regenerates automatically. Although many of the Bard items are specific to inspiration, the fact that it's separate from Mana makes it a tempting choice for another class' backup.

### Symphonic Damage

The Bard's musical weapons hit with a specific damage type called **symphonic damage**. Accessories and armor can be used to augment symphonic damage output, and generic 'damage' buffs, such as the one from the Scuba Curva, still increase Bard's damage.

### Big Instruments

**Big instruments** are a subset of Bard weapons that utilize a timing mechanic. When held out, a timer will appear underneath the player (or underneath the cursor if the Move Instrument Timer to Mouse configuration setting is set to true); the instruments' effects vary depending on whether their attacks are used within a specific window of time or not. As the player successfully times their attacks, the big instrument will gain power, provided empowerment level, along with other effects, whereas missing the timing will greatly decrease these bonuses.

Each instrument category, except for Electronic, has its own unique timer, with differing patterns:

While a big instrument is held out for the first time, a mouse icon will appear in order to provide a guide on each timer's function.

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## Buffs

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## Empowerments

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## Items

### Brass Instruments

Pre-Hardmode Brass Instruments
* Gold Bugle Horn
* Platinum Bugle Horn
* Didgeridoo
* Alphorn
* Vicious Mockery
* Scuba Curva
* Conch Shell
* Hot Horn
* Bone Trumpet

Hardmode Brass Instruments
* Dragon's Wail
* Trombone
* Serpent's Cry
* 24-Carat Tuba
* Shadowflame Warhorn
* Zunpet
* Prime's Roar
* Cadaver's Cornet
* Buisine
* Ghastly French Horn
* Organ
* Betsy's Bellow
* Duke's Regal Carnyx
* Sousaphone

### Percussion Instruments

Pre-Hardmode Percussion Instruments
* Drum Mallet
* Tambourine
* Antlion Maraca
* Seashell Castanets‎
* Steel Drum
* Ebonwood Tambourine
* Shadewood Tambourine
* Sinister Honk
* Blooming Bell
* Aquamarine Wineglass
* Jar O' Mayo
* Bongos
* Bronze Tuning Fork

Hardmode Percussion Instruments
* Vinyl Record
* Frostwind Cymbals
* Hell's Bell
* Wind Chimes
* Xylophone
* Portable Wintergatan
* The Green Tambourine
* Turtle Drums
* Haunting Bass Drum
* Jingle Bells
* The Triangle
* The Set

### String Instruments

Pre-Hardmode String Instruments
* Ukulele
* Grand Piano
* Dynasty Guzheng
* Skyware Lute
* Yew Wood Lute
* Sitar
* Calaveras
* Nocturne

Hardmode String Instruments
* Acoustic Guitar
* Scholar's Harp
* Lullaby
* Riff Weaver
* Violin
* Eskimo Banjo
* Sunflare Guitar
* Fishbone
* The Maw
* Strawberry Heart
* Siren's Lyre
* Call of Cthulhu
* Shooting Star Blast-Guitar
* Edge of Imagination

### Wind Instruments

Pre-Hardmode Wind Instruments
* Wooden Whistle
* Icy Piccolo
* Harmonica
* Flute
* Riveting Tadpole
* Magma Rackett
* Meteorite Oboe
* Forest Ocarina
* Panflute
* Honey Recorder
* Song of Ice & Fire

Hardmode Wind Instruments
* Mythril Melodica
* Orichalcum Slide Whistle
* Bagpipe
* Geode Saxophone
* Chrono Ocarina
* Concertina
* Kazoo
* Steam Flute
* Vuvuzela
* Clarinet
* Bassoon
* Pungi
* Holophonor

### Electronic Instruments

Pre-Hardmode Electronic Instruments
* Sonar Cannon
* Microphone
* Granite Boom Box
* Roboboe

Hardmode Electronic Instruments
* Hallowed Megaphone
* Midnight Bass Booster
* The Bopper
* The Black Otamatone
* Terrarium Autoharp
* Turntable
* Sound Sage's Lament
* Sonic Amplifier
* Black MIDI

## History

* **1.6.1.0**: Overhauled and expanded upon.
* **1.4.0.0**: Introduced.