Best Bard Materia In FFXIV

Bard is a Physical Ranged DPS Job in FFXIV and walks the line between DPS and support. They can not only deal heavy damage to enemy targets but can also buff the party thanks to their medley of songs. 

Depending on the type of Job and the gear piece in question, several different kinds of Materia can be used to enhance your stats. So, if you want to know more about Materia Melding in FFXIV, we have the answers you need. This article will outline the best spreads and key stats to look out for when choosing Materia for your Bard.

Best Bard Materia In FFXIV

When choosing Materia for any class in FFXIV, it's important to know which stats this Job is trying to prioritize. DPS Jobs will often want as much Strength or Critical Hit as possible, while healers may instead choose to focus on Spell Speed or Speed, in general, to pump out heals as efficiently as possible. Regardless, if a certain playstyle suits you the best, whether this be landing huge critical hits or focusing on consistent damage, feel free to meld the Materia you want to your items. 

That being said, Materia Melding is not cheap, so it's understandable why players want to spend their Gil and resources optimally. 

Here are some of the stats you should prioritize and some example Materia for Bard players to look out for. 

Best Bard Materia in order of priority:

1. Critical Hit
2. Determination
3. Direct Hit
4. Skill Speed

Depending on your role in the party, the Materia you choose to use as a Bard may differ. For general all-purpose DPS, Critical Hit is the best damage scaling Materia in the game, as it not only boosts your Critical Hit Chance but your Critical Hit Damage as well. 

Direct Hit is a good alternative as a more consistent damage amplifier but struggles to hit some of the highs as Critical Hit investment. 

Skill Speed, on the other hand, is not only great at getting your damaging abilities off cooldown a lot faster, but can help in pumping out more and more buffs to aid your allies in combat. 

Looking for more Materia guides for Jobs? Check out our breakdown of the best Materia to use as a White Mage, Dark Knight, and Dragoon.