Military Parade - A DD Bard Guide

Right, so it's the same priority for potency either way. If it's "easy", he can get it anytime, including later too. His Bard isn't ready to use right now, so what sense does it make to prioritize an expensive neck piece for a job that's not ready to be used? He could invest it into the mats to buy Relic and get by with a NQ whistle too in the meantime, it's all the same. Relic's cheap to make and can be done in a few hours, with some trials in between. It's not a "Whistle is more priority than Ghorn", its still one potency difference if you go +3 Linos & HQ Whistle or Ghorn & NQ whistle. They're equally both important

It is, for me.
But I find it more than acceptable if you disagree!
Let's say both present a perfectly acceptable option in the same slot that is -1 potency compared to HQ neck and Ghorn.
I don't think either is particularly relevant (altough if you go that route for both slots it becomes potency-2 not -1, which is still okay imho, buuuut you get what I mean).

So what's the difference? The difference is that Neck, even the HQ, is pretty cheap imho, and it's literally ready the second you get it, no trials, nothing.


With that said if the guy has limited funds and goes to 0 gil or close to that after a few things, then by all means go for the NQ neck and you won't regret it, can always re-sell it on AH and buy HQ whenever he gets more gil!

Generally speaking, it's not a bad thing to take shortcuts while gearing to get the job "Ready". I don't mind buying a Su4 for like RUN because the Su5 (although better) is really a minor improvement to a niche role that doesn't necessarily impact anyone else's performance. Still, with gearing, there does need to be a standard for what is considered job "Ready". For Bard, I believe the consensus among most players is you're expected to have REMA weapons for Bard (which does include the whistle too, even if not explicitly mentioned. Prime is the exception, except for elite groups

My counter point to your priority list is, if -1 potency is indistinguishable to the naked eye to 90% of the people, when does that train stop? Is -2 indistinguishable? Is +7 potency Geomancy noticeable vs +10? If you tell him to take a shortcut in gearing by doing Ghorn later, because almost nobody will notice -1 potency, why by that logic is the extra potency from HQ whistle a higher priority on the list for Bard? Because he can get it sooner and have it checked off his list? That doesn't make it any more important than the Ghorn, he's still below the standard.

Now if what we are saying is -2 is fine, then make +3 Linos and buy NQ whistle, get Terpander and pop CC every time you need a 4th song, then I guess that's "Ready" too. I don't see the priority thing as this or that. I feel like Ghorn is equally as important to BRD as the whistle. And I'm not an elitist-mindset kind of person, but I also don't want to start down the path of shortcuts for BRD when I normally don't see other people view it that way. Unless they are OK with it, that's another story.

can't believe i'm seeing +3 linos being suggested in 2026 !

my 2 cents: you'll make the horn eventually anyway.

to answer OP, if you want to gear BRD, i suggest to go all out. it's a lot but that's when the job gets fun anyway. you will be rewarded with probably the most useful job in the game in 99% of situations.

Generally order of upgrades is easiest first and grind away at the hardest along the way.

By the time you grind/buy enough alex for a mythic or metal for empy, you will get lots of stuff for a horn.

It is, other than the neck, one of the easiest potency upgrades you can get. To my mind there is no argument on not doing it, why would you ever not want that.

The other factor here is Whistle boosts Honor March, whereas horn does not.