>
Hi Bethmo :)
>
> 1) I've seen a few instrument parts for sale. Is there a trade skill for
> building instruments? How is this done?
>
I think that they can be built with tinkering, but as I understand it,
tinkering is mostly broken. Most likely, building from component parts would
not be much of a savings.
>
> 2) Does it make any difference what instrument you use within a category?
> I bought a Mandolin rather than a Lute because it weighs less. I got a
> Minotaur Horn right off the head of one of the filthy beasts, and I've been
> using that for a wind instrument rather than buying one.
>
There may be a difference between magical musical instruments, which I am
pretty certain exist, but have never seen, and regular musical instruments, but
I'm pretty sure that in terms of lute vs. mandolin the only difference is that
the mandolin is lighter, and the lute is cheaper.
>
> 3) Can anyone tell me what "Enthrall & Nix S." means? That's all the
> description the Strategy Guide gives for the 15th level bard song. I have
> tried to figure it out in game, and all I've succeeded in is getting myself
> killed. It seems to be an area effect that makes every NPC in the area
> decide to attack me if I'm solo, and I haven't spotted any effect when
> turning it on in the middle of a big melee. (Does it bother anyone else
> that the game doesn't provide spell descriptions? It makes me really mad.
> There is no in-character justification for this; the senior-level NPC bards
> who teach the songs should tell you what they do!)
>
It means "enthrall and eliminate the shit list". What that works out to
operationally is that when you sing the song, it puts the critters to sleep
until they are attacked again, or until you stop singing the song or until you
move out of range. That's the enthrall part. The "nix s list" part means that
if something gets mad at you and attacks you, then you sing the lullaby (and
they don't resist), then move away from them, they will forget they were ever
mad at you.
Kellin's Lucid Lullaby is one of the bard's true power songs. If you and your
party are being swarmed, it is a total life saver. Put everything to sleep,
move away, and those monsters forget they were ever mad at you. Or, keep them
all asleep except one, and kill them one at a time.
>
> 4) Any information on the "stuck song bug" and how to cope with or prevent
> it? I had only experienced this twice before last night. Last night we
> killed a named Gnoll and I got a magic axe that casts Berserker Strength,
> and with that equipped I started getting "stuck" songs every couple of
> fights. (Seems to get stuck when the Berserker Strength spell kicks in
> while I'm switching songs, or something like that.) The "stuck song bug"
> symptoms are that you aren't singing (all song buttons are visible) but it
> shows a song icon active and gives messages as if you were singing that
> song. You can click this icon to get rid of it but it comes back again a
> moment later. Any song that you try to sing ends immediately. It's like
> part of the program thinks you're still singing the song, but another part
> doesn't, so you can't stop. The only ways I've found to cure it are to log
> out or zone. It sometimes goes away by itself eventually (might be when I'm
> stunned by a monster, not sure).
>
I'm not certain what causes this. I think it happens when you get stunned
while changing songs, but I don't know for sure. Aside from the cures you
mention, if you get stunned again, the problem will go away.
>
> 5) I haven't found the level 14 (Identify) or 19 (Invisibility) songs yet.
> I thought they were in High Pass, but we got there last night and found
> only a few songs for sale. (They did have the level 16 water-breathing
> song, which is GREAT.) They aren't at the Kelethin, Freeport, or Qeynos
> bard guilds, and I haven't heard of any other city with a bard guild. Has
> anyone found these? (I won't be level 19 for a while yet, but I'm still
> craving the song.)
Bard songs are generally found either in the bard guilds (not all bard guilds
have all the songs, as you've discovered by now for sure), Highpass Hold, or
the library of Erudin. Very high level songs are on special vendors around
Norrath, but it's best to find those on your own.
Good luck to you,
Jyzan