Originally Posted by
SpankWustler
You're right in thinking the gap shouldn't be that wide when both Blue Mage and Paladin have the same sub-job and similar equipment. There's a gap if the Blue Mage is subbing Warrior and doing other things to achieve the highest sword damage possible, but that's not the case in your examples.
This is the biggest part of it, unless I'm reading this sentence way too literally. I'm not too familiar with Paladin's equipment, but I know it shares very little visible equipment with Blue Mage. A quick glance tells me Paladin will probably come out with lower DEX and no Loki's Kaftan/Toci's Harness/Atho's not-as-good-as-hoped Set Bonus but much higher Attack from Twilight Helm and other heavy melee pieces.
Still, that's a pretty wide gap considering both jobs are wearing similar stuff. Do you use different food on each job or something?
Edit: I remembered that Voidwatch equipment exists, even if it doesn't drop.