Why is Guarding just so...bad?

[Malacite]

If you have to take your offensive atma off, it's pointless. Why lower damage to guard when you can counter and still be one of the top DDs in the game? Besides, 70%+ counter rate is easily obtainable, let's say you could get a 70% guard rate (which you can't).

Which mitigates more damage? 70% of the time of taking 0 damage (as well as dealing damage yourself) or 70% of the time taking reduced damage?

Besides, you wouldn't even need have capped guard to test this. Capped guard for 75? Go to the lv 80 monsters in the earlier abyssea zones, fight mobs that are IT to a lv 75 mnk. Could test just like that, lol.

Until you get hit by something like Spike Flail or Ruinous Scythe, in which case Guard can end up negating the damage altogether (it can "block" WS)

[Cream_Soda]

Until you get hit by something like Spike Flail or Ruinous Scythe, in which case Guard can end up negating the damage altogether (it can "block" WS)

You post with incorrect information. It can block the first hit of a ws. Spike flail, you should never be getting hit by in the first place.

Ruinous Scythe, is 4 hits, you're not going to negate it with guard.

[Serj]

Until you get hit by something like Spike Flail or Ruinous Scythe, in which case Guard can end up negating the damage altogether (it can "block" WS)

Spike Flail is dangerous? I tank wyrms at that end so they solely/mainly use spike flail (in abyssea). Outside, how often do you fight wyrms? And you fight them so they don't use it.