RDM needs a niche.

[Jakuk]

The big problem with a lot of the 'fixes' you are going to come up with are that they made new jobs that now own that space and RDM can't step in there with something useful because it would be broken.

Barspells are owned by WHM with the occasional nullify, BRDs can push it further, RUN is the specialist with their JAs, COR get Runist Roll for magic evasion, and we get addle 2 to lower the mobs magic accuracy. And GEO goes on top, like it does on everything. So barspell 2s don't really make sense when there is already that much protection availlible and people will abuse stacking mechanics.

SCH took our chance at AOE buffs and enfeebles and SMN already partially owned that space before SCH came along. /SCH manifestation and ascession don't work on our best spells. We can't manifest frazzle or distract. We can't spread our +55 stat gain spells that we get from relic +3 hands. No aoe haste, flurry, or refresh. And even though we can have the best Stoneskin in the game, we can't ascession it to others because thats not how stoneskin equipment works and BLU already has a decent AOE stoneskin if you want that. And forget about Sphere effects, those are solely owned by GEO. I don't want to be saddled with /SCH unless they make it prestine, otherwise I'd rather have /BLM for elemental seal and stun if I'm not going to melee.

Our enspells suck compared other options. We don't get the attack or accuracy that we could sorely use like enlight and endark even though we have mediocre divine and dark magic skills to support it. I would take Auspice over our enspells because enspell damage gets reduced against real opponents and I'd rather just be able to use haste samba for easy self SCs. At least with Auspice you get subtle blow, which is worth something even if you're nuking. If you have the Ebers +1 pants, that's 25 subtle blow. I generally use enstone 2 or enaero 2 to lower the resists of my ice and shock spikes so that i can use haste samba instead of worrying about on hit damage because it has no additional benefits. If you want to buff RDM this is a good place to do it, however it's not going to give RDM a niche or party spot because these would have to be selfish stat buffs. They aren't going to give us a good party debuff on our enspells because they gave it away to RUN with Rayke and Gambit and BLM already has -JA spells. They aren't going to let us have something that stacks with that because it would be the only strat.

We didn't get cura or reraise, those would be easy to argue for but ultimately wouldn't provide us a party spot, so winning those battles would ultimately lose us the war of getting a real party role or spot.

We have phalanx, but now so do all the serious tanks. Their phalanx is better than ours because they have +phalanx gear so don't even cast it on them anymore. We can't stack an extra layer on them like BLU can with mighty guard or SMN can with Shining Ruby. If Phalanx and Phalanx II could stack maybe we could get a party spot with it, but I don't think the devs would want to balance that much straight damage reduction with RUN also having One for All.

Basically SMN, SCH, and RUN took all of our niches. COR and GEO are just staight better than us. We have stacking debuffs in the form of Dia 3, Bio 3, Distract 3, and Frazzle 3. And we have Flurry 2 and Innundation for niche spells. We have the highest tier general enfeebles, a haste that goes outside of party, and we can give 15/tic refresh in party.

I just want them to add critical hit damage and attack to Temper 2 so I can take a real DD spot and still do all of the things in the paragraph above.

AoE Barspells are owned by WHM. RDM is single target, this allows them the advantage of having stronger "self" buffs. Barspell II for example, which could have something like BRD's where it nullify's or even absorbs DMG occassionally.

RDM doesn't need AoE buffs if you keep adding more Duration gear, especially if added on gear with Enhancing Magic skill. That said I don't think adding more party based buffs to RDM is the right choice BRD, COR and GEO fill that role.

Enspell III would add more DMG and hopefully work on all hits like enspell I. Also you really don't need something to stack all the time, and again Enspell would be for DMG, and adding more DMG that has no TP gain for the enemy trumps Subtle Blow, all of which matters naught in a game where enemies have CRAZY regain.

Adding buffs doesn't win nor lose a war it simply grants stuff that makes sense. We have Raise I and Raise II but not Reraise...?

Phalanx II should have always been Damage Taken, even 5% Damage Taken is better than what Phalanx II is now, not points of DMG on party member weaker than Phalanx I, that or double Phalanx I.

You again are basing SOLELY on the aspect of RDM as an Party Enhancer, they have as good as said it's not what RDM is. Only the players want to make RDM and enhancer. The augment their own strength with an occassional party buff (Refresh and Haste) while weakening the enemy with enfeebles. This is where RDM should be buffed. (Especially on the enfeebling front) not making it a lacklustre GEO/COR/BRD.

I agree, simply as it's another augmentation, but Savage Blade is still a better weaponskill to Chant du Cygne.