PUP has B+ H2H now, actually. SE realized they set it too low initially.
You are just proving my point. "Misunderstood" and "Ignored" would be the reason PUP has B+ H2H and SMN is stuck with B staff. If SE had cared one ounce the amount they did for PUP, we wouldn't be in this mess.

I don't see how SMN having a B in staff as opposed to a B- means that they're meant to be meleeing
So B compared to B- is not worth mentioning, but B+ compared to B means you are a melee? You sure run a very strict business.

Someone else already covered your Scherzo example, but I'd like to also add that using Scherzo is sacrificing another of BRD's buffs that the party could be using. I'd hardly call it "a million times better" than SMN for it, and I'd hesitate strongly before even calling it four times better. Helps that the two stack.
And using your global ward timer does not sacrifice any SMN buff? For all intents and purposes, SMN and BRD have the same choice when it comes to this buff. But only SMN has to pay a high MP price for it. I don't know how you did bird parties in the past, but that period taught me that if you can give a MP-free buff, it is vastly superior to the MP version. Especially if you intend on keeping it active over a long period of time.

I actually used the ward the other day for fun during panktrator battle. I got hit for 800 damage while applying it. Rather split on if it is worth applying a BP that "may" be useful, and have to take a WHMs cure V recast timer to get my HP back and increase the risk the tank dies.

(Also, while I do agree that MAB isn't useful for SMN, it gets mage armors because storywise, it's a mage.)
And a PUP is an artist, why not give it only ugly armors with def stats on? They aren't meant to DD, just entertain! (If you catch the hint, I don't agree with armor designs based on silly story elements that stray off the roles of the jobs)

SMN without global timers would largely obsolete BRD and COR as jobs, since they'd be able to repeatedly use AoE Phalanx, Stoneskin, Blink, Warcry, Ice Spikes, Haste, Acc/Eva/Attributes Boost and whatever else they want (let's not even start on Avatar's Favor), as well as alternating high damage bloodpacts every few seconds, thus also outdamaging many DDs. Also, most "less useful" spells for other jobs are useless too, since MP and time spent on them is MP and time not spent casting something better.
Explain this to me again. Due to having hastega, we'd replace march because...`? Last I checked haste and hastega do not stack, so BRD would still be a great job even if SMN could cast 500 hastega per minute. Further not a single of the Wards are even competing with BRD except possibly accuracy. Same with COR. We'd at most steal their PLD roll slot in the party, with our thunder armor over their flame spikes.

Think it through before you spout nonsense. We are more likely to steal the job of SCH by having good phalanxga, stoneskinga, AOE heals, AOE enfire etc. than any other job. And I'd personally claim SCH stole the SMN spot first.

Another fun part of SMN: it has options.
Which is the whole point of this thread. A lot of lackluster options.

- We can use spirits... just don't expect anything out of it.
- We can melee... just don't expect there to be armor for it.
- We can cast tier II nukes from subjob... just don't expect them to hit hard.
- We can main heal... but not on NMs.
- We can give you defensive buffs... for a high cost and short period of time.

I don't think I demand much at all. Just balance the stuff out. Give WHM and all other mages 3 min duration shells and lets see how valid they think that concept is. Nobody, except masochist SMNs, think 3 min buffs that cost MP is a good idea.