BLM, movement, casting, and current design vs. other alternatives.

The dev team seems focused on making sure BLM is not mobile in any way, even to the point of halving the potency of Scathe when PvP came out (thus weakening them in PvE as well). I think the most fun I've had in PvP is on BLM, but it's really annoying to try to cast spells on someone, and they simply walk off. Whereas a BRD can continue to chase you going full tilt (or even a MNK with Fists of Wind), BLM can't really do much if someone decides to leave the battle. Basically, I can just chase them and Scathe repeatedly, forever. For very low damage. This makes it especially annoying to try to kill healers. Between walking off and using line of sight, any competent healer is unlikely to be killed by a BLM of any caliber. It doesn't help much that BLMs are probably the #2 target, right after healers.

I guess I really just don't understand why the dev team feels so strongly about BLM being "rooted" and not being able to cast while moving. I think at least Blizzard and Fire should be able to be cast while moving. Obviously Flare shouldn't be mobile, and I'd be fine with Blizzard III and Fire III not being mobile either, but it would sure be nice if you could cast Blizzard and Fire without having to stop.

Between having to stay still and being easily interrupted any time you're touched, BLM is essentially useless if you're being focused and/or don't have a lot of support from a healer. All things being equal, it seems like pretty much any other job has the advantage over BLM in a 1v1 situation, including healers.

In "other games", it's more the norm to be able to be mobile while casting (at least light spells) and instead of being interrupted, have your cast bar pushed back each time you're hit. Why can't this be the case here as well?

Pretty much every other dps job can do good burst damage without ANY fear of interruption, even SMN (thanks to Energy Drain and Ruin II spam).

I'm not saying BLM is useless or anything, or that you can't succeed in PvP with it, but the way it's designed doesn't exactly lend well to having fun in PvP. Unless your idea of fun is spamming Sleep and hoping it messes with everyone. It's easy for players to be bad at BLM in PvE, and even easier for them to be bad at PvP. I think BLM can remain balanced with other jobs and still be able to walk around while casting Blizzard and Fire (tier I versions only).

BLM has the single highest PvP burst potential however.

Its a trade off. Plus equinimity and surecast.

I play Frontlines regularly as BLM and I'm normally top dmg/top kill in my team, AND I'm having fun.

Maybe you're just not doing it right.

BLM being able to run while casting would be op as hell.
Just thing about it as an artillery suddenly driving around like crazy on the battlefield. lol

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Originally Posted by Yotsu

BLM being able to run while casting would be op as hell.
Just thing about it as an artillery suddenly driving around like crazy on the battlefield. lol

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You do know they have mobile artillery these days :))

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Originally Posted by Hiruke

I think BLM can remain balanced with other jobs and still be able to walk around while casting Blizzard and Fire (tier I versions only).

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sounds like a bad idea.

i play as blm as well in pvp and to run around being able to cast Fire while mobile would lead to near infinite Firestarter procs which in turn would be so imbalanced it wouldn't even be fair. it would just be destruction seeming that instant-cast Fire III's that proc from Firestarter procs can hit for 1k and even 2k+ and we have Raging Strikes. blms are fine the way they are. movement is ur weakness for being the hardest hitting class in the game. learn to position yourself better and "hide" behind walls to limit your chances to be noticed. when positioning yourself, stand perpendicular to your target so they have to run past you and can't just run away from you. use lethargy to heavy your target if they try to run. i believe Blizzard will also heavy your target in pvp if not then you can just use lethargy. open spaces are not your friend so avoid battling in midfield. your best place to be are at flags where you can use the environment to los and if you're in mid be with your team. don't walk around alone, stay around your teammies and don't be anywhere where a healer isn't. if you notice you have galvanized or stoneskin on you, you can freecast without being interrupted so use those to our advantage.

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Originally Posted by Gor

sounds like a bad idea.

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Originally Posted by Ragecake

I play Frontlines regularly as BLM and I'm normally top dmg/top kill in my team, AND I'm having fun.

Maybe you're just not doing it right.

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^^^^

BLMs are usually top dmg/kills in our group easily.. all i ever hear are our blms having fun and laughing at blowing stuff up... if me or anyone else sees them getting beat on we peel

This isn't a 1v1 game, it's a team game, if you're getting ur face beat in and you're team mates aren't peeling for you then ofc it's gg. (shadowbinds, sleeps, stuns, tri disasters, reposes, knockbacks, so many ways to peel)

BLMs are fine... not trying to be a huge dick, but perhaps gain more experience in pvp as a BLM?

Also a constant BLM in PVP. While it's sometimes hard to explain why u aren't the only one "fighting on the flag" (LOS), BLM are fine just the way they are. The lack of mobility is a decent tradeoff for the mind-blowing burst dmg the BLM can deliver. Yes, you won't win certain fights, but as someone pointed out it's not a 1v1 game. You have your role in the team and that is to make ppl go "zzz" or go "poof" and at this, if left unchecked, the BLM excels.

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Originally Posted by Ragecake

I play Frontlines regularly as BLM and I'm normally top dmg/top kill in my team, AND I'm having fun.

Maybe you're just not doing it right.

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If this is true(which I highly doubt it is) then your team is horrible. Blm should never be the top damage as most of the skill comes from sleeping and using lesser spells like bliz and scathe. Blms that get to stay planted and do full rotations? sure but if your being allowed that then the other team is terrible.

One word: Scathe.