A question from a newer player about the weight of each job.

What do you guys think is more valuable generally? A pure dps that plays 100% optimally. A BRD / MCH that plays 100% optimally. A tank that plays 100% optimally. A healer that plays 100% optimally.
Which is more rare to find?

They are all viable. A skilled player will stand out.

Tanks of any sort are the rarest role in my experience. A tank that plays 100% optimally though is exceptionally rare. I might go a month without encountering a great tank in the DF.

Nothing makes me happier than seeing a good DPS in DF.

Personally, I think it depends on the role you main. When you play a role for a long period of time, you consider your way the right way. So when you see others playing the role you main, everything they do will stand out to you more than someone playing a role you don't know very well. Which can it make it seem like good players of your main role are harder to find, as not everyone plays the way you do.

If you want quick ques, Tank or Healer. You can be the most skilled DPS ever it won't change how quickly you get into most things. The only thing it might change is access to Static high end Raiding.

I second jomoru

You can see à huge difference between à simple tank/heal and à skilled one that will be able to do more than his job and contribute to the DPS as well

Are we asking from a practical standpoint, or a literal one?

Practical, the most "Valuable" when played optimal is ofc subjective, but I would hazard a guess at BRD, with MCH close and conversely AST being in there but gated by RNG.
An "Optimal" support role allows others to play better, thats the idea of support and thus an optimal support aspect will typically always be the most "Valuable".

As for the Rarest, any given day that is a 50/50 toss up between Healers and Tanks plain and simple.

From a LITERAL standpoint though, it would be an Optimal Healer, since such a thing is near impossible in anything that has RNG elements.

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Originally Posted by Selli

Personally, I think it depends on the role you main. When you play a role for a long period of time, you consider your way the right way. So when you see others playing the role you main, everything they do will stand out to you more than someone playing a role you don't know very well. Which can it make it seem like good players of your main role are harder to find, as not everyone plays the way you do.

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Ha, you know that's probably how it is. I main a Paladin, but I spend a lot of time in the DF as a Machinist and throughout the whole run I keep thinking things like "Why aren't you keeping the monster still so that dragoon can aim his positionals?" and "Keep that AoE up or you're gonna--yep, now the healer is tanking". If I never played a tank I'd probably be oblivious to that sort of thing.

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Originally Posted by WellFooled

Ha, you know that's probably how it is. I main a Paladin, but I spend a lot of time in the DF as a Machinist and throughout the whole run I keep thinking things like "Why aren't you keeping the monster still so that dragoon can aim his positionals?" and "Keep that AoE up or you're gonna--yep, now the healer is tanking". If I never played a tank I'd probably be oblivious to that sort of thing.

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My boyfriend and I are exactly like that. XD When we go DPS, we silently sit there as he watches the tank and I watch the healer. Those poor DF pugs have no idea how hard they're working for their commendations beneath our judgmental gaze.