i feel like SAM can get worked different ways, maybe each of those sen can be icon rotating on the ground?
kenki thing, im not sure why it even exists tbh, just overcomplicating things for the sake of it. make them cost mp or just give higher cooldown
obviously i havent played all jobs to 70 yet, but i cant help but feel the gauges were like last minute addition to add to stormblood features list
Although I feel the Guage for blm isn't necessarily needed, it does help keep track of things easier. Before it was a matter of watching cool down times, and duration times... Now it's all located in one lil area.
I feel like with the change to WAR the bar is needed now.
Don't you dare touch my Kenki bar. The resource management aspect of it is my favorite part of SAM.
SAM's Kenki guage feels like a early stage of a Demon Blade/Muramasa Blade Guage mechanic by having it start was basic energy but maybe in a future expansion SAM may have to max that energy to activate the Demon Blade/Muramasa Blade Guage which may change the animations of SAM's combos attacks with increase potency and the main function is to maintain the Demon Blade/Muramasa Blade Guage and prevent it from hitting 0 by using the SAM's combos and Sen Skills.
I like the BLM gauge. It makes it easier to keep track of AF3 and UI3.
MCH definitely needs it with heat. Having said that I feel like most people who played MCH pre-stormblood prefer the old MCH and people who didn't like it before find it more fun to play.
Drk is a lot easier with it.
Drg isn't necessary per se, but I think the meter is much easier to see than a timer on a buff. Same with Nin.
(cough) WHM is probably the most pointless, but at least it's pretty.
Most are just easier to read UI elements of already existing systems. Red Mage just takes full advantage of it and the lack of PS3 restrictions limiting memory.
If they didn't add the gauge, RDM's system would probably work as a status effect with White and Black magic stacks we can burn for moves instead of a detailed gauge. Like a cross between Dreadwyrm Aether and Greased Lightning.