Why do Bards have the highest DPS?

So I understand why BLM have good dps, but seriously... Bards have the easiest time ever.. they can shoot while moving and do not rely on positions. Compare this to a MNK who has to constantly position himself or SMN trying to put up dots just to try but barely match them. Most players will obviously choose Bard over any classes for DPS in their party.

Actually brds are on the low end of the dps chain at higher gear levels. There is not much we can do to improve our DPS. We plateau very suddenly.

actually bard is probably the lowest potential dps but the easiest to achieve making them seem incredibly overpowered in low end play

In high end content groups basically only bring one bard for songs because they are the actual best part of the class

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Originally Posted by Nihility

actually bard is probably the lowest potential dps but the easiest to achieve making them seem incredibly overpowered in low end play

In high end content groups basically only bring one bard for songs because they are the actual best part of the class

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I've done titan a lot of times and bards always are in the first place in dmg, ahead from DRG>Monk. They have advantage because they have the easy job, spam skills while running away while monks have to keep 3 DoTs on the boss, greased lightning 3 and one extra buff to do less dmg.....

I think in theory monk has the best dps, but it really has to work hard to achieve that. Im fine with that, the better the damage, the harder it should be. If everyone was playing optimally (and bards were using their songs (when necessary)) bard would probably be on the lower end. Even smn can do great damage...assuming they keep their dot's up all the time and use their other abilities such as fester, rouse, spur, etc, which unfortunately very few do.

I think it boils down to Bards having so many abilities that can be used off of the Global Cool Down. It's kind of strange to me that Archer has so many but Pugilist's dodge condition ability can't even be used off the GCD. In certain situations you can slam in 3 abilities in one GCD: If you're in range to use Repelling Shot and the target is at less than 20% health you can use Heavy Shot (which starts the GCD), use Bloodletter, then use Misery's End, then use Repelling Shot. It's constant damage with on demand burst and even bigger conditional burst. Plus, Bards aren't subject to DPS loss due to having to dodge the plethora of melee AoE and conal abilities that melee has to. You might not hit as hard as melee can when they can hit but you'll always be hitting for a modest amount.

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Originally Posted by Dijana

I think in theory monk has the best dps, but it really has to work hard to achieve that. Im fine with that, the better the damage, the harder it should be. If everyone was playing optimally (and bards were using their songs (when necessary)) bard would probably be on the lower end. Even smn can do great damage...assuming they keep their dot's up all the time and use their other abilities such as fester, rouse, spur, etc, which unfortunately very few do.

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Yes if the boss was always still or if there was no constant aoe's/adds

I started leveling bard and my dps is POOP compared to my dragoon. However I like the freedom I have to move. It makes up for the lack of damage.

your DPS is poop? or your damage per hit? huge difference

Don't forget to factor in that Bards also have access to enough damage boosting skills to increase damage constantly by cycling between them: Raging Strikes increases dmg by 20% for 20 seconds, Internal Release increases crit rate by 30% for 15 seconds, and Blood for Blood increases dmg by 20% for 20 seconds but also increases damage taken by 25%.