Knowing when to switch your main class?

During endgame raids, I feel like I'm having a hard time mastering my main class (Which is BLM) I'm having a hard time maximizing my DPS with it and I personally don't think it'll work out. Should I just try a different job? If so, what would you recommend?

The main question is are you having fun with your class.

Maining another class you play better mechanically, playing it for hundreds of hours purely for the sake of content progression IMO is unwise if you don't enjoy that class as much as you did your old one. It'd be better to put the time into master the class you enjoy, than picking up a new class you don't. With that said unless you try out the other classes you won't know what you like the most, and I have found rolling other classes to be highly educational, showing me new tricks and ways of thinking about encounters that can be used to play a better game in other class roles.

But if you really enjoy BLM, you just don't feel you're doing a good job of it, then it's probably best to worry less about immediate progress and focus more on mastering it.

But if you still want to try out other class, which to try depends on what you enjoy and what you want out of it. If you enjoy the lightning proc mechanic on BLM and ranged combat, then BRD's main attack priority has a similar set of mechanics. SMN shares gear with BLM, though IMO, SMN combat is a little dry, basically amounting to stacking/spreading DoTs, and dropping fester. All 3 of the melee DPS are pretty much equals for output these days - MNK is fast paced and demanding, but rewarding with it's adaptive skill chains. NIN I can't speak for, having not levelled it myself, but superficially shares some mechanical similarities with DRG. DRG is a more classical chain combatant that emphasises off-GCDs to double-up their strikes, hitting predictably but powerfully and surprisingly quickly.

If you stick with BLM for progression and want to try to maximize it, I'd suggest starting with the basics and working out from there:

1. Do you have a solid grasp of the standard "rotation," including your best opener?

2. Are you managing to spend the absolute minimum necessary time in UI (and using the correct UI filler rotation for your stat distribution as well as paying attention to the timing of your MP ticks)?

3. Do you know to avoid common pitfalls such as using Flare/Transpose on single targets?

4. Are you managing procs correctly and otherwise always casting?

5. Are you able to use Aetherial Manipulation to good advantage when you should?

6. Do you know how to equip your BLM for mininum necessary Accuracy and to increase Spell Speed for single-target attacks (i.e. most end-game encounters).

Naturally that's not an exhaustive, super-detailed list, but if you can manage all of the above while handling mechanics, you should be fine with BLM. Knowing the fight well REALLY helps you maximize DPS so that you can plan your positioning out ahead of time and be thinking a step ahead of the mechanics when it comes time for you to move.

Thanks for the great answer. To answer the question you raised, I find that I get frustrated by the fact that I'm not as mobile as the others. I try to mitigate the movement as much as I can but I can't really see myself improving on it. I find myself getting really stressed out when I mess something up because you lose a lot of dps as a BLM if that happens. I've also come to realize that planning ahead is not something I'm good at and to be honest I'm not finding it that much fun.....

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Originally Posted by ToasterMan

Thanks for the great answer. To answer the question you raised, I find that I get frustrated by the fact that I'm not as mobile as the others. I try to mitigate the movement as much as I can but I can't really see myself improving on it. I find myself getting really stressed out when I mess something up because you lose a lot of dps as a BLM if that happens. I've also come to realize that planning ahead is not something I'm good at and to be honest I'm not finding it that much fun.....

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It sounds like BRD might be more up your alley. TBH though every job has to plan out their CDs and other elements of their job if you wanna play well per the encounter, including BRD, so keep that in mind.

What do you want out of a job? Are there any that catch your eye and seem fun? BLM has a very particular playstyle, its mechanic revolves around moving as little as possible, so pretty much every other job is going to be different from what you're experiencing now. You just have to decide what it is you think is most fun.

Black Mages mechanics revolve around knowing when you have to avoid a mechanic and managing procs its the easier of the two caster to master. More people can master Black Mage than Summoner IMO.

I'd firstly suggest to seek out what is preventing you from maxing your Black Mage. If you're having issues with movement, run Titan Ex and measure your dps and aim to improve it through cast clipping. Check Puro's spreadsheet here for the basics and not-so basics of the Black Mage.

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Originally Posted by Akiza

Black Mages mechanics revolve around knowing when you have to avoid a mechanic and managing procs its the easier of the two caster to master. More people can master Black Mage than Summoner IMO.

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She didn't ask which caster was harder :P

If you'd prefer to move while attacking then BRD could be for you. I started maining as a BLM, switched to BRD cause I preferred the movements without losing DPS, then started levelling all classes and now kind of main SCH. Its all personal choice. You'd probably be best off picking a few classes, trying them out for a short while and seeing which one 'feels right' :)

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Originally Posted by ToasterMan

Thanks for the great answer. To answer the question you raised, I find that I get frustrated by the fact that I'm not as mobile as the others. I try to mitigate the movement as much as I can but I can't really see myself improving on it. I find myself getting really stressed out when I mess something up because you lose a lot of dps as a BLM if that happens. I've also come to realize that planning ahead is not something I'm good at and to be honest I'm not finding it that much fun.....

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I love BIG numbers and kill fast But I hate more boring rotation and slow movement, So that why I changed to SMN, I can move and dodge freely while doing dps via dot and pet.

Try SMN with same BLM gear u may like it like me.

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Originally Posted by AboHitham

I love BIG numbers and kill fast But I hate more boring rotation and slow movement, So that why I changed to SMN, I can move and dodge freely while doing dps via dot and pet.

Try SMN with same BLM gear u may like it like me.

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Don't try Summoner until Heavensward otherwise you'll work harder for lower DPS.

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Originally Posted by Akiza

Don't try Summoner until Heavensward otherwise you'll work harder for lower DPS.

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Akiza, I don't know if you know this, but SMN's DPS is only detrimental in FCoB. It's fine everywhere else. Also some people play classes because they enjoy them more, not simply because they're higher DPS. Game isn't that strict. :V

Since it's a game and you're meant to have fun, that should be top priority. That said, if feeling like you're not doing well enough makes you have less fun, then that's a problem in itself.

Black Mages have one of the simplest overall rotations as it only uses a handful of skills in a fairly short, repeating order. The tradeoff is, like you say, that moving at all hurts your damage output quite a bit. I'd give Archer/Bard a go to see if you prefer that - it's a much more free job, not only in terms of movement but in that they don't really have a set rotation after their opener. They also have ridiculous burst damage when paired with a dragoon. :D The BLM in my static had to really rethink his play when he started doing Coil, but in the end it was very satisfying to see his numbers rise. But yeah, having fun - good thing.

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Originally Posted by Akiza

Don't try Summoner until Heavensward otherwise you'll work harder for lower DPS.

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If moving and dealing DPS are more your thing I recommend BRD, as someone else has pointed out, may be worth trying SMN too since you pretty much have the right gear for it already.

As for you Akiza, let's NOT turn it into one of those threads ok? go vent in one of the many threads you already made.

https://i.imgflip.com/k3tsd.jpg

BLM is easy to learn and tough to master. You have to really abandon the notion that it's a rotation strict class in order to excel. The best BLMs out there realize this and can stay on top of their mana consumption while moving and keeping their IIIs up.
It's more like a weave when done right and don't go falling into those silly guides that tell you there's only one/two ways to play your class. Those are there to guide yours first steps on 50 but are ultimately limiting if you put too much faith in them.
If you want something fun and exciting I'd go WAR. They group aggro very easily and if you don't blow all your tp away right away holding mobs is simple as an overpower to the face.
And for the record no class is "easier" than any other. It's all about personal playstyles. Experiment til you find something that interests you and you'll excel no matter what.

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Originally Posted by Tanthalus

BLM is easy to learn and tough to master. You have to really abandon the notion that it's a rotation strict class in order to excel. The best BLMs out there realize this and can stay on top of their mana consumption while moving and keeping their IIIs up.
It's more like a weave when done right and don't go falling into those silly guides that tell you there's only one/two ways to play your class. Those are there to guide yours first steps on 50 but are ultimately limiting if you put too much faith in them.

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This is a very good point.

BLM appears from the outside to be a faceroll class that inflicts respectable damage with a simple rotation, has infinite resources, and has only one glaring weakness (movement).

In practice, the complexity of BLM play is not nearly so much in the buttons you press as in your own judgment, planning, sense of timing, and even "twitch" ability. Movement alone is rarely that big of a deal when you cast-clip, use defensive cooldowns, and AM properly.

The difference in DPS between a good BLM and an average BLM is HUGE even though they could both be doing basically the same rotation.

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions. I'm gonna gear my bard up and try playing with it. It looks like it would be a lot of fun with a controller

Tanthalus already mentioned it but, yea keeping your IIIs up should help you keep the DPS high even while moving around, as in, if your AF3 has 3 seconds left, better use B3 to get UI3 for 10 seconds while you reposition yourself (and recover MP). Switch to AF3 if running low on UI3 and still havent found a good spot tho :v (pretty useful for speed runs actually).

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Originally Posted by Cynfael

This is a very good point.

BLM appears from the outside to be a faceroll class that inflicts respectable damage with a simple rotation, has infinite resources, and has only one glaring weakness (movement).

In practice, the complexity of BLM play is not nearly so much in the buttons you press as in your own judgment, planning, sense of timing, and even "twitch" ability. Movement alone is rarely that big of a deal when you cast-clip, use defensive cooldowns, and AM properly.

The difference in DPS between a good BLM and an average BLM is HUGE even though they could both be doing basically the same rotation.

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The difference in DPS between an average SMN and a good SMN is a insurmountable gulf

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Originally Posted by Akiza

The difference in DPS between an average SMN and a good SMN is a insurmountable gulf

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A real question, Akiza. What the heck do you seek to accomplish by spouting the same thing on every caster-related post?

Like, whenever I check this section, and see a caster topic.

I can bet my gil, Akiza is here. I've yet to be disappointed.