Bard's DPS in endgame.

[mythicrose]

If your DPS was "only" 10% lower without a DRG, then MNK would be virtually usueless. Even now, to me the best combination of DPS for the T8 is BRD+BRD+BLM+SMN+DRG, or even 2MN instead of the BLM.

Double BRD is pretty wasted in T8. Single BRD with 2 melee DD anyday.

I agree with Ooshima. We run T8 with pld/mnk/mnk/drg/brd/smn/whm/sch to great effect.