BLM or BRD

[Ringabell]

When it comes to coils BRD is a great, probably better, choice. They are the most mobile DPS class in the game, able to constantly string together attacks while avoiding AOEs.

Unlike physical DPS they don't have to worry about circular AOEs. Just attack, attack, attack. Constant DPS. Songs will lower your DPS but in the right situation the benefits will far outweight the negative. Unfortunately BLMs struggle a bit in coils that require movement. If you're midway through a cast and are forced to move to avoid an AOE, your cast is cancelled. The only thing you can do at that point is use Scathe which is a low damage attack that you can do on the move. It's possible to do excellent DPS as a BLM, but you'd really have to push your limits to keep up with BRDs

When it comes to AOE BLM is king, hands down, and nothing else is even close. No Job in the game can melt a group of mobs like BLM. Flare is one of the strongest attacks in the game and an infinite Flare rotation on a large group of mobs is god-like:

Fire III > Flare > Transpose > Flare > Flare > Transpose > Flare > Flare> etc,etc,etc.

The only problem with the above rotation is that things will die TOO fast. A wonderful problem to have.

If you want to do a Brayflox/Wanderer's Palace speed run without a BLM it's going to take a little longer. With 2 BLMs? Easy as pie.

BLM also has the best burst DPS in the game. That burst damage means very little if you're forced to move around a lot, but when you can stand flat-footed and Thundercloud and Firestarter start proccing? You can wreck stuff.


For the TL;DR crowd:

If you're mainly concerned about Coils, BRD is probably the better choice. I say that grudgingly because I main BLM, but it's the truth. You can maintain better DPS than any other class when the fights call for a lot of movement, stringing together attack after attack. Also does solid AOE damage.

If you want to put up the biggest numbers and be an AOE king, choose BLM. Let the tank do a huge pull, put up raging strikes, then watch as your god-like Flares do as much damage as a mini limit break.

[scarebearz]

Fire III > Flare > Transpose > Flare > Flare > Transpose > Flare > Flare> etc,etc,etc.

The only problem with the above rotation is that things will die TOO fast. A wonderful problem to have.

If you actually manage to cast that 3rd flare (2nd after transpose) or more, then things have already died too slow for a speed run.

A good Bard will do very good damage in a Speed Run and importantly, will greatly increase the DPS of the Black Mage and White Mage.

When it comes to AOE BLM is king, hands down, and nothing else is even close.

Again, if you take Foes into consideration, a good Bard comes very close.

A good WHM will also get close to a BLM for AOE in Speed Runs.


That said, BLM is the best AOE class, but the gap is not as huge as many people make it out to be.

Also movement heavy fights don't hinder a BLM's DPS as much as people claim either, but this is where practice comes into play.

[Ringabell]

If you actually manage to cast that 3rd flare (2nd after transpose) or more, then things have already died too slow for a speed run.

A good Bard will do very good damage in a Speed Run and importantly, will greatly increase the DPS of the Black Mage and White Mage.



Again, if you take Foes into consideration, a good Bard comes very close.

A good WHM will also get close to a BLM for AOE in Speed Runs.


That said, BLM is the best AOE class, but the gap is not as huge as many people make it out to be.

Also movement heavy fights don't hinder a BLM's DPS as much as people claim either, but this is where practice comes into play.

We'll have to agree to disagree about Bard being 'very close' to BLM in terms of AOE, though I agree with some of your other points. I find Bard is superior in the (many) instances that require movement, though I agree practice helps a lot in bridging that gap. I also agree that Holy can put WHM up there near BLM for speed run AOE damage. Seeing as a great deal of content requires movement, and the fact that songs are quite helpful, Bard is probably the better OVERALL choice.

Still, I find BLM is practically in it's own category when it comes to AOE DPS. Bard is quite good and WHM is pretty darn impressive, but If someone asked: "What's the best Job in the game for AOE?" I think everyone would say, without hesitation "Black Mage". Bard & WHM would be mentioned as strong secondary options but #1 is clearly BLM. When #1 is that clear I wouldn't consider #2 'very close'.

[scarebearz]

@Ringabell

if you take Foes into consideration, a good Bard comes very close.

The first line of that is Very important, Bard greatly increases the DPS done by BLM and WHM, while still doing decent AoE damage themselves.