Bard or Machinists

[Sleigh]

My guesses as to BRD vs MCH:

- BRD will hopefully, in a comp with strong healer DPS and a good caster, bring more raid DPS due to Foe's. If MCH beats BRD even counting Foe's then there's no hope for BRD in 3.0 because that basically makes MCH a melee level ranged DPS with debuffs.
- BRD should have more focused TP/MP regen but presumably at a higher cost than MCH would have, if MCH's regen tools are truly weaker as currently reported.
- MCH's debuffs, like phys damage down and magic damage down, look to be unique and possibly very, very helpful for surviving hard hitting mechanics and tank killers depending on how often they can be used or how debilitating it is on MCH's TP or rotation (like how using Rain of Death in 2.0 inflicted Storm's Path but it destroyed TP). This interests me the most about MCH, and to me is what will make or break MCH in a raid environment if BRD contributes more raid DPS.

They both look to be mobile normally, but have a mode that raises their damage when stationary. They share gear, presumably but not for certain including weekly tome gear (2.0 tome gear was job locked).

Then again, this is the dev team who has thus far made the two new classes OP at the time of their launch, with SMN initially the top DPS, and NIN to this day the top melee even post-nerf. For all we know they'll screw with the numbers and balance and make AST, DRK, and MCH just plain better because they're new and enticing, who knows?