Why play Machinist over Bard?

[SovereignAegis]

I am asking extremely seriously here.

What does the Machinist bring that Bard doesn't? Aside from more mind numbing RNG in an apparent "1-2-3" combo.

More damage? No. Look and compare the numbers and the ease of getting them for Bard, the Bard STOMPS on MCH in damage.

More utility? Sure the 5% mind rend or dismantle on a 90s cooldown really really is worth it, especially worth taking up two separate skill slots. That is sarcasm.
(Especially when Bard gets in the same level a 240 potency spammable off gcd ability! Yay 5%!)

So someone tell me, why would a machinist be desirable lategame? Why would you ever pick it over a Bard given the choice?
It seems that Bard does everything a machinist can do but significantly better.


I see Bard having lower cooldowns, higher damage (Way higher. WAY HIGHER) and actually useful utility and all the same skills that are "amazing for machinist". Snare, silence? Yep, Bard has them. Slow? Can go Keen flurry if you're that desperate from lancer.

Skill lists:
http://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/wiki/Bard

http://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com/wiki/Machinist


*This is separate from my other thread because that was my gameplay feelings/thoughts on it. THIS thread I am asking THE COMMUNITY to find some answer to this question: Why ever pick Machinist over Bard? This isn't involving my feelings, this is involving hard cold numbers and utility brought by each class in their skills.

[Alchemii]

I said this to my FC and I'll say it again here. This seems more like a ramification from when nin got released, if you recall when nin came out it was unbelievably OP had the highest damage in the game, all the mobility, and not really any downside. Well this time around it seems they were trying to avoid that and ended up with classes that are under-powered, as I seem to recall reading somewhere about how drk feels under-powered as well. So I would say though it probably isn't worth it right now, it will probably have some benefits and be a better dps in the future. But for that we'll have to wait til they figure out how they're gonna rebalance everything, so ummm give it a month or so.

[The_Last_Dragoon]

Bard's are pretty much losing their mobility at lv60, so in reality MCH is the new BRD and BRD is the new physical spellcaster.

[Zophar]

More damage? No. Look and compare the numbers and the ease of getting them for Bard, the Bard STOMPS on MCH in damage.

Just gonna point out, taking a job that has been around for almost 2 years, of which, all the ins and outs have been discovered, that people have had ample time to polish up an ideal dps rotation for, and comparing it's dps to a job that has been in the game for less than 24 hours, and that only a small hand full of people, even have at or beyond 50, is just irresponsible.

[nbiscuitz]

i think just play what you enjoy playing....I am sure ppl play a job not only because of high numbers.
I think what you said could be just balance issue, shouldn't stop ppl from playing MCH.

[Unaki]

Just gonna point out, taking a job that has been around for almost 2 years, of which, all the ins and outs have been discovered, that people have had ample time to polish up an ideal dps rotation for, and comparing it's dps to a job that has been in the game for less than 24 hours, and that only a small hand full of people, even have at or beyond 50, is just irresponsible.

No one has even had a chance to take MCH into a raid and all of their first impressions are off of the first 10-15 levels of the job itself. Once people have time to actually put it in Coil or Alex we will know if its actually gimped. The people crying about it being useless are the ones who only wish to pad their DPS numbers and are typically found standing still focusing directly on their action bars and nothing else (The bad players).

[Allyrion]

Bard's are pretty much losing their mobility at lv60, so in reality MCH is the new BRD and BRD is the new physical spellcaster.

Gauss Barrel

Equips your current firearm with a gauss barrel, increasing damage dealt by 20%. While barrel is equipped, all auto-attack will stop and all weaponskills will require casting time.
Effect ends upon reuse.

MCH has its own version of Wanderer's Minuet, so nobody is the new BRD.

[pandabearcat]

My only concern is that I can't tell the radius of the turret tp/mp regen, but if it is anything like the radius of the graphic...it is way, way too small to compete with paeon/ballad.

[Ephier]

You are looking at numbers and not actual play. Currently a level 52 MCN, the class is very burst with a lot of cooldowns with short cooldowns. It is very easy to say oh look at this napkin math and look at potency numbers, but it will be a few more weeks till we see the difference. Even if it is underpowered, that just means buffs are coming.

[Sylve]

OP Snip

Why pick Machinist? Easy.
The rotation is more than just DoT+DoT->Bloodletter/Heavyshot macro with the occasional Straight Shot for the buff.

The RNG on Split/Slug/Clean Shots is what makes t fun. Utilizing Reloads at the right times, throwing down the Turret properly, re-positioning it when required, keeping up buffs and debuffs and using cooldowns properly is all much more fun to me.
Also, Machinist gets all the cooldowns BRD does, so you can't even argue it has better burst, because RS+BfB+Reload+RF has better damage than RS+BfB-> Heavy Shot spam.

So BRDs will be chosen by people who enjoy BRDs and MCH will be chosen by people who enjoy MCH.
As it should be, as it will be and as it was designed to be.

Though BRDs will finally have a little variety at 60 with the Minuet and Sidewinder? shaking things up a bit.