Why play Machinist over Bard?

[Darkobra]

I'll wait until someone has a bard and machinist at 60 with equivalent gear. Right now you're basing it on people with high-end dungeon gear and people who have just started the machinist and taking whatever scraps they can get until 60.

[Syll]

I'll wait until someone has a bard and machinist at 60 with equivalent gear. Right now you're basing it on people with high-end dungeon gear and people who have just started the machinist and taking whatever scraps they can get until 60.

I don't see the supposed 'massive damage difference' that sovereignaegis claim. I've got both to 60 (i184); and i dropped bard in favor of MCH. Namely because Gauss Barrel doesn't feel tacked on, the way WM does; Straight shot has a 20% chance to proc and be instant vice having a cast time.... MCH has 50% for clean/slug, has both reload and quick reload to force the proc (so you KNOW your next skill won't have a cast time) ricochet and gauss round are also instants. That's a LOT fewer skills with cast bars. Also...i enjoy trying to beat my personal wildfire bests.

edit: actually, i'm rather curious to see the parses sovereignaegis is basing his assertion of damage disparity on