How is BLM in new expansion?

[Sleigh]

Wouldn't A LOT of BLM problems be lessened by this change to Surecast:
Next spell is cast without interruption and can be cast while moving.

AKA another Swiftcast without the instant effect. It actually would solve a lot of our issues but it would also make it nearly braindead to execute IMO.

It's been said so many times, just a small timer adjustment to AF and/or Enochian here or there, to help with the RNG aspect and possibly promote Enochian fulltime through phase shifts (which may or may not be the intent). Maybe an AoE increase a little bit so we're not outclassed in that department if another T4 or T12 comes along.

[HaroldSaxon]

AKA another Swiftcast without the instant effect. It actually would solve a lot of our issues but it would also make it nearly braindead to execute IMO.

It's been said so many times, just a small timer adjustment to AF and/or Enochian here or there, to help with the RNG aspect and possibly promote Enochian fulltime through phase shifts (which may or may not be the intent). Maybe an AoE increase a little bit so we're not outclassed in that department if another T4 or T12 comes along.

I'd agree with this, with a rework of Thundercloud so that we aren't punished for using it (enochain wise). I don't think making BLM hyper mobile is the answer, I think rewarding good BLM's that can suffer the poor mobility is better.

[randysquirrel]

I find all of this a bit premature to be honest.
We are less than two weeks since launch, and already people calling for such n such needs to be buffed, something else needs extending, blah blah needs potency increased

Yes it's definitely that SE have ruined everything, and certainly not that a lot of people just haven't got used to things changing /rollseyes /sarcasm

we cleared both primals several times with two BLMs and no SMNs, so even if there is a disparity in dps, it can't be so high as to actually affect anything yet. Whether it will in Alexander remains to be seen, and so is not worth commenting on yet

Just 12 days from launch, and people seem to be under the impression they should already be at the peak of their performance

Do I think I'm the best BLM? Course not.
Am I looking forward to the challenge of learning every nuance of the changes brought in so I can squeak out as much dps as I can? absolutely

[HaroldSaxon]

It almost as if players that have a clue take a short amount of time to theorycraft because its really not that difficult. The evidence is there, feel free to tell me how using Thundercloud procs won't mess up your enochain timing, its almost as if Monks had their greased lightning timer increased in 2.1 because they couldn't fit their rotation in with any significant mechanics (With BLM, 2.9+2.9+2.41=8.41 - not accounting for latency or mechanics). Its almost as if Fey Glow and Spellspeed got completely gutted for BLM.

Those are facts and no amount of time and practice will overcome those.

I'm not the best BLM, but I certainly do very well with the class and I know my theorycrafting. I'm looking forward to the challenge as much as you, but there needs to be changes; the class clearly wasn't tested properly.

Regarding future raid mechanics - Its almost as if movement is a core part of raiding or something. Who knew?

[randysquirrel]

I guess we just disagree. You think Enochian is too hard to keep up, I think we should actually wait to see how much movement is needed in Alex before whining

[HaroldSaxon]

I guess we just disagree. You think Enochian is too hard to keep up, I think we should actually wait to see how much movement is needed in Alex before whining

Read what I posted. Its too hard to keep it up with an optimal dps rotation in combination with everything. With the low astral fire timer. With the reducing buff timer. With movement. It also prevents the use of thunder, and there are also issues with the Spellspeed nerf, with the Fey Glow nerf and the fact that we are using 3 second casts now instead of 2.5 seconds.

Alex isn't going to be a 0 mechanic training dummy fest. The only one that has come close to one is T8 and even then there are mechanics to do which involved; you guessed it, movement!

Its not whining, its using facts and experience to come up with a justified conclusion, rather than, for lack of a better expression, putting your fingers in your ears and screaming "lalala i'm not listening".

[Dajinn]

i love the argument "hurr less than 2 weeks since launch and look at all the whining". one of the expansion's first major raid is about to launch and this game hasn't been beta tested by the players at all since it was announced 8 months ago. when, exactly, do you think the complaining is warranted?

[Aikaal]

i love the argument "hurr less than 2 weeks since launch and look at all the whining". one of the expansion's first major raid is about to launch and this game hasn't been beta tested by the players at all since it was announced 8 months ago. when, exactly, do you think the complaining is warranted?

There was actual tests. I'm pretty confident jobs were tested on a dummy. "SMN and BLM dps are alike, job done." Reality doesn't reflect that lol.

[Elix_Moarbase]

I think BLM players, generally, need to get over the idea that it's okay to for us to be ineffective on movement fights. Frankly, balance is when the fight doesn't matter and you can still compete. But, let's be honest here: If Alex is anything like Never or Bismark, BLM is going to have a rough time. Speaking of which, our having a spot to abuse on Bismark, doesn't mean we're good at Bismark. It just means there is the possibility for an oversight, and it's definitely illustrates how fight/design dependent we are (which, once again, isn't balance).


Black mage just isn't as fun as it could be, right now. Will it get better? I doubt it; you can tell that SE really likes their gimmicks this time around (couple that with these white knights).

[ekental]

I have a BLM & SMN @ 60. The flexibility of SMN far outweighs the minor DPS advantage of BLM.

The issue can be boiled down to:

• BLM is high risk, high reward (Enochian loss-> 30 sec penalty at worst and a huge DPS loss)
• SMN is low risk, high reward (worst case you recast 1 dot)

A BLM needs to know any fight really well to maximize their DPS, and their entire group has to plan around them being a giant turret for long periods of time.

A SMN doesn't require that level of knowledge. They can wing the fight and still pump out most of their DPS. Additionally they can do most of it while moving, and Res.

A BLM gets to edge out a SMN in DPS only in the best case scenario where they can turret the entire fight. The DPS increase itself is noticeable, but not large enough to compensate for the requirements it needs.

It doesn't take months of testing in raids to see the glaring disadvantages inherent in BLM. Hoping that SE will plan content to cater to BLM's movement issues doesn't address these issues.