We should have a "Lance mage", "Ninja Sword mage", "Fist mage"

[Velhart]

Which is what my complaints about it are based around, as I don't have any problems with the amount of damage that can be put out (yet). I've even stated specifically that the cast times themselves aren't the problem, but the way the cast times were just slapped onto a class specifically designed not to have them.

For some reason, people ignorantly assume that because someone doesn't like WM, it means they're talking about damage.

WM not feeling natural on BRD is a valid complaint. Just saying this in general, WM in no way needs to go away, it just needs tweaking in the quality of life department, not necessarily a damage boost or decrease. Its actually quite the difference if you play MCH and BRD. GB on MCH really feels like (and likely was) built from the ground up, so it feels natural to have it. I simply don't feel the same about BRD in that regard.

[Aiselia]

I simply don't feel the same about BRD in that regard.

I actually wonder how much novelty vs. routine plays into the perception too, honestly.

Like, as someone who mained a Bard for a couple years, you learn how to maximize your DPS by reacting to procs asap and how to properly weave things as much as possible. As a result, it feels like you're slacking if you watch a BL proc go by unused because you were too busy casting, or starting a straight shot cast the split second before Straighter Shot procs.

For someone who's not mained it and is just casually leveling it, they haven't had that time to really get stuck into the idea of how important it was to capitalize on BL/SS procs when they happen and as they happen, so going through to WM, they might not feel the same if, for example, they see BL procs get wasted while they're casting.