Do Warriors have any single disadvantage?

[Reynhart]

I'm not denying that WAR is excellent and versatile. WAR is the best designed tank of the three. I'm just saying it's not so far ahead of the other tanks.

Problem is, it IS ahead, even by "not so far".

Back when PLD was only 1-2-3n you could argue that WAR was far more difficult to play. Now that PLD has evolved and that DRK came up with its MP management, WAR is not that much more complicated to play.

[BadRNG]

It's not like DRK's damage is constant/sustained either though? PLD is really the only one where a substantial part of their damage is sustained (Sword Oath). Much of DRK's damage is frontloaded within a small period of time, it's just instead of a single move like WAR it's several oGCDs close together. Ravana heavily favors DRK just like it does WAR. Losing those GCDs definitely matters.

IB isn't WAR's only cooldown though, they are still pretty beefy even in deliverance. It's also far far easier to smoothly transition between DPS/tank stances on WAR than DRK/PLD, allowing you to DPS much more before changing is needed. If you are trying to argue WAR's weakness is that it's dps stance can't IB, I just don't understand how that is an exclusive weakness to them. At the very least it is not a weakness that can preclude their participation in either tanking role in any fight - the PLD/DRK weakness very well can. Or at the very least make them far less desirable.

I know it's not your point, rather it's my point that DRK actually needs other classes just to be on the same level that WAR is by itself. It's like, if you gave SMN's an ability that increased magic damage taken, and BLM were inferior dps wise unless they had this buff. Is it not a bit dishonest to claim they have equal dps when the only way that is possible is you have that other class with you to begin with? Why the extra work? (DRK's class design is filled with situations like this, but that's probably a discussion for another thread.)

The attack on your credibility was unnecessary and I apologize, but I just can't understand why you are downplaying Storm's Path to such a degree. If you truly feel it is not that much of a deal breaker, that it's not that great utility wise, then you must not think any utility in the game is that great. It really is one of the best skills out there. It's literally better than both PLD and DRK's debuffs combined!

As for the rest of your reply, it sounds like you are more less agreeing with the main topic. WAR has no real comparative weakness to PLD/DRK. Even if PLD doesn't suffer to the degree in magic that DRK does in physical, they still lose a large portion of their benefits. The problem is neither of them really gain much for these sacrifices. The fact that WAR is so versatile and can fit in any situation is what the whole argument is about, that DRK/PLD should be adjusted so they can be versatile as well. It's not, as you say, "people cry about irrelevant things and call imbalance the second their job does not perform optimally in their preferred spot." - it's more like people call imbalance because there is no spot where WAR can't play optimally. That is the imbalance, that is why WAR is ahead of them. That essentially DRK/PLD are just not as well designed. The imbalance does not need to be massive for one to exist.

[Phoenicia]

Problem is, it IS ahead, even by "not so far".

Back when PLD was only 1-2-3n you could argue that WAR was far more difficult to play. Now that PLD has evolved and that DRK came up with its MP management, WAR is not that much more complicated to play.

So PLD "evolved" to occasionally apply Goring Blade while STILL maintaining the core of "press 1 button to survive x seconds". PLD is still by far the easiest class to play In the entire game.

WAR is "barely" ahead of the other tanks by design. WAR pays the price of relative mechanical complexity. WAR is "not that much more" complicated to play, but it is still "more". (hear this line somewhere before? lol)

Reskinned PLD-- err, DRK, MP management is a joke. It's literally use a Siphon Strike combo, which also happens to be your higher damage combo, to pump Dark Arts for more.... damage. There is no real complexity in its decision tree that throws you off balance. Hint: a DRK Pressing 1, 2, 3 (Power Slash combo) and popping CDs to mitigate damage does the exact same function as a slightly gimped PLD.

[Reynhart]

WAR is "not that much more" complicated to play, but it is still "more". (hear this line somewhere before? lol)

Well, WAR is just switching between two combos over and over, while popping Inner Beast exatcly when you want.
In fact, I don't see what makes WAR more complicated than PLD now.

It's literally use a Siphon Strike combo, which also happens to be your higher damage combo, to pump Dark Arts for more.... damage. There is no real complexity in its decision tree that throws you off balance.

If that's what DRK is for you, you obviously don't push it very far.

Hint: a DRK Pressing 1, 2, 3 (Power Slash combo) and popping CDs to mitigate damage does the exact same function as a slightly gimped PLD.

Hint : A WAR pressing 1, 2, 3 (Butcher's Block combo) and keeping Wrath stacks at full for popping Inner Beast (With or without Vengeance) to mitigate damage does the same function as a not at all gimped PLD.