Idea: Split Archer into Bard and Ranger

[Xerius]

No. Aside from the issues that come from branching class (see SCH and SMN balancing), it does not change the fact that WM itself will still cause the class job that has it to play awkwardly if they still have archer's skillset.

It also does not work with the current meta on party composition. Unless you want ranger to compete with casters for the dps spot (which means no spell damage)

This wouldn't really impact Ranger though. Because Ranger would use DEX just like BRD. Ranger would also be full DPS, so it would just compete for the same spot BRD competes for now.

[RiceisNice]

This wouldn't really impact Ranger though. Because Ranger would use DEX just like BRD. Ranger would also be full DPS, so it would just compete for the same spot BRD competes for now.

What? As of right now, BRD and MCH are guaranteed a spot in the current meta for their regen abilties. A ranger would not have this, so their spot instead would be a pure-ranged dps, akin to the casters.

This creates the problem in the current meta; If regen abilties are not needed, there's no reason to take a MCH/BRD over a ranger due to the latter's higher damage output. If they were needed, BRD/MCH sits comfortably on their slot.

[Xerius]

What? As of right now, BRD and MCH are guaranteed a spot in the current meta for their regen abilties. A ranger would not have this, so their spot instead would be a pure-ranged dps, akin to the casters.

I don't understand where you're coming from. You're comparing Ranger to BRD, and saying we won't need it because casters will have to compete with the spot? All DPS are competing against all similar DPS for those slots already? How would this mess up the meta? Ninja didn't mess up the meta when it was introduced because of TP generation/taking a melee DPS slot.

[Warlyx]

I don't understand where you're coming from. You're comparing Ranger to BRD, and saying we won't need it because casters will have to compete with the spot? All DPS are competing against all similar DPS for those slots already? How would this mess up the meta? Ninja didn't mess up the meta when it was introduced because of TP generation/taking a melee DPS slot.

that because DRG sucked back then , and Mnk was top DPS and had DK that was awesome to have in coil....Ninja took the drg spot

now drg has BL and top dps

Ranger not gonna happen , MCH and BRD share gear and share the ranged dps with regen skill spot ....WM was supposed to bring BRD dps up to be on par with caster dps so we didnt feel like were just mana batteries....but dps wise we are in the same spot as we were before WM...so we lost movility and gained nothing in return.

we can only hope that by 4.0 we a way to customize jobs

[Ariabeth]

That doesn't make sense.
It's like splitting PLD into 1 job that holds aggro, and 1 job that does dps..
We already have that.

[DestinovaTrueblade]

This wouldn't really impact Ranger though. Because Ranger would use DEX just like BRD. Ranger would also be full DPS, so it would just compete for the same spot BRD competes for now.

If it doesn't have Bard's support abilities, they definitely would not be competing for the same spot.

[Duelle]

This wouldn't really impact Ranger though. Because Ranger would use DEX just like BRD. Ranger would also be full DPS, so it would just compete for the same spot BRD competes for now.

What Riceisnice is aiming at is that all the OP suggestion does is sort of hide the problem without actually resolving it. BRD would still be saddled with WM and the awkward gameplay.