Black Mage sends up a distress Flare!

[StouterTaru]

But one F2 is stronger on four mobs than a full TC, 720 compared to 710 respectively. I'm not seeing how Thunder is a gain on five mobs.

1. TC has zero MP cost, and you don't just chain F2 endlessly
2. TC has a shorter cast time

Up to 5 mobs I'll start with sharpcast Thunder and spread around all the TCs that proc during my AoE rotation up until I'm past the first transpose. After that I won't use any procs unless a mob is over 50% or if I'm at 0 MP waiting on a UI tick.

[alphamax112]

Because it's the focal point of the L60 Black Mage to such a degree that it renders all other options obsolete. Everything you learn as a BM up until that point is rendered worthless, save for "F3 and B3 give you max stacks". The Enochain Loop is just a perfect storm of problems.

1. It changes class focus abruptly. (Single regular damage vs Single burst/AoE burst)
2. It changes class play style abruptly (Hard rotation vs Proc-fishing/Burst recharge)
3. It changes class complexity drastically

As a result, any hypothetical changes have to involve changing Enochian in some manner. Personally I'd like it to actually mesh with what was formerly the capstone of the Black Mage kit, Flare.

To buff BLM's AoE means they have to increase SMN's ST for balancing purpose, which is almost impossible considering they have only 2 options, increase Fester/Energy Drain potency or increase pet's ST damage. Any buff to SMN other than those 2 skills can be abused to be AoE damage.

[Waliel]

There's also potential SCH DPS to think about.

[AboHitham]

To buff BLM's AoE means they have to increase SMN's ST for balancing purpose, which is almost impossible considering they have only 2 options, increase Fester/Energy Drain potency or increase pet's ST damage. Any buff to SMN other than those 2 skills can be abused to be AoE damage.

Only Pet, Fester and Ruin III or make DT more dmg buff.

[Jican]

Everything you learn as a BM up until that point is rendered worthless
1. It changes class focus abruptly. (Single regular damage vs Single burst/AoE burst)
2. It changes class play style abruptly (Hard rotation vs Proc-fishing/Burst recharge)
3. It changes class complexity drastically

A Lot of jobs complexity got changed in HW. Change is not bad. It's uncomfortable, it's new, it's up to YOU what you make of it from that point. Embrace the change or don't. This entire section feels like you're complaining about what was and not embracing what it is now. Reroll a different job if you don't like what you have now, no one will blame you. This section feels like what Bard is now, some changes, and ppl are up in arms about it.

[Clarkamite]

I don't care about single-target. At all. If I wanted to do single-target damage I would have made a Monk. I hate the de-emphasis on AoE, I hate the nerfs to AoE. I hate being forced to single-target. I hate it. It is not fun. At all. I don't care about theoretical damage. I care about having fun and the Enochian Loop isn't fun. It's stressful. It's frustrating. I do not play a game to stress out over frustration. I play a game to have fun. And I can't have fun with what remains of the AoEs if it doesn't accomplish anything worthwhile because then all I do is burden others.

But our AOE isn't obsolete, it's great. I just said that. Just because it isn't the top dog anymore, doesn't mean it's garbanzo. BLM AoE is great. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.

[alphamax112]

Yeah. There's a website which ranks players based on DPS for any encounter. U can see there, only in A2S SMN is superior to BLM, but in 3 other floors I can say BLM is superior. Why do we want BLM to rule ALL those encounters?

[Melondra]

At I90-200 i've gotten Flairs for 8-9k i've even had flairs upwards of 11-12k, flair spell works as intended, fire 2 aoe's about 2.5-3k so not to bad. Big problem with black mage right now is movement, u move your screwed, allowing sure-cast to allow casting while move for a brief period would help this. I swore about a year ago they were suppose to make sure-cast a spell that allowed casting a spell while moving for a short period of time, apparently that never went through.

[Maero]

Aoe wise blm is 2nd place, not a big deal really. I read somewheres someone stated Monk aoe was more then that of blm... i laughed rather hard
Smn and blm are at the spot they should be i think.
Single target damage is very much a part of blm as well, do not care for it and angry that aoe got nerfed, maybe just switch to smn or another class?
Besides the current content really does not require the all mighty aoe that 2.x blm had.

[Sleigh]

Aoe wise blm is 2nd place, not a big deal really. I read somewheres someone stated Monk aoe was more then that of blm... i laughed rather hard
Smn and blm are at the spot they should be i think.
Single target damage is very much a part of blm as well, do not care for it and angry that aoe got nerfed, maybe just switch to smn or another class?
Besides the current content really does not require the all mighty aoe that 2.x blm had.

MNK AoE actually is super competitive with BLM now, especially burst with Perfect Balance. It's only when Foe's enters the equation that BLM can win. Elixir Field is ridiculous, it's enough to elevate MNK up sustained or burst.