Bard or Machanist?

[UlricCraft]

Bards:

• Do slightly more Multi-Target(1) DPS in prolonged fights.(2)
• Damage is sourced from maintaining DoTs, ogcd proc and 1 button.
• Have to cast MP/TP regeneration abilities centred on BRD.
• Foes Requiem buffs magical damage by 10%. (2 Healer, 1 Mage)
• Battle Voice can double MP/TP regen freely with no DPS loss.(Aside from the norm)
• Can Cross-Class Mantra & Second Wind.
  • 10s Bind - 40s CD
  • 1s Silence - 30s CD
  • 10% Evasion Down on enemy

Machinists:

• Best Burst DPS - Lowest overall DPS(3)
• Damage is sourced through 3-hit combo with unique proc system.
• Stronger & more flexible AoE damage.(4)
• MP/TP Regen is ogcd and can be moved to specific locations.
• Hypercharge buffs physical damage 5% (2 tanks, 2 melee, 1 ranged)
• Hypercharge buffs magical damage 5% (2 healer, 1 mage)
• Cannot boost MP/TP regen as Hypercharge is crucial for DPS.
• Cannot Cross-Class any worthwhile defensive cooldowns and has no self-healing.
  • 12s Bind - 20s CD
  • 2s Silence - 25s CD
  • 2s Stun - 25s CD
  • 12s Heavy - 20s
  • Knockback - 30s
  • 10s -5% Magical or Physical damage - 90s

Summary

• Bards do more damage in most end-game fights, for whatever reason, they just do. This difference ranges from an unnoticeable 25 DPS to several hundred. (The next point might give insight into why)
• Bards are played almost three times as much in end-game content.
• Bards are easier to play and require less focus on strict rotation and cooldown alignment. (Hardest class, lowest damage? TY SE?)
• Machinists aren't trash. They're viable and extremely useful in a lot of cases. If you need something dead in 15s, they can do it better than most.
• Machinist utility is undoubtedly greater in almost every aspect (except mp/tp regen once or twice a fight)
• 5% physical damage with a standard party of 5 physical damage dealers is stronger than 10% on 2 magical casters. Even if your personal numbers are lower, consider how much you're boosting team DPS.
• Their single-target parses are pretty similar. Like, <35 total DPS difference most of the time.

(1) Venomous Bite + Windbite = 18s, applied to a maximum of 3 targets you can juggle your two strongest skills with Iron Jaws. MCH can't achieve these potencies without using AOE rotations. When you've got two bosses (A1S) double-DOTting results in amazing damage.
(2) BRD solo damage is predominantly higher due to the way Wildfire and cooldowns align in actual fights, Bards aren't restricted to unleash their full potential 90% of the time.
(3) Hardest class to play? Lowest potencies? Not played often enough? Too much utility & party buffing capability? Statistically they are the weakest and it's just an unfortunate truth.
(4) Bishop Turret = 600 potency/30s that can be repositioned + 120 Grenado vs Flaming Arrow 350 potency/30s that can't be moved + 110 Quick Nook. MCH can also Hypercharge for 780/30s.