Bard Too Bursty?

[nickx]

"Barrage" has no pre-requisites

1. Wanderers Minuet to utilize Empyreal Arrow
2. Cast time with Empyreal Arrow
3. 10 second time limit to pull it off

It can be seen coming, where as Between the Eyes is more unpredictable and almost instantaneous to use with Foot Graze.

[Chilla]

1. Wanderers Minuet to utilize Empyreal Arrow
2. Cast time with Empyreal Arrow
3. 10 second time limit to pull it off

It can be seen coming, where as Between the Eyes is more unpredictable and almost instantaneous to use with Foot Graze.

How at all can Empyreal Arrow be seen coming?

With Between the Eyes you know it's coming if you get CC'd by the Machinist. I've been against players like Straigus Reyist that are able to completely shut down my Between the Eyes.

In regards to "no pre-requisites" I meant that the target doesn't have to be afflicted by a certain action in order for you to use it. Wanderers Minuet should be up anyway just like Gauss Barrel.

My intention was not to turn this discussion into "Bard vs. Machinist" but rather to point out that 6500 damage from a single attack is insane and I know many fellow PVPers who agree with this.

[nickx]

How at all can Empyreal Arrow be seen coming?

Barrage buff, followed by a cast. Bard mobility is also hindered afterwards.

Between is less damage but still much easier and faster to utilize. Machinist mobility is not as hindered with ammo.

[RiceisNice]

MCH gets nerfed in burst and people start talking about bard.
/s

In all seriousness,


Your screenshot shows consistent damage through out. If you didn't have any form of damage shields or mitigation (every healer should at least put up stinkskin on their party), you're just asking to get dropped on the spot by any form of ranged burst

In comparison, Machinist's PVP ability "Between the Eyes" (which was just nerfed from 180 > 150 potency) requires CC for the maximum possible 450 potency. If you're able to pull that off it's still significantly less than the hassle-free and guaranteed 660 potency of Barrage + Empyreal Arrow.

You also need to take into account other abilties. Farshot, bloodletter and side winder specifically, as well as gauss round and ricochet for MCH.

Technically speaking, you could achieve a similar effect with a Gauss Round and Single target Ricochet (200+300), the major difference being you have the potential to crict all 3 hits unlike barrage (which will never crict), follow up with a buffed stun gun and bte (180+ 150), all skills being ogcd

Directly comparing, MCH has weaker overall potency despite being all able to crit. As mentioned above, if you're gonna compare gauss round+rico+BtE+Stun gun (not that I would want to use this for damage in consideration with the latency), you should also take sidewinder, farshot and bloodletter into consideration, as well as misery's end if we're counting the 20% threshold.

But don't forget that MCH has SEVERAL other abilities to pair with BTE to increase their 1-GCD burst. MCH burst is far higher, instantly cast, and is more reliable.

MCH burst has different contingencies to be as effective; you lose ricochet damage if they're grouped (including egis and faires), stun gun is a use of stun resistance (which is incredibly valuable on healers, especially against ones that know how to fight back burst) not to mention the unreliability of it in a latency-environment. So you only really have bind, which is fine and all but it also gets stopped by fetter ward. Assuming you want to get the first hit in, chances are it won't be on their melee even if they have attack buff.

And in both replies, honestly if we're doing a direct comparison to BtE and empyreal barrage, a BtE critting is roughly 675-700 potency assuming a 50~55% increase, it's not miles ahead of a 660 hit. That aside, every other oGCD they're using is capable of criting just as uch as each other, except BRD also has internal release and straight shot whereas MCH only has hot shot.

1. Wanderers Minuet to utilize Empyreal Arrow
2. Cast time with Empyreal Arrow
3. 10 second time limit to pull it off

It can be seen coming, where as Between the Eyes is more unpredictable and almost instantaneous to use with Foot Graze.

It';s a 1.5 cast time, and in consideration with how much of the walls they haven taken out, this shouldn't be that big of a problem. On top of that, MCH also has to use weaponskills prior to set up their burst as much as BRD does (in regards to hot shot, slug shot to force a proc, and reassemble). Both types of burst can be seen coming because they're often paired with cooldowns like HE and raging strikes. MCH has the same window of opportunity to pull off a stronger burst because of the cleaner shot timer.

My intention was not to turn this discussion into "Bard vs. Machinist" but rather to point out that 6500 damage from a single attack is insane and I know many fellow PVPers who agree with this.

My rebuttal is that all ranged jobs (excluding BLM to an extent) is capable of doing that instantaneous burst. And honestly, it's frequently the only thing they can bring to the table. You can say that for MCH and SMN (before getting into utilities and CC, and honestly BRD has some pretty strong points in that area compared to the aforementioned two).

Barrage buff, followed by a cast. Bard mobility is also hindered afterwards.

Between is less damage but still much easier and faster to utilize. Machinist mobility is not as hindered with ammo.

Honestly with the change to caster interrupts a while back, I wouldn't say mobility is that big of an advantage anymore. Even with WM/GB, you won't be pushing the damage threshold with a single GCD and your sustain damage will sitll be pitifully low compared to a BLM or melee for healer pressure.