why there are so many BRD out there? what happened to other dps?

[Knahli]

Like the poster above, I am dedicated to my jobs. I have one class per character and that's not going to change. I couldn't care less how efficient other classes may be by comparison, I enjoy Bard as well as the aesthetic.

[Lunaxia]

You should see the JP servers. Dragoons. Dragoons everywhere.

[Snugglebutt]

Between 1-50 BRD is extremely fun to play, but once pick up WM the style of play changes fairly drastically for most so you will often find more BRD's in groups between 1-50 range rather than later on when WM becomes a thing. It isn't the same play style they have been using up to that point and it's quite a big change to dump on someone so late in the class which puts some people off continuing at that stage. It would of been probably better if WM play style came into play around level 30 so at least people have more time to get used to it and not have become so entrenched in a non-WM style of play by the time it comes around.

Personally I used to play BRD as a main but the change made it less fun for me, less to do with DMG output and more to do with enjoyment of so much mobility and freedom. If I am going to have to spend time rooted to the ground so often using cast bars on my skills rather than just GCD's then I might as well switch to MCH in my opinion with it's GB skill because at least will push out potentially more DPS overall especially on single target fights given BRD's reliance on DoTs later on for a lot of their DMG output when so many boss fights lack multiple targets being present for very long. If I am going to have to put up with rooting and cast timers etc, losing a lot of the mobility I loved so much in the first place then I figure might as well switch to the one which has more DPS potential on single targets and burst DMG.

I will still occasionally switch to BRD when need break from MCH but in general the changes to BRD play style has made me decide to try MCH instead as a future main. Both have rooting skills like BRD's WM or MCH's GB, both are ranged physical DPS, both have support like BRD with songs and MCH with turrets, I would say BRD is better for multi-target fights while MCH is better for single target fights, MCH has the higher burst DMG output compared to BRD. MCH relies on combo procs (tied a lot of the time to RNG) in order to keep the rotation going properly and produce decent DMG output while BRD relies on multi-DoTs a lot for it's DMG output. MCH is the more complex and harder class to play but both can do quite well in general depending on type of fight and group composition. I may change my mind and switch back to BRD main though further down the line if really get sick and tired of MCH's frustrating combo proc rotations aka if I find it too annoying and unstable (RNG) to be fun anymore.

[Metalwrath]

I think bard might be easiest dps job to perform at maximum efficiency, so bard players can still do consistently good dps by performing near the skill ceiling with relatively less effort.

Dragoon is still by far the easiest class to perform maximum effeciency and the most overpowered.A lot of players are switching to Bard for 2 simple reasons.Bards in general can still generally get away with doing abysmal dps because a lot of people still have the mentality that bard does really low damage.Essentially you can be lazy with the class but as long as you play your songs and Keep foe up.99% of the time nobody will call you out on your dps.
The other reason is that it's the easiest of the ranged classes to deal with dungeon trash and boss mechanics.lvl 60 content is full of trash that relentlessy spams aoes and huge cones making melee classes harder to play .A lot of people are ditching playing melee classes because of the frustration it causes.

[Calypsx]

They use a bow that's why. Bow using classes are usually incredibly popular if not the most popular in most mmorpgs.

[Jilliebeans]

went to VA with 6 BRDS.. and holy crap it was the slowest run of my life LOL!! people who plays BRD is way too casual with their class, just because its an 'easy" class to play doesnt mean u have to be so "easy" with it..

[jssanderson747]

We found out it's the highest dps. Sorry to spring this on you

[Yuni_Queen]

I think bard might be easiest dps job to perform at maximum efficiency

I must disagree. i have all dps on 60 and not only to show off, so i am trying to do at least 1300 on my shitty 205 ilvl which i have on most of them.
That said, bard is rather hard to play (for me, however that may be fact, that i don't like BRD at all, i prefered ARC.)

To specify easiest class to play, i would rather say train for 20 minutes rotation of every class, that you have previousely searched, and make it be easy.
I mean, DRG and MNK are so much easier for me.

Rather than say "Hard" or "Easy" we should say "Unforgiving" or "Forgiving".
BRD is indeed forgiving class alongside with MCH, that's why, compared to do not so complicated rotation (i am prolly just a scrub as BRD) makes BRD a good back-line chilling dude to spam Expert Roulette for Lore.

And that's why you find so many BRDs lately. BLM is really not too mobile and unforgiving, SMN has that pesky pets, and MCH is indeed harsh class, thou not so unforgiving.

[AskaRay]

Because BRD master job of course.

[Chevronone]

Is Bard easy to play? Sure, I guess. But Bard is by far NOT easy to play well.

#Bard4Life