Easiest and hardest Stormblood DPS?

[Coltvoyance]

It's true that SAM does live in a sort of "DPS bubble". It's core mechanics are not dictated as much by the boss environment. But I don't think that necessarily makes it more or less complicated. It's more of a sideways step.

A monk will see a phase jump and say "I have to unleash tornado kick at this exact point" or "I have to get back into range quickly to save my GL stacks". While it's fighting is being dictated by the boss, that also means it's next move has already been decided for it. It doesn't have to cycle through a list of possibilities, it has one choice: it must either use, or work to save, it's GL stacks whether it wants to or not. It's a slave to it's job mechanic rather than a wielder of it. That's not really "more difficult" so much as it's "less freedom", which can translate to more frustrating. Though some enjoy pushing through while operating under a set of constraints.

On the flip side, while SAM has more freedom, which can make it feel more enjoyable, it too has to critically think and decide what the next best move is, but from an abundance of choice; and choice can paralyze and cause hesitation. Or even let them make bad choices they think are good and cause bad habits. The onus goes on the player at this point. In this sense, a SAM may not fight against the constraints of the boss fight as much, but it also doesn't have anything telling it "you should do this, this is your option." Or anything to blame but itself if it doesn't do well.

So it may be a less frustrating class but I don't think that translates to less "difficult" when it comes to executing optimal play. The barriers to executing that optimal play are just very different between the two.

Some classes face difficulty imposed on them by the boss, others may face difficulty imposed by themselves. A SAM might be able to adjust the dial on that difficulty, but if it does, it knows it's not doing the best it can, or that it messed up. That can feel just as hard depending on how accountable you hold yourself.