Quote Originally Posted by Bourne_Endeavor View Post
The issue becomes next tier where BRD is now decidedly dead last in pDPS by a wide margin because Crit scaling. The devs have to address this first or we're looking at BRD needing a buff less an a year from now. Another factor is 5% would make BRD noticeably weaker than every other job, especially without a DRG. Bear in mind, a 5% nerf to their potencies is a 10% nerf without a DRG. Therefore, you just made DRG 100% mandatory for BRD as the lack of piercing and a direct 5% nerf brings their rDPS totals well below 7,000. No other job is even remotely close to being that low.
"Next tier" happens in the next expansion, where, again, moderate to major reworks can actually happen without disrupting the game, as the level cap raise, the new zones, and introduction of new actions and traits will disrupt on their own. Making Bard less Crit dependent, and giving Machinist a facelift would happen there.

Dragoon is already considered 100% mandatory so that's kind of moot.

A 7k bard dipping to 6700 is still going to be taken, outside a world first / rank 1 speed run team.