#NerfBRD

[Bourne_Endeavor]

"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.

They aren't going to nerf Bard just to re-balance it all over again in six months. They didn't do it for Dark Knight, they didn't it for White Mage, they aren't going to do it for Machinist.

And no, it's currently preferred but a Dragoon-less comp with bard is perfectly viable. That wouldn't be the case if you suddenly take an extra 400 DPS away for Bard. Now any static running Bard without Dragoon is just simply dumb. The damage loss is so substantial, it's plain foolish to run Bard without Dragoon whereas that isn't the case now.

You do realize "meta" trickles down, yes? Monk is perfectly fine but you'll see groups take Ninja every time because "meta." A 6,700 rDPS Bard is dead weight when Machinist would be pulling in the mid 7k range.

[Grimoire-M]

And of what use is it if the bard gets nerfed and the machinist will stay the mess that it is? Stop screaming for nerfs for a class if the other class is just bad because of the gameplay and not because of the dps of the other class...

Personally, I believe both need to happen. There's nothing stopping both from being a valid option. And (hopefully) we all agree that leaving it alone isn't the best idea either.

[Kabooa]

And of what use is it if the bard gets nerfed and the machinist will stay the mess that it is? Stop screaming for nerfs for a class if the other class is just bad because of the gameplay and not because of the dps of the other class...

Have you even played Machinist to any extent?

The job actually plays pretty well when it's as intended (RE: low latency). About the only downside is that wildfire interludes don't have much going on, but given the frenzy of the Wildfire Overheat segment, the calmer segment isn't unwelcome.

The "Clunk" generally refers to two scenarios.

A) Latency
B) Player error

There are more minute ones that are experienced by players better than you and me.

Bard brings more. The general consensus is those that bring more do less themselves. Given the current state of the game, the only reasonable requisition is that Bard do less themselves.

A gameplay adjustment to Machinist is unlikely, and even then doesn't address the issue. A buff is out of the question because then you're just displacing Casters yet again, and it's a band aid fix at best. A full on face lifting rework is out of the question until the expansion, which will likely be -7 months- from now, unless they've been working on it since Sigma, which I somehow doubt.

I suppose you could do nothing, but that's not really the context of the thread, and that's hardly any fun to discuss.

[Kabooa]

You do realize "meta" trickles down, yes? Monk is perfectly fine but you'll see groups take Ninja every time because "meta." A 6,700 rDPS Bard is dead weight when Machinist would be pulling in the mid 7k range.

And yet, in Deltascape Bard still outnumbered Machinist, despite Machinist having the damage advantage over Bard.

[HyoMinPark]

And yet, in Deltascape Bard still outnumbered Machinist, despite Machinist having the damage advantage over Bard.

Well, now you’re just establishing that even a nerf to BRD’s damage would still not make MCH more desireable. So what exactly have you fixed by nerfing BRD? Nothing. Nerfing BRD will not fix MCH’s inherent issues, nor will it suddenly make the job more popular.

[Miziliti]

They can nerf BRD all they want, and I still won't give a crap about MCH. BRD's popularity isn't just because it contributes more, it's because it contributes easily. Easier to play is also a part of BRD's popularity. MCH just aren't appealing to the majority.

For a long time since 4.0 dropped. People who want to like MCH voiced their opinions here. What they got was MCH players put a shaft in their mouth claiming the job is fine and go learn to play. Of course MCH won't be as popular as BRD due the fact its play style is a mess and MCH mains denies new ideas for change from the start. As long as MCH's play style stayed as it currently is, people who dislike the job will continue to not give a crap.

Suddenly, around patch 4.4 MCH mains cry all over the place because fflog showed MCH is not popular. If anything, MCH deserved all the attention it didn't receive on job balancing throughout SB.

[Kabooa]

Well, now you’re just establishing that even a nerf to BRD’s damage would still not make MCH more desireable. So what exactly have you fixed by nerfing BRD? Nothing. Nerfing BRD will not fix MCH’s inherent issues, nor will it suddenly make the job more popular.

One would consider 1:2.5 compared to 1:8 a more favorable position, but then, I suppose that's asking too much.

[Dualgunner]

Can't buff MCH because it would screw with the Caster slot.

Can't nerf BRD.

So screw MCH I guess?

[HyoMinPark]

One would consider 1:2.5 compared to 1:8 a more favorable position, but then, I suppose that's asking too much.

Nerfing BRD’s damage isn’t going to almost quadruple the popularity of MCH. It’s never been as popular as BRD, and it’s doubtful that it ever will be. People like the BRD aesthetic—they like the bow-and-arrow look—and they enjoy its smooth, easy, and not punishing playstyle, especially after the Stormblood rework. Reworking MCH in 5.0 may see a slight rise in popularity, but the job has never been a high popularity job.

Can't buff MCH because it would screw with the Caster slot.

Can't nerf BRD.

So screw MCH I guess?

You know very well that arbitarily nerfing BRD’s personal damage isn’t going to suddenly have everyone flocking to MCH, Dual. Especially in its current iteration. Honestly, this comment isn’t constructive; it’s whiny.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

One would consider 1:2.5 compared to 1:8 a more favorable position, but then, I suppose that's asking too much.

Currently, there are 43,744 Bards. Thus, you're insinuating a 5% nerf to Bard would make Machinist the second most popular range job in the game. That just isn't going to happen. Even when it was decidedly better than Bard in Heavensward, people simply weren't as keen to play it. Machinist just isn't popular. It never has been even when it was meta.