Quote Originally Posted by Kalise View Post
Except BLU currently has Maim and Mend V with the pattern suggesting getting a new Rank of Maim and Mend at levels 60, 70 and 80. This in combination with Off-Guard can grant BLU some pretty absurd scaling.

This would need balancing.
Wouldn't "putting Blue Mage on the same formula as literally every other job" already include limiting/expanding it to the same mainhand weapon drop frequency and dependency and the same Maim and Mend traits (as per casters, ranged, and NIN) or compensating potency (Monk, Dragoon, Samurai) all other DPS have?

There's no over-tuning in any aspect of BLU usable in endgame or the like that can't be straightforwardly compensated for or simply made a nonissue with a potency adjustment.

The time-staking issue isn't external balance. External balance is easy. The issue is internal balance.

Quote Originally Posted by Kalise View Post
Okay. But how would you do that?

Currently, you can place any spell in any slot in the load out.

Which ones will you have access to when sync'd? What if someone hasn't put a usable collection of abilities in those slots?
Ideally? You apply internal balance. You make it so there is no "best" skill, but rather trades between immediacy/frequency/accessibility/versatility and power. Think of it like gauge skills. Guren hits like a truck, sure, but how much damage does it actually offer to your rotation? Only around 4 to 5% of total damage. That's big, but comes at opportunity cost.

Now, imagine if Tail Screw, rather than having any CD (or RNG and lack of any effect on bosses or higher-level enemies for that matter), had a deepened interaction with gauge, equivalent specific to water element or "compression" aspects, thus making it naturally far less frequent than a mere 50 gauge would be to SAM (i.e. nearer to 90-120 seconds of generation to be maximally charged). You have to determine whether you want to build your kit around it, and which other strong skills as not to waste general gauge while pushing water/compression.

Internal balance is really only one smart, even if fairly simple, system away. We just to have somehow gone lengths to avoid the idea in favor of learning outweighing gameplay, rather than complementing it.