SHB BLM is the peak of this game's job design

[Gallus]

I haven't got there yet, but where does Despair fit in?
It seems to use all of your MP...

F3 - F4 - F4- F4- F1 - F4 - F4 - F4 - F3 Proc (which you should have always) - Despair - B3. Repeat. Blizzard III can be cast with zero mana so you can do this just fine.
Oh and despair hits like an osmium truck, pretty sure it's the hardest hitting spell in the entire game. You can do it twice with manafont too xD, BLM is totally out of control.

[Marianno]

I've only had to use transpose only if I end a phase in AF but then again I try not too end a fight in AF. I concede, I was wrong but I have not found myself having to transpose in fights. I just cast the opposite spell for free. So if I know a boss is going immune/untargettable, then I simply go into UI and us umbral soul to hold my stack etc. The skill itself isn't gone but the using it feels meh. For example, casting the opposite spell let's you get some damage in and change from AF to UI (and vice versa for free). This is why I say, the skill is essentially there but not there. Please correct me if I am wrong though. Also despair is used at the end of your AF phase when you have at least 800 MP left and cannot cast anymore F4.

[Shurrikhan]

I’ve tried machinist, bard and dragoon so far...

...overall job design across the board has been amazing.

You tried 3, and so all 17 must be great?

Without overhauling the class at this point, there's not much more that can be done to BLM short of upgrading abilities like fire 1 or allowing ley lines to not only follow the BLM but let the BLM cast on the move (yoshi please).

I'd rather my BLM feel like the turret caster it's made itself distinct with, rather than run around in mimickry of a ranged physical dps in a new Arcane Tutu damage CD.

I dispute BLM being the peak of design. It still has a couple of niggling issues left in it. For instance, it's still too easy to clip oGCDs...

Why shouldn't BLM clip? No, really, why shouldn't you have a mild uptime cost for casting CDs immediately upon refresh? Why should BLM, say, get to keep the exact same numbers it has now while also getting off a few more casts per long fight? Without minor proc chance or potency nerfs elsewhere, that's ultimately what you're asking for. Most "QoL" buffs are still true, numeric buffs as well. This is no exception. Gameplay-wise, why remove that further ~.7 seconds per clipped oGCD of stutter-step possible? Does it make movement so much easier to handle to have a more consistent rhythm to your casts when, again, casting CDs immediately upon refresh? That X annoys does not that mean the state without X would necessarily be better, so what exactly is the gameplay change you want and how is it generally beneficial?

[Marianno]

I should apologise as well because Kabooa is right after you get umbral soul, then your in business. The aspect mastery trait is only one piece of the puzzle. You need umbral soul as well.

[Seraphor]

F3 - F4 - F4- F4- F1 - F4 - F4 - F4 - F3 Proc (which you should have always) - Despair - B3. Repeat. Blizzard III can be cast with zero mana so you can do this just fine.
Oh and despair hits like an osmium truck, pretty sure it's the hardest hitting spell in the entire game. You can do it twice with manafont too xD, BLM is totally out of control.

Is this really the point of Despair?
Why does it refresh your AF?

[Marianno]

To allow you too cast opposite spell for free without having to click transpose. It makes your rotation flow. At least that's how I saw it. Once you get aspect mastery trait, you can use despair as your AF finisher to end the phase. Then you can cast an ice spell for free. This is only due to that trait. It flows better when you have umbral soul spell as well. At least that's how I saw it. Experts may have already figured out other more potent ways to use this too their advantage.

[Gallus]

Is this really the point of Despair?
Why does it refresh your AF?

Convenience. After despair what spell are you always going to cast? Blizzard III right? What happens if you cast despair and your AF is about to run out?

F4 - F4 - F4 - Despair is a scenario you'll see often. Trust me you'll be very grateful about that despair refreshing your AF.

[Eloah]

You haven't played ShB SMN have you

I leveled SMN through the story cause SCH felt...yeah. But I sorta like SMN it can be overwhelming but doesn't have to be. It's better than SB version, that made me wanna play BLM or RDM more, now I wanna play SMN. Plus the Pet changes mostly work for SMN, not so much for SCH. And as for Aetherflow, gaining stacks only in battle is fine for them, since their stacks are just for offense. SCHs though need to be able to gain them out of battle though.

One of the main things they need to fix asap, abilities aside, is we need the pet added back in the party, or something showing they are "out" they can get lost kinda easily.

[Bahd_Monkey]

F3 - F4 - F4- F4- F1 - F4 - F4 - F4 - F3 Proc (which you should have always) - Despair - B3. Repeat.
Oh and despair hits like an osmium truck... You can do it twice with manafont too xD, BLM is totally out of control.

Actually Manafont gives enough MP so you can -> Despair - Manafont - F4 - Despair - B3

[Gallus]

Actually Manafont gives enough MP so you can -> Despair - Manafont - F4 - Despair - B3

I'm well aware