Bard's Thematic Future

[Beddict]

Bard's skill set was already gutted this expansion to the point where we have an inexplicable 12 level gap between level 18 and 30 where we don't get any new skills at all.

That 12 level gap already existed back in SB since the level 22 Swiftsong and the level 26 Hawk's Eye were removed. You're right on the money with everything else though. It would be a stupid amount of work to separate Bard and Ranger, not to mention it would involve severely retconning the hell out out Job Lore that's been established for the past 6+ years, including already published material like Encyclopedia Eorzea. The level 30 through 50 Job quests are all about the Archer becoming a Bard, the level 50 through 60 Job quests are all about finding the Ballad of Oblivion to convice the Adders to train Archers as Bards. They just going to rewrite the premise the all those Job quests? And that's to say nothing about developing an entirely new Job lore for the proposed Ranger, the effects of punting Bard into a different role, etc. It's genuinely confusing to see people write off as simple or "oh they just need to do this" when really it would be a massive amount of work to do something they already don't like doing.

Bard is currently a bit lacking thematically since they removed some of our support abilities, but to say it's a random mash-up of conflicting themes would do well to re-read what Jehantel says in the level 35 Bard quest:

Ever since nations first quarreled, armies have fielded archers wherewith they rained death upon the enemy from afar. As the battle unfolded, however, the distinction between the lines of friend and foe would grow hazy. Yet the archer's part did not end there.

He had to stay ever alert, with arrow nocked and eyes trained upon the struggle.

Even as his comrades fell, turning the earth red with their blood, the archer could ill afford to avert his gaze, lest that moment cost another his life.

One need not have a vivid imagination to appreciate the torrent of emotions that raged within him in that moment.

Nerves near to fraying, his breast fit to burst, the archer did the only thing he could: he sang. His bow became a makeshift instrument, plucked as an accompaniment.

At first, the archer sang only to still the roiling within. But his voice chanced to carry to his comrades. It inspirited those engaged in combat, lending strength to their sword arms. And to those who lay upon the precipice of death, it granted a measure of peace.

The Job identity is there, the lore and the quests support it, it's only the gameplay that is currently lacking. Splitting Bard into a separate Bard and Ranger Job is a terrible idea and it would piss off a fair chunk of people, myself included. I get that there are people upset about not having a Ranger, and I get that there are people upset about not having a Bard strumming a lute, but gutting Bard isn't the answer.