Concept for a Magic Melee DPS

[Wayfinder3]

My problem with this whole thing comes up with the fact that chaining any and all spellblade fantasies to Red Mage's specific fantasies ends up with arguments like between me and Katie in the Invisible RDM thread regarding Red Mage's healing / support kit. I didn't pick Red Mage to be a backup healer, I picked it because it's the only spellblade DPS in the game, so when she wants Red Mage's healing / support kit to be expanded (which inevitably means it's going to be worse at actually doing DPS), I'll fight tooth and nail against it.

To boil the issue down to its bones, I suppose the problem is I didn't pick Red Mage because of Red Mage. Yet here I am, stuck in all of Red Mage's trappings because it's the closest I'll get to an actual Spellblade.

You are right, however: asking for a Spellblade when RDM is around is a bit like asking for Time Mage while we've got Astrologian.

although it'll be hard pressed, you'd need to voice to SE for your disapproval of these healing abilties (granted thats apart of the rdm identity and personally, i would keep vercure and expand on the white magic support. verraise is a different story) however, RDM is first and foremost a dps, it'll be balanced as one and as such will be entitled to be closer to BLM and SMN. the fact that it isn't will result in uproar and even the jp community is desperately trying to get RDM some buffs because they don't understand why it's so weak. I don't see the need for a 5th melee, i think 4 is the absolute limit as Samurai's would likely fade away if they got even more competiton.