Ranged DPS role is about to be excluded from all content

[ForteNightshade]

Here's how I've always looked at this:

Theoretically, if you put the bottom 5 in a group in front of EX or Savage content - ONLY the bottom 5 - could they clear it if they played at the high end of the median percentile for their jobs and followed mechanics?

If yes, but they'd struggle and need to be in the 75th to 80th percentile? - no changes needed.

If no unless they all play 100% perfectly and not even the 80th percentile gets them through a DPS check? - they need a boost.

SE does not intend to have ONLY those jobs in content. I understand that. However, the way I see it, if you wanted to make a premade with JUST the bottom 5 DPS jobs but you cannot because the content would legit be impossible, then something is broken. Done this way, other jobs' DPS doesn't even matter. It's a test as to whether these 5 jobs have enough oomph.

In other words, top DPS isn't everything to me, but I need to be able to clear content.

Except it does matter because any of the big three allow for more mistakes and potential mechanic skips, which in turn make things easier on the Healers and Tanks. Lets look at Voidwalker. The hardest part of that entire fight is Quietus. While you can kill him before he begins that phase with any composition, it's decidedly easier if you ran MNK/DRG/BLM/BLM or MNK/DRG/BLM and either SAM or NIN. Not only that because the BLM could straight up die or three people could get damage downs and you're still beating a World First caliber BRD. How would you classify this as anything but broken when half the jobs have a massive advantage over the others?

It's even worse for RDM and SMN who have zero purpose of existing outside prog. Once you know the fight, they're effectively useless since their only benefit is Raise; and unlike the Range, they don't have the gear excuse to fall back on.

[CKNovel]

Except it does matter because any of the big three allow for more mistakes and potential mechanic skips, which in turn make things easier on the Healers and Tanks. Lets look at Voidwalker. The hardest part of that entire fight is Quietus. While you can kill him before he begins that phase with any composition, it's decidedly easier if you ran MNK/DRG/BLM/BLM or MNK/DRG/BLM and either SAM or NIN. Not only that because the BLM could straight up die or three people could get damage downs and you're still beating a World First caliber BRD. How would you classify this as anything but broken when half the jobs have a massive advantage over the others?

It's even worse for RDM and SMN who have zero purpose of existing outside prog. Once you know the fight, they're effectively useless since their only benefit is Raise; and unlike the Range, they don't have the gear excuse to fall back on.

I'd like to bounce on this.
Remember Zurvan? Remember "skip Soar"?
What if an EX trial like this would happen and the balance is similar to what we currently have?

Simple, the lower jobs would be locked out.
Locked out jobs in content that must be farmed.

[ForteNightshade]

I'd like to bounce on this.
Remember Zurvan? Remember "skip Soar"?
What if an EX trial like this would happen and the balance is similar to what we currently have?

Simple, the lower jobs would be locked out.
Locked out jobs in content that must be farmed.

I hadn't thought of Zurvan, however that's a good example. In fact, it wasn't uncommon to see Warrior locked out because Holmgang required very precise timing to cheese Demon's Claw. And this was back when Warrior was the God tier tank of legend. If it was getting locked out, Dancer, Red Mage, Bard and co wouldn't have a chance in hell.

Soft enrages

A soft enrage wouldn't change this mentality though. In fact, it would only encourage it since you'd want the highest damaging jobs to better secure those DPS checks lest you risk the boss getting buffed. What makes you think people would suddenly want a Red Mage to "help out the healers" with a soft enrage mechanic? Not only would that lower your overall damage output, thus risking not making the check but it'd have the same impact now: a crappy parse for the Red Mage. Another issue is these soft enrage checks would need to be balanced around the weakest potential comp. Which means a DRG/MNK/BLM/BLM comp would be even more invaluable.

Basically, your suggestion does precisely the opposite of what you're intending.

Especially since 95th usually means playing extremely well, almost perfectly, and in a BiS set or close to it, and 60th percentile is basically sloppy play but still above average with good gear.

I should not be able to straight up die and still out-DPS the Dancer in my static who parsed orange. And yet... I have simply because I play Dragoon.