This thread makes me think of Bard back in 2.0 when it got access to Blood for Blood and Internal Release for +20% damage and +20% crit rate on top of Raging Strikes and Hawk's Eye. It had its time in the sun for a rather long time. Till Heavensward start really, similar to PLD. Back in the saddle of top shelf in short order though, though if you ignored the casting stance when it was initially launched, then you still could pull good numbers at the start of Heavensward too. Then it set in the meta from like 3.2 till like... idk, current day? However much people say to disregard that term and ideation, just the fact that Bard has for so long been a top tier pick, really has the idea of the thread ring hollow to me.

As far as rebalancing it just so it doesn't feel bad in one phase of UCoB or anything like that is probably something that will never happen. SE has shown us that they never rebalance for old content, not for the increase in raw potency, not for the introduction of Direct Hit, and they certainly ain't gonna do it for one fight for one job, regardless of the status of that fight.

Another reason at lower levels that tanks sorta roll over DPS is that they have more direct hit proportionally to other stats, due to Direct Hit literally being slotted into accuracy gear, which tanks needed more of back in the day, what with needing to make frontal melee accuracy requirements.

Just keep on striving on BRD, you'll be fine by the 70s.