Should the Casting Timer be removed or reduced for better DPS output?

[WhiteArchmage]

Casters can do some huge numbers and the trade-off for that is that their gameplay requires them to stand still for most of that time. This is true of every caster in every MMO.

Especially for BLM, the thing that makes the class interesting and hard to play is knowing when you can turret and when to save your Swiftcast/Triplecast.

The opposite side of the coin is Physical Ranged. They have lower overall DPS BECAUSE they are so mobile and don't have positionals. If their DPS were on-par with the other DPS they'd be absolutely broken, as would be casters if they weren't constrained by their cast times.

[MariaArvana]

Casters can do some huge numbers and the trade-off for that is that their gameplay requires them to stand still for most of that time. This is true of every caster in every MMO.

Especially for BLM, the thing that makes the class interesting and hard to play is knowing when you can turret and when to save your Swiftcast/Triplecast.

The opposite side of the coin is Physical Ranged. They have lower overall DPS BECAUSE they are so mobile and don't have positionals. If their DPS were on-par with the other DPS they'd be absolutely broken, as would be casters if they weren't constrained by their cast times.

The 'casters do way more damage because of their planted gameplay' holds up right until you realize SMN has so much movement utility it may as well be a ranged DPS, while doing roughly the same level of damage as BLM (depending on fight.)

(Ruin 4 is stackable x 4, egi-assaults are instant GCDs x 4 on very short cooldown timers, Dreadwrym Trance gives you a short duration of instant cast Ruin 3 if it lines up with movement mechanics, Ditto for Phoenix Trance having all its GCD moves being instant, Swiftcast for one free movement cast every 60s, and Ruin 2 if you have literally none of the above.)