Are melds and super gear really necessary?

[Chardrizard]

It can be done, but better gear makes run faster or more efficient. You definitely will not get Moogle's speedrun without Ifrit's bow however.

[MariyaShidou]

It can be done, but better gear makes run faster or more efficient. You definitely will not get Moogle's speedrun without Ifrit's bow however.

With the HQ change and jobs, it might be more than possible.

[Choyi]

Currently the only equipment that you easily notice improvments on your character with are weapons, game is suffering from a slight stat inflation atm, so HQed doubleslotted gear doesnt make a huge difference.

A few more hp,mp or stats here and there does give you a small boost, but thats just what it is; small.
Sometimes small bonuses can make a difference, more then often it doesn't.

But like said, weapons such as Ifrits Bow etc does however matter more as they will imrpove your damage quite a bit, they dont do miracles but they are easier to notice the imrpovement on over other weapons.

[syntaxlies]

With the HQ change and jobs, it might be more than possible.

HQ change will have nothing to do with it.

[Penguin]

You definitely will not get Moogle's speedrun without Ifrit's bow however.

Not really true.

If everyone is doing similar dps the dps requirement to hit the 10 minute timer is just over 70 dps, its quite easily possible to hit 75+ maybe even 80+ with a crab bow and that is also with very little melds.

Basically knowing how to maximise damage without killing yourself > gear currently.

Edit: In terms of tanks and healers, gear definitely has a much bigger impact than it does for dps.

[Chardrizard]

Not really true.

If everyone is doing similar dps the dps requirement to hit the 10 minute timer is just over 70 dps, its quite easily possible to hit 75+ maybe even 80+ with a crab bow and that is also with very little melds.

Basically knowing how to maximise damage without killing yourself > gear currently.

Edit: in terms of tanks and healers gear definitely makes a much bigger impact than it does for dps.

Though what are the chances that the players doesn't have ifrit's bow if they can hit 70-80 dps at this point? I am sure people can pull it off, people with ifrit's bow but decided to go crab bow for proving sake.

But what are the chances for new players with little experience on the fight to pull it off without it?

[Penguin]

Though what are the chances that the players doesn't have ifrit's bow if they can hit 70-80 dps at this point? I am sure people can pull it off, people with ifrit's bow but decided to go crab bow for proving sake.

But what are the chances for new players with little experience on the fight to pull it off without it?

The chance of a new player with very little experience with the fight pulling off the moogle speed kill in any gear is probably very unlikely, my point was the way your post came across made it sound like no matter how good you were or how experienced you were it would be impossible with anything other than an ifrit's bow.

Anyways point is yes the bow probably makes the most difference (not as much as most probably believe) but having a fast efficient rotation, being able to control aggro while maintaining high dps and not getting blown up is far more important than how many triple/quad melds you may have.