I started playing in 4.2 so that’s my point of reference. I still prefer pretty much everything about how gameplay/jobs worked in SB.

I remember when they announced they were removing TP I was like, well, okay… but why aren’t they removing MP too then? It’s literally the exact same thing? And I still feel that way. If they’re going to remove and/or decrease resource management across the board like they did with ShB, then why not just get rid of MP as well? It’s a pointless resource now.

Literally the only two jobs in the game now that actually have to at least sort of manage their MP are DRK and BLM, both of which could easily have their own custom job gauges to maintain.

PLD just uses it to do a combo that never conflicts with anything, this has nothing to manage. Or to spam a heal that should only ever be used if all healers and raisers are dead in dungeon content. Again, if it was really important they could have their own custom joh gauge, like a Spirit Energy or something.

Everyone else just pushes Lucid Dreaming if they get to half MP. That’s not difficult. It requires no thought, and no consequence, it’s just a single fix-all button you press sometimes. It’s not compelling in any way, it’s just boring. Why have a resource bar that only 3 out of 19 jobs even have to think about?

Tanking was certainly much more fun back then as well. I really liked the tank stances. It was a good way to make tanking accessible but still allow players to improve themselves. Newer or less skilled players could simply stay in defensive stance. While damage stance would allow more experienced players to be rewarded with a higher damage output for being able to better manage their aggro. On top of all that, the removal of tank stance is what gutted WAR to be the in the miserable state it is in now. Tanking was just better back then. I found everything about the game more fun back then.