Machinist needs some reworking

[Pyitoechito]

I used to enjoy FT in ShB for the extremely silly coffee break skill that it was, but now MCH gains heat so fast in AoE that there's hardly ever a good time to use it. I'd love to drop it for something else as a capstone skill, or reduce the total duration and make it strong enough that you actively want to use it on cooldown, maybe even during single-target.

Or rework FT to a non-channeled AoE that applies a debuff that increases the damage you (and your automaton) deal to targets hit (like NIN's new Trick Attack). Every other minute MCH has their big wildfire burst and then a mini non-WF burst.

Also, make Wildfire an AoE detonation with falloff so it can be used on trash packs, too. It's always more fun when there's less of one's kit sitting idle during trash packs.

[CasterSvarog]

I used to enjoy FT in ShB for the extremely silly coffee break skill that it was, but now MCH gains heat so fast in AoE that there's hardly ever a good time to use it. I'd love to drop it for something else as a capstone skill, or reduce the total duration and make it strong enough that you actively want to use it on cooldown, maybe even during single-target.

Or rework FT to a non-channeled AoE that applies a debuff that increases the damage you (and your automaton) deal to targets hit (like NIN's new Trick Attack). Every other minute MCH has their big wildfire burst and then a mini non-WF burst.

Also, make Wildfire an AoE detonation with falloff so it can be used on trash packs, too. It's always more fun when there's less of one's kit sitting idle during trash packs.

Honestly, a vast majority of Machinist actions could and should be given Aoe fall off. Hot shot/Air anchor, everything Rook auto turret/Automaton queen does, Wildfire. They all should have been given Aoe fall off already.


I’ve also been thinking a lot about what Machnist lost from Sb to ShB, and Reload and the ammo system stood out the most. So a part of me thinks something like that would be worth bringing back in a way. Could give Reload as a early, but give something like a 10% potency buff to Gcds/1-2-3, and later on could buff the 1-2-3 into different skills with the pvp cast times for some depth. From there you could either make them into a high potency 1-2-3 combo or have strong secondary affects like a Dot, a trick attack like debuff for the user and their automaton to use and a pure damage move.
And from there move flamethrower down to lvl 68, and make the reloaded 1-2-3 combo into at lvl 70 capstone skill. I don’t know, I think it’s neat.

[CKNovel]

Using this thread to avoid creating another:

6.2 TL;DR:

Queen fixed to a 12s timer.
Damage adjusted in consequence.
Targeting is now the first target you attack after summoning.

It's a welcome change, a bit too late and only one among many needed changes, but a welcome change.
This issue is 8 patch old. It's been since 6.1 Automaton Queen and Living Shadow targeting problems has been a feedback.
It also doesn't fix AQ behavior when switching targets after its current target dies/disappear. For reminder, AQ can forget Pïle Bunker or Crown collider.

If anything, the AQ should'nt be on timer but on stacks.
Spend 2 stack for Roller Dash, 1 stack for Arm punch and at 0 Pile bunker then Crown collider. And doesn't disappear until 30 seconds or Crown collider is used.
AQ would still remain janky but at least it would do something rather than standing still like a starfish when it has to move or change targets.

AQ is still not engaging at all, forgotten and mistaken as a 9th player standing in AoEs. I would be really pleased if that feedback could be understood by the designers for 7.0.

That change aside, a non-exhaustive list of feedback that has been missed for 6.2:

• Multi target damage very low and on low range compared to DNC/BRD that can go much higher.
• Very poor utility.
• Heavily suffers during extensive downtime.
• Hypercharge still not on stacks & still 5 Heatblast spam.
• Wildfire remains weak and a change similar to the PvP version would be welcomed.

MCH still doesn't properly works as a pure DPS, it offers very low values compared to the other ranged. Its damage is too low for a pure DPS and it has no extra utility for a ranged DPS. In short, it combines the donwsides of Pure DPS and ranged DPS, but doesn't have any upsides of Pure DPS or Ranged DPS.

It also feels less engaging than a tank and I hope this will be adressed for 7.0 without another "Nothing much has changed about MCH but let's talk about it anyway".

[WiccaP]

It also feels less engaging than a tank and I hope this will be adressed for 7.0 without another "Nothing much has changed about MCH but let's talk about it anyway".

I honestly think this is the biggest issue. The changes made in 6.2, aside from AQ targeting, dont make a lot of logical sense. They weren't based on issues that Ive seen anyone request. The past couple years MCH changes have just been changes for the sake of change. They dont make the job function better or flow or address the problems the player base has pointed out. It's a continual feeling like the devs dont know/care on what to do with the job. And the brush off that they have given the job when directly asked about it is disheartening. I think this boils down why the mch playerbase gives such negative criticism or have negative reaction to changes. It's not that we aren't getting massive potency boosts or specific mechanics/abilities. Its that the adjustments aren't fixing the issues that have been known since HW.

[CKNovel]

The communication around job changes are great, yet we lack the reason why they're stubborn to increase the damage or add utility.

Maybe MCH is very deep in their backlog and this is why we see this change today? Maybe they accept this "just enough" iteration? Or maybe they simply don't care?
We know they listen to feedback, we've seen Living Dead, Continuation, Crit/DH and Dragoon changes.

So the question remains, why do they ignore the feedback? Even with their internal number they must see that MCH is not an appealing job, on an unappealing role.
I would say "wait for 7.0." for we already said "wait for 6.0.". The MCH chunk of the playerbase has lost faith in the Designers.

While we understand their reasoning behind the 6.2 changes, we're still lacking why the "meta" looks like this as of today.
There are more BLM than MCH on DSR, there are 9 DNC for 1 MCH last time I checked.

[CKNovel]

Double posting as there is a problem with the Automaton Queen:


Flamethrower doesn't "tag" any target for the Automaton Queen.

I see two problems with this behavior:
-In dungeon where you summon Automaton Queen then use Flamethrower, the AQ will remain idle until you GCD.
-In raid, if there are "don't move or attack" mechanics and you summon the AQ, it will remain idle if you are unlucky with the timing.

While you can play around this, it's important information to be aware of.

[MagiusNecros]

Animation pretty much guarantees that AQ only is active for half the duration. It's essentially a build to 100 gauge now.

Doesn't matter where you place it now since it does overall 2660 potency across 6 seconds.

I'd rather have a skill that just frontloads 2660 potency instead of waiting 12 seconds for it to happen. AQ requires planning. If mobs die too quickly or a boss jumps it's a bust.

Flamethrower has very niche use when using it with Bioblaster for damage sustain on large packs and can be moderately useful in large mob fights otherwise it's a glorified emote. So just Fell Court?

Shotgun in many cases is very good for heat generation. To the point that using Flamethrower over it is never worth it.

[Darkpaw]

After all this time of them ignoring the one complaint we have all had.. that the job is far too ping dependent and they have done nothing to address it. (Literally since it’s inception this has been a complaint)… i give up. They will never listen to the mch community.

So with that. I hope for those of you who continue to scream into the void it helps, but my advice, go pick up blm or brd or dnc, jobs SE actually loves

[Housinginneed]

as a machinist main, all I want is for them to replace the queen with a sniper rifle to be used with the battery charge.
if adding all the potency into a single skill is too much, they can distribute the potency out into other abilities.

Just do this and I'll never complain about MCH.

[Naomishtola]

Don't worry, 20 more potency on Drill 1, Drill 2 and Drill 3 will fix all your problems