Quote Originally Posted by WaxSw View Post
As to why SMN needs some form of ceiling, outside how a job that has no ceiling is badly designed one, its also because its current design is a problematic one for the caster role as a whole because its damage has to be comparable with the other 2 but also breaks the role rules since it doesn't really have anything to manage, not even casts. This job canibalizes the role because its skill floor performance is so close to the ceiling of the other 2 that it becomes the best solution for prog but also, since it doesn't interact with the fight in the way a caster would its experience doesn't translate well to the other 2, we no longer have the "RDM for prog and BLM/SMN for opti", we only have "SMN for prog and reclears".

The job also makes the role a nightmare to balance because by design it avoids the usual problem casters have of having to mantain cast uptime or manage the resources to allow it, which gives it an unfair advantage over the other 2 that is extremely hard to balance because the skill floor and ceiling are so close that any change to almost any skill would affect both equally.
RDM does not do enough damage to justify requiring melee uptime during burst in a 2 minute burst meta catering to melee dps damage. Damage is tanked because of perceived extensive party utility.

RDM also does not have enough tools to keep up with the mobility of SMN and BLM.

BLM has been given zero party utility and needs to be constantly buffed to keep up with melee dps damage because it can’t raise like its other role mates.

I fail to see how SMN is holding this role back by being in the literal middle of two extremes.

Also throwing the mechanical disadvantages aside, if a job is harder to play and does more damage then that is a skill issue for the player and not one of job balance. You can approach your prog in raiding however you’d like and being able to choose an easier job vs a harder job for consistency vs damage output is a good thing.