A few questions for the BLM mains/enjoyers

[Reinhardt_Azureheim]

I don't think both of your comments are really mutually exclusive.

I find the case of BRD a lot more puzzling myself tbh. rPhys also has the same issue of job representation with DNC that gets similar ludicrous ratios, but fortunately MCH and BRD don't fare better on numbers, unlike BLM (so imagine that job without an edge there, that would be something to watch on caster job representation, or the other way around, if MCH or BRD was doing significantly more damage, you'd see a lot less DNC players).

Actually I heard that relative to before the addition + recent buffs, Machinist is now actually picked a fair bit more. While not surpassing Dancer, the re-addition of Dismantle to offer a 2nd defensive raid utility and the most recent damage buffs have made Machinist see more play. Or at least I got told so, feel free to verify it.

[Taranok]

Actually I heard that relative to before the addition + recent buffs, Machinist is now actually picked a fair bit more. While not surpassing Dancer, the re-addition of Dismantle to offer a 2nd defensive raid utility and the most recent damage buffs have made Machinist see more play. Or at least I got told so, feel free to verify it.

Bard and Dancer used to be played more than machinist. When MCH got buffed in...6.4 I think? the numbers jumbled around and people abandoned bard. There's probably a good argument that if Bard, Machinist, and Dancer were buffed to rDPS numbers similar to summoner/black mage, they'd all be played more than RDM/BLM. People do have a tendency to chase numbers, and only start to avoid classes with good numbers if they play particularly terribly, such as with Black mage.

Bard definitely plays badly, but it's not bad enough for people to avoid playing it in my eyes, especially since its gameplay is closest to WoW's general DPS design, so there's a lot of overlap for people who love priority-based rotations. It needs refinement, but I don't think it needs much. Black Mage, on the other hand, is designed for a game the devs stopped making in late shadowbringers, but also has deep-seeded problems in class design that are depressing the numbers more than, simply, the high-movement meta by itself would account for.

For a class everyone says has more movement than red mage, it's played a lot less.

[Reinhardt_Azureheim]

For a class everyone says has more movement than red mage, it's played a lot less.

Reasons people pick Red Mage over Black Mage:

• Verraise
• Melee burst phases to mix up caster gameplay
• It's an easier gameplay loop than BLM to learn
• Did I mention Verraise yet?
• Shortcast + Dualcast + Accel is easier to manage for many than BLM's CD and proc management for movement, even if it might be less total
• Maybe they just like the aesthetic more
• No, seriously - Verraise matters for this

BLM has more/better mobility when it matters. RDM has more perceived mobility, i.e. has overall good mobility but can't bank 9+ instants in a row like BLM or use teammates / their Leylines as anchor points for dashes.

Really, BLM isn't this crazy difficult job some pretend it to be, there is just a lot of other things skewing it.