Bard buffs

[Rithy255]

I agree with this as a former Bard main.

I'm really hoping(coping?) they consider a rework and really think about what players actually liked about the class. The stats don't lie, DNC is picked over twice as often as BRD in high level duties, there's clearly something fundamentally wrong that SE has to look at. You can buff/nerf the numbers as much as you want, but if there's an underlying issue with the class, it won't help at all.

I think Phys ranged needs to be semi support based to function better in reality.

As Phys ranged you can't really have them do high DPS compared to melee or casters like BLM, because of how you can attack from any range with no cast times. (even if EW design seems to want to make it as easy as possible to keep melee uptime), So adding actual benefits to phys ranged outside of just damage seems like the right way to go.

I think when Bard got their heal boost changed into aoe (and mch got their mitigation) it was a step in the right direction, but I think fights should Lean into bringing a Phys ranged more, they should get more interesting utilities and abilities, I just think fights need to design those abilities in mind (aswell as tank support tools, otherwise it will give healers nothing to do).

I'd kind like scholars speed boost on bard (ignoring the out of combat speed boost) Maybe give their single target esuna thingy a additional effect like a decently strong single target mit, Unsure what else they could add with *current design* but leaning more into support aspects is what I really want on Phys ranged in general to have some powerful utility, Obviously we need to actually make raid wide and out going damage more of a thing, But I love skills that aren't just "click do damage or click and buff damage" they're boring at this point. I think encounters really need to be looked at, they need to hopefully make fights lean on allowing utility abilities to be more useful.

[Valence]

I think Phys ranged needs to be semi support based to function better in reality.

As Phys ranged you can't really have them do high DPS compared to melee or casters like BLM, because of how you can attack from any range with no cast times. (even if EW design seems to want to make it as easy as possible to keep melee uptime), So adding actual benefits to phys ranged outside of just damage seems like the right way to go.

I think when Bard got their heal boost changed into aoe (and mch got their mitigation) it was a step in the right direction, but I think fights should Lean into bringing a Phys ranged more, they should get more interesting utilities and abilities, I just think fights need to design those abilities in mind (aswell as tank support tools, otherwise it will give healers nothing to do).

I'd kind like scholars speed boost on bard (ignoring the out of combat speed boost) Maybe give their single target esuna thingy a additional effect like a decently strong single target mit, Unsure what else they could add with *current design* but leaning more into support aspects is what I really want on Phys ranged in general to have some powerful utility, Obviously we need to actually make raid wide and out going damage more of a thing, But I love skills that aren't just "click do damage or click and buff damage" they're boring at this point. I think encounters really need to be looked at, they need to hopefully make fights lean on allowing utility abilities to be more useful.

They can't do anything for support with their current design because their current battle system had made sure they removed all of those avenues for ShB. This is why we have party role bonus (1%) since ShB came out, to ensure people still take up the role into parties, no more, no less.

Don't get me wrong I'd love for them to move back to a more RPG based battle system, but I really don't think they'll do that, ever.

[Rithy255]

They can't do anything for support with their current design because their current battle system had made sure they removed all of those avenues for ShB. This is why we have party role bonus (1%) since ShB came out, to ensure people still take up the role into parties, no more, no less.

Don't get me wrong I'd love for them to move back to a more RPG based battle system, but I really don't think they'll do that, ever.

They should Move back to that design, It's a case of they likely won't, The current SHB now EW design is just so uninteresting for any job that isn't just a pure DPS (Even then DPS is getting worse with things such as 2 minute raid windows).

Party role bonuses feels kind of unfair, a role like phys ranged shouldn't only serve the purpose of "well you bring 1% damage extra by existing that's only why we bring you!" that's just a really flawed design choice, I think the 1% buff is fine as it serves a purpose of making sure you'll always want to bring a role type, but at the same time I think they really need to consider Phys ranged being something that brings a lot more to the table then just the 1% buff.

I feel like DT is either going to be make or break for me personally, If we're getting more of the same with EW design I think I'll start only playing for story, I've been uninterested in playing a lot lately. I just hope they start to realise that the current design doesn't fully work for anyone wanting more then just damage buttons, I feel like a middle ground between stormblood and shadowbringers would have been pretty perfect for new and hardcore players.

DT is either going to have drastic changes (for better or worse) or just double down more on what was started by SHB, Now EW design. I'm not saying they're going to be struggling for players, but clearly I know some people are getting fed up with EW Job design.