Physical Ranged (Also SMN) "Freedom of Movement" Tax

[Valence]

That's really what it comes down to doesn't it? Everyone has support options now that are equal or greater than the "Support" role, even if their damage is good. The support rDPS offers isn't even that unique to them anymore because another role has a variation of it (which is typically a 45/90/120s buff or 10% debuff).

But the devs haven't taken the time to properly adjust the numbers with the same philosophy they reserve for this role, so we're the only ones to suffer.

It doesn't even concern rphys exclusively, fact of the matter is that every role has started bleeding over into the other roles identities over time, and one of the big current hot debates is healers vs tanks on healing tools. When it comes to rphys, it leaves us without identity combined with the loss of resource management gameplay, but that's nothing unique although I do agree that's a problem of homogenization of roles (on top of job homogenization).

Here in the case of the ranged tax it's more a problem of balance regarding job constraints I feel, which is outdated and flawed to the core in my opinion.

[Virnea]

I started playing in ShB and this is the first time I've stopped playing mch for content. I really tried to improve to avoid the "hur dur phys. ranged tax, mch is a bad class" but it got to the point where playing machinist is griefing, and I'll have to also start locking them out of duties because the class is not viable compared to other jobs.

Honestly... fuck the balance team. Players may optimize the fun out of the game, but the balance team and their dumb rules regarding roles are taking the fun out of playing a job. I'm not gonna spend a third expansion being shit talked for trying to play a class that I found fun but required to let other shit talk me just for playing it. I got job locked out of Eden's Promise, I got job locked out of Abyssos, don't worry this time I'll lock myself out to spare the tomestones and time wasted on a class that will get me locked out. Fuck 'em

[Ramiee]

Machinist should do melee levels of damage, drop it's utility and make it selfish. All other DPS roles have a selfish high damage job, machinist can be the Phys range one. It will always be behind casters and the other Phys range in utility so just make it the samurai of Phys range.

[Corwin_Sunchaser]

Machinist should do melee levels of damage, drop it's utility and make it selfish. All other DPS roles have a selfish high damage job, machinist can be the Phys range one. It will always be behind casters and the other Phys range in utility so just make it the samurai of Phys range.

I don't think many people consider MCH not a "selfish DPS", its utility is more than very limited... who ever said "hey let's bring a MCH for dismantle"... Tactician is just another role action (proof: Effect cannot be stacked with bard's Troubadour or dancer's Shield Samba.)
Even if MCH is not competing with melees, it should be at least competitive against the other Physical ranged jobs and while some people say it is, MCH is usually last at 75+ parse.

[Valence]

It currently sits just above DNC which is dead last so yes at p75+, it is competitive within its own role. It was dead last and actually not even competing in the last part of EW though, which was very sad especially for the end of an expansion that's supposed to be smoother on balance.

[CrystalAurora]

Once again Melee DPS get paragraphs of changes to catch up to Pictomancer while Physical Ranged get practically nothing, only widening the gap. This is absolutely dreadful balancing.

[Inosaska]

I'm surprised that Machinist isn't like Samurai being very greedy into damage trying to pump out as damage much as possible. Its damage needs to be buffed far more.

[mallleable]

BRD's personal damage is abysmal. It needs buffs.

[Brigog]

I too agree that bards personal damage is absolutely underwhelming and needs to be addressed. We do not contribute enough to the rest of the party to justify the vast discrepancies between our personal DPS and that of other DPS jobs. I was under the impression BRD was supposed to get a bit of an overhaul and boost come 7.0 but it doesn't look like it happened at all.

[Brigog]

Actually I just went back through the patch notes and there has been ZERO increases to Bards since 7.0