Black Mage changes aren't enough. (As far as we know.)

[MerlinMerlinson]

Stopping by to echo others in saying that I'm quite disappointed with where BLM as a class is at now.
* The removal of mana-ticks within ice phase is a very confusing change to me. It's especially frustrating in dungeon content.
* Not having an ice paradox seems counterintuitive to the skill's purpose and "lore".
* Umbral Soul being a way to regain mana feels like a band-aid solution to the removal of ice phase mana-ticks.
* Thundercloud feels like a way to enforce a specific playstyle for Thunder spells where the previous version allowed more flexibility in how you wanted to use the spell.

I'm very much on the casual side of BLM players, but the version of the class we had during 6.x was very good and had wonderful flow to how you'd weave between fire and ice phases. This version feels exceptionally clunky and unintuitive.

[Aisenheim]

Agree, feels like they are rushing the balancing or something. Taking off skills then adding them again, then modifying them. Black Mage used to be rock solid, but while other clases get shiny updates on how their skills look plus increased potency, we are, once again, stuck casting Fire 4 for an entire expansion. We have been at it since Heavensward! Now, more precisely, I want to underline the obvious: no party utility, it is not hitting hard and it is clunkier than ever to play thanks to Flare Star which doesn’t even hit that hard for the “shiny level 100 skill” and it is getting vastly overshadowed but the other casters. We should be the hardest hitting class along with Samurai effortlessly! Because we can’t res, or buff or assist or freely move. Picto on the other hand … where do I begin, free move skill (not go to party member button), party shield, party buff, skills you can weave and hits like John Cena (like, the hardest hitting class right now). I welcome that class, but begs the question: if the class that was all about hitting hard to make up for lacking party utility, doesn’t hit hard anymore… what else is there to pick it? I say, rework Black Mage from scratch and do it right this time. You can do better than the lousy Flare Star.

[GartredZW]

I just wish they would allow fire4 and bliz4 refresh timers.

What exactly would be the point of the timer if the only spell that doesn't refresh the timer is Flare Star, that you use once every rotation?

[Tunda]

Thunder should get rework

Thunder should be debuf increase explosion of fire 4 damage

No more dots pls

[OutlawRabbit320]

Yes - Flare Star is useless... the juice is not worth the squeeze - it is both too weak and takes too long to cast for such an extended effort...

[remiff]

Agree, feels like they are rushing the balancing or something. Taking off skills then adding them again, then modifying them. Black Mage used to be rock solid, but while other clases get shiny updates on how their skills look plus increased potency, we are, once again, stuck casting Fire 4 for an entire expansion. We have been at it since Heavensward! Now, more precisely, I want to underline the obvious: no party utility, it is not hitting hard and it is clunkier than ever to play thanks to Flare Star which doesn’t even hit that hard for the “shiny level 100 skill” and it is getting vastly overshadowed but the other casters. We should be the hardest hitting class along with Samurai effortlessly! Because we can’t res, or buff or assist or freely move. Picto on the other hand … where do I begin, free move skill (not go to party member button), party shield, party buff, skills you can weave and hits like John Cena (like, the hardest hitting class right now). I welcome that class, but begs the question: if the class that was all about hitting hard to make up for lacking party utility, doesn’t hit hard anymore… what else is there to pick it? I say, rework Black Mage from scratch and do it right this time. You can do better than the lousy Flare Star.

Anyway, the entire caster category needs a rework.

The changes for all caster DPS category were disappointing, and the Summoner is only a caster in name.

They can't balance casters who have a rez, and the new caster has one of the best kits in the game and works exactly how all casters should—casting and stacking spells to move at just the right moment.

The role has been in a strange position since Endwalker, but now they need to look individualy every caster and rework their identities.

[ElevatedCosmonaut]

snip

To be frank, I despise this talk of a rework needed for Black Mage. We just need a few changes for us to be in a good spot again. Yet, if worst comes to worst, I do hope this supposed rework will keep the spirit of large periods of hardcasting, as it plays into the class fantasy of BLM perfectly.

[LilyPendragon]

To be frank, I despise this talk of a rework needed for Black Mage. We just need a few changes for us to be in a good spot again. Yet, if worst comes to worst, I do hope this supposed rework will keep the spirit of large periods of hardcasting, as it plays into the class fantasy of BLM perfectly.

Yeah. All they need to do to make BLM good again is revert all of the dawntrail changes lmao

[Turtledeluxe]

Yeah. All they need to do to make BLM good again is revert all of the dawntrail changes lmao

I feel like some of the DT changes would be better tolerated if they happened sometime around HW to STB. In some cases that's because it's where skills fit conceptually, in other cases it's just that the Job has been pretty significantly changed out of nowhere for alleged reasons that have seemingly always been viable (so why now??).

[Eraden]

I feel like some of the DT changes would be better tolerated if they happened sometime around HW to STB. In some cases that's because it's where skills fit conceptually, in other cases it's just that the Job has been pretty significantly changed out of nowhere for alleged reasons that have seemingly always been viable (so why now??).

Mao suspects (is only suspicion on Mao part) that Devs wanted PUSH BLMs over to playing Pictos. Pictos direct competitor with BLMs and maybe Devs worried nots enough players would try out Pictos and make all that Devs work creatings job worth the efforts. So....thems hobble BLMs little bits and make uneven playing field to give Pictos advantage. Thems can always readjust BLMs to be oks LATERS....IF thems want BLMs still around. Mao sayings this because is something concerning Mao. Picto is ideally tuned for current fight designs. Maybe future fight developments gonna double down on such designs. On other claw, BLMs is more of stand-and-deliver design with modifications in EW whats allow BLMs to still be somewhats flexible in new fight environment. But maybe nots enough for whats coming in the future. Maybe Devs know this and tryings to quietsly push BLMs aside. Mao must repeat, is only speculations on Mao parts. Mao has NO WAY to be sure that any of Mao speculations might be valids. Mao just trying find way to figure out logical reason for taking really good job design (EW BLMs with nonstandard rotations) and mess it ups. All this assumings of course, that Devs doings what thems doings nots by mistakes.