Concerns Regarding DPS Balance: Physical Ranged, Red Mage, and Summoner

[Lyth]

Mechanical design and job fantasy are great incentives to get people to play a role. But if one job is unambiguously better than the alternatives, then those jobs might as well not exist. That's why DPS parity is so important, especially within role categories. On tiers with tight DPS checks, players can and will lock out jobs. And even if you're not explicitly locking jobs out, I can guarantee that at least a few people in your PF week one enrage attempt party are sighing in frustration when a RDM shows up for the Caster slot instead of PCT. They don't need the raise, they just want the DPS to get them through that last percent.

DPS parity should be the starting point. This has nothing to do with homogenization, gameplay, or lore, because all those can be unique without changing that number. It's just a fundamental point that lets everyone compete on a level playing field. I acknowledge that there will be limitations around this. If tanks or healers had DPS parity with DPS, you would run an all support party. If ranged had DPS parity with melee, you would run an all ranged party. That's why fights are designed on a 2/2/2/2 principle. But if you balance well, then ranged will sometimes be better than melee, and melee will sometimes be better than ranged. Burst will sometimes be better than sustained DPS, and sustained DPS will sometimes be better than burst. That's what I mean by parity.

You can be as creative as you like outside of this. But it just comes down to letting everyone have their moment to shine. And by levelling the playing field for DPS, other gameplay elements take center stage. That's why it's so fundamentally important to get this right.