Best bow for ARC/BRD

[Spider-Dan]

What you're saying makes little sense, since high DPS weapons can also be high Damage weapons.

In exactly the same sense that low delay weapons can have high DMG too, sure. Your argument along this line begins and ends with Sarnga (which BRD can't even equip). One weapon does not a paradigm make.

The point of making WS damage based on DPS is so that you can chose between faster and lighter hitting weapons versus slower and harder hitting weapons.

...except that the slower, "harder hitting" weapons hit softer when it comes to WS! So you are left with one weapon that hits harder on WS and has better damage-over-time on Light Shot, and one weapon that... does neither of those things. The only thing that even makes the comparison interesting is Barrage.

I won't argue if reputable players that have done thorough testing say they prefer Ifrit's Bow due to the higher Damage value bolstering their Light Shots being that the testing I have done has not been methodical or very thorough.

"Reputable players" making claims without data doesn't do much but show their own preferences.

For ARC though, I don't see myself ever allowing an ARC as a DD into a full party scenario over a BRD unless they have a Sarnga (+1) as well as a full Gryphonskin set all melded properly.

The only reason to bring BRD over ARC is the buffs, and even Gryphonskin will not substitute for them. Even without Gryphonskin, BRD-exclusive gear is nothing special compared to AH/melded gear that ARC has had available for a long time. (Unless you are referring to near-full Darklight BRD?)