Does archer get more interesting at end-game?

[Raestloz]

I have level 18 Archer, and to be blunt, it's incredibly boring. For the first time in my life I actually just stand there and press 1, maybe 2 on occasion and that's it. When I first get Archer it sounds like fun because I get to kite stuff and actually asked myself why I see bards just standing there with feet planted firmly into the ground, but in dungeons I become a literal standing figurative cannon, especially because I macro Misery's End, Bloodletter and Heavy Shot all in one button. Now I know the answer to my question.

Now, considering the incredibly low level, I figure that it's not everything Archer (and Bard) has to offer, so I'm here to ask: does archer get more interesting at end-game?

[Ooshima]

Define interesting - it's very subjective to individual.

Not sure what would constitute as interesting to you. But yes, BRD is probably the most straightforward DPS job in game (I've only played BRD/DRG/BLM thou) to me. Most mobile, 100% DPS uptime, you sure don't have to manage DoTs and pets like SMN do, nor manage MP/stances like BLM do, nor worry about rotation combos like DRG/MNK do (and cope with end-game mechanics that seems to be more demanding on melees than ranged).

But when you get into a raid group, I think BRD can be interesting, at least to me. Because I'm the one that has the least thing to be bothered with, I can easily call out things to the team, like watch out on mechanics or things like "Spiney's HP dropping too fast". I'll have to monitor healer's MP and decide when and how long to play Mage's Ballad. In Garuda EX battle, I can help to mark plumes, and if I happen to play with Japanese players who often do the 3 way strat, I can pop my offensive CDs and burst at Chirada to pull her over and tank her so that our DRG/MNK can do their rotations/flanking, instead of asking DRG to do the pulling and tanking and waste time and DPS time there. In Ifrit EX battle I can mark the nails attacking order.

There are a lot of things you can do outside of the limited buttons you can press there. I often see myself and as support player/coordinator and I find it fun being so.

[tOnni3]

Yes, we got colorful pants, pink shirt, high heels for male.

Joke, in end game Bard is consider'd dps with party support skill.
You have to keep DoTs up, weaving OGCD skill/buff in GCD skill. Interrupt some boss's skill.
manage healer's mp or reduce enemy's magic resistance from songs (manage your mp as well).
That's all for Bard in FFXIV 2.1, oh and don't get hit by avoidable AoE too.

in short, with regular Bard's macro, you still keep smashing 2-3 buttons and a couple more when buff.

[SeraviEdalborez]

Single-target Bard at endgame:

Is Straight Shot up? If not, put it up.
Is Bloodletter's cooldown up? If so, use it.
Are Windbite + Venomous Bite (DoTs) up? If not, put them up.
Nothing else to do? Heavy Shot.
Got a Straighter Shot proc? Use Straight Shot.

You're already ahead of the curve making your Heavy Shot a 3-in-1 macro.

[Thorauku]

Bards are boring.

[PopcornDinosaur]

rotation wise , bards are very simple.

it's more about

maximizing cooldowns ( using them asap while having them up for the important moments) for more dps
maximizing foe requiem uptime while still having enough mana for ballads when your healers need them.
maintaining your healer's mp while having minimal impact on your own dps (ballads give -20%dmg)

[ruskie]

Yeah bards are the do it all at one point or another type of class. Ran the healing LB often enough, MP song, Foe's, TP song at times, tanked green add in garuda hm(so I'm guessing I'd be doing something like that in ex as well), hell tanked entire sastasha during beta at one point. Frankly I'm having lot's of fun with it but yeah... there really isn't some rotation and positioning you need to know other than avoid anything avoidable.

[Behb]

Like ppl already said, optimizing your songs/MP/CD and using your silence at the appropriate time make BRD pretty interesting in endgame content.
And it's so easy to avoid AOE with this class, that Bard can monitor all the fight and tell the strategy/phase using TS/mumble/sound effects for primals for example.

[BlueMage]

To answer the OP's question: No.

Bard is probably not the class you're looking for. Its the simplest class out there, to be honest.

[Mhaeric]

You do get a silence ability near max level that is ranged, instant, and off GCD, so you gain the role of interrupt utility. Some end-game content puts pressure on a bard to be able to silence properly, so there is that.

Bard is definitely the easiest to play out of all the jobs, possibly excepting the Black Mage.