
Originally Posted by
Clavaat
I think the main issue, OP, is that FFXI was much more ability-based compared to FFXIV. What I mean here is, your subjob was just as important as your main job. The abilities you had access were make or break for most content (shadows on ninja, buffs on rdm, etc etc). However, in FFXIV, this isn't the case so much. Classes sacrifice stats and exclusive abilities for 5 additional abilities. In order for the class to be on par with the Job, the utility and increases from the 5 additional abilities must be equal to or greater than the utility and damage from the Job abilities. With ARN, you get a few more options ability-wise that actually can give you a pretty good boost in damage, but numerically it may not stack up with the exclusive abilities from SMN.
You bring up utility, which again is an FFXI ideal. This game is less option-oriented, unfortunately (DPS does damage only, tank only tanks, heal only heals for most content). Now, if there would be a possibility for ARC to gain a silence/stun ability from another class, there would be more of an argument for utility as you could replace a BRD or something for silencing T1-2. I know you said you go as SMN for BC so I won't bother with that. Honestly, I don't know much about SMN/ARN, but I completely understand where you are coming from from a DPS and FFXI background. In order for Classes to be a more viable option, they need access to better Utility/Support abilities such as silence or stun.