Time for a small BLM buff?

[Sleigh]

You haven't seen an optimized BLM then. I can easily do over 300 sustained without foe and bad proc luck, and add multiple mobs and BLM kills it. Its easy to minimize interuptions, even in a fight meant to have many. Manawall, Manward, good placement and timing, easily top most bards as BLM. I find bard very easy to optimize, pulling 300 dps average at i87 w/elfin, optimizing BLM to do more than bard is a bit harder I find, as casts of choice to maximize can change depending on when mp tic and procs occur, Bard is very constant even with bloodletter procs, even though bard is more buttons pressed, I find it more challenging to max BLM, and easier to make mistakes on BLM as well(Leaving yourself too low on mp, cancelling cast).

I agree mostly with DRG/MNK/SMN top 3 however.

From my experience, BLM is 300-330 without Foe's, without any interruptions. BRD is 300-320 without DRG buff, but it's consistent. BRD vs BLM depends on a lot of things: ratio of BRDs to BLM, if a DRG is in the party, the fight's duration (short fights where BRDs go HAM won't leave much room for BLM to catch up even with slightly superior average sustained), and the fight (try as you might to mitigate movement, something like Eruptions in Ifrit EM will make you lose DPS even with a Firestarter and Swiftcast saved and Aetherial back to the group while BRD loses absolutely nothing). Also if it's a multi-DoT fight vs AoE - BRD beats BLM in T1, for instance, just because BLM gets minimal DPS gain from two enemies unless you score crazy 5% chance procs to multi-DoT properly while a BRD multi-DoTing can score 360+ from throwing out constant Windbites and VBs.

If anything I have beef with SMN just being a better choice for lots of content. Lots of movement like T6? SMN wins. Primarily ST or 2-3 enemy fight? SMN wins. Ranged with same caster LB, better Heavy option, battle raise, less affected by movement, more sustained, better Virus, less CD on E4E, ridiculous DPS when multi-DoTing can occur, and with proper planning with Bane + Fester + ED if needed, its burst is terrifying for a DoT class.