Bards and BLMs ... is hard to control your aggro?

[Diavolo]

S/he's not saying you're an awful person or that you shouldn't be allowed to play how you want though. You just said that Quelling Strikes "makes little to no difference", while Blowfin (quite rightly) suggests that it can actually be an indirect DPS boost situationally as it prevents you having to moderate your threat (and in doing so, lose DPS).

It is a team effort, and a DPS's role within that team is to do the maximum amount of damage possible without failing a mechanic, dying, or pulling threat (normally). Therefore, you want to be pumping out as much damage as possible without failing in one of those three ways - and Quelling Strikes is a great boon to the last of the three.

I didn't say they said I was awful. I more or less said that I know how it works and I choose to play the game my way. Paying my sub allows me that right. I'm not sure how that wasn't clear.

So let me state for the umpteenth time: I KNOW HOW QUELLING STRIKES WORKS. I KNOW THE REPERCUSSIONS OF MY METHOD AND DO NOT CARE AS I LIKE PLAYING MY WAY. PLAYING MY WAY MAKES LITTLE TO NO DIFFERENCE. I HAVE WITNESSED BOTH METHODS. I HAVE USED BOTH METHODS. UNDERSTAND NOW?

I find it funny you say that last part though. Bard isn't strictly DPS. We are a weird support/DD hybrid that wasn't exactly fleshed out, imo. So DPS isn't always our main priority. Sometimes, we need to first SUPPORT others via songs, taking a hit to our damage dealing ability. By you, and apparently others' logic, that'd be "wrong."

[Raenryong]

snip

It is your right. But you are saying that it makes little to no difference, while conceding that it can lead to you sacrificing DPS. That is what I have a problem with. If a MNK wants to stop attacking for a few seconds to stretch his or her arms, they're allowed to... but I certainly wouldn't try to defend it.

Bard is definitely a DPS. You spend more time DPSing than you do supporting. The best way to play Bard is to support the exact amount that is required - however, it is often best to err on the side of caution as far as Ballad is concerned. Throwing up Requiem at the best times while you have MP to spare is also optimal play, even if it sacrifices a small amount of DPS on your part.

snip

Yeah, that is what I mean by failing a mechanic - obviously you don't want to DPS to the point you push something too hard. In lieu of that though, you should be doing whatever it takes to maximise your DPS without neglecting your other duties. Such is your job as a DPS.

EDIT: To give you an idea, when I'm healing I often tell DPS to just ignore certain ground aoes and such and I'll heal them through it, especially if we're talking BLMs. In this way I can use free time on my healer to improve DPS more than just contributing my own damage would!

I'm not saying to only worry about DPS and do nothing else, but the very best play possible as a DPS involves losing as little as possible.

[Diavolo]

Snip

I know how to play my role. I don't need you to tell me.