So infinite arrows/ammunition...

[Tharian]

Second... Do you even bard?

Yes. I am an Item Level 86 Bard. I may not be the highest Item Level in the game, but I am level 50 and have sufficient gear to do the beginnings of end game content. And Bard is my main.

Also, the part about AoE in your post is incorrect. both Monk and Dragoon suffer from what is known as "Melee-based AoE" meaning they have to be right up next to at least one of their targets in order to hit anything with an AoE attack.

Summoner is very limited in it's available AoE's. Either they are too weak to do much of anything (Tridisaster). They are on a long cooldown (Enkindle). Or the enemies have to be bunched up all nice and close nit together (Bane). Their only other AoE has a ground based targeting reticle that is really only big enough to fit a handful of enemies.

I am unsure about Black Mage as I haven't really played it. Bard on the other hand has 2 wide-angle 25 yard(?) AoE's that are both on a 2.5 second cooldown. Meaning they can be spammed like nobodies business. Bard also has access to Army's Paeon, which means that Bard can basically spam their AoE's until the entire clump of enemies is dead and the Bard is ready to move onto the next enemy. No other class can really do that except possibly Black Mage if it manages it's MP well.

6-7 points less damage doesn't matter in the long run if I can make my TP outlast comparably geared Dragoons or Monks. I will still be doing more damage in the long run than a Dragoon that is on 0 TP.