BLM or BRD

[DarkLordCthulhu]

I already have a SCH and WAR. Im looking to use a range DPS. I know I have SMN but my points are in mind since SCH is my main.
Ive researched both jobs but would like some opinions from actually players not just wikis and a couple vids

[Huntington]

Depends on what you want to play like really. Leveling THM was boring as heck for me until level 28, that's when you start having some fun with your Thundercloud procs, after that, BLM was really fun for me, and it shared my SMN gear nearly so it was well-geared by half once it hit 50. It's for those that like seeing how big they can get their numbers to go when the RNG works with them.


BRD is for the helpful support or tricksters. Do you like being the guy that tries to help all his members succeed at your own disadvantage? (By this I mean are you fine with helping other party members if it means limiting your damage a little, in the case of Songs.) Otherwise, I've seen a lot of Bards that like to be a pain with their ranged attacks and pull before tanks can get in aggro, then kite the enemies around. Never use songs even at crucial moments, and other things. Bard is a Job that tries to help it's group before itself in most fights. If something can be kited around and it's helpful to do so you win, like some enemies in the Second Coil, BRD is good there. SMN too.

That's all I can say myself, it's up to you on which one you want to play. BRD will probably be the most fun to level as ARC at first though.

[KinnisonArc]

I have both classes, I list the pros and cons based on my experience. Hopefully that helps :

Bard
Pros:
- Mobile DPS, you can move while dealing damage.
- Able to support others using song, MP/TP regen and increase damage for caster.
- No restriction in rotation like combo etc, your damage is always constant.

Cons:
- Need to manage TP, if you don't your TP drains fast. Get lv22 Invigorate from Lancer for this.
- Only Healing LB, in cases where there are no melee/caster DPS you have to rely on normal attack to bring something down.
- You will have slightly more responsible than other DPS since you are partially support-type. Like needing to Silence something or Ballad for the Healers.

Black Mage :
Pros:
- If played properly, you can deal very high damage in short time.
- No need to worry too much about MP when you use the attack rotation properly as you will have an almost infinite mana pool.
- Good for speedrun with your AOE (Fire 2) attack.

Cons:
- Need to be standing still most of the time due to spells require casting. Not good for places where dodging is highly required.
- Your attacks are burst damage type so that means you could easily steal aggro off the tank, learn lv34 archer Quelling Strike to help reduce your enmity generation when you attack.
- You will have to stick to a fixed rotation for your attack, otherwise you might find yourself not able to attack for awhile because out of mana.

[scarebearz]

Bard is easier to start doing fairly decent dps right away in boss fights.

BLM takes more practice for primals and other movement heavy fight, in order to dps well.

[Ringabell]

When it comes to coils BRD is a great, probably better, choice. They are the most mobile DPS class in the game, able to constantly string together attacks while avoiding AOEs.

Unlike physical DPS they don't have to worry about circular AOEs. Just attack, attack, attack. Constant DPS. Songs will lower your DPS but in the right situation the benefits will far outweight the negative. Unfortunately BLMs struggle a bit in coils that require movement. If you're midway through a cast and are forced to move to avoid an AOE, your cast is cancelled. The only thing you can do at that point is use Scathe which is a low damage attack that you can do on the move. It's possible to do excellent DPS as a BLM, but you'd really have to push your limits to keep up with BRDs

When it comes to AOE BLM is king, hands down, and nothing else is even close. No Job in the game can melt a group of mobs like BLM. Flare is one of the strongest attacks in the game and an infinite Flare rotation on a large group of mobs is god-like:

Fire III > Flare > Transpose > Flare > Flare > Transpose > Flare > Flare> etc,etc,etc.

The only problem with the above rotation is that things will die TOO fast. A wonderful problem to have.

If you want to do a Brayflox/Wanderer's Palace speed run without a BLM it's going to take a little longer. With 2 BLMs? Easy as pie.

BLM also has the best burst DPS in the game. That burst damage means very little if you're forced to move around a lot, but when you can stand flat-footed and Thundercloud and Firestarter start proccing? You can wreck stuff.


For the TL;DR crowd:

If you're mainly concerned about Coils, BRD is probably the better choice. I say that grudgingly because I main BLM, but it's the truth. You can maintain better DPS than any other class when the fights call for a lot of movement, stringing together attack after attack. Also does solid AOE damage.

If you want to put up the biggest numbers and be an AOE king, choose BLM. Let the tank do a huge pull, put up raging strikes, then watch as your god-like Flares do as much damage as a mini limit break.

[givemeraptors]

If we're talking about fun factor?
BRD by far. The mobility and constant pew-pewing keeps you on your toes. That is more interesting to me than BLM which (as some people have described) is more like a turret.
Also I find the BLM rotation quite boring, but that's just me.

Both have very good AoE damage and very good burst damage. Good BRDs are in higher demand than good BLMs (sad but true).

You will need cross-class skills from ARC/BRD if you go BLM but not vice versa so you may want to factor that in as well. Quelling strikes is unlocked at the fairly high level of 34 so...I'd say level Archer and if you like it at 34 keep it, if you don't, switch to BLM and you'll be all set.

[Ringabell]

If we're talking about fun factor?
BRD by far. The mobility and constant pew-pewing keeps you on your toes. That is more interesting to me than BLM which (as some people have described) is more like a turret.
Also I find the BLM rotation quite boring, but that's just me.

Both have very good AoE damage and very good burst damage. Good BRDs are in higher demand than good BLMs (sad but true).

You will need cross-class skills from ARC/BRD if you go BLM but not vice versa so you may want to factor that in as well. Quelling strikes is unlocked at the fairly high level of 34 so...I'd say level Archer and if you like it at 34 keep it, if you don't, switch to BLM and you'll be all set.

I wouldn't put them in the same category for AOE & Burst. BLM has far better AOE damage and far better burst damage. BRD is higher overall because once you start to move my poor BLMs DPS drops significantly while the BRD doesn't miss a beat.

I agree that BRDs are in higher demand as they're generally better suited for maintaining higher coil DPS AND they support the group.

[zemogFC]

I'm also in the same boat. I want to level another DPS class and I'm trying to decide between Bard and Black Mage.

Bard seems like easy mode in my opinion. I was shocked when I was killing little ladybugs and squirrels and found I could move and shoot! The also have silence and good AOE for later in the game.

Black mage is so powerful in the Braylox HM speedrun. I was in awe the first time I saw flare, flare, flare.... mob dead. I wanted one too.

Still not sure what I'm going to level. Bard seems the have the advantage though.

[scarebearz]

Fire III > Flare > Transpose > Flare > Flare > Transpose > Flare > Flare> etc,etc,etc.

The only problem with the above rotation is that things will die TOO fast. A wonderful problem to have.

If you actually manage to cast that 3rd flare (2nd after transpose) or more, then things have already died too slow for a speed run.

A good Bard will do very good damage in a Speed Run and importantly, will greatly increase the DPS of the Black Mage and White Mage.

When it comes to AOE BLM is king, hands down, and nothing else is even close.

Again, if you take Foes into consideration, a good Bard comes very close.

A good WHM will also get close to a BLM for AOE in Speed Runs.


That said, BLM is the best AOE class, but the gap is not as huge as many people make it out to be.

Also movement heavy fights don't hinder a BLM's DPS as much as people claim either, but this is where practice comes into play.

[Ringabell]

If you actually manage to cast that 3rd flare (2nd after transpose) or more, then things have already died too slow for a speed run.

A good Bard will do very good damage in a Speed Run and importantly, will greatly increase the DPS of the Black Mage and White Mage.



Again, if you take Foes into consideration, a good Bard comes very close.

A good WHM will also get close to a BLM for AOE in Speed Runs.


That said, BLM is the best AOE class, but the gap is not as huge as many people make it out to be.

Also movement heavy fights don't hinder a BLM's DPS as much as people claim either, but this is where practice comes into play.

We'll have to agree to disagree about Bard being 'very close' to BLM in terms of AOE, though I agree with some of your other points. I find Bard is superior in the (many) instances that require movement, though I agree practice helps a lot in bridging that gap. I also agree that Holy can put WHM up there near BLM for speed run AOE damage. Seeing as a great deal of content requires movement, and the fact that songs are quite helpful, Bard is probably the better OVERALL choice.

Still, I find BLM is practically in it's own category when it comes to AOE DPS. Bard is quite good and WHM is pretty darn impressive, but If someone asked: "What's the best Job in the game for AOE?" I think everyone would say, without hesitation "Black Mage". Bard & WHM would be mentioned as strong secondary options but #1 is clearly BLM. When #1 is that clear I wouldn't consider #2 'very close'.