Honest question: If every player/class/job is equal,who is unique? (Gameplay topic)

[Bixby]

Just had a thought on another contributing factor.

The rotations in this game, for the most part, are invariant on their own. There are a few exceptions (BRD and BLM have meaningful procs that spice up their rotations, for example), but for the most part, each job's rotation is locked in. The next button you push is usually determined by some kind of timer. BRD feels very different to me just because that's not the case: I don't know for sure which button I'm pushing next until it's almost time to push it. With every melee class, I don't just know the next button, I know the order I'm pushing them in basically indefinitely, barring encounter mechanics.

For most jobs, the only way moment-to-moment skill decisions are varied is by encounter mechanics, not anything within the job itself.

[Kuroyasha]

The next button you push is usually determined by some kind of timer. BRD feels very different to me just because that's not the case: I don't know for sure which button I'm pushing next until it's almost time to push it.

Bard is full of timers. Wind+Venom Bite, keeping straight shot up, pairing barrage with a buff, keeping flaming arrow on CD, keeping other buffs on cd. That's all timers mixed with a bloodletter proc. Even with the proc, bards still know what button they're going to push well b4hand b/c they pay attention to timers/cds on top of having played it so long (at a high level) that they can "feel" when it's time to restart whatever it is they need to restart. Just with a weaved bloodletter in between. It's not that different from other classes imo.

[Bixby]

Bard is full of timers. Wind+Venom Bite, keeping straight shot up, pairing barrage with a buff, keeping flaming arrow on CD, keeping other buffs on cd. That's all timers mixed with a bloodletter proc. Even with the proc, bards still know what button they're going to push well b4hand b/c they pay attention to timers/cds on top of having played it so long (at a high level) that they can "feel" when it's time to restart whatever it is they need to restart. Just with a weaved bloodletter in between. It's not that different from other classes imo.

Fair enough. I haven't been BRDing long enough for it to feel quite that rote yet. BRD's got just two measly procs, and right now, that makes it feel refreshingly different. But assuming I eventually get there, it sort of furthers the point; there's very, very little variation in rotation. Not a huge thing on its own, but it compounds with all the other little areas of predictability and sameness.