Quote Originally Posted by Pandastirfry View Post
Which just creates a 4th slot that must be filled, and usually the trinity reaserts itself as the "true support class" casts it's handful of buffs/debuffs and then gets relegated to backup/off healer or gimped DPS until it's time to refresh the buffs. I remember being a BRD in XI, cast my two DPS songs, Cast my Mage Ballads... Now shut up and cast cure until it's time to cast songs again, and don't you dare try to melee
Well, to be fair a support class or mage hitting a mob with their weapon in that game was actually designed to be detrimental....for some reason. Since mobs don't gain TP per hit and use actions at an increased rate because of that in this game that particular bit would not be a factor. I feel like they could make a much more engaging support class than BRD or RDM were (or the semi-supports like SMN and COR) with a decent variety of shorter buffs and reduced damage dealing and/or healing capabilities.

Given that content in this game is essentially 4 or 8 person groups though, could a support job adequately depose a DPS in 4-man content? If they can, then aren't they greatly overpowered in 8-man content? I could see them fitting them into 8-man content easily enough and balancing that properly, but when you have to remove ~40% of your damage for support (in 4-man content assuming tank is 20% and DPS are each 40%) then that support has to pick up that 40% somehow or else nobody's going to bother.