How would you break it to someone that their DPS is awful?

[Snugglebutt]

Firstly "enmity" is not a valid way to judge if they have bad DPS, some classes like BRD for example have skills that specifically lower enmity in general.

The only real way to judge is if your using a parser and can actually see peoples DPS, relying on the assumption that just because the person is in the party when fail a party/group DPS check is also not valid as one of the others who might be good at other times could potentially not be trying as hard in that run yet you might be blaming the other DPS who is sometimes bad but this time is doing good simply because you assume the one who is normally good is still good this time around.

If you do use a parser or have watched a persons complete rotations through the fight and taken into account their gear then by all means tell them, tell me or whatever as a DPS that their DPS is a little low and if you know how to improve their DPS feel free to tell them how. Most players would appreciate advice BUT you have to go about it in a non-offensive, non-condescending or rude way.

There is nothing offensive about giving advice, it can only ever become offensive depending on how you tell them...such as if your condescending or rude, arrogant or impolite of which far too many people are those things when they think they are giving advice even though they don't realise it. A prime example of how not to do so is this thread http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...-is-being-rude.