Thread: Returning player, melee DPS questions (2.05 > Present)

I've been looking at the various threads, but too much time seems to have passed to eke out a solid answer on my own so maybe folks could set straight some questions I have.


What became of the Dragoon?
When I used to play Dragoon were popular albeit for all the wrong reasons. However a good Dragoon could still lay down a huge amount of DPS, far exceeding ranged DPS classes in most boss fights, second only to monks. (Even then, DRG's had more "robust" damage output, being less susceptible to mechanical interruption than MNK)

Now people tell me Dragoons are "useless", and nobody'll give you the time of day if you roll dragoon, what changed? Were they nerfed in some way, or did Ninja simply render them irrelevant?


What is Ninja's "thing"
A brief examination of the Ninja skills suggests they have attack chains, a bit like a DRG, but with less off-GCD's, plus they have their "Ninjitsu" system, which looks like a gimmicky way of casting.

What do Ninja's bring to the table that sets them apart from Monks and Dragoons in a practical sense?