Strongest class/job lore wise?

[AspectOfWinter]

Let's see:

Holy - 200 potency AoE that diminishes with each target hit
Flare - 260 potency AoE that didn't originally diminish, but now does
DEATH Flare - 400 potency AoE that does not diminish at all

I think that answers your question.

That, and it's implied in the level 30-50 SMN quests that the Egis are actually MUCH more powerful lore-wise than they are gameplay-wise.

As for WHMs and BLMs bringing about an Umbral Era, wasn't it the end result of hundreds of mages recklessly using it for warfare over many years?

[Atoli]

I don't know, I'd probably put WHM/BLM before SMN any day.
Like others said already, WHMs brought a whole umbral era upon us, and now a mere handful of BLMs scare the current WHMs shitless because they fear these few BLMs could bring another umbral era again.
SMN's power ends at a part of the power a real primal has, and even all 3 primals summoned at once is nothing but a minor disturbance for the planet right now. Even Bahamut, in all his full power might (not the mere piece of his power a SMN has), was basically the softest umbral era Hydealyn ever saw, no wiped out civilizations and nearly full recovery after only 5 years.

The Jobquests of WHM/BLM highlight the fact that both their powers are limitless and our characters are basically only holding ourselves back all the time because of the great destruction it would bring otherwise.

Now for the melees:
I'd put DRG, WAR and MNK higher on the list than PLD, BRD and NIN. The latter are just normal fighters with normal bodies and basically no supernatural stuff going on. of course, that doesn't mean one can't win against another in a fight and I'd expect plenty of ninjas to be able to kill any mage before they could cast a spell, but if we talk raw maximum power here, it's something like:
1. WHM, BLM (potential for unlimited destruction)
2. SMN (primal power, still far above anything a normal human being could do)
3. DRG (consumed dragon's power, one of the stongest non-godly species)
4. WAR, MNK (normal humans but with a bit of a supernatural touch)
5. PLD, BRD, NIN (normal fighters who honed their bodies to the maximum)

I left out the new jobs because I haven't seen most of their Jobquests yet

[VisRalis]

*Looks at Louisoix*
hmm... >_> *Looks at Flames of Truth*

Yeah. I think his class (CNJ? THM?) kinda sets the standard Lore wise.
I mean, look at what he's done!!

[AspectOfWinter]

The way I see it, either the Seedseers are worrying too much about how much damage a single WHM or BLM can cause to Hydealyn (which isn't necessarily out of character for their beliefs), or WHMs and BLMs really are basically demigods when it comes to power, meaning that in the War of the Magi there were entire armies of Mages who were on par with the Primals - which is pretty scary if you think about it.

Also, that would make Kan-E-Senna the most powerful person in all of Eorzea (unless the Archons really are the Twelve in human form).

As for the Disciples of War, I remember reading that IRL gunshot wounds are actually far more deadly than knife stabbings, which raises questions as to why Machinist doesn't have a 500 Potency attack like Ninja, especially with its use of heavy artillery and such. I'd put Ninja near the top of the DoW list too just because of their Ninjustu abilities (which are a lot like Dragoon's dragon magicks).

[PocketFreye]

After rewatching the HS intro, I would say Dragoons would be a real good contender. Those guys were extremely fast, and hit really fucking hard. I find it hard to imagine a BLM being able to stop a Dragoon lunging at them that fast, or a SMN's summon preventing that.

[TheCount]

I'd say Dark Knights are not to be understimated too when you think about it, really they are just combat mages using a brand of magic that is rather unknown to the high majority of people. Their attacks supported by magic can even go so far as to drain health from their opponent to keep them in the battle. Not to mention that if they call upon the shadow within their attacks get further amplified

[Cilia]

In terms of raw destructive potential, BLM/SMN is always going to be at the top. WHM is dangerous, but only in terms of prolonged widespread use of the art draining too much aether.

Every other class is more or less even, though DRG (martial fighters with the power of dragons) and DRK (martial fighters with the power of darkness) probably have a slight edge.

[Waliel]

Holy - 200 potency AoE that diminishes with each target hit
Flare - 260 potency AoE that didn't originally diminish, but now does
DEATH Flare - 400 potency AoE that does not diminish at all

If you really wanna go that route, Flare is 468 potency and Fire 4 is 504 potency when you ever use them.

[Ferrasper]

I would say machinist for the simple fact we are inventors. Who is to say we won't make a nuclear aether weapon that could dry the planet up in seconds. Also, a bullet travels faster then a fireball.

[Atoli]

Also, a bullet travels faster then a fireball.

That's the thing with magic though - it travels as fast as the one who throws it wants it to. If you really want to get down to it...since no actual substance is burning, the only thing traveling through the air is pure energy (in form of heat and light). No bullet can travel at the speed of light because there will always be air friction no matter how aerodynamic you make your bullet.

(But yeah, of course in general mages are slower than melees because they first have to focus and bend the magic to their will, also known as 'casting the spell'.)

About inventions though: A nuclear aether weapon is not part of the lore. There is no hint on MST being able to invent that kind of thing, about the materials existing that would be required, etc.
I can also go ahead and say "BRD is the strongest class because they could make up a song that makes every living being on the planet kill themselves at once". But I can't do that, because such a song does not exist in the game :x
...although I'd really love that idea to be true xD BRD needs some love :3