I've permanently solved The Wanderer's Minuet problem...

[Duelle]

Since the casting times is what most people complains about, I don't see how it's a solution. Besides, BRD have so few GCD in its "rotation", what would be some abilities?

Part of the problem is that disparity in gameplay is not just seen by the guys who've been playing BRD since ARR's launch, but by EVERYONE who picks up the job, past and present. This is because the ARR gameplay is left intact for 51 levels. So the camp of discontents is composed of not only BRD mains that don't like the change, but new people who are just leveling the job. Making the change at the base level means that while the old guard may have a problem with it, people just picking up the job wouldn't see the difference since what they'd have is one cohesive combat model instead of BRD as it plays 1-51 and then BRD post-Wanderer's Minuet.

As for my own recommendations, Heavy Shot, Straight Shot and possibly Windbite. Have Heavier Shot procs make the next Straight Shot instant cast. Bloodletter would be tricky, though what may work would be turning River of Blood procs into a stacking buff as others have suggested when discussing why WM doesn't gel with BRD's innate gameplay (this way procs don't feel wasted). Obviously, this would also go hand-in-hand with increasing bow weapon damage across the board to make up for Wanderer's Minuet not being what it currently is. Or if you're determined to have it affect gameplay somehow, turn it into a 15-second buff that allows your cast bar to fill while moving.

Keep in mind that some of us have a problem not with the idea behind the change, but with how it was implemented. I used to have a marksmanship hunter in WoW, so I've played ranged physical classes with cast times (MM hunters had the benefit of being able to cast while moving if not specced into Focusing Shot) and can go either way. What I can't stand is the hamfisted approach the devs chose.

[Reynhart]

Making the change at the base level means that while the old guard may have a problem with it, people just picking up the job wouldn't see the difference since what they'd have is one cohesive combat model instead of BRD as it plays 1-51 and then BRD post-Wanderer's Minuet.

Making the change at the base level means you'll be doing the same thing over and over. That's the previous big issue with PLD, since, after reaching level 26, you're on for hours and hours of Rage Of Halone spam, with nothing really new before level 54.
And pretty much all jobs were changed after 50. DRG with Blood Of The Dragon, BLM with Enochian, SMN with Aethertrail, etc...
Keeping the same dynamic over and over would have made most jobs boring.

As for my own recommendations, Heavy Shot, Straight Shot and possibly Windbite. Have Heavier Shot procs make the next Straight Shot instant cast.

So, in fact, almost all of your single target weapon skills. How is that different from now ? And instant cast is far less potent than critical hit, since you'd have to wait the GCD anyway.

Bloodletter would be tricky, though what may work would be turning River of Blood procs into a stacking buff as others have suggested when discussing why WM doesn't gel with BRD's innate gameplay (this way procs don't feel wasted).

It's exatcly what BLM would like for Firestarter proc.

Add your instant straight shot proc, and you'd be closer to BLM gameplay that you are now. Isn't it what BRDs don't want ?

[Minfillia]

I don't get the problem of players, WM is a HUGE buff, adding you 30% dmg, Empyral Arrow, Iron Jaw. This give to brd, compare to 2.1-2.55, a bigger burst and DPS. Poeple just keep saying it's shit while it's just an amaizing skill. So yeah poeple want to pwe pwe while runing at he same time, get use to it. Git gud. I know a bard who enjoy it, he did A1 savage ending top DPS at equality with BLM, and better than DRG, while giving mana to healer in phases transitions and by micro managing his DoT better he can do even higher.

[Noira]

Physical Ranged do less damage because they have mobility. Even with Gauss and WM on you still have more mobility then a damn blm. 1.5 (actually lower) is no where the same as a 3 second cast.
Yoshi just doesn't want physical range to do more dps than casters who do less dps than melee. End of story.

Bards still do pretty damn good dps, not sure what the whining is about anymore.

[Taban]

Physical Ranged do less damage because they have mobility. Even with Gauss and WM on you still have more mobility then a damn blm. 1.5 (actually lower) is no where the same as a 3 second cast.
Yoshi just doesn't want physical range to do more dps than casters who do less dps than melee. End of story.

Bards still do pretty damn good dps, not sure what the whining is about anymore.

So should we nerf smn down below brd and mch since they have more mobility? =p

[Noira]

That was a joke right ?

[Taban]

That was a joke right ?

Mostly. Smn does have more mobility than current bards do. But I don't seriously think we need to nerf them because of it.

[Dragoon4life]

Just want the Mobility back. BRD/MCH excepted and expected doing less DPS but loved the Mobility. That was the Balance. BLM are stationary and BRD/MCH can constantly DPS while moving. As of right now the BRD/MCH are good except for the cast timers. I don't understand why there are players that like the cast timers.

[RyuDragnier]

Just want the Mobility back. BRD/MCH excepted and expected doing less DPS but loved the Mobility. That was the Balance. BLM are stationary and BRD/MCH can constantly DPS while moving. As of right now the BRD/MCH are good except for the cast timers. I don't understand why there are players that like the cast timers.

Because said players also play casters like BLM and SMN, so it's nice to see really fasts casts for once.

[SendohJin]

Because said players also play casters like BLM and SMN, so it's nice to see really fasts casts for once.

wouldn't it be nicer if there was 1 job with no cast timers at all, why do you need 2?