DRG rant, is it really only just me? (Melee DPS balance).

[RapBreon]

Actually, MNKs had superior Burst AoE even in ARR (thanks to PB), although their overall AoE was definitely inferior outside of the burst phase.

DRGs in HW

I will agree that monks have inferior utility overall. Their utility is defensive, but mantra pretty much only makes up for Battle litany, and dragon kick's defensive utility was taken up by DRKs.

Even in the best of circumstances where that Mantra allows the healer(s) to get an extra stone (holy might get close) or two off; it's not even close to Battle Litany in terms of overall DPS gained.

However, in terms of ST DPS balance, MNKs have a superior controlled burst than DRGs, the problem with MNK burst is that they lose GL3 at the end of it, so they only use it before a downtime where they cannot maintain GL3, or when they REALLY need the burst.

I can see this getting into a hair-splitting contest about the length of burst windows. Even if a MNK used tornado kick, their burst is defs not higher than a DRGs on average.

DRGs on the other hand, only have a burst on their opening at around the 9th-10th GCD then their DPS drops off over time.

If your opening burst is coming at the 9th GCD I think you might be doing something wrong. Mine starts at my 5th and I can't double weave on my ping.

I was fine with the balance BEFORE the changes

Of course you were, you were the undisputed king of melee DPS in every area, minus sustained AoE.

because DRGs, although having superior dummy ST DPS, cannot perform their optimal rotation in a raid setting thanks to various mechanics, which impacts dragoons more than it impacts MNKs or NINs.

Well, I've played both MNK and DRG at 60. Doing Sav with DRG so more experienced with it in general. But I find the mechanics of Alexander fuck with my MNK far more than my DRG. But that could be mostly due to experience. You also so much more control when BoTD drops and how it interacts with mechanics. MNKs get 14 seconds and that's it, they have to begin from scratch (minus PB on 180sec cool-down) if mechanics demand it fall off.

The MNK I used to play with beat me on Faust (by about 10DPS) but I destroyed him on Oppressors because I had far more control over my buffs than he did.

Regardless, the points you contested wasn't really the important one.

The important one was that DRGs are more desirable than MNKs regardless of their DPS difference - precisely because they difference is not huge relative to the utility provided by the DRG.