I'm a major forum lurker, and after reading what feels like a billion threads on the current state of PLD, I'd like to say thank you to the OP for starting a thread that is not only constructive, but provides specific recommendations on how PLD may be buffed to become more viable in endgame.

This is not the first time (nor will it be the last) that the community has raged and called for job buffs. It happened with DRG in 2.0, WAR in 1.0 and 2.0, AST in 3.0. People are still raging about the current state of BRD/MCH also. Class balance is an ongoing issue for every MMO because of the multitude of variables affecting how every skill behaves. One thing I feel the need to point out that I have yet to see anyone state anywhere in this forum: developers aren't stupid. There is a very high probability that SE is fully aware that PLD was not the best tanking choice for A4S. Heck, they were probably aware of that when they released the content in the first place. This is not an issue, but people seem to think that it is.

Let's suppose that, hypothetically, SE knows exactly what's happening with the tanking situation. What can we learn from it?

- PLD is not required or even ideal for every situation. In the entirety of FFXIV history, A4S is the only content where PLD has been less than ideal.

- DRK can shine at endgame because of higher magic mitigation, therefore carving out a unique role for itself in specific encounters. Particularly important given that the new 3.0 jobs need to make themselves feel viable against the reputation of the old ones. Both AST and MCH have yet to prove themselves in this way.

Both of these points are important, and neither of them indicate that the game is not properly balanced. Job optimization is a part of design strategy, and is often a conscientious decision on the part of the battle planners. I'm willing to bet that someone in SE, somewhere said: "Hey everyone! Let's design a boss fight that isn't great for PLD and get the community to play differently!" (I would pitch that idea at a table because 3.0 has all the tools to allow for such flexibility in party makeup.) Is it a bad thing that this happened? Absolutely not. Is it a bad thing that PLD players everywhere got upset? Absolutely not. Is it the end of the world for PLD? Absolutely not.

MMO game design is a pendulum: some jobs, by the innate nature of design, will shine for some content over others regardless of whether the developers have said all are equally viable. And that is perfectly okay. PLD will once again shine in the bright light of the sun, with or without buffs. But SE devs are not dumb: they are tracking statistics on every single click you make in-game, and they know what they are doing.

This thread will help them do that. Kudos.