Current state of MCH?

[Eudyptes]

I took a break from combat classes and only been playing casually for the last 2-3 months, so I've fallen out of the loop as to how the classes play these days. I've really been wanting to level MCH recently though, and possibly make it my new main since I've been getting tired of my old one. Right now I'm at 40 and absolutely love the class (though I think turrets could be slightly reworked to have a mini pet bar to follow/stay/place since them being stationary seems pointless).

Anyway, I have been plagued by some concerns that make me question if I should keep going. One is that I always hear how it and BRD change fairly dramatically in playstyle at 52+, which I think is something I'll have to experience myself. But the other is that when I was playing regularly, the general consensus was that MCH was "literally the worst job ever", and when I grouped with them I could feel that things felt slower.

My question is, has this changed? Has there been updates to buff the class? Or have people just figured out how to play the class better? Or is it just the same as it was?

[Greedalox]

MCH and BRD are pretty much in a near identical balance place, depending on comp. Mandatory in progressive content. People optimized rotations, we got some nice QOL buffs so all is good for us. If you love the job stick with it. Tiny bit of stigma out there towards us still due to our place on 3.0 launch and having the fewest players playing our class to change peoples minds.

[aabe]

MCH is and always has been a solid job. People saw the numbers as weak before Alex came around due to A) It's new, people need time to adjust and B) The only fight you could use as a measure for DPS were not very fair. The only other option was training dummy where melee absolutely flourish and the physical ranged DPS (naturally the weakest DPS jobs) don't really "flourish" at all.
Playing both jobs the strengths and weaknesses of one compared to the other stand out, I'd probably rather play BRD for progression but MCH is really fine.
As for noticing slow runs with MCH? I notice slow runs all the time. People in DF are generally not very good. However MCH AoE is really good and I would welcome a decent/good MCH the same as I would a SMN in a dungeon run.

[Ruri]

Whoever said MCH is the worst job ever just doesn't know or care to learn how to play it. It has a semi steep learning curve to play it efficiently but in my opinion it's very fun and can still output good DPS (at least more or the same as a brd)

They have added an update to quick reload so you have much more time using bullets and not just hitting 1 over and over until something procs.

[zcrash970]

MCH is balanced quite well with bard but that isn't the problem. The problem is that almost everyone hates the aesthetics of MCH.

[Ruri]

MCH is balanced quite well with bard but that isn't the problem. The problem is that almost everyone hates the aesthetics of MCH.

Yes it is not for everyone.

[Eudyptes]

Thanks for the answers. I will def stick with it. I'll still have to see if I like it when I get the addition of Gauss though since I enjoy the mobility. But honestly I think I'll be ok since I played BLM a lot in 2.0, and have all three healers at 60 so I'm used to stance dancing. Though being a completely mobile ranged class would have been better, but I don't think it'll be a deal breaker.

MCH is balanced quite well with bard but that isn't the problem. The problem is that almost everyone hates the aesthetics of MCH.

Really? Why is that? Do you mean skill animations or the overall look of gear/guns? I'd be lying if I didn't say at least half of why I want to play it is cause of the gear options they get. Their animations aren't terribly flashy, but they aren't bad imo.

[Hysterior]

They're in pretty high demand right now. Lacking BRD and MCH is seems.

[Rivez]

I'd really like to look like i'm aiming my shots instead of casting them and I have all but forgotten about those two slots taken up by reduce monsters physical or magical damage by an insignificant amount for an insignificant amount of time.

Apart from that after I gave up the idea that I thought I was going to be a buffing class I quite enjoy playing as them.

For dungeon running I play with a summoner and we clear the mobs out serious fast.

[DarkmoonVael]

I love MCH. For dungeons it can push out some really good aoe dps which is always welcome. For raiding it brings as much as bard does depending on group composition (bard seems to be preferred for 2x casters, machinist is good for 2x melee). Its burst is silly high.

Only gripe is my gun is being harassed by a mechanical squid with gauss barrel on - we need to be able to turn off the graphics for this like darknights now get to with darkside.