Class direction for 'support-oriented' classes (BRD, MCH, AST)?

[Calypsx]

There is nothing wrong with a support role in this type of mmorpg. Rift has shown you can do it just fine, bard is super fun in that game.

It would require tweaking the current system quite a lot to implement though, that's where the actual problem lies. It all depends on if the dev wants to put the time into working it into the system but it's certainly not impossible.

[NoahArks]

I'll be honest. I think they should add a support role. I don't care what people think, if they're support classes then throw in a support role, don't throw them under dps.

[FoxyAreku]

It's doubtful anything new will happen. They seem to like limiting the 'support' of this game to just refilling resources.

[Gamer3427]

I honestly don't get the problem with skill bloat that so many people seem to have. On my MCH in particular, I'm easily set to where I can manage another three expansions worth of skills by just adding one hotbar I can switch to and from with one button on my PS4. Maybe it's more of a PC problem?

As for the direction they'll take, since it's pretty clear they have no intent to actually buff MCH in terms of raw damage and instead have it more of a support role, I'd like to see some actual support skills on it. Right now we've got the MP/TP regen, and a couple of weak debuffs, but that's it. The regen in particular is rather useless if you have a competent group outside of doing chain-pulls or Savage, because practically every class has some skill they can use to regen their primary resource on their own. Personally, I'd like to see a shielding turret, (I'd call it "Knight Autoturret"), that has 25% of the player's health and takes all damage in place of them while it's up, or in Promote mode provides a circular shield that protects for 5-10% damage while draining MP. Since we don't have any self healing, give us the option to trade off some DPS in an emergency for boosted defenses.....

[Connor]

Machinist stuff

Like I said in the 'BRD broke etc' thread, I do agree that regen abilities feel lacklustre as they don't see much use in a lot of content. I've always seen Machinist as being more focused on providing support through debuffing the enemy. I think building on this would be cool and help keep it somewhat different from Bards. Something like a turret focused on shielding is a great idea. Hypercharge could even have it provide a small regen to party members in range for its duration on top of damage reduction. Or they could add an ability that 'explodes' the turret and has it provide a debuff to enemies in range (maybe damage down or vulnerability up, maybe even something entirely unique?).

[Connor]

I can't remember which one, but in a Live Letter from the Producer, Yoshi-P explicitly said that they will not ever add full support classes to the game. It's really sad and I'd love them to reconsider, but when we're considering how these jobs will be developed in future we should assume for now they'll be tank / dps / healer with support elements rather than full support.

[nickx]

How do you think they'll develop these classes in future, and which direction would you like them to go? Solely dps / healing? Utility centered? Or a balance of the two?

For Bards, I think I'd like to see us be given more utility, as we don't have a stun/heavy/knockback (minus the pvp ability) like our Machinist friends. Perhaps more emphasis on our songs, like a temporary in-combat Swiftsong, or a song that applies a temporary heavy to enemies as they approach your character, etc.

[Connor]

For Bards, I think I'd like to see us be given more utility, as we don't have a stun/heavy/knockback (minus the pvp ability) like our Machinist friends. Perhaps more emphasis on our songs, like a temporary in-combat Swiftsong, or a song that applies a temporary heavy to enemies as they approach your character, etc.

I agree, I'd love to see more songs/utility too. It's actually weird you mention stuns etc. I was just thinking that Bard is the only physical damage dealer that doesn't possess a stun. Given how powerful it was at release though, I can kinda see why. I'd love to see a debuff song that deals damage, as I think it kinda fits with Bard being both dps and support. Maybe one, like you said, that deals and applies heavy to the target or maybe stuns them. I'd like to see more songs that focus on buffing the party for Bard, in line with the more 'traditional' Bard role.

Maybe a regen or damage down song that's applied the same as the Warden's Paean (3 second cast times make it slightly less abusable since Bards are still required to deal damage) with a base MP cost. A Raise song would be cool too, though that would probably be too powerful for Bard.
As a side note, I'd love to see a way for Bards to restore their MP. Naturally, Bards will still be getting new dps-related skills/traits so they could possibly provide this. And Machinist too, though I imagine they'll continue to rely less on MP than Bards to access their utility.

[Kemonologist]

In this game, the support who can bring DPS to party must trade their DPS or Healing potential for other member DPS.
e.g.
- MNK have highest raw DPS because they don't have any DPS support to party.
- DRG can increase party DPS from critical buff and piercing resistance debuff but this buff and debuff have limitation for increase DPS unlike NIN. Then, they get higher raw DPS more than NIN but lower than MNK.
- NIN have lowest raw DPS in melee because they can increase DPS for any job from Trick Attack and slashing resistance debuff that guarantee DPS increasing for 2 Tank. It is flexible more than DRG.
- BRD and MCH have buff for increase DPS to large member in party. When MCH can increase both physical and magical, they have short duration and potency lower than BRD who can increase only magical. TP and MP regeneration are indirect DPS increasing too (More resource, More damage). But their ranged attack and mobility make them must lower their DSP too. From that two reason, it make them have lowest DPS unlike NIN who have lose DPS from their flexible DPS utility only.
- Same with healer, WHM have best potential in healing because they don't have any party buff (except MND buff) when SCH and AST can bring DPS to party. SCH and AST must trade their raw healing potential with their DPS buff for party (SCH must trade their MND stat for pet too, They have lowest MND) when AST must trade their own DPS more than SCH because they have various buff effect more than SCH. However, they still get some unique mechanic in healing instead.

[Archaell]

10% dps boost for the physical range jobs when there are two in a group would be a good start. I would like to see groups with both MCH and BRD viable.