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

[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.