How about a non-support ranged dps?

[Rhindas]

I personally wasn't even expecting Machinist to be another Bard when it was announced. I thought it was their answer to the lack of pure physical ranged DPS. And honestly I don't know why they thought the two classes had to be so similar in the first place. But it happened, so, here we are. It was clear the Minuet/Gauss was their answer to a "DPS stance" but it didn't work out the way they intended so I'm curious to see future updates to the jobs.

[Xanikk999]

I personally wasn't even expecting Machinist to be another Bard when it was announced. I thought it was their answer to the lack of pure physical ranged DPS. And honestly I don't know why they thought the two classes had to be so similar in the first place. But it happened, so, here we are. It was clear the Minuet/Gauss was their answer to a "DPS stance" but it didn't work out the way they intended so I'm curious to see future updates to the jobs.

Agreed. I don't understand their decision to make mechanic a near carbon copy of BRD.

[ChaozK]

Agreed. I don't understand their decision to make mechanic a near carbon copy of BRD.

They made it a support because every serious raiding group needs one, so every group needed a bard. So the game really needed an alternative to be available. People wouldnt bring a MCH instead of BRD if MCH wouldnt be able to provide the same support, which is the reason that every group brought a bard in the first place.

In terms or ranged dps, the slot it would compete with would be the 2nd melee, since every group wants 1 support, 1 mage (for magic dps) and 1 melee for LB. At that point you have one fourth slot free, which generally would be given to a melee because they provide the highest raid dps. This leaves a pure ranged dps in a very odd spot, since on one hand, why would you bring it if it wouldnt provide the same dps as a melee and on the other hand how would it be balanced, if it provided the same raid dps as a melee but had the advantage of being ranged? Food for thought.

The only solution would be if they thought of an entirely new sub role in the meta that only the pure ranged dps provided.