COMBAT NEEDS FIXING

[Nardiamaple]

I picked Bard and Machinist so I could move in combat.Im going to be talking about the open world here not dungeons or raids. Whenever I fight mobs I like to kite, the problem is even if I have kited behind the foe or Im at such a great distance that no way a melee attack can hit me I still get damaged. Its like the game is not recognizing that Ive even moved. Its actually spoiling the whole game for me. I also came across a boss yesterday in the Western Highlands that freezes u. Couldn't get out of the aoe as its to big and have no skills at all to help me. I had zero chance of surviving. Either don't have boss mechanics like that or give me a skill that helps me to survive. I've come from Gw2 where the combat is great and using my skills right I can survive any fight and not feel so completely helpless as in some fights in this game.

[Settiesama]

So you tried to solo an A rank Hunt without thinking? What about silence for his AoE? You have a move at close range that can force you back a long distance and can run out the way for alot of AoEs. If you're getting hit by their autos, you aren't far away enough. Halt their movement and make the distance. If you can't, maybe you just aren't meant to have it that easy. Kiting wasn't the intention in this game's design anyway, as you can survive all non-group stuff as any class.

Edit: Just noticed you're level 58, why were you attempting a level 60 boss anyway?

[Darkstride]

Pretty sure the boss you're referring to with the "freeze" needs to be silenced or stunned to avoid that attack. Bard and Machinist both have attacks for that.

[Nestmile]

But combat's not broken. It's just designed differently because of the trinity system that FFXIV strictly adheres to -- soloing an at-level boss as a DPS is something that is likely not going to work out too well (unless you count having your Chocobo companion as soloing too, and even then it really depends). And besides, once you hit level 52, you won't really be kiting as BRD/MCH anyway, due to Wanderer's Minuet/Gauss Barrel turning you into a bow/gun mage. And there's the fact that if you kite a mob too far, it just becomes invulnerable and resets to its original position anyway. Basically, FFXIV wasn't built with kiting in mind very much. I guess you can sort of kite them in a circle, but you're still going to take some hits, as you've noticed. It's unfortunate that your preferred playstyle doesn't really work that well, but it's a question of design more than a question of combat being "broken" or not.

TL;DR: the game isn't GW2, please don't expect them to play the same.

[Freyt]

GW2 has it's issues though and I assume that's why you're here. Dragoon is probably your job for your particular requirements. It has a large backwards jump that will help you get out of large AoE circles, and Spineshatter Dive will let you close in quickly, while Jump is your attack + retreat (kind of, it just resets you back at your original position).

As for normal enemies outside of duties you should be able to fight most at range without them getting an attack on you. Enemies are quicker to attack in XIV than they are in GW2. Basic attacks aren't telegraphed, so you have to already be out of the way of those basic attacks in order to avoid them. If you're a far enough distance away, they won't be able to attack you, and you'll be able to shoot them forever. I've accomplished a few things like this in cases where I otherwise would have died, by simply running around and shooting the foes right behind me.

[Vidu]

You tried to solo a mob thats supposed to be fought by a group of level 60 players on your bard that isnt even level 60 yet? Combat would have needed fixing if you actually suceeded...

That might sound cheap but: This isnt GW2 and this game works differently. I've heard many times that the combat in this game is very slow compared to other MMOs out there, but I never had trouble with that. Addiotionally: Open world mpbs are so easy and so much not a threat at all that I never had trouble with them either. The game gives you quite a few skills to help you survive - stuns, silence, repelling shot on bard... second wind (a selfheal you can cross class from puglist) to heal yourself... having your chocobo out to help you can... well, help aswell.
You need to be kinda "stupid" to die to open world mobs - either by ot using your skills correctly or by biting more than you can chew (may it be pulling to many mobs or pulling a mob thats simply to strong for you by design)

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

Mobs are also inherently weaker in GW2 since there are no "tanks". The game is set up differently.

[Derio]

You mean GW2 where everyone is OP and the game is super easy due to everyone seemingly being invincible. Yes I am angry at GW2. But in all seriousness. This is FFXIV, you are not unstoppable here.

[LunaFaye]

You mean GW2 where everyone is OP and the game is super easy due to everyone seemingly being invincible. Yes I am angry at GW2. But in all seriousness. This is FFXIV, you are not unstoppable here.

Instead of comparing it to GW2 you should have learned your skills by now as others have mentioned. Silence/Stun both available on BRD as well as MCH would have helped immensely. You will have to press more than 2 buttons compared too GW2 and you will have to step out of aoe's except SCH and WAR lol. Reading your complaint is actually spoiling the whole forum for me, and it will get worse at level 60 since BRD & MCH won't be able to kite much anymore but maybe GW2 would be a better match for you.

[ShinMetsu]

While i do agree with what people say here, It's an A Rank supposed to be handled by at least 4 people probably.
And the combat is different from some other games, we do have Tank, DPS and Healers.

But there is something that has always been bothering me, it's this

feel so completely helpless as in some fights in this game.

You really are helpless in fights.
There is no way to make up for difficulty of a monster by skill.

Sure, you can dodge AoEs. You can stun, some classes can heal themselves, but those are not the classes i'm talking about. I know WAR is a solo machine.
But as a NIN or MNK, what are you gonna do? It becomes a simple "Who gets the other's HP to 0 first".
I often wish there was a way to actually avoid damage by skillful play.