SAM out classing all other DPS

[Nominous]

Not taking sides here, but just to throw out a metric:

For sake of simple example, lets say that with everything perfectly balanced, each DPS contributes 18% of the raid's DPS, each healer 6%, the OT 12% and the MT 10%. Trick Attack, with used perfect uptime, would produce an additional 1.67% raid DPS. However, so would any of those DPS dealing just 9.28% more personal DPS. That's on average, though, of course. Should a disproportionate (above average) amount of damage fall within the Trick Attack window, as it should, that amount increases, possibly to the range of 11% or so. Of course, to a smaller extent, the same can then be said of raid contribution from an AST when given a 9-11% more efficient Enhanced/Extended Balance/Arrow target.

Yes, SAM should be significantly stronger.he question is should it really *just* be about personal DPS, which would curtail the chance of balance in any serious lower-man content, should that ever be a possibility, and ultimately makes some aspects of raiding with a SAM less interesting ("Who wants Balance/Arrow?! Oh wait, you're not the SAM...").

Well, it's an interesting discussion to be had, surely. Given my previous examples of the kinds of utility and party support/synergy options in the game, there's not much room for creativity in creating a job that has a place in a raid environment without them. The most 'creative', and that's hard to say with a straight face, utility they could have given to Samurai was a high amount of damage. It's difficult to balance, but that was their decision. I think the impetuous is on them to maintain the identity of a job, and what makes a job fun, or attractive to certain players. That is what I think they failed on, not the balance of Samurai.

I remember back in coil, our BRD was consistently like 80-100 dps below me (at the time that meant he was at about 480 dps while I was at like 560 or so as a DRG. When I was MNK, I was closer to 600, which was far above BRD. Does it mean it was okay? In my opinion- yes. Their identity wasn't all about dealing the highest damage. They had easier rotations, if you even want to call it that, and they brought a lot of much needed support. If you can clear with these numbers, and a good player can close the gap a little better through skill, it should be fine, as long as they are having fun with the fantasy of the job. So, for BLM, yes, they should have crazy damage. BRD should deal less damage but offer more support. MCH probably deserves more damage, I see them as heavier damage dealers, etc etc.