I feel like Wildfire should already be an AoE by default because it explodes. Build up damage on a single enemy, then have it explode and damage the target and surrounding enemies (as a bonus during trash pulls).

Quote Originally Posted by Xenohart View Post
So I was trying to think of some QOL things that wouldn't change any of the skills of MCH that could make it appealing to more players that would be somewhat on par with AST changes throughout heavensward. I think QOL alone would help machinist a lot similar to AST.

1) Make the bullet UI glow red while Hot Shot buff is up. Let the circle UI for heatgage only glow red when overheated. This is nearly more important to track than bullets.
2) All your basic "shots" to upgrade automatically when triggered, reducing the number of buttons needed (we have like a million off-gcds, I have more button bloat on machinest now than I did before). This would make that element similar to that of pvp machinist as far as UI goes (but still follows pve rules for upgrade...aka not 100%).
3) Make Gauss Barrel Reapply after overheated cooldown. (again, one less button)
4) Turn the crit ability to apply all currently loaded bullets. This means up to the next three bullet consumers will crit.
5) Make the turret's follow you like a carby. ST turret shoots from range, and AOE turret gets into melee. This way they'll move with mob packs when the tank is dodging mechs and stuff.

Anyway, those are just my ideas.
Some of these changes would drastically change MCH, actually.
  1. I guess I'm not against it, but the job gauges were never designed to track every mechanic the job has.
  2. This would be a huge change to how MCH performs. Their "basic" shots are not a simple 1-2-3 combo, especially when ammo comes into play. Take a look at this flowchart. In the opener at the top, when they first use Reload they do a 1-2-1 then a 3-2-3 during Wildfire. Even though ammo is a 25 potency bonus on any WS, it's best used on Split/Slug Shot for their procs. So after using Reload, the best use is Split to proc Slug, Slug to proc Clean, and then Split to re-proc Slug. If the "combo" was limited to a strict 1-2-3, then that unique aspect of the "basic" shots is completely gone.
  3. One less button to press after overheating, sure, but the Gauss Barrel skill would probably still exist.
  4. The problem is that limits Reassemble to only being used right after a Reload or the skill is wasted.
  5. This is a personal thing, but I actually like how the turrets don't move once placed. Sure, it's probably an annoyance when the tank pulls mobs out of the Bishop AoE,
    but this is a problem that all jobs with ground-targeting skills have to suffer through (at least Bishop is on a 10s cooldown, unlike other skills).