Quote Originally Posted by inhaledcorn View Post
However, Balance is still 100% better than Spear. Balance and Spear have the same level of strength, but Balance is a flat damage buff, but Spear is a chance to get a chance at damage boosts. The Balance is more reliable, and it lasts longer. On top of that, while Spear and Litany and Stratagem can stack, so can Balance, Trick Attack, Foe's, and other Job-specific buffs. Your point is moot. This is to bring Spear's strength more in line to Balance's strength.

The increased duration for Ewer and Spire is more because their effects seem underwhelming straight up since they only seem good while under the effect of Extended.
There is no way you will ever roll over a spear for a balance in the current strengths of each unless you have time to burn before a pull; balance is definitely better but not better enough to warrant ignoring the other options. It's not a problem that one is the best, it's a problem that one is unassailably better than the others.

So, you're right that balance is still the top draw, but it's not the only draw. This has the tandem effect of making it feel less bad to not get balance and reducing the overall percentage of cards used that are balance.