Why is that? Why is it that, despite that prior to Stormblood, jobs obtained a job skill at 40, 45 and 50, Machinist no longer has one? They don't even have anything between it that mimics a "class" skill, between these levels. (Rouse comes to mind)

Machinist has a total of 23 Actions.


This is not counting cross-role actions, it is also not counting their "remove barrel" and "Turret Retrieval" actions, which.. are largely there to just be there. They don't offer anything more than QoL. Lastly, it does not take into account the upgraded heated shots, since they are largely the same button.

This is one of the lowest action counts in the game!

(The only other lower job with lower actions is WHM at 22, largely due to how Stone/Aero are constantly upgraded into a new version instead of providing a new button)

It's ranged physical DPS cousin, Bard, has 26 actions. (not counting role)
Hell, Ninja has an effective 29 usable actions (if you discount mudras, but count all of the ninjutsu castable from them)

If you ask me, a support DPS should ideally have more actions than some. It just feels to me like they require more buttons to address and alleviate various situations, or provided a larger array of buffs/debuffs.

For them to get "nothing" for an entire ten levels? It's silly, it's insane. I know content was balanced around 70 for SB, I get that. But there's no excuse or merit to taking what they would have gotten at 45, erasing it, and putting absolutely nothing back in it's place. (nevermind the fact that a large percentile of other jobs get a second action between the levels of 40 and 50 that isn't the de-facto 45 job quest skill.)