MCH buffs!

[RichardButte]

Hot Shot: Effect duration increased from 30 to 60 seconds.

Gauss Barrel: Damage increase when overheated changed from 10% to 20%.
Recast time reduced from 10 to 2 seconds.

Dismantle: Recast time reduced from 90 to 60 seconds.

Flamethrower: Increase to Heat Gauge during use changed from 10 to 20.

http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodest...a3edcf44f0d489

My take: YES on hot shot. It's a PITA to have to weave it in and I get so involved in the rotation I occasionally let it drop.

And the new overheat change just made overheating something you'll actually want to do regularly, maybe even as often as possible!

[Elnidfse]

Yes now MCH is even more easier than it's ever been:

Overheat every wildfire.
Use FT to push you into that overheat every WF.
Apply hotshot before every WF.

I was hoping for a dismantle buff (given that it was weaker than reprisal and not on par with BRD defensive utility) but this is just silly.

Still at least it lays to rest the question "should I overheat" I suppose. Since now the answer to that question is "yes, you dummy".

[Idolon]

As much as I'm glad this clarified the purpose of overheating, it doesn't look like it will do anything to fix the monotony that is the 50 seconds between Wildfires. Heat will still build so slowly that you'll only be able to use Cooldown once between Wildfires. This at least gives a skilled MCH something to optimize, but I want a job that's interesting most of the time instead of 1/6 of it.

[pikster]

Barrel stabilizer sits nicely in to use right after. So you will spend pretty much all your time 50+ heat surely.

[Elnidfse]

Actually you won't even use cooldown once between wildfires. If you overheat every wildfire you'll never cooldown outside of them ever again unless something in that fight goes seriously wrong.

[Alvuru]

Actually you won't even use cooldown once between wildfires. If you overheat every wildfire you'll never cooldown outside of them ever again unless something in that fight goes seriously wrong.

Not necessarily because FT now gives 20 heat, fitting a CD in is possible now, since you usually end up around 75-80 heat after CDing and the FT tick being weaved between GCDs will allow you to overheat on time with wildfire.

So does that also mean the downtime after overheat is 2 seconds instead of 10?

Lock out is still 10 seconds, recast is only for if you remove the barrel and reapply it.

[Elnidfse]

Not necessarily because FT now gives 20 heat, fitting a CD in is possible now, since you usually end up around 75-80 heat after CDing and the FT tick being weaved between GCDs will allow you to overheat on time with wildfire.

Fair enough point.

None of these changes are bad, but I'm skeptical as to whether or not this'll make Machinist as desirable as Bard. Since Machinist has a lot less utility, it should be off-set by doing more damage, and I'm not sure if this'll put them ahead.

I'm not complaining, but I do think it'll still need more.

I think it's pretty alright. Unless my idiot math is incorrect the changes to wildfire alone is slightly over 200 potency. Which is pretty okay. This doesn't factor in the free cooldown you get to use or the GCD you can now throw out since hotshot doesn't have to be refreshed every 30 which itself is at a minimum a 80 potency and a 40 potency increase respectively. Change to dismantle makes it as good as reprisal so there's that. But it being made better means the sheer damage reduction is alright in comparison to BRD.

[Zayedan]

Seen a MCH do over 4k dps in o1s and o2s which is insane for a "Utility" class

[photometrik]

Actually you won't even use cooldown once between wildfires. If you overheat every wildfire you'll never cooldown outside of them ever again unless something in that fight goes seriously wrong.

If this is the case, then what is the actual point of Cooldown? Based on how much heat it dissipates, I figured it was meant to maintain between 50 to 100 heat in order to keep Heated Split, Slug, and Clean Shots rolling for higher potency over longer periods of time. I mean, if you are suggesting that you use it during Overheat only, wouldn't that completely ignore its intended function? I'm not trying to be snippy, I'm just honestly confused with these changes right now and it's rather frustrating because MCH seems to be moving well away from what I thought it was supposed to be (and what I was actually starting to enjoy).

[RiceisNice]

If this is the case, then what is the actual point of Cooldown? Based on how much heat it dissipates, I figured it was meant to maintain between 50 to 100 heat in order to keep Heated Split, Slug, and Clean Shots rolling for higher potency over longer periods of time.

This is my issue with them not reverting the heat gain to 10 as well. Cooldown feels like it has less relevance in a MCH's tool kit with how little heat we generate. They should be aiming for MCH to not be overly punishing with overheating improperly (lowering BS' cooldown and lowering the damage loss from said overheat), not making it harder to accidentally overheat and invalidate one of their gameplay elements.