Quote Originally Posted by KaivaC View Post
I didn't even realize that you had responded. What I said are not ways to work around the job - those are things you should be doing in order to effectively play the job. I toyed a little with it after my post in PotD, just to see if your concerns were valid. Granted, PotD is not exactly the best way to use it, but my BLM is in the 30s, so I jumped in to see what a lvl 60 BLM feels like. I am not convinced that the problems are nearly as bad as you are suggesting. In fact, beacuse of you, I now have a bigger interest in BLM. BLMs do not need the mobility that you are suggesting. What you want is a mobile turret. This is not WoW. Again, I have to say, if you feel like you're struggling with this in higher levels, then you are not playing the job correctly. The job shines best when you know the fight and knew when you can and cannot execute certain actions.
...So because PoTD is as easy as it is, with almost no mechanics, my concerns are not validated in your eyes. Sure, because as you said PoTD is such a great way to judge a job's faults. MAYBE if you were doing it solo I would consider it a more fair opinion, but like I said in the opening post once you get past 60 you really can't be 'over geared' and the issues of the job become more apparent.

Furthermore, yes your suggestion is a workaround. Yes it is how people play the class, but it doesn't change the core issue the job has, and that being it's actually a fairly bad design for what it is trying to do.

Quote Originally Posted by P_Wing View Post
True mobility is not the core of BLM's job, actually it's the farthest concept for BLM. We can always move "when needed" but not "as needed".
Even red mage, summoner and healers need some casts and need to be immobile for certain spells. The only truly mobile class is bard and machinist. You should probably try them instead.
You ALMOST got my point...and then you kept going. I'm not sure if it is me not explaining this properly or if my audience is in such a fervor to defend this job they can't think past their prejudices. Much like the one post which actually though I was suggesting having the orbs constantly decaying every three seconds.

The concept of the BLM isn't actually to BE a turret, that is how most people PLAY it. The concept, the CORE concept, is momentum. Keeping up the cycle to put out as much damage as possible while on the cycle between fire and ice. The problem being that this momentum far to easily is lost much in the same way as a runner tripping over a crack; and whether from lag, mechanics, or simply being "someone who hasn't memorized the fight" there are a LOT of cracks to interrupt this momentum. Like I said before, having a mechanic that the longer you stay put the faster you cast in a similar way to the MNK building up greased lighting by attacking...the more a turret play style is achieved in a much more organic way. The core concept is NOT about being a turret it's about keeping that momentum and thus high DPS going, and that does not necessarily translate to the current way BLM plays as being the best way to have the job run.

It also does NOT necessarily mean that the stutter movement that is being so heavily praised fits well with the mechanics of the game. Because while you can argue this comes from knowing the game well, the same argument can be made for using bugs and exploits to do things you shouldn't be able to do. Just because both examples exist, does not mean that the elements are good, balanced, or fun. Yes you can play around them, you can plan for them, you can even master them...but that still doesn't mean it's a good design.

The core of the BLM is rewarding you to standing your ground and keeping a good momentum going, and while you can define this as being 'a turret' it still doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to move when needed without fearing your DPS is going to slam into a brick wall. Casters have cast times, great point. But that still doesn't preclude that the BLM could have both a design that allows more natural mobility without sacrificing the rewards to staying in one place to do it's DPS. The mechanic I just explained being one of only a multitude of possible ways this could be done with a BETTER DESIGN.