RDM and the Utility Tax

[wereotter]

I wouldn't say that they're evenly matched. Everlasting flight, while the extra healing is nice, is not reliable in any way shape or form. Vercure can be used whenever and on whoever. It also allows RDM to not need swiftcast as much as SMN for raises. I understand that it costs a RDM a lot of DPS to raise even one person, but sometimes it can save a fight. As far as embolden vs devotion, I'm not sure which buff is stronger. RDM also just had the MP cost of its spells adjusted. Lucid dreaming should not be needed nearly as much just to keep them floating.

See my earlier comment regarding Vercure. It should never be used in a raid apart from keeping you alive if you messed up, or triggering dualcast when you have no target to hit. So from my perspective, at least, it holds as much value as Everlasting Flight, if not less considering flight gives the regen to everyone passively as part of the summoner's DPS rotation, while vercure going out means not only are you not doing DPS, but someone messed up.

I did give the advantage to red mages for raises, but wanted to point out that both jobs have the ability to fill that need when it comes up.

The adjustment to red mages spell costs just brings them back in line with summoner who didn't have the same pinch on mana costs as red mages since many of their base spells were already cheaper to cast.

Summoner is a more complicated job to play, I'll grant you that, so maybe should have a higher ceiling when played well, but for your average player, the two jobs should be much closer in DPS output than they currently are. Or... if they do want to have more distinction on the DPS potential between the three casting jobs, red mages need to be the dancer/ninja of the casting role with a lot of raid utility that serves to increase damage so that there's still a purpose in bringing them to a team apart from "we need verraise for progression"

[miraidensetsu]

For me, RDM should be the NIN of the casters. Full of utilities, buffs, CCs and so on just to represent better its 'white' side.

About ress, Phoenix Down should be able to be used inside combat, with a 10 seconds cast time and stockpiled at 999. And all those skills that used TP should take its toll on MP, not just some tanks (DRK, PLD), casters and healers.