Maybe RDM need....

[Capn_Goggles]

Anybody who thinks Red Mage is a super easy job fundamentally doesn't understand that just because a job is easy to play on a basic level (spam thunder, aero until proc, cast procs, use buffs, balance out mana for 80/100) doesn't mean there isn't a thousand tiny little ways to optimize it. I'm not going to claim Red Mage is total galaxy-brain in execution, but it's not as cut and dry as something like BLM where the obvious way to optimize it is to move less and cast your biggest spells as often as physically (magically) possible.

[Mansion]

Anybody who thinks Red Mage is a super easy job fundamentally doesn't understand that just because a job is easy to play on a basic level (spam thunder, aero until proc, cast procs, use buffs, balance out mana for 80/100) doesn't mean there isn't a thousand tiny little ways to optimize it. I'm not going to claim Red Mage is total galaxy-brain in execution, but it's not as cut and dry as something like BLM where the obvious way to optimize it is to move less and cast your biggest spells as often as physically (magically) possible.

Optimization an gameplay are separate things. During one of those early Live Letters, there was this strange "Job difficulty will change with player skill" or something along those lines, which makes sense in most jobs. Optimization is something any god player is working towards, based on job rotation, buff synergies and individual fight mapping. There's no arguing with this, and I personally think it's a good thing to have some room for improvement.

But then, optimizing is still finite at some point, and while I won't say RDM is braindead easy in every respect, I'm pretty sure it's the easiest of the Ranged DPS at level 80. Proc management requires a bit more planning on BLM and reactivity / decision making on BRD. RDM procs are longer, more comfortable to work around.
Movement is easier than BLM and SMN (especially because it's kind of clunky for the latter), movement tools have little room for efficient use because it's damage so it boils down to "use before you lose". And now Reprise is a supplementary tool for last resort. (physical ranged are not comparable here, but BLM has to carefully consider its movement tools / pre-positionning and SMN has to hope Trances line up with movement phases somehow )
Mana overcapping and Manafiation use are not that hard as people want to make it sound like.
There is no weaving bloat with less oGCDs to use and virtually one GCD out of two available for these. (compared to SMN, BRD)

Once again, I'm not saying it's braindead easy. But it's easier than most ranged jobs. In that respect, I'm not surprised to see RDM on the lower end (not lowest!) of ranged DPS. Not by today's altered standards of course, because the figures make no sense right now.