Direction of Bard?

[Estellios]

Bard is a fine DD and you help the whole party's damage with the various songs, as well as being able to pinch heal/raise. You help raise the party's offense and defense. It feels like an extension of Archer without completely taking a huge 180 with it. Not that your ideas aren't good or anything but I would much prefer for them to branch off a new base class that is based on that and catered to a playstyle like that.

"Pure" support classes are nice in theory but end up extremely overpowered/necessary (FF11 brd) or totally useless. Spreading around the Support abilities among different classes makes sure everyone needs to work together and can bring different things to the table, as well as making sure you are kept busy when all buffs or debuffs are said and done.

That's honestly why I'm enjoying WHM and BRD so much in this game compared to 11 because if the fight is going fine i can contribute with damage instead of standing there doing nothing.