So...is the Ranged Role gone? Are we in a Reverse HW?

[Karshan]

There are plenty of valid reasons:

1) access to the single most powerful damage mitigation tool available to a dps job;
2) total and unconditional mobility, which comes in handy to deal with some mechanics and to ease the burden on other less mobile party members;
3) simple rotations to learn and execute, with close to no punishment for mistakes (MCH and DNC are basically braindead and with BRD the worst thing that could happen is failing to refresh dots with iron jaws, not a big deal);
4) full uptime in any possible scenario.

The role bonus ensures that the marginal rdps contibution of a ranged physical job is more or less on par with the rdps of other melees and casters, so that having one and only one physical ranged dps is optimal.
This is how it should be, given the aforementioned strenghts of physical ranged jobs. Of course, it's not like they can't buff them a little, as long as they don't overdo it...but even now, ranged are ok. You still want one in you party.

1) But only one, since the rest is gone, and it is not so ground breaking either
2) very true (except when you're yourself out of range, but in that case the melee would be as well so fully agree).
3) I'm sorry, melee rotations are not a brain twister either... Don't make it look like ranged rota is a breathe in the park while monk or dragoon are complex cluster of what the fuckery...it is not true and they're pretty straightforward.
4) fully agree, although this reflects in rDPS measured by fflogs. If they didn't have that mobility, they'd be even lower. Already taken into account.

Doesn't equate 1500 rDPS (may I remind that rDPS is measured, not paper based, so all of this is taken into account ALREADY, and still they're far behind).

I think it has more to do with what you said in your last paragraph : the matter is not at all about not taking one, it is that SE fears we always take 2 like it was in heavensward. But there are 4 spots, 3 roles ; we'll always have to take 2 of one, and right now it's never gonna be range. Note how a lot less people question the 2 melee spots. I'm glad BLM i strong and they buffed SMN and RDM so that 2 melee can have a little competition with 2 caster.