To be fair, I wouldn't mind low damage as much on machinist if there was actually some utility to justify it.

Dancer has technical step and can pocket a dps, which is especially useful if the dps is really good, Bard has party buffs which I don't need to explain why that's good, and machinist gets low selfish dps that's high enough to beat people who don't entirely understand their class but low enough that any competent non-ranged can outdps you.