Idea for a new range dps gunner!

[Cetek14]

MCH is not even properly using its gun at 80, just doing flips and "releasing the heat" (i would even say that player Machinist is not related to Ishgardian Machinists).
Machinist needs a serious rework or we need Gunner job to fill the gap. I'm personally starving for similar job since MCH got killed in 4.0.
I would personally choose two handed gun instead of dual guns.

[Cithaerias_pyropina]

MCH is not even properly using its gun at 80, just doing flips and "releasing the heat" (i would even say that player Machinist is not related to Ishgardian Machinists).
Machinist needs a serious rework or we need Gunner job to fill the gap. I'm personally starving for similar job since MCH got killed in 4.0.
I would personally choose two handed gun instead of dual guns.

I agree, something akin to hunting rifles, sniper rifles or old timey muskets (as to keep the fantasy feel) and then give that job a sniper-shot-esque ability that would have a cast time but do a lot of damage. And there you go, an actual gunner/sniper/ranger and not some budget engineer that happens to use a magical 1h gun, or whatever a Machinist's gun could even be called since it acts like a conglomerate aberration of a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol but held very awkwardly in one hand, instead of a wrench.

[Morningstar1337]

I think Guns (even if limited by certain constraints), like staves and Swords are diverse enough to be the weapons of multiple jobs. Specifically...

1. A hunting shotgun would be a Two-handed weapon which intern would be distinct from the Machinist Handgonnes, and fir the mostly fantasy feel of the game
2. The duel pistols is also plausible if unlikely (considering we have no dual wielding sword job yet), of course they will need a different type of handgonne and possibly changes to some MCH weapon like how NIN ensured the chnage of certain PLD weapon
3. Not to mention RWBY has opened the gates for different Gun+melee weapons hybrids to take inspiration (though the iconic Gunblade came from FF first and ways likely part of Monty Oum's) so more options like Gunbreaker are possible

[Morningstar1337]

The issue with BRDisthat the way theArmory system worksmeans that Jobs have to be tied to an actual weapon, and as such BRDneeding soemthing to work with,something that can be sued to realsiitcly deal damage, hence the Bow. The other alternative was making it a Magic DPS or scrapping it in favor of Ranger.

[dinnertime]

A Bard insta-sheathes their bow and pulls a flute and harp out of literally, and I mean literally, nowhere to use Mage's Ballad, Army's Paeon, Wanderer's Minuet, Peloton and maybe Troubadour (I don't pay close enough attention to that ability to know), the harp and flute then disappears into the dark-void and they draw their bow, instantly, to pewpew Heavy Shots. That, to me, screams utter nonsense in the way of visual fluidity and design.

You're talking about a game where flying bears, cats and elephants exist because of the power of believing in yourself. I'd be more concerned in different things.

But yeah, I agree the direction for Bard should've been more Bard-like weapon-wise than being mixed with archery but it's way too late for that. Anyway, that's not what this thread is really about.

[Sylve]

Why not both?
A dual wielding gunner with a Rifle for when things need to be extra dead. Call it a Magitek Gunner. Maybe originate it similar to how MCH was made for common Ishgardians to help fight the Dragons without needing Knight training, perhaps the Ironworks comes up with it to allow regular Domans and Eorzeans to better fight against the Garleans, with the Pistols designed for human targets and the Rifle for mechanized units.

Presently, The only job that has a Main/Offhand weapon is Paladin. With the Shield being required for Shield Bash. So I'd set it up so that we had Dual Pistols for Main Hand with a Rifle for the offhand. They'd drop in sets the way the Paladin stuff does (If the Sword drops, so too does the shield etc).

That'd let you glamor each side separately, while damage is only calculated via the Mainhand so as to prevent item level mismatches making things weird.

I'm thinking we utilize the criminally underused elements of Ice and Thunder. Per the suggestion above, for it to be used by common soldiers, the ammo for the guns would be crafted and handed out similar to how Thancred uses his Gunblade with someone else making the cartridges for him. The player would be able to make them without assistance as needed.

Ice for the Pistols, with the bullets being essentially icicle spikes.
Thunder for the Rifle, Making it somewhat like a Railgun rather than a traditional rifle.

For the gameplay, I'd make it a hybrid between the fast paced nature of MCH and the slow, heavy hitting BLM. To make it somewhat unique, It'd have fast GCDs on the Pistols with no oGCD shots whatsoever.
Filler combo could be something like:
1- Fire a shot from the left pistol. 1.5s recast/GCD
2- Fire a quick burst from the right pistol. 1.5s recast/GCD
3- Shoot a sustained burst from both pistols. 2.5s recast/GCD

AoE could be the MCH's old Grenado Shot (I just really liked that animation >_>)

Using the filler combo would charge Shells to be used in Rifle mode. 1 Shell per the first two shots, with 2 granted by the third. Could hold up to 12 Shells.
Switching to the Rifle itself could be a GCD Cast, something like:
-Fire both pistols on full auto for 3 seconds, switches to Rifle mode when the effect ends. Gives the "Frozen Barrel" debuff, slowing the GCD on Pistol shots for X seconds. (To encourage spending time in Rifle mode before switching back). Switches to Pistol Mode when used in Rifle Mode. Unused Shells are lost. (Encourages using all Shells prior to switching back)

The Rifle would be more akin to the Black Mage. Cast times would be utilized to mimic loading a Shell and taking careful aim (And giving an excuse to have some really hard hitting potencies). Different shots with the Rifle would vary in power based on the number of Shells consumed by the shot.
-Wide Shot: 600 potency cone AoE shot, 3 Shells, 2s cast/2.5s recast.
-Snipe Shot: 400 potency single target, 1 Shell, 2s cast/2.5s recast
-Charged Burst: 700 potency single target, 2 shells, 2.5s cast/6s recast.

The basic idea would be to build Shells in Pistol mode with a fast GCD, then switch to a slower, immobile heavy hitting Rifle mode to spend the Shells before switching back to Pistols.
The reason I'd base it on those Elements instead of regular bullets is due to MCH already being a more physical/mechanical visual experience with a fair bit of Fire theme thrown in with the Heated Shots and Flamethrower.
Wanted to make it more visually distinct and figured using Elements that are barely used by the one job that has them would give us more visual variety with effects in general.

Thats just something that popped into my head after reading this thread at work and thinking about it to pass a few hours of soul crushing boredom.