Does FF14 have a button bloat problem?

[Xaruko_Nexume]

Some jobs feel like they have the perfect number of buttons while others are a bit overwhelming. I gave up on Ninja at lvl 70 because there were just more abilities than I could conveniently keybind so playing it felt like a game of twisters with my fingers (and with some early sings of arthritis developing in my hands, that's not a good thing). I decided to try machinist instead since it has less buttons overall and I've been having a blast. White Mage is also in a good spot for me button wise.

Part of me wishes all the jobs had an equal number of abilities similar to that of MCH or WHM, but I also understand how a greater variety can appeal to a wider audience. Ninja seems to be an incredibly popular job so I imagine those who enjoy the class as it is wouldn't be too happy to see it pruned.

I hit 71 last night on my MCH and got the green AOE DOT ability. The name escapes me. I just felt like "really? another Aoe? I already had four."

[Reimmi]

Nah i think the buttons in this game are just right actually, other than a few having not enough (MCH, dancer, red mage to name a few)

[Shironeko_Narunyan]

I agree, there are a lot of skills that do the same thing and don't add anything. Yet another oGCD, yet another AOE, yet another single target nuke/hit. I'm all for builders/spenders and balancing the system, like BLM back in the day, with occasional procs, or combos you alternate, but then, the skills involved need to be unique in what they do.
White Mage is a perfect example of this. Tons of buttons that do the exact same thing.

[Deceptus]

Yes and it could easily be solved by traits.

BLM: Why does Blizz 2 and Freeze both exist? Just have B2 trait into Freeze. Same with Fire 2 and Flare. Once you get flare, there's no reason to ever use F2 again.

Almost every job has some example of this.

[Shironeko_Narunyan]

I like the combo system in PVP. If you have a 1-2-3 combo, the same button switches from 1 to 2 to 3.
There's a plugin that does this thing, but I think I shouldn't have to install it to fit all my stuff on my bars.

Samurai is a nightmare in that regard, and while they removed 2 buttons for EW, they also added a bunch of new ones, so there's no real change.

[Lexis]

I hit 71 last night on my MCH and got the green AOE DOT ability. The name escapes me. I just felt like "really? another Aoe? I already had four."

I'm assuming you're talking about Bio Blaster, which is a lvl 72 ability. Either way, I feel like each of the Machinist's AoE ability serves its own purpose as opposed to playing whack-a-button where you just mindlessly poke everything that comes off cooldown. Bioblaster is a DoT, Flamethrower a stationary channel (that you have to try and time so that you won't have to move and interrupt it), Spread Shot is the spamming button, Ricochet the OGC button and then there's Auto Crossbow, the one you can only use when Overheating. They all feel satisfying to use in their own way to me but, of course, mileage may vary from one individual to another

I guess I'm still in the honeymoon phase when it comes to Machinist, just can't get enough of it ^^

[Asari5]

i guess they could do it pvp like.... all skills of a combo on one button. but then... the next step would be to merge all skills of that one combo into one skill which does the same dmg as the vombo on average. i mean why not? you're pushing the same button anyway. more skills will just make it more complicated. we have to streamline everything

and the aoe's? just give us only one aoe with more dmg... on every job.

[TaleraRistain]

Yes and it could easily be solved by traits.

BLM: Why does Blizz 2 and Freeze both exist? Just have B2 trait into Freeze. Same with Fire 2 and Flare. Once you get flare, there's no reason to ever use F2 again.

Almost every job has some example of this.

I like the trait idea. I also wish we could have some way to swap from single target to AoE but use the same buttons instead of another set. Though it would have to keep in mind instances where there are more AoE than single target. Just something where I could streamline that transition a bit more would be nice. I love Ninja, for instance, but I feel like you have to be an octopus to play it. And I love DRG but it has some button bloat going on, too.

[Deceptus]

I like the trait idea. I also wish we could have some way to swap from single target to AoE but use the same buttons instead of another set. Though it would have to keep in mind instances where there are more AoE than single target. Just something where I could streamline that transition a bit more would be nice. I love Ninja, for instance, but I feel like you have to be an octopus to play it. And I love DRG but it has some button bloat going on, too.

All melee jobs could very easily take the pvp combo system and implement it, every single one. Even Monk if Demolish and snap punch had their positionals changed. Demolish should be part of the flank buffing cycle (Dragon > Twin Snakes > Demolish) followed by 2 cycles of Rear attack cycle (Bootshine > True Strike > Snap Punch). It literally lines up perfectly.

[Nihility]

have a bit of nerve damage so i can't be as twitchy as i'd like

perfect for me would be 10 or less heavy use buttons, 10 or less light/medium use buttons, and some sidebar stuff that's not really for constant active use
Can only really play warrior for the top tier content atm but new summoner looks like 'fell cleave: the class' so quite excited for that