Current problems with machinist and being constructive.

[Deceptus]

Step 1: Realize MCH is a "selfish" DPS and adjust them accordingly akin to SAM / BLM. They offer next to no group utility. MCH should be near them in DPS.

Step 2: Wildfire is extremely underwhelming for it's long CD and large setup. Needs to guarantee DH/Crit

Step 3: There's no logical reason that Auto Crossbow doesn't shorten the CD of Ricochet. At all. Heat blast lowers the ST equivalent, Auto Crossbow should shorten it's aoe equivalent.

Step 4: Flamethrower is extremely underwhelming for it's long CD.
Ideas for Improvement:
A) Make it a heat spender with a high enough potency to justify itself. You could have one segment to Flamethrower (higher potency), one segment to heat blast (lower potency).
or
B) Make it a burn DoT

[AirlineFood]

not a bad list, so actually machinist used to do more damage than melee dps with basically no downtime (cept casting time) but the problem became people would just take 2 range into fights over melee I personally do not think that machinist dps should come close to touching melee dps to prevent that kinda meta, however if they keep making the bosses hit boxes the side of the arena and melee having virtually no downtime/positionals then I honestly dont see a problem with making machinist as strong as blm/sam it really depends on how the dev team wants to proceed with future tiers if big hitboxes and no postionals is the meta than yes hard agree.

[ForteNightshade]

Step 1: Realize MCH is a "selfish" DPS and adjust them accordingly akin to SAM / BLM. They offer next to no group utility. MCH should be near them in DPS.

Momo Sama has a very well written explanation for why they can't do this.

In short, because of how SE has set up the Prange role, buffing Machinist up to Black Mage/Samurai levels instantly kills off any reason to ever touch Dancer or Bard. In an average party setting, Machinist actually does decent, albeit still on the low side. Meanwhile, Bard and Dancer are entirely dependent on their party. In other words, a Machinist doing say, current Black Mage damage, is always 100% better in PF than Bard or Dancer purely due to consistency. Not only do either one of them have to be above 90%. The party itself/Dancer Partner also needs to be good. We're starting to see this unfold with the Caster role right now. Black Mage is, objectively, better than both Red Mage and Summoner. What prevents it from dominating is the general difficulty of playing it well and combat raise.

SE has essentially pigeonholed themselves into a corner ever since they introduced Dancer. At this point, they need to simply scrap the whole "selfish" concept from Prange.

[AirlineFood]

@ForteNightshade I hadnt even considered dancer/bard I always say its a bad idea because obviously if u give machinist damage akin to blm/sam who in small hitbox fights or fights with constant movement machinist would out damage them because of it's basically 100% uptime but this also makes a lot of sense.

[Donoman]

Step 1: Realize MCH is a "selfish" DPS and adjust them accordingly akin to SAM / BLM. They offer next to no group utility. MCH should be near them in DPS.

Step 2: Wildfire is extremely underwhelming for it's long CD and large setup. Needs to guarantee DH/Crit

Step 3: There's no logical reason that Auto Crossbow doesn't shorten the CD of Ricochet. At all. Heat blast lowers the ST equivalent, Auto Crossbow should shorten it's aoe equivalent.

Step 4: Flamethrower is extremely underwhelming for it's long CD.
Ideas for Improvement:
A) Make it a heat spender with a high enough potency to justify itself. You could have one segment to Flamethrower (higher potency), one segment to heat blast (lower potency).
or
B) Make it a burn DoT

Also add that we're a selfish dps without any tools (outside of the base kit that is available to everyone) to even help ourselves. No heal, no disengage, no movement speed increase, no shield, nothing.

[Jeeqbit]

Also add that we're a selfish dps without any tools to even help ourselves. No heal, no disengage, no movement speed increase, no shield, nothing.

Second wind, sheathe, sprint and peloton, tactician.

These things help themselves in the ways you described, but they aren't unique to Machinist, so your argument would be better if it said they don't have anything like repelling shot/en avant, warden's paean, battle voice/devilment, song party buffs, nature's minne, dance partner, curing waltz and improvisation.

It's hard to think of a lore reason why a Machinist would provide that sort of utility, but making Wildfire like Mug is a good idea.

[Donoman]

Second wind, sheathe, sprint and peloton, tactician.

These things help themselves in the ways you described, but they aren't unique to Machinist, so your argument would be better if it said they don't have anything like repelling shot/en avant, warden's paean, battle voice/devilment, song party buffs, nature's minne, dance partner, curing waltz and improvisation.

It's hard to think of a lore reason why a Machinist would provide that sort of utility, but making Wildfire like Mug is a good idea.

I'm obviously talking about things outside of the base kit that is available to everyone... But sure I'll edit that to specify. I'm also not talking about group utility, I'm talking about something like Mana Ward, En Avant, Aetherial Maniuplation etc... selfish utility that just makes life easier when dealing with mechanics / screw ups.

[DixieBellOCE]

Step 1: Realize MCH is a "selfish" DPS and adjust them accordingly akin to SAM / BLM. They offer next to no group utility. MCH should be near them in DPS.

Step 2: Wildfire is extremely underwhelming for it's long CD and large setup. Needs to guarantee DH/Crit

Step 3: There's no logical reason that Auto Crossbow doesn't shorten the CD of Ricochet. At all. Heat blast lowers the ST equivalent, Auto Crossbow should shorten it's aoe equivalent.

Step 4: Flamethrower is extremely underwhelming for it's long CD.
Ideas for Improvement:
A) Make it a heat spender with a high enough potency to justify itself. You could have one segment to Flamethrower (higher potency), one segment to heat blast (lower potency).
or
B) Make it a burn DoT

Just make it ignite your bioblaster and deal DoT ontop of the channeled damage... atleast then MCH might have AOE that isnt just 1 button spam.. smh

[Raikai]

Step 1: Realize MCH is a "selfish" DPS and adjust them accordingly akin to SAM / BLM. They offer next to no group utility. MCH should be near them in DPS.

I know some people are iffy about some sort of "complexity tax" (for the harder end), but if as it is today, MCH would be bumped to BLM levels of rdps, it would literally seize DNC and BRD for the phys ranged spot, and people would certainly prefer a full mobile ranged dps with a braindead rotation for the flex spot.

For that to happen, MCH would need a bit more meat and skill ceiling to their gameplay. Well, they have an opportunity in 7.0...

[Ameela]

I know some people are iffy about some sort of "complexity tax" (for the harder end), but if as it is today, MCH would be bumped to BLM levels of rdps, it would literally seize DNC and BRD for the phys ranged spot, and people would certainly prefer a full mobile ranged dps with a braindead rotation for the flex spot.

For that to happen, MCH would need a bit more meat and skill ceiling to their gameplay. Well, they have an opportunity in 7.0...

Just bring back HW Gauss Barrel.