Why do the devs hate MCH so much?

[Raven2014]

And Raven2014, Id like to know what utility/support mch brings to the party? Tactician? Their one and only buff that can not stack with dancer and bards shield. Your example of SMN, has their carbuncle shields, their phoenix support abilities, rez and physick they have more support/utility than mch. Also with how simplified SMN is now, its almost as mobile as Prang. And while Mch doesnt have to directly get into melee they do have to get just outside of melee range for 3 of their AOEs to hit. The devs pretty much stripped mch of their flavor/identity/and support away.

I think you mis-addressed, I wasn't the one who want to to add ultility to MCH. In fact, I'm against it. I only bring up SMN as a parity comparision, but I don't want MCH to get more support ability. I want MCH to stay as a selfish Phys-range-DPS, 'cause that's still a subrole we don't have. The reason I focus on mobility is because if MCH want higher number, they'll need to give something in return, and mobility is about the only thing they have that can be put up for bargaining.

Something like giving MCH a new set of DPS oriented ability like this:

- Encampment: take 3 GCD to set up, the MCH plop down a gun encampment (could be a heavy MG, could be a gatlink, or even an auto cannon, the cooler the better). Once set up, all ability is changed (comestically) to match the regular rotation. The MCH receive a buff (could be potency, could be haste) as long as they use the encampment. Of course, the MCH can't move.

- Decamp: take half a GCD. The MCH abandon (or disassemble) the encampment and resume full mobility, and can attack as normal. The MCH will have to use another 3 GCD to set up if they want to use the encampment again.

- Displace: take half a GCD. Instead of abandon (or dissemble), the MCH try to haul the set up with him/her. In this mode, they suffer the heavy debuff that affects their movement accordingly. They also can not make any attack. However, once in safety, they only need to spend another half GCD to plop down the encampment and start blasting again (instead of 3 full GCD for a full re-setup). This is to encourage the MCH don't just plop the encampment down anywhere, but place it strategically similarly to how BLM would decide to place their leyline.

- Hustle: remove the heavy debuff under Displace mode for 3 seconds, allowing the MCH to move at normal speed while carrying their encampment. Basically a penalty bypass similar to Triple Cast and True North, but come in limited availability and have to be determined when it is best used.


There is, of course a less elaborate way to do this, but the idea is the same: cut down their mobility, give it another strategic/decision making layer to improve output rather than trying to achieve simple parity by just giving the job some random utility "because other classes have it too". If you had read or remember my posts from other thread, I care about class identity and the thematic value of its kit, balance is not just a parity game for the shake of parity to me.

Of course, the math and balance will have to be worked out (again, not my job in case anyone want to ask further). But with this, I think it would be ok to let MCH's number to catch up to SAM, at least in fights without a lot of large/frequent movement, while in a fight that do, of course the melee should have the advantage.