simple way to reduce button bloat without changing gameplay

[Zebraoracle]

Merge:
Blizzard III and High Blizzard II
Blizzard IV and Freeze
Fire III and High Fire II
Despair and Flare
Foul and Xeno
Thunder III and Thunder IV
Ley Lines and Between the Lines

7 buttons saved. Aoe rotations aren't inherently interesting because they are just simplified, shorter snigle target rotations so it's not like you would lose an exciting part of your gameplay.
Especially considering aoe rotations are exclusive to some casual content situations (and not even all, just SOME), like dungeon trash pulls, fates and treasure maps while polishing the universal rotation would mean more interesting gameplay in all types of content, from the MSQ progger or fate farmer to the Ultimate raider.

While I agree AoE rotations aren't super interesting and merging them like that could potentially work, I was referring strictly to the PvP style of "press this one button that changes as you press it" single button combo rotation that people are suggesting. Unless Square is going to map out the absolutely OPTIMAL BLM rotation, I don't see that kind of system ever being applied in PvE lol.

But yeah, there are definitely skills that can be merged to reduce the bloat. There's also the idea of just... revamping the jobs as well, which will probably never happen, because Square is just so in love with the 2 minute burst window idea. As well as healers being button bloat: the role.