Well one thing that has changed is that steel cyclone doesn't kill Plumes in one hit any longer during the first phase, the ones in second phase have less hp.

Rain of Death
Doomspike
Whirlwind
Ring of Thorns

They all do. The fight was easier back before Steel Cyclone and Collusion were nerfed. It is more work for the bards now definitely, and I find it helpful to have a dragoon in the party. But if you can avoid a third jump and people take care of their adds the AF is nothing to worry about even if you leave one pillar unattended for 2/3 plume spawns due to timers on single hit AOE weaponskills.