The problem with Tripling Down on Shadowbringers Job Design

[Mikey_R]

3. I feel like raid buffs are kind of in a spot where some can be removed, Personally If I were to keep buffs I'd keep, Certain things such as Bards consistent buffs, Some 2 minute buffs but also be fine with more 1 minute buffs or single target buffs, I think the key is that not every DPS outside 3 of the different categories needs a damage buff, it's more Unique to be a "selfish DPS" then to be a buff DPS which strikes me as odd... But I think 2 minute meta isn't a massive issue I'd argue DPS is in a fairly good spot, But I would like jobs to be less about just building and spending into the 2 minutes, but I don't think that can be avoided I just think buffs need to be changed in a direction that makes them more interesting then "lol you press button once every two minutes"

Massively culling the 2 minute raid wide buffs would be one of the best things the combat will see. I do fear though that if any sort of temporary raid wide buff were to stay, it would still compel all jobs to try and make use of it and any jobs that don't fit in with that would be left out.

Generally, buffs that are permanent, like Bard's songs or DNC's Standard Step aren't an issue as they buff the whole rotation and not just the burst phase, so there is no ideal window you have to put everything in. This means jobs can be more fluid in how they operate.

It is a tough thing to look at as people will hate getting rid of the raid buffs as it creates that sense of working together, but at the same time, it can also cause issues. The trick will be to balance this fact and the problem currently is it is tipped too far one way.

Just because some of the job is different doesn't mean I can't point out the blatant similarities between jobs. Saying you can paint with a broader or narrower brush does not change the fact that some aspects are extremely similar.

Like saying MNK and NIN has different ways to build their gauge does not change the fact that all the things I mentioned function the same between both. But if you're going to nitpick that Trick Attack is a debuff and Riddle of Fire is a buff, then I cannot help you, I'll just say that I disagree that there's as much difference as you're seeing.

If every job has a 60 second and a 120, you cannot use it to differentiate the jobs. It is similar to me saying, every job has GCDs and oGCDs, therefore they are all the same. Obviously, that isn't a fair thing to say. Once jobs are able to have different timings on things, ie. the design for jobs change so that they don't fit the 60 second and 120 second windows, then you can start using them as a point to say, whilst this job bursts every 40 seconds, this one bursts at every 90 seconds etc. But a trait shared by all isn't something you can use to compare.

Also, technically, Trick Attack and RoF would have differences IF you had encounters that had multiple targets. Ninja can only trick one opponent, and thereby gain damage on that one, whereas Monk gains damage on all enemies due to it being a self buff. Unfortunately, again, encounter design makes this point pointless.