Why VPR has no defensive skill?

[CKNovel]

Nah.

Inner release and Delirium are way too close to each other, that's true.

But Melees personal are like Haima and Exaltation. They both protect a target but are widely different on the effect and cooldown.

[Tugei]

Viper has no defensive because of... dragoon

Everyone seems to have forgotten that drg has never had a true defensive skill - it has an evade, something that's actively detrimental in the situations you'd use a defensive for (towers, stacks, and raid-wides)

Because drg exists, and doesn't have a defensive, all forms of unavoidable damage have to be balanced around it. You can't have a mechanic that requires a dps defensive(beyond feint), or that mechanic is un-resolvable with a drg in party

Since they were already forced to make content balanced around drg not having a defensive, there was no mechanical reason viper needed one. So it becomes a pure flavor choice... and having this one-off button actually goes against the "flow state rhythm of fighting" that viper seems to be designed for.

[Lyth]

Last expansion, when RPR was released with Arcane Crest, players argued that a job that provides defensive utility should offer less damage. Unsurprisingly, this time the devs released an offense-focused job without any raid utility. Even if you include role actions, VPR is at the bottom of the list when it comes to healing/shielding output. I think this is personally reasonable decision. The job exists for one thing and one thing alone, doing damage.

I would personally have liked it if the job had a slightly stronger movement toolkit, either in the form of an additional gap extender, or a targetless fixed-distance dash, and I would prioritize that over a defensive tool any day. But if they didn't touch the job at all for the remainder of the expansion I would be content.

[Aco505]

Dragoon has a lot of instant mobility, higher armor and self healing (thought very weak and not flexible...)

DRG doesn't have anything unique when it comes to mobility and defenses besides, perhaps, Elusive Jump that RPR also has access to.

Other jobs have gap closers with charges and the theoretical increased defense of DRG is not inherent to the job but the maiming gear, which RPR also gets.

[CaedemSanguis]

Who cares

If the boss dies fast, there’s no need for mitigation

[Wayfinder3]

I won't lie, this is a legit concern thats strange to not have since every other dps has something but exactly viper

[Aco505]

I won't lie, this is a legit concern thats strange to not have since every other dps has something but exactly viper

DRG doesn't have anything either.

[mallleable]

Because Bloodbath is straight up absolutly busted compared to other Melees, Viper hits fast and hard, everything is physical press RA and bloodbath, watch your hp and dont forget you got the most broken range melee skill in the game guess its some kind of tradeoff

A second charge of Bloodbath would be fun. lol

[Cynric]

I've actually been living my best life with bloodbath over here. Wasn't sure how it would be without any defensive at all but it doesn't bother me even a little bit.

[Kalocin]

It's probably due to viper being like top DPS, trade-offs and all that. Personally all I want is for their dash to just go forward but that might be a bit too OP in their eyes