Dps roles identity

[Valence]

People (and the devs) always forget that BRD and MCH, while having an easier time with no uptime issues, also have a harder time with actual movement (mobility) with no gap closers or teleports of any sort, which in the current heavy DDR model that's only getting more and more slanted toward that kind of gameplay over time, means that this tends to leave them with zero margin for error, most notably figuring something out too late, unlike other roles that can just recover from that kind of issue. For some mechanics on those jobs, you need to be on point especially in hard content.

[AmiableApkallu]

The DPS role, as a whole, doesn't have an identity because dealing damage is simply the default thing you do when you have nothing better to be doing. Admittedly, much of the problem at this level is that encounter mechanics leave tanks and healers with too much time on their hands that they can devote to dealing damage.

The DPS sub-roles don't have an identity because encounter mechanics simply don't care to value them. The sub-roles limp along only because of the 1% party bonus and forced-spread mechanics.

[mallleable]

I think roles should follow simple, and broad architypes.

Melee DPS = Fighters
Magical Ranged = Mages
Physical Ranged = Marksmen

(Yeah, I know 'fighters' can encompass some tank responsibilities in other games, but I think tanks should fulfill the 'Vanguard' role.)

Individual job gameplay, and now we should also consider potential quest dynamics should be able to point towards these architypes. We can now ask questions like what does it mean for the hero (the player) to be a mage? Or how do we make BRD a better marksman?

[Raikai]

People (and the devs) always forget that BRD and MCH, while having an easier time with no uptime issues, also have a harder time with actual movement (mobility) with no gap closers or teleports of any sort, which in the current heavy DDR model that's only getting more and more slanted toward that kind of gameplay over time, means that this tends to leave them with zero margin for error, most notably figuring something out too late, unlike other roles that can just recover from that kind of issue. For some mechanics on those jobs, you need to be on point especially in hard content.

Now that you mentioned, that's really true. BRD does have a leap back, but it's as unreliable as trying to use RDM's displacement to jump back into a correct spot. It's ironic how BLM's Aetherial Manipulation is one of the best movement resources in the game if you have somebody reliable to teleport to. And in a ridiculously low recast time at that.

Also, idk if it's intentional but En Avant does have a slight animation delay that no other dash has, and that may mess you up if you decide to time it right on top of the second.

[Carighan]

Now that you mentioned, that's really true. BRD does have a leap back, but it's as unreliable as trying to use RDM's displacement to jump back into a correct spot. It's ironic how BLM's Aetherial Manipulation is one of the best movement resources in the game if you have somebody reliable to teleport to. And in a ridiculously low recast time at that.

BLM has always be a babies-first-job design for movement mechanics, even before the rework - which is also why it factually changed so little about how and when you press which button. Triplecast instant cast spells but still normal swiftcast on top? Sure. Teleport to other players but also back to your circle? Of course. Redraw the circle? Yeah throw that on top, sure. Self-shield but also a whole bloody sequence-reset button for your cycle. Sure that's the equivalent of a tank self-resurrecting after having already died but yeah sure, let's give BLMs that, too.

For supposedly always being the "omg I'm so tough to play"-caster, they sure got all the tools that remove difficulty consistantly, including a barrage of instant-cast abilities and modifiers that'd make a physical ranged DPS blush at times.

And the delays are a universal problem, not only because they differ per ability (consider the delay in TBN vs the other short CDs for tanks!), but also because other games have netcode. I mean, netcode that isn't a joke an old network dev played at SQEX's expense and now nobody knows how to fix it. It's ridiculous we get this delay on ~everything just because they're unwilling to fix it, the same delay also forced bad class design because everything has to be "slow GCDs + oGCD weaving", a design so limited and so outdated it reminds me of being back in EQ1 at times. I guess I ought to be happy I don't need to sit down and open the spellbook to regenerate mana mid-fight?