Funny how the BRD bashing began and stopped----> dead tread until someone necroed...

Yes, BRD seemed like an OP class, but once the serious game began:

single target:
1.MNK
2.BLM
3.BRD or SMN
4.DRG

Not too many brave enough to put this up, or test it, but I have witnessed some experiments with MRD that could challenge spots 2 or 3 for single target damage, given the fight doesn't take too long (huge burst with cds popped, strings of 1200+ crits, 4-5 in a row, may do for a great pvp dps spec) that's with DRG/MNK ilvl60 gear and Titan's axe.

AOE:
1.BLM or SMN
2.BRD
the rest fall on bonus damage for 1 and 2.