I thought SE wanted to avoid required jobs for content

[BeserkFury]

I just recently hit 50 and something that I have noticed quite a bit so far is the necessity of some job over others, and this is from a range of content such as preference for WHM for Titan, at least 3-4 bards to run Garuda and the one I run into the most, parties for Ifrit instantly disbanding if no summoner or black mage is present for their LB. Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't one of the design decisions for this game for the classes to stand relatively equal to each other as to avoid another "lolDRG" incident?

[ispano]

I just recently hit 50 and something that I have noticed quite a bit so far is the necessity of some job over others, and this is from a range of content such as preference for WHM for Titan, at least 3-4 bards to run Garuda and the one I run into the most, parties for Ifrit instantly disbanding if no summoner or black mage is present for their LB. Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't one of the design decisions for this game for the classes to stand relatively equal to each other as to avoid another "lolDRG" incident?

Most of that is because players will ALWAYS find an easier way to do things and refuse to do it any other way. There's only so much SE can do to combat it, and the players like that aren't likely to change.

[Synra]

Perhaps...

But also, none of this 35+ content was beta tested. We are doing this stuff for the first time, and while I am liking the challenge of a lot of these boss fights, let's face facts. A lot of them probably need to be adjusted.

I am not 50 yet, so I haven't done any of those things that the 50s have been complaining about, but I can see the problems in the 35-48 dungeons. Some bosses have reasonable difficulty, and then some have some seriously difficult mechanics.

Hopefully 2.1 gets here soon, and hopefully it includes improvements to a lot of boss fights.

[Judge_Hellboy]

Ifrit can easily be done withoutout BLM/SMN LB3. Having that LB3 just makes Ifrit even more easy mode which is what players strive to do when farming it run after run.
SCH are helpful on Titan due to the DPS race on the heart. The extra DoTs really help.

[Reokudo]

3-4 bards for Garuda? What? Only need 1. PLD/BLm/SMN(Only need one BLM or SMN for LB) makes Ifrit cake. SCH makes Titan much less painful with their shield.(Only need one). There's room for any other DPS. My main is DRG and I've gone through all primals already.

[NoctisCaelus]

For Ifrit, I understand one Summoner/Black Mage but Garuda? LOL.

[Krisan]

Ifrit can easily be done withoutout BLM/SMN LB3. Having that LB3 just makes Ifrit even more easy mode which is what players strive to do when farming it run after run.

It is entirely doable. A PUG I had today did it, in fact. It was three Bard's and a Pugilist, two Scholars (myself being one of the two), a Paladin and a Warrior. We were mostly new to the encounter it seemed, so a few people had some issues.. but we indeed got past the nails with a little focus. I will say it was a lot more intense than someone Limit Break burning the nails into oblivion, but that's what makes things fun eh?

Problem is, even OUR group didn't think it was possible to do without a Summoner or Black Mage.. Like, they literally thought it was impossible. I was the only one that said we could probably do it, albeit it might be close. There's a loooooooot of stuff in this game people seem to think is either impossible or crappy if not done a certain way, and that could not be further from the truth.. people just follow the popular trends and assume every other way is worse, or improbable.

[Nayto]

Ifrit can easily be done withoutout BLM/SMN LB3. Having that LB3 just makes Ifrit even more easy mode which is what players strive to do when farming it run after run.

Pretty much this. People wanted that 'combat depth', now that they have it, after doing it JUST ONCE they'll resort to braindead easy mode builds because "nobody's got time for that".

[Shiyo]

Yeah it would be such a fun and exciting game if every class was completely equal in every way so that you could bring 2 of any healer, 2 of any tank, and 4 monks to a raid, right?

I sure would want to play that game!

Stacking a certain class is bad design, but having every class equal is also bad design, you should want a support, a melee DPS, 1 of each tank, one of each healer, and a magic DPS + X for perfect party set up. Are you seriously complaining you need a DPS mage for ifrit and can't just 4 melee DPS zerg it?