Given the backlash that has been shown in regards to the Ranged Role due to SMN's upbringing this patch, we need to take a look at what's wrong with the role as well as look at the other applicable roles and understand why they're more desirable as a job than a Physical Ranged Job.
The Physical Ranged Role has generally been an issue since 5.05 due to the discrepancy in DPS and utility, since SE wanted to attempt to reduce the amount of raid synergies available; however, the new issue is that SE has severely imbalanced their jobs with the changes and QoL they did in Patch 5.1. By reducing BRD's DoTs, they effectively neutered its DPS since a majority of its damage comes from those DoTs being up 100% of the time with Snapshotting buffs being very important to BRD in the long-run with Iron Jaws. Still, they have issues with Apex Arrow, the capstone AoE skill that's focused on Repertoire gain, mainly because it's a very, very disappointing capstone that doesn't have a good payoff at 100 gauge. In the time it takes the gauge to charge, you would already have done way over the potency you would've gotten from Apex Arrow(even Refulgent does AT LEAST OVER HALF). If they had just about doubled or made Apex Arrow 1,000 potency with falloff damage, it would've placed BRD in a better spot in 5.05.
For the likes of DNC and MCH, the potency increases were helpful, but barely did much at all since the DPS Gap is still high enough to where it's only the 1% Damage that's just keeping the entire Ranged role in raid. Given that Yoshida said that player skill was to be valued over jobs, this is not being upheld due to the arguments of both the substantial DPS, utility, and buffs SMN brings to the raid. Though, this isn't necessarily about SMN; we need to take a look back at 5.05 and look at the DPS Gaps.
Everyone that was a Ranged DPS or Caster was trying to figure out why the hell BLM got TWO spots instead of just one; the reason why? It was because its damage went through the roof in Shadowbringers and actually got to become an actual selfish DPS like it's supposed to be. The downside? The damage difference was too high for both the Caster and Ranged Roles. We're talking at least 1,000-2,000 rDPS just because BLM has the best aDPS.
The other reason why Ranged DPS is so low is supposedly because of "utility tax". Let's check the utility count shall we?
MCH - 1; Tactician.
BRD - 2; Nature's Minne and Troubadour, plus BRD Song Buffs.
DNC - FIVE - Standard/Tech Step(5% Damage), Curing Waltz, Shield Samba, Improvisation(+10% Healing)
MCH is the strongest aDPS in the Ranged role while DNC is the best rDPS in the role, which is justified, but if you check the numbers, All Ranged are at the bottom in terms of rDPS. Why is this?
Taking data from top rDPS contributions in Voidwalker since it's the dummy fight:
Casters
BLM: 17,485
SMN: 16,485
RDM: 15,871
Ranged
MCH: 14,990
BRD: 14,851
DNC: 15,700
The difference between the Ranged and Casters is very large mainly because of utility. RDM suffers from this issue as well due to how Raise is basically part of its 'utility', when it barely gets used in speedruns; what's worse, their buff is heavily comp dependent on them being the only Caster. In MCH's case, they just don't do enough damage to be able to be considered except when only thinking about that "1% Role Buff".
In fact, MCH should be doing close to around what both DRG and MNK are pulling right now given it's a rather selfish DPS that only uses Tactician instead of being near the bottom. BRD suffers from SE being scared we're going to wind up with a Heavensward comp again or with it dominating the Ranged Role(which in reality, they never will given DNC is here with a lot of rDPS). DNC suffers only because its rDPS isn't high enough to compete with the likes of a caster like SMN, even though it feels wholly balanced in its current form(just needs QoL tweaks on Improvisation).
We still have a gap of at least 1,000 rDPS from both BRD and MCH respectively to 2/3rds of the Caster Role. Another thought is the free mobility tax on top of the utility tax. Being able to move during mechanics and still maintain rotation has been a crux of the Ranged role since ARR and excluding HW, but the balance becomes an issue when a job(SMN, in this case) receives proper QoL for being a very busy caster(almost NIN busy in 5.05) and damage potency buffs on top of it just because Egi Assault becomes GCD.
With SMN being able to Egi Assault for movement now, it heavily chips into the Ranged Role's niche of being mobile for just about anything due to those two Spells having two charges on a recast of 30s. If SMN has large outputs in damage yet the MCH doesn't have as much, how is a decent balance to be achieved? This is a mistake yet again which is extremely familiar from 4.1 when they buffed SMN too much that it kicked BLM out of parties; except this time it's getting ready to lock out an entire role.
If they're to fix this, they need to consider the following changes:
- Reverting BRD back to its original DoT potency, and improving Apex Arrow's payoff for charge time potency(weak atm).
- Increasing MCH's DPS so it can be a viable choice when pitted against a Caster like SMN(as well as being within a decent range of BRD) along with QoL fixes to ping reliance when it comes to Heat Blast during Hyperdrive for easier performance.
- Adjusting RDM's raid buff to where it cancontribute meaningfully regardless of comp.(Not Ranged, I know, but it's been an issue since Stormblood)
- Fixing DNC's Improvisation for consistent Esprit Gains akin to SAM's Meditate.
That's all I have for feedback. I'm open for discussion and understanding.
Continue reading...
The Physical Ranged Role has generally been an issue since 5.05 due to the discrepancy in DPS and utility, since SE wanted to attempt to reduce the amount of raid synergies available; however, the new issue is that SE has severely imbalanced their jobs with the changes and QoL they did in Patch 5.1. By reducing BRD's DoTs, they effectively neutered its DPS since a majority of its damage comes from those DoTs being up 100% of the time with Snapshotting buffs being very important to BRD in the long-run with Iron Jaws. Still, they have issues with Apex Arrow, the capstone AoE skill that's focused on Repertoire gain, mainly because it's a very, very disappointing capstone that doesn't have a good payoff at 100 gauge. In the time it takes the gauge to charge, you would already have done way over the potency you would've gotten from Apex Arrow(even Refulgent does AT LEAST OVER HALF). If they had just about doubled or made Apex Arrow 1,000 potency with falloff damage, it would've placed BRD in a better spot in 5.05.
For the likes of DNC and MCH, the potency increases were helpful, but barely did much at all since the DPS Gap is still high enough to where it's only the 1% Damage that's just keeping the entire Ranged role in raid. Given that Yoshida said that player skill was to be valued over jobs, this is not being upheld due to the arguments of both the substantial DPS, utility, and buffs SMN brings to the raid. Though, this isn't necessarily about SMN; we need to take a look back at 5.05 and look at the DPS Gaps.
Everyone that was a Ranged DPS or Caster was trying to figure out why the hell BLM got TWO spots instead of just one; the reason why? It was because its damage went through the roof in Shadowbringers and actually got to become an actual selfish DPS like it's supposed to be. The downside? The damage difference was too high for both the Caster and Ranged Roles. We're talking at least 1,000-2,000 rDPS just because BLM has the best aDPS.
The other reason why Ranged DPS is so low is supposedly because of "utility tax". Let's check the utility count shall we?
MCH - 1; Tactician.
BRD - 2; Nature's Minne and Troubadour, plus BRD Song Buffs.
DNC - FIVE - Standard/Tech Step(5% Damage), Curing Waltz, Shield Samba, Improvisation(+10% Healing)
MCH is the strongest aDPS in the Ranged role while DNC is the best rDPS in the role, which is justified, but if you check the numbers, All Ranged are at the bottom in terms of rDPS. Why is this?
Taking data from top rDPS contributions in Voidwalker since it's the dummy fight:
Casters
BLM: 17,485
SMN: 16,485
RDM: 15,871
Ranged
MCH: 14,990
BRD: 14,851
DNC: 15,700
The difference between the Ranged and Casters is very large mainly because of utility. RDM suffers from this issue as well due to how Raise is basically part of its 'utility', when it barely gets used in speedruns; what's worse, their buff is heavily comp dependent on them being the only Caster. In MCH's case, they just don't do enough damage to be able to be considered except when only thinking about that "1% Role Buff".
In fact, MCH should be doing close to around what both DRG and MNK are pulling right now given it's a rather selfish DPS that only uses Tactician instead of being near the bottom. BRD suffers from SE being scared we're going to wind up with a Heavensward comp again or with it dominating the Ranged Role(which in reality, they never will given DNC is here with a lot of rDPS). DNC suffers only because its rDPS isn't high enough to compete with the likes of a caster like SMN, even though it feels wholly balanced in its current form(just needs QoL tweaks on Improvisation).
We still have a gap of at least 1,000 rDPS from both BRD and MCH respectively to 2/3rds of the Caster Role. Another thought is the free mobility tax on top of the utility tax. Being able to move during mechanics and still maintain rotation has been a crux of the Ranged role since ARR and excluding HW, but the balance becomes an issue when a job(SMN, in this case) receives proper QoL for being a very busy caster(almost NIN busy in 5.05) and damage potency buffs on top of it just because Egi Assault becomes GCD.
With SMN being able to Egi Assault for movement now, it heavily chips into the Ranged Role's niche of being mobile for just about anything due to those two Spells having two charges on a recast of 30s. If SMN has large outputs in damage yet the MCH doesn't have as much, how is a decent balance to be achieved? This is a mistake yet again which is extremely familiar from 4.1 when they buffed SMN too much that it kicked BLM out of parties; except this time it's getting ready to lock out an entire role.
If they're to fix this, they need to consider the following changes:
- Reverting BRD back to its original DoT potency, and improving Apex Arrow's payoff for charge time potency(weak atm).
- Increasing MCH's DPS so it can be a viable choice when pitted against a Caster like SMN(as well as being within a decent range of BRD) along with QoL fixes to ping reliance when it comes to Heat Blast during Hyperdrive for easier performance.
- Adjusting RDM's raid buff to where it cancontribute meaningfully regardless of comp.(Not Ranged, I know, but it's been an issue since Stormblood)
- Fixing DNC's Improvisation for consistent Esprit Gains akin to SAM's Meditate.
That's all I have for feedback. I'm open for discussion and understanding.
Continue reading...