if all you guys considered RDM balanced back in the day when it was able to solo genbu then i'm not surprised why barely anyone is concerned now.
Well its because there's nothing really all that special about how HOW RDM solo's. It uses it's key trait of Fast Cast to create a very strong defensive front with Utsusemi. It's just a good combo that puts SE in an awkward corner if they ever wanted to try to fix it. They'd have to either nerf Utsu and make it Blink (Rioting in the streets from NINs) or nerf RDM's Fast Cast or Fast Cast cap in general (Rioting in the streets from basically everyone that casts anything). So this basically puts any target that doesn't swing a thousand times or spams AoEs right on RDM's plate. Anything else would require different means of killing that aren't remotely as reliable. Soloing Genbu wasn't a concern because it wasn't a very important or difficult NM back at 75 and also that was one of the only NMs anyone cared about that RDM had good odds of fighting, and even then it was still kited. So yeah, you got it... 20 minutes later.. lol Soloing is cool but not when it takes forever.
SMN always had a super strong 2/1 hour but now (even after nerf for new content) everyone and their mom is still crying for SMN nerf. double standards much?
This is due to the absolute cheese that more or less stone-walls anyone wanting to make an Aeonic or do VD Ambuscade and it's not SMNs fault, its the lazy playerbase. SMN's SPs can allow it to pump out damage equal to a DD's SP but with near-zero risk of death or TP spam from the target NM or crazy Enmity issues. You literally grab a Tank, a GEO and/or COR and 3 SMNs, pop the NM or enter the Ambu, pop SPs and that's nearly a default win. That's pretty busted or at the very least much too easy to exploit. The people crying for SMN nerfs are the ones that are either too lazy to make actual groups OR are completely fed up with dealing with random players. Either way, I can't really blame them :(
Also, rdm is very op and lol for thinking its in a ok spot.. its *** broken as *** right now... And I enjoy abusing it...
I mean I'm a RDM, was my first job in fact but there's a hard argument to call it OP when there are few things that really cement it into the group setups. Most fights will not need Distract and Frazzle to hit Acc checks and Slow/Para are BEAUTIFUL but largely don't impact fight performance unless using a NIN tank. It's lovely but will your RUN/PLD really care if the mob is Slow/Para'd? They most definitely
should but I've literally never heard a tank yell out "I think slow wore off". RDM makes fights easier but most often the fights are already easy to begin with so there's no concrete demand for it unless in cases where you need Silence or Blind or Dispel. And that's classically situational.
It can't heal as well as a WHM and I don't think as well as a SCH for that matter.
It can Nuke fairly well but not as well as a BLM. Can actually Magic Burst impressively well but not as well as BLM and even then Magic Burst strategies probably wont see major circulation again until SE removes the Magic Burst Damage limitations.
It barely beats out Sword-COR for DPS especially when it's actually doing its job and casting frequently so unless you are employing a Zero-TP strategy there's little to be gained here. You can maximize for DPS but then your group will suffer when you neglect your duties.
RDM has 15-20min Enhancing spells, Distract/Frazzle and Dia III. This allows it to Lower pDIF, haste and enhance Acc for the party. Buuuuut GEO (usually) deals with pDIF much better and BRD handles Haste/Acc with ease so there's not much demand here. If you're doing alliance play, no problem; RDM gets Hastes and BRD uses more offensive songs, done deal. But when dealing with limited party sizing such as Ambuscade or HTBF? Squeezing the RDM in might not be ideal. The most common 6-man setup I'd use for generic fights with the way the game is right now is Tank, WHM, GEO, BRD, COR, DD. Or if Enfeebs are mandatory, Tank, WHM, GEO, RDM, COR, DD.
I'm just not seeing anything RDM has to make it broken. It's flexible to be sure but so is BLU, DNC, BRD, SCH and PUP. It just doesn't bring anything to the table that you need all the time. Now if SE made a way for Temper to be cast onto others? Game over, RDM will be the most ***'d out *** this game has ever seen. But until then? It's good but I wont think twice about passing it when I don't need it lol. There's not much really to abuse here.