matchuu said:
Thats the case of mages and tanks but when its a contact DD that requires no skill then its gear > skill
Theres varying levels of skill required per job in this game. Point is, there's the lazy contact DD that does good just cause of their gear, then there's the amazing contact DD that does good cause they know what they're doing.
(I like to use examples, sorz):
My buddy was relating to me how he plays his WAR. Anyway. Whereas a WAR/NIN would just auto attack and WS everytime it's up, he has a creative technique here. He gets TP using a g.axe, then does a Break skill (lowering defense or whatever, I *think* g.axe has a defense break skill?), meditating to 100 TP again using /SAM sub and then blowing down a huge Steel Cyclone.
WAR itself is a simple class to play. But in the above example my friend takes the class furthur by using it's abilities to furthur evolve himself as a skilled player. Whereas a WAR who got a riddil and all kinds of great gear can do good just autoattacking and WS'ing every now and then. But this, of course, just represents the most basic of contact DD's.
DRK is one melee DD that requires a lot more skill. In addition to being a burst DD, you have the responsibility of Stunning potentially dangerous monster TP skills or spells, and DRKs get stun earlier than any other class, meaning you would be the FIRST to need to get used to Stunning as a role in a party. Also, making good use of the Absorb skills and keeping your MP up without refresh are all important techniques to master your class, all while dishing out heavy damage. You can't just get the most expensive gear possible, then go leave your DRK on auto attack while you go make a sammich. Even furthur, you could help your party loads by pulling, and pulling with status bolts or using bolts to increase party efficiency.
So yes, among some of the jobs where gear and skill are in a smaller gap, WAR MNK and maybe THF (this one's kind of out there, since the player really has to be able to coordinate with other players and understand hate transfer and management, but it requires 50% on the part of the people he/she parties with.)... the rest, really require more skill, and have a wider gap between the two.