Long Post Incoming. I have both jobs at 75 and have for a long time. You name it I have it gear wise.
I'm confused as to why screenshots are used in such an argument.
(1)
The damage formula for all spells are in question are known
(2)
The INT and damage modifiers for all mobs used thus far are known (namely the pudding)
(3)
There is absolutely no variance in magic damage outside of possibly day/weather w/o obi bonus and magic critical hit
Given this, you could really go to excel and and start toying with the formula to determine what damage can be dealt. Also, given that augments can greatly enhance your maximum damage if you're truly decked out, it's faulty to say, back-calculate someone's screenshot and say they are lying because he could easily have a simple +2 MAB augment on like a Prism Cape or something.
All this being said, using damage shots is pointless in a SCH vs. BLM argument. It should be plainly obvious that a BLM will be able to do more per shot in nearly every normal circumstance. If someone "pro-sch" in this argument ever tries to say otherwise they are manipulating numbers or citing an extremely odd situation. "Pro-sch" arguments are almost always based on MP efficiency, not highest damage in 1 nuke.
Regarding MP efficiency, there are numerous ways to make the case for either job depending on how you set up your theoretical situation. Is weather involved? Are you solo or teamed? What are you fighting? Are you going to include obscure, rare gear such as Spirit Lantern? Are you limiting efficiency to 1 pudding fight, an entire HNM fight, or maybe even a 20+ minute fight? Basically, there is no clear, definitive, "slam dunk" calculation that can please everyone in terms of its validity. You can always argue some point. The best you can do in such an argument is clearly establish the situation you wish to calculate from and make your case as to why you chose such a situation as a "standard".
For me personally, discussing this using either BLM/SCH or SCH/BLM is completely absurd unless you are dealing with a "absolute highest damage not considering any other factor" situation. Losing access to Blink and especially Stoneskin is almost crippling in most normal and endgame situations. You may get away with it in a good team, but it is rather hard to argue that you are being more "efficient" in your slot by removing all your defensive capabilities and going "glass cannon". I think if you really wanted to have a good debate you would have to limit this to SCH/RDM (the only "standard" SCH combo) and BLM/RDM or /WHM. Anything outside of this and you're really dealing with abnormal, 'niche' situations, which certainly does not include pudding solo.
Overall, which is 'better' will depend on the event you choose to do. Some events scream BLM (e.g. JoL adds), some events scream SCH (nyzul). The debate thus far seems to focus on soloing puddings, in which case, both can easily chain 5, but have a difficult team getting 6 w/o 2hr (for 2 entirely different reasons - a BLM due to usually MP, a SCH due to usually killing speed). I have both jobs leveled to 75 and I usually solo on BLM, but it's only because it's a more simple job to play and constant SCH JA usage requires you to be more careful of JA-aggro by puddings.
Also, if we were really talking absolute best solo EXP, BLM would win easily simply because pudding camp is no longer the highest EXP/hour yield camp for a BLM (overtaken by Gigas Tiger camp in Xarc[S], which cannot be done by SCH well since it requires 1 shotting - a product of max damage). You can get something like 14k/hour quite easily here based on some blogs on this. It's just an example of how sometimes MP efficiency doesn't trump damage per nuke, though I would still say MP efficiency is usually the most important stat.
So what exactly were we supposed to argue here? Overall which is better? You would have to really go by event to really tell right? The most important thing is to just realize each holds its own strengths and weaknesses and be very aware and -unbiased- as to when 1 may be superior in a given situation.
If I had to pick a side, it would still easily be SCH overall though simply based on the fact that it's a hybrid job. You're arguing BLM vs. 1/2 of SCH and SCH is at the very least holding its own, if not winning. I realize you can't play both sides of SCH at once, but the fact that you can switch in an instant makes it very versatile. Also, most events nowadays (post-CoP era) deal with magic resistant mobs, which limit BLM severely in some cases (e.g. Hydra), or nonstop moving (e.g. Nyzul) so MP efficiency and often native refresh are key. It's simply a much more versatile job and the parts BLM is 'better' are not large enough to overcome this innate versatility.
What holds SCH back is the confusion and difficulty of playing the job. It's a nightmare to maximize without 3rd party and macro aids. If you can't play up to 'theoretical max' due to player or interface limitations, then arguing theory is pointless right?
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