Never met you. Feel most anyone working on this project takes themselves fairly seriously and all have good intentions. Understanding the 'why' behind a change is amazing, most of the time.Now the DPS classes with M2 bombs are equal, that is one way to understand how "balance" works out.
If you want to now make proposal that SW (with already very good ranged arsenal) should get some kind of high dmg dealing ranged nuke morale finisher akin to Engi M3, go for it - engi pays for it by lacking a M2 aoe dmg morale.
Other solution could also be to simply nerf OP as M2 and make it just ST but return it to 100 feet, in case SWs feel like they do not want to be equal in access to M2 bomb morales alongside other dps classes.
Or as someone pointed above about "SW being support", maybe they could have OP replaced with Engi -20% dmg reduction morale so they can be a proper support class.
You know what's been awesome about this game compared to tons of others? Each faction has mirrors, but they are by far, not the same! Over time, some mirror classes have had abilities become more similar, tactics that have been changed to do the same as the other classes, and even mastery's have been adjusted. With all this change making things more similar is there still imbalance? Yes. There will always be imbalance. Some players with determination will find the best possible heal spec, damage spec, tank spec, group composition, in general the best which becomes the meta. Then that in a specific context, it can be seen as over powered or even 'broken.' So more changes are made. This is a constant cycle. Regardless of changes; until each faction has the exact same classes (different names but same exact abilities/tactics/morals/mastery paths), there will be imba followed by changes followed by imba in an endless cycle.
You are right, for more hard core players SW's are pretty close to inferior to others that could fill the same role of either rdps or mdps. They are not going to put out as much damage as other higher end damage dealing classes. SW brings its spammable heal debuff, leading shots, group ap regeneration increase, along with potential utility (through mastery paths and core aoe snare) while most of the time, at range, not being a heavy liability on healers.
I don't know if this is where the dev team wants to go. But with this change of 'lets make all the same' regardless if there was any imba in the game, or any feedback to support the want/need for a change....seems to be coming from the train of thought 'if more is the same then its easier to balance or is more balanced.'
I have seen from you, no specific reason to change this M2 for SW (besides the idea of 'lets make them all the same because if more is the same, then its easier to balance or is more balanced). Where is the supporting evidence of an imba or abuse? Why is 100ft range that special? Is it even used at 100ft that often compared to shorter ranges anyways? If left at 100ft it is equal to M2 bomb morals of other dps classes, but also allows me to use it from a keep wall!
I would not want to induce resentment in a part of the population, over something that if left alone, wouldn't have made much of a difference in game. Now other players will see that their classes, at least their morals, are susceptible to the same treatment via your train of thought.
"Now the DPS classes with M2 bombs are equal, that is one way to understand how 'balance' works out." Please explain variables that balance out? Are all play-styles and spec's the same (along with survive-ability and viability of using the given moral with the type of playstyle/spec)? NO. You are looking at the use of M2's of dps classes in a RvR situation of 'moral bombing' and you also assume that SW's are 'LA spamming with ES tactic' to be effective in WB/rvr (I might play differently - I will get one or two heal debuffs prior to pushes, use VoN + LA followed by Barrage only using them once each, HF and then damage on called target, plus cc on a healer or high damage dealer).
Trying to get a deeper feel for your perspective. You know, trying to put myself in your shoes. I'd really like to know what you enjoy playing the most? Maybe this has something to do with why you think OP is over-performing?
Most of the SW population runs Skirmish spec. There are some that swap to a Festering Arrow spec, and some around that go melee. There is even a massive thread for general best builds/armor/weapons/tactics/etc. Let's take each into consideration with the question in mind, 'is the new OP viable for this spec:
Path of the Scout: no, why - SW with no KD, a little more than 65 ft range minimum to apply Skirmish DoTs all other abilities have greater range, survive-ability of the class depends upon keeping enemy at a great a range as possible
Path of Assault: yes, why - SW is a quazi melee dps that still under performs other mdps classes, but why waste OP for my M2 when FM is better for anti cc? I'm in a sea of cc range as mdps, ALSO M3 stagger is better, so is the M4...both in terms not having to select the moral then click the area to use it on, they are just instant aoe damage/stagger
Path of the Skirmisher: I have played this spec for more than 50% of my time on RoR, I know 30ft is danger zone (high risk of getting cc'd and I am in melee range with a short range kiting spec sw), OP could be used, but higher risk, and FM is better than a 30 ft nuke, M3 is better aoe 30ft nuke/stagger that i only use to escape or drop behind an enemy wb from a keep into their back lines (while group/wb calls targets leaving others staggered....NOT LA spamming with ES slotted; I do that if situation arises after the stagger wears off)
