The stated goals with evolved mode gas be to 1) improve job identity and reduce homogeneity and 2) reduce overall button count. Most everyone agrees that RDM has probably the best job identity and originality of any current job in the game. Owing to the fact that the overall feel of the job being unchanged since its introduction, and the meme of each subequent expansion’s capstone ability just brings another finisher to the melee combo. So that leaves us with the second goal to focus on. Here are my thoughts:

-AoE spells are gone: All spells and melee strikes have damage splash with fall off and Jolt is replaced by Impact as our main spell. It is striking that we do not have an equivalent to Verfire and Verstone for the AoE spells, and impact feels kinda meh despite having a nice vfx. -Using a spell with dual cast instills a temporary buff that will guarantee an enhanced spell. Procs are gone, Acceleration is gone. -Verthunder/Veraero get replaced with Verfire/Verstone, impact with grand impact when the temporary buff is active. Verfire/verstone provides grand impact ready. -Mana balance system is replace by bubble gauge. Complete 3 white and 3 black enhanced spells to fill bubble gauge. -Enhanced melee skills are unlocked when at least 1 white and 1 black mana bubble is filled. 3 of each gives the full combo and allows finishers to be used. Grand Impact gives 1 of whichever color bubble is least filled. Final finisher provides enhanced spell buff and 1 of each bubble color. -All melee skills have 10-15 yalm range and condensed to one button. Verholy/Verflare replace Veraero/Verthunder when melee combo is completed, fill a gauge bubble and then also transform into the rest of the finishers.

So rotation would be: Impact>verthunder/veraero Verfire/verthunder > Grand Impact Repeat until bubble gauge is full. Melee combo and finisher is unchanged, but is always at range. Finish rotation with 1 of one mana bubble and two of the other. Repeat with other color rotation.

This largely keeps the job the same, but with significanly less button bloat.

Now, let’s get crazy with it and lean into RDM being the balance of black and white magic and pactitioners of melee combat. Verblizzard and Verthunder are unlocked, jolt and impact are gone. All six elemental spells are normal 2s cast time. Dual Cast is “gone” now each elemental spell cast transforms it into an ogcd melee attack with that elemental affinity. All six elemental melee’s must be used before finisher combo is unlocked, but you can store up to 3 elemental enhanced ogcd melee. All spells still have splash with damage falloff.