Seems very rift-like in this case. Where some classes progress "properly" and end up adding to an actual rotation with new skills whilst others stay mundane and may even get easier and optimally limited to fewer buttons.
I think you've given a good example of a more linear progression class there being the White Mage, Black Mage sounded similar and high level streamers were indeed using only 1-2 spells for damage and spamming Cure for healing.
It's why I ended up going Pugilist (to later become a Monk), they have positional styles of which effectively chain through effects of stances, for example you open up with Bootshine, which if used from behind will guarantee a crit; this puts you into 'raptor stance' which enables the use of True Strike, which if used from behind has a 10% chance to increase your critical severity by 5% for 30 seconds; this puts you into 'coeurl form' which allows you to use Snap Punch, which finishes the basic combo giving you "Greased Lightning", 7% damage & 5% melee haste buff lasting 12 seconds and is stackable through other abilities at later levels, effectively reducing GCD too; this attack also does additional damage if used from the side.
So as you can see, even a low level Pugilist has a rotation, albeit simple, more engaging than what a White Mage appears to have, a 1-2-3 rotation where optimally you're behind target>behind target>at side of target
Also have 3 off GCD abilities (crit buff, heal, evade buff) and an attack that inflicts slow (usable after evading) and a 30second duration DoT which must be kept up.
My armour has also changed drastically from starting out, typically every 3-4 levels. It would appear Robes and cloth armour in general has a lot less variance.
That's all at level 16 as a Pugilist
. I then bought this
