What would having these really change though? What content would it make BST more useful for?
There are several impacts the range nerf had. However the biggest is that it makes bst unsuitable for pet-centered strategies where you MUST stay out of range like puppet master and summoner can.
So it would bring bst back into those strategies.
Even without the full range restored, taking from 5 yalm to 10 yalm would be a big QoL improvement. Stupid things like not being able to give pet commands because you are too far from pet even while engaged... because the target monster model is too large. or not being able to use reward while kiting because pet is too far away.
If pet self buffing ready moves like bubble curtain, zealous snort, scissor guard, rhino guard, etc generated enmity for the pet, then beastmasters could AoE tank effectively. and there would be some use in the pet enmity + set for bst.
If we had all the pets we've lost to silly pet level caps, we could reliably AoE dark based sleep, as well as other enfeebles and nukes. We literally lost effective use of job abilities because SE takes them away every time they level cap bst pets. Faithful falcor is bsts best spike damage pet, but difficulty to use because of low level and low accuracy. TP drainkiss is a really awesome utility, but the pet has trouble being in content because of low level. same for ??? needles our only fragmentation ready move, but the pet is too low level.
Can you imagine if BLM's sleepga II had a magic accuracy cap which made it simply ineffective for any content at current game level?
there would be alot of player uproar about that.
thats exactly what happened with bst. over and over again. I don't think there is any other job which LOSES abilities as it levels ups. not because the abilities are not useful, but because they get nerfed as you level up.
The Gear option, like shields is just about freedom and creative play. Currently, offensively or defensively it is almost never worthwhile to sub anything other than nin or dnc for beastmaster.
I've made some experiments with /drg /blu, /drk, /sam but these are mostly about gear than anything else. There are no pet buffing shields, so another offhand axe is always better. an ready recast -5s is so powerful that having offhand axe is always better.
Alot of players call for native dual wield in response to this.
I don't like that solution. I woudl rather fencer builds become viable and bst needs useful shields for this.