What character is the strongest?

In practicality, MS does require skill at the hands of the player - and there's a reason people won't typically take random strangers on boss runs even if they're the perfect class - but given that a single player is making a choice between classes, they might as well choose one that gives them the highest dps-ability in whatever situation they are interested in. They can't change who they are, they can change what class they play.

I don't really consider that as skills though. My definition of it was more like a honed-style of playing something after months, or years of playing. What you described was more geared towards n00bs or newbies. I mean, to be honest with you, after playing a DK and a Night Lord, and even a Bishop. I didn't find it hard, at all. I Zakked on all 3 characters. My NL did the highest DPS on bosses, rarely did I die at Paps or Zaks, etc.

And yeah, the only way that I'd consider them decent is as if they have more than a couple 4th job characters, and they are proficient at using all of their characters, and can switch back and forth with ease. Nice-controls > DPS, always. Best way for a Hermit or NL is to get them to El Nath, all at the same starting point, see who gets to the top of the mountain and to Dead Mine first, without falling off the bridge/rope over and over, or at all, if anything. Ones with the best controls of their character will always get there first because they familiarized themselves with the elements of those maps and they are very familiarized with their own character.