I'm going to go on a muse fest here, so please bear with me and feel free to correct me where I'm wrong.
The Machinist class, as we've seen so far, looks to be Eorzeans turning to using Garlean technology. Garleans, as we know, have no access to aether like most of the folks on Hydaelyn seem to. So, a lot of their magiteknology is just that - seeking to even the playing field (or tip it in their favor) in the battle against those that can.
As such, I would conjecture that Hydaelyn muskets - while not nearly as fatal as modern day weaponry - would still be roughly on the level of magic in regards to ranged destructive capability. Protection can be used to negate the damage (cobalt and higher armor vs. Manawalls and such aetheric wards), but can still be quite dangerous and certainly lethal if used properly.
I think the danger in guns lies mostly in the same issue they provide in real life: they're dangerously easy to learn and use. Even if you don't expect the recoil, it's just a matter of "point gun, pull trigger." At least with arcanima and thaumaturgy, it requires skill and training to be able to shape one's aether to the point that they can bring the same level of harm on another person. Even archery requires learning how to proper nock the arrow and the arm strength to pull the bowstring back, not to mention accounting for wind and the arc of the arrow over longer distances.
The Machinist class, as we've seen so far, looks to be Eorzeans turning to using Garlean technology. Garleans, as we know, have no access to aether like most of the folks on Hydaelyn seem to. So, a lot of their magiteknology is just that - seeking to even the playing field (or tip it in their favor) in the battle against those that can.
As such, I would conjecture that Hydaelyn muskets - while not nearly as fatal as modern day weaponry - would still be roughly on the level of magic in regards to ranged destructive capability. Protection can be used to negate the damage (cobalt and higher armor vs. Manawalls and such aetheric wards), but can still be quite dangerous and certainly lethal if used properly.
I think the danger in guns lies mostly in the same issue they provide in real life: they're dangerously easy to learn and use. Even if you don't expect the recoil, it's just a matter of "point gun, pull trigger." At least with arcanima and thaumaturgy, it requires skill and training to be able to shape one's aether to the point that they can bring the same level of harm on another person. Even archery requires learning how to proper nock the arrow and the arm strength to pull the bowstring back, not to mention accounting for wind and the arc of the arrow over longer distances.
~