Yeah I know that (JP at level 10 links 8 enemies btw, 9 with JP Gem+DivineMight, so you need 8 AAR) but I woud not count Thaumas out of the picture just yet, their solo capabitilies may be nerfed (unless you build somehow around AAR) but they’re still gonna be pretty popular in the next patch, mostly because of all these new weapons/armors with RNG stats, dropping off!
Also, we are going to have more options to build around a Thauma with one more rank available, and since the Rank9 monsters have more or less the same HP as Rank 8 you’re not gonna be too concerned about damage on Swell’d monsters and you could go for more utility. 
I’m really considering about making one, till now I farmed with my mains because they were better geared, but I will definetely try one when (if) the patch comes to iTOS!
@Kiyoshiro Outperform regardless in what context? PvE farming? Maybe a QS3, surely Mergen as a mana hungry/long CD char isn’t best suited for farming purposes, so I see a BM as a better choice there…
As an overall PvE char for ET? I highly doubt that, I’m not impressed by BM but I can see it working (everything kinda works with a Falc3…) but not to the point of saying that it will outperform falc3Mergens regardless! 