Originally Posted by
Stompa
I'm not disagreeing with you, but I can understand why WHM is associated with shields, as shields are ultimately a defensive item, and WHM traditionally was hiding far away from danger and casting defensive spells like stoneskin and blink. So just from a lore point of view, WHM would be native to using shields to increase their overall defence.
I always equipped light-staff on my WHM, so I never was able to use shields. Ironically, I always equipped the very same light-staff on my BST, every day for six years 2004-10. And so I would not have been using shields on my BST either.
BST was formerly kiting / pinning <Run away!> kind of job, it was very defensive indeed, and BST/WHM was the norm, usually with light-staff equipped for Charm.
But the game has changed and BST is now front line Robocop kind of job, lacking the subtlety and sophistication of its former Glory Days. And so, in line with BST being a front-line job now, I think you are right to expect a higher shield rating for BST.
But again, PUP has awesome Throwing skill, PLD has awesome Staff skill - even though PLD is defined by its use of shields which means they can't use staves!
I was sorrowful in 2008, when I realized that the "Martial Magicians" (SCH) have an incredibly low Staff skill. Scholars are supposed to be Battle Wizards, they should have a far higher staff skill than PLD has, and yet, Scholar has this feeble staff skill. And PLD who equip a shield all the time, they have a godly staff skill.
And WAR, who are officially the job of Fencer, do not get any legendary swords, or a super sword skill rating, even though Fencers always used swords. Most of WARs Jobpoint Gifts are Fencer Bonuses, and yet WAR's primary weapon is Gaxe which does not have any benefit from Fencer.
Even though FFXI is without question the greatest computergame in the history of the universe, it has evolved organically over 15 years, and some things changed out of pace with other facets of the game. Some things probably need to be overhauled to reflect those changes, chime with the wider lore structure, and the evolving nature of certain jobs.