Completely gut and rework WS accessibility

[Kristal]

In the example of RDM, a RDM is someone who spends their time divided up between learning to fence, use black magic and learning to heal. As a result of this divided focus they never reach the peak of any one of these fields but have decent knowledge of all. This means they never learn the most powerful techniques of them, but will have a variety of skills.

Elemental weaponskills are a combination of magic and melee. The very thing that defines Red Mage. We even get spells to enhance our regular melee strikes with added magic damage. But not on weaponskills, no...

Red Lotus Blade, Seraph Blade and Sanguine Blade are all WS that should have been RDM main from the start.

[Rayik]

Elemental weaponskills are a combination of magic and melee. The very thing that defines Red Mage. We even get spells to enhance our regular melee strikes with added magic damage. But not on weaponskills, no...

Red Lotus Blade, Seraph Blade and Sanguine Blade are all WS that should have been RDM main from the start.

What's hilarious, is that RDM gets some of the dagger elemental WS, and not sword. What the Flying Fuuuu..............

[Razushu]

Elemental weaponskills are a combination of magic and melee. The very thing that defines Red Mage. We even get spells to enhance our regular melee strikes with added magic damage. But not on weaponskills, no...

Red Lotus Blade, Seraph Blade and Sanguine Blade are all WS that should have been RDM main from the start.

By that logic jobs without elemental magic shouldn't get access to elemental WS. WS distribution tends to be based on the questions, Is this weapon a focus of the job? Or do we[the devs] feel it is balanced to give them these skills natively? RDM isn't a single focus job it's a 3-way hybrid and lack of top tier in any one field is just a pitfall of this style. As it stands they seem to want RDM to have to choose between high DPS(/NIN) and access to better WS(/WAR etc.).

RDM is fine as a light DD/support role. I'd happily party with one. The biggest obstacle to RDM melee is community viewpoint. If we had more RDMs that could melee while providing support where needed, this viewpoint would change.

On Red lotus blade I could agree with you. But Seraph /Sanguine blade are light/dark element which RDM doesn't really have access to. Plus in the case of Sanguine blade it's highest level WS sword skill gets you. Seeing how RDM is a "part-time" melee it makes no sense that they should learn the strongest attacks with a weapon.

[Ironside]

Plus in the case of Sanguine blade it's highest level WS sword skill gets you. Seeing how RDM is a "part-time" melee it makes no sense that they should learn the strongest attacks with a weapon.

I think the confusing part about RDM not getting Sanguine Blade is that their usual melee, exclusive, and iconic weapons are swords, while they get the high-end weaponskills (including Aeolian Edge, which is the skill equivalent of Sanguine Blade) of Dagger but not Sword.

[Razushu]

I think the confusing part about RDM not getting Sanguine Blade is that their usual melee, exclusive, and iconic weapons are swords, while they get the high-end weaponskills (including Aeolian Edge, which is the skill equivalent of Sanguine Blade) of Dagger but not Sword.

That is a weird one. Maybe SE are playing the same game as with the subjob. High DPS or strong WS, not both. Good WS poor weapon selection vs. good weapon choice poorer WS.

[Rayik]

On Red lotus blade I could agree with you. But Seraph /Sanguine blade are light/dark element which RDM doesn't really have access to. Plus in the case of Sanguine blade it's highest level WS sword skill gets you. Seeing how RDM is a "part-time" melee it makes no sense that they should learn the strongest attacks with a weapon.

Highest level does not equal strongest attacks. Raging Rush out damages Fell Cleave against single mobs by a long shot. Vorpal Blade trounces Sanguine unless you're brewing. And by this logic, RDM shouldn't have Aoelian Edge, but they do.

[Razushu]

Highest level does not equal strongest attacks. Raging Rush out damages Fell Cleave against single mobs by a long shot. Vorpal Blade trounces Sanguine unless you're brewing. And by this logic, RDM shouldn't have Aoelian Edge, but they do.

SE seems to want to make RDM choose between things when it comes to melee. Your choice of sub job will give you either higher DPS(NIN) or stronger WS(WAR), and with weapons you get great selection but lesser choice in WS, or poor selection in weapons and good WS.