So are Crafting + Gathering jobs now -just- "support" jobs?

from: http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...082#post172082

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Originally Posted by Bayohne

Hey gang. We have another set of answers here for your perusal. Unfortunately, this isn't the entire list as we're still going through and organizing/translating them. Sorry for the continued delay, and believe me when I say that this has been a learning experience for everyone involved (so many questions...) and we'll be working to ensure we smooth the entire thing out going forward.

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Please let us know the current direction of gathering classes.

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Along with crafters, we are defining it as a class that supports the battle classes.
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So this may have already been covered in other topics or in one of Yoshi-P's letters and I just missed it, but are crafting and gathering jobs now -OFFICIALLY- support jobs for battle classes like in FFXI.

I remember one of the "unique" things about this game at launch was the ability to main as a gatherer or crafter. And I thought this would have been one of the things that remained in the game to make it stand out.
Further all the current main missions are made to be completable by DoL and DoH.

So in expansions will missions only be able to be complete by DoW?
Can you no longer "main" as a gatherer or crafter (without missing all the new content)?

or what exactly does "supporting the battle classes" mean?

EDIT: To be clear this post has nothing to do with how the game should be. I am only asking if anyone knows how SE currently views crafting and gathering jobs....

I assume "Supporting" them entails in the fact that without you they wouldn't have Shit to wear or use or eat or even look at.

I'm all for Main story missions being battle classes only, was it really that fun having almost every mission have a "Lulz we can parlay with them" part to it?

I still see no reason that the philosiphy that one could "Main" a crafter or gathering class should go away, crafters and gatherers should get there own content to allow them to enjoy playing that class full time if need be. When will it happen or will it happen? We can't be sure yet, but they will focus on the battle classes first and foremost because I can guarantee there isn't a big % of the population that is going to buy this game at relaunch and say.

"Man I can't wait to main my cook!"

As they should be.

its not "as they should be" that matters.

SE should be straight-up about this so that players know whether or not gatherers and crafters will ever get endgame stuff or be able to solo missions in the future. Otherwise a lot of gatherer or crafter only players will get really annoyed when they find out the game has turned to a battle-class focus.

They also said that they are looking into making end game content for gatherers in the form of rare items, I imagine end game for crafters will be making rare armour/weapons/items.

It was a bad idea to have crafting and gatherering as main classes to begin with, looks like the new team have realised that and are trying to downplay both disciplines.

Save the copper, save the world

GATHERERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE SUMMONS EXCLUSIVELY TOO

Classes are not Jobs.

Please do not lock tools to the Weapon Class that unlocks them.

Honestly...if you started this game and told yourself...

"I am so excited about the story in XIV, how the Garlean Empire invaded Ala Mihgo and how the refugees are spreading all around the country now and why it happened and what's the initial reason for the Garlean Emprie to do it! Man I can't wait to kick their asses with my Royal Skillet!"

If people intended to start this game and be a Gatherer/Crafter as MAIN, they wanted to do it cause that's what they prefer. The game is giving you the opportunity to do just that, never touch a battle class and still be able to supply/maximize your rank on a gathering/crafting class. That was actually their main focus right from the start, they always said gathering/crafting classes will be fully self sufficient, they don't have to rely on Battle classes at all and hell they don't. This game could exist w/o any battle class in it and crafters/gatherers could still reach R50 just as fast.

That is about as much as you can ask for. I mean...what did people expect...it's already very nice and considerate for SE to implement stuff like special rare items that you can gather as part of "gathering endgame". Endgame as in fighting boss' in dungeons is prohibited to battle classes as it should be. I fully support having special gathering nodes inside dungeons that only high lvl gatherers can get items from, but involving crafters/gatherers in any type of battle content is just stupid and they realised that by excluding them from battle related story content thats coming in the future.

If Gatherers/Crafters want to be involved in endgame battles, battle classes could just as well demand to be able to gather/craft items...if you started playing as a gatherer/crafter main cause you thought you would be involoved in any kind of endgame battle related content, think again...Farmville would have been the better choice for you.

I think crafting and gathering is going to take a back seat under Yoshi-P similar to FFXI. Now to be clear, their might be more content for crafters, but it won't follow the trajectory I think that was laid out under Tanaka where you could pretty much 'main' crafting. Just my read of the situation.