Could it work, allowing every class to pair with every job?

What I'm suggesting/seeing the viability of is every class being able to equip any job crystal. So a person would be able to be a Paladin Marauder, Warrior Gladiator, or Summoner Conjurer.

I'm not saying I believe this to be "easy" in the sense that SE can simply check off every job being useable for every class. Obviously this would be a semi-large scale change.

It would work in a way similar to how it is now, you level a class to 30, and any job you equip to that class retains the level of the class to which it is equipped.

There's also the issue of lore and stuff, but I'm sure SE can figure it out, you know, given that SE makes the lore... I haven't unlocked every job so I don't know if there will be conflicts with, say, the process of a White Mage unlocking Warrior and being a White Mage Warrior. I don't know how the restrictions to actions would work out. Maybe the three that the job requires at the moment, plus the abilities of the main class?

I'd like to see this because of three reasons:

1. More innovation, being able to actually create your class. If a raid wants only people who can perform specific roles, they have the option to only invite people who have a compatible job/class. This still leaves the door open to people who want to level with an odd mix. (I.E. Warrior who uses hand-to-hand weapons.) People in XI were allowed to be innovative (I.E. WHM/SMN for the extra mana) and it worked out fine.

2. Common sense and tradition sort of say that jobs aren't restricted to weapons. Warriors generally use swords/axes/crossbows. I'm sure some people would like to be a warrior with an axe or crossbow.

3. In between roles everyone likes. People loved RDMs and Scholars in XI. I'd love to be a healer/DPS in a raid. It's not required, but it would certainly be useful.


I'm not even really suggesting this, I'd just like to know how much of a realistic change this would be before suggesting it.

I whole heartedly disagree. Introducing something like this sounds like trying to remove the structure of the Trinity system which I personally love. If you want to be a healer/DPS go SCH because I can DoT pretty heavily while my Fairy heals.

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Originally Posted by Maku

I whole heartedly disagree. Introducing something like this sounds like trying to remove the structure of the Trinity system which I personally love. If you want to be a healer/DPS go SCH because I can DoT pretty heavily while my Fairy heals.

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Nothing about it would compromise the singular roles which are currently popular. It would simply open more ways for people to do their roles (I.E. SCH CNJ= Conjurer healer with fairy). People being able to mix and match is simply a side option. Mixed roles would never be accepted in raids and dungeons anyway.

CNJ+Fairy just sounds ridiculously OP.

For this to work it would take a huge overhaul of the system, particularly for your example above (CNJ+Fairy). I don't see this working from a balance perspective. I never played 1.0 but I believe they had something similar there where any sub could go with any class, forcing very specific builds because it is very difficult to balance this. Look at the original Guild Wars, they allow for any class combos, and they swing the nerf-hammer like they're Thor in a china shop.

I'd rather not see the game become an experiment in class balancing. If Rift taught us anything it's that open ended systems should be avoided. There would simply be too many variables to balance.

Well, summon is technically a ACN thing, so as a CNJ, there could be no fairy.

But looking at how minor of a role jobs play (way less than subjobs played in XI), I seriously doubt there's going to be issues with balancing. Worst case (and best) scenario, classes simply perform best with the job they were meant for.

In XI, the time it took to bring a class to 75 was immense (pre-abyssea, compared to what it takes nowadays), and during leveling most of the innovation occurred and was accepted. It doesn't take near as long to bring a class to max level in XIV. So a change like this would be useless.

That doesn't mean I don't think it would be fun. But yeah, I agree now, it's not realistic to suggest this.

Keep in mind the PvE perspective... and the long term viability of your project. To demonstrate my point of view, i will let us bring back to FF11. In 2003-2004, first era of FF11.. game was simple, but PvE was at his stronguest. You had to level a job, and play your precise role in the group. You had to play that role, from level 12 to 75. It was fun, because every class was VERY needed in the group. You were gimped or you sucked at your class, the XP suffered, period.

If a player level all jobs to 50, and i mean ALL... with your idea, he can have a ''unique'' character that can do it all... Next thing you know, on long term, most people will do it.. Then where is the PvE in there ? Where is the fun if we can all be any role ? You don't need the others to play a precise role.. all members in the group will be warriors wearing strong plates, casting BLM nukes and self-heal...

although i love the idea of being able to mix and match freely, as others have said any semblance of balance would be nigh impossible, as well as the human tendency to judge gravitate to 'flavor of the month' builds would, in the end, make all the freedom pointless (sad but true)

This doesn't work. It was attempted in FFXIV 1.0 and was 1 reason it failed it so hard.. It will never again be implemented.