"A system that rewards effort and innovation" can't be buzzwords for imbalance-get

[Peregrine]

Unfortunately you're wrong, I do have evidence:

-Changes to actions for Disciplines of War & Magic classes
-Further changes to enhance class uniqueness
-NEW- Adjustment of certain action effects in line with the introduction of dungeons
-NEW- Adjustment of range of effect for actions (single target or area)
-NEW-Adjustment of recast time and MP consumption for actions
-Reexamination of stats

All pulled directly from the LFTP. Sounds a lot like 'balancing' to me.

Clean your ears.
Everything in the game is changing. There is zero indication of job balancing in anything you mentioned. Balancing isn't simple change to accomodate auto attack and stat redesign. It's a fundamental decision to alter how jobs view other jobs.

If change isn't accompanied by balance, you're the first one left in town. If I were you, I wouldn't put my eggs in that basket you're holding. It has no bottom.

[Teknoman]

Clean your ears.
Everything in the game is changing. There is zero indication of job balancing in anything you mentioned. Balancing isn't simple change to accomodate auto attack and stat redesign. It's a fundamental decision to alter how jobs view other jobs.

If change isn't accompanied by balance, you're the first one left in town. If I were you, I wouldn't put my eggs in that basket you're holding. It has no bottom.

Doesnt general adjustment count as balancing? Sure its not explicitly saying "We are balancing ___" but adjustments to most of the fundamental parts of the system as well as implementing a different battle system, and even changing up the stats/ distribution of enemies goes towards an attempt to balance things.

Besides, i'm sure things will be a little different, especially since it's the XI director, and i'd like to think he's learned from his past mistakes. Along with the fact that alot of servers were different back then. Even now...when I recently played on the Fairy/Sylph server, I really didnt see THAT many rangers 24/7, and on Midgardsormr, as a Paladin from NA launch until 2004, I really didnt have that much of a problem getting parties.

Always made sure I had a fairly balanced party (coming straight from standard FF titles to XI), and Dark Knights/Samurai seemed to be in decent demand with one ranger every now and then. After reading the OP again, I see where you are coming from, however, people are still going to figure out ways to "cheese" things in video games no matter what.