Gun-blade wielding tank for upcoming job?

[kujowaltz]

Based on it's setting in the story, I kind of imagine we'd have to get to Garlimald before they would give us access to an Empire exclusive weapon style like that.

Who knows, maybe part of the job's quest will be learning the role from a defecting Centurion in the wake of gaius' defeat?

[Kitru]

These new roles will definitely be JOBS, not classes. Both the gun and dagger jobs can be created from existing classes.

In ARR, your current class is determined by your current weapon. Since we know that there are no existing classes that use 2 daggers (GLA may use a single dagger sub-20) nor is there a class that uses a gun, it can be easily inferred that they will be new classes. Furthermore, it helps that Yoshi has actually said that they're going to be classes.

I seriously doubt we're going to get a gunblade class/job mainly because it's such a specialist weapon (the only gunblade users are extremely high ranked Garleans and we're talking about a sword with a built in gun; I can't imagine many of those lying around) while also being mostly the same as one of the existing weapons (you know, the sword). There are plenty of other weapons we're much more likely to see (like hammers/maces/clubs, flails, whips, and 2h swords) before we get a gunblade *if* we ever get a gunblade class. In fact, there's already a gunblade in game (Blazefire Saber from the Lightning event) so I'm pretty sure that any other gunblades we happen to get will follow a similar model: vanity/glamour options for GLA/PLD that are mechanically identical to any other sword.

[kujowaltz]

your current class is determined by your current weapon

Ahhh good point! ....derp

I have to disagree with the gun-blade being used by high ranked Garleans, however. We see gunblades being used as early as the Centurion (and those guys are pretty tanky too). With the defeat of the Garlean outposts, they could easily explain the abundance of these weapons from equipment left over after Gaius' defeat.

If these classes are coming pre-expansion, pre-existing character models (or slight variations) would decrease the patch size; if they are coming in the expansion, then it could be anything. But one would anticipate an expansion to have several new classes/jobs anyways...so I would assume these two new roles are pre-expansion

[kujowaltz]

while also being mostly the same as one of the existing weapons (you know, the sword). There are plenty of other weapons we're much more likely to see (like hammers/maces/clubs, flails, whips, and 2h swords)

I fail to see how a hammer/mace/club could provide more of a contrast to existing weapons (you know, swords and axes) in terms of gameplay mechanics than a sword with a gun attached to it. A rapid fire, enmity generating attack would surely be awesome for instance.

A 2 handed sword would be spectacular for a DPS character, or a dark knight style tank

[Kitru]

I have to disagree with the gun-blade being used by high ranked Garleans, however. We see gunblades being used as early as the Centurion (and those guys are pretty tanky too). With the defeat of the Garlean outposts, they could easily explain the abundance of these weapons from equipment left over after Gaius' defeat.

Level is not an indicator of rank. It's an indicator of timeline progression. Centurions *are* high ranking Garlean soldiers; they're only low level because you encounter them earlier on. The lore states that gunblades are the weapons of the Garlean elite. There wouldn't make sense for there to be an abundance of them. It's also important to remember where exactly they would need to drop from: you'd need to have gunblades dropping from the various dungeons (the only dungeons that have anything to do with the Garleans are CM and Prae; everything else is driven by the storyline involving the primals) as well as having GC gunblades as well as gunblades being provided at every vendor elsewhere.

You'd have to explain why, all of the sudden, Garlean magitek weaponry suddenly became as common in Eorzea as axes and spears. Adding a class to use something more realistically "basic" can be easily explained as to why you're adding it: they had been selling them the entire time, but you were never interested in them because there wasn't a class that could use them (e.g. you're not proficient and couldn't become proficient so why would you care?).

I fail to see how a hammer/mace/club could provide more of a contrast to existing weapons (you know, swords and axes) in terms of gameplay mechanics than a sword with a gun attached to it.

Weapon in no way dictates the playstyle for a class/job beyond a general theme. With minimal effort you could create a gunblade class simply by cloning GLA and tweaking Shield Lob such that it causes you to fire the gun portion instead of throwing your shield. Animations, aesthetics, and gear don't determine playstyle; what determines playstyle is the effects and interactions of the abilities themselves and those are completely independent of weapon choice.

Gunblades are less likely to get a class before any of those weapons I mentioned mainly because gunblades are just extremely specialized swords (even moreso than 2h swords). A hammer is a completely different weapon type than anything currently being used rather than a different take on an existing one. Gunblade is just a fancy subtype of sword. I seriously doubt they're going to add a subtype of an existing weapon before they've started getting to the bottom of the barrel on entirely new weapon types.

A 2 handed sword would be spectacular for a DPS character, or a dark knight style tank

I actually think that we're likely to get a 2h sword class at some point (and I'm expecting it to be DRK if only because ), and I'm reasonably confident that it will be a tank rather than a DPS mainly because there aren't that many "tank-y" weapons out there but you can really argue that any weapon is viable for a DPS class/job.

[RickmanUK]

You'd have to explain why, all of the sudden, Garlean magitek weaponry suddenly became as common in Eorzea as axes and spears. Adding a class to use something more realistically "basic" can be easily explained as to why you're adding it: they had been selling them the entire time, but you were never interested in them because there wasn't a class that could use them (e.g. you're not proficient and couldn't become proficient so why would you care?).

Only thing i can Think of too Negate this Single Bit is... to never have you Change Weapon, Make the Weapon "Levelable" or Upgradable with bits from other weapons that are compatable from Dungeons or even upgradable with only the Class Quests.. so essentially all your doing is unlocking more Power on the weapon.

There are ways too add them too the Game, But i don't think it would be a Class too itself, More Drops of Weapons from a Garlean Themed Raid/Dungeon.

[kujowaltz]

You'd have to explain why, all of the sudden, Garlean magitek weaponry suddenly became as common in Eorzea as axes and spears

Los noscea is crawling with pirates and gun wielding, low level enemies. Merlwyb uses a gun. How hard could it be for a black smith to take one of the widely available guns/muskets/etc and attach a blade? Shoot, Garlean gun-blades could just account for a few high level weapons....If Eorzeans can make guns, what's stopping them from attaching a blade?

Your argument about subbing shield lob for a bullet, etc. can just as easily be reversed to say you can just substitute a hammer for an axe, use all the same animations for WAR and boom, new class. What I'm saying is: just as many enemies have skills used by players, there are enemies that have skills and animations players may perhaps use. Combine the gun based animations of limsa pirates, sword based actions of GLD and gun-blade unique skills from garleans and you have a gun-blade class.

[kujowaltz]

Every currently available class has enemy equivalents running around. We know the next two are duel wield dagger based and gun based. So if we look to which enemies (of playable races) currently do not have playable equivalents....using those models saves time, money, and can be done reasonably easy with a patch.

[kujowaltz]

I actually think that we're likely to get a 2h sword class at some point (and I'm expecting it to be DRK if only because ), and I'm reasonably confident that it will be a tank rather than a DPS mainly because there aren't that many "tank-y" weapons out there but you can really argue that any weapon is viable for a DPS class/job.

I could see it going either way...

2 handed sword implies damage at the cost of defense. DRK is also known for their sacrificing defense/hp for extra damage. It would also give us the first sword based DPS

But lots of classes can currently risk damage taken by damage given as a DPS. A tank following the darkness system from ffiv would be very interesting....hmmm...

Both roles would be extremely fun and I would main a DRK in a heartbeat

[Ferth]

If they add any "gun melee weapon amalgamation" class I'd probably quit. It was bad enough the entire garlean power rangers had gun shields and gun hammers and crap. The last thing we need is players with these failed attempts at weapon engineering.