How a slight change could open GLA for a future DPS job

[Reynhart]

It's more to give GLA a DPS focused ability. Careful stats allocation and slighty better weapons could complete a useful DPS at low-level. Past lvl30, job skills can be enough for any class to become a good DPS.
By the way, before lvl30, a revamped GLA would only have Shield Stance, Flash and Provoke as "not" DPS skills. Like a Pugilist has Second Wind, Featherfoot and Fist Of Earth.

A little calculation, then :
PGL has 7 WS before level 30. Considering every WS used from the right position/stance, we have :
Booshine (150) + True Strike (190) + Snap Punch (180) + Haymaker (170) + Touch Of Death (270) + Twin Snakes (140) + Arm Of The Destroyer (50) = 1150

GLA has 6 WS at the same level, and couting each WS used in the right combo, we have :
Fast Blade (150) + Savage Blade (200) + Riot Blade (230) + Shield Lob (120) + Shield Bash (110) + Rage Of Halone (260) = 1070

PGL is obviously higher but not by "that" much, especially if you give GLA a damage bonus stance. And since GLA will surely spam Rage Of Halone combo, it seems GLA can attain higher "potency" than PGL pre-lvl30, even now.
(Of course base stats clearly overshadow base potency)

Why'd I want a DPS job for GLA ? Because having only one job for a class is pretty stupid (Give us PLD from the start), and having a second tank job is useless (If I want to tank with a Sword&Shield, I'll play PLD)

[Argyle_Darkheart]

By the way, before lvl30, a revamped GLA would only have Shield Stance, Flash and Provoke as "not" DPS skills. Like a Pugilist has Second Wind, Featherfoot and Fist Of Earth.

Actually, it would have: Shield Stance, Flash, Convalescence, Provoke, Shield Swipe, Awareness, and Bulwark.

Additionally, it has two strictly utility skills: Shield Bash, and Tempered Will (three if you count Riot Blade--it's useless to GLA as a DPS skill, but could maybe be relevant if DPS job abilities used MP).

[Reynhart]

Actually, it would have: Shield Stance, Flash, Convalescence, Provoke, Shield Swipe, Awareness, and Bulwark.

Additionally, it has two strictly utility skills: Shield Bash, and Tempered Will (three if you count Riot Blade--it's useless to GLA as a DPS skill, but could maybe be relevant if DPS job abilities used MP).

I said before lvl30. Awareness, Bulwark and Tempered Will are already post lvl30, and if you look at my "revamped GLA" on my first post, Convalescence would be pushed to lvl34 too.
Post-30 skill would generally be more useful for the job "in line" with the class than the "deviant" one, like how SCH don't really use Miasma II or Ruin II (Or even Shadow Flare, I'm not sure).

Shield Swipe is exactly like Haymaker for PGL.
Shield Bash, by being a GCD Stun, woul be useful even for a DPS. After all, Lancer and Pugilist each have a Stun skill.

As for Riot Blade, I imagined DRK having a Drain spell with a high mp cost (Like Raise), to make it useful again. I think it would be cool to have a DRK that spend Hit points to improve his damage via a "Souleater" stance, and need to Drain to replenish some HP over-time, so that all the burden won't be on healers. And that its lvl50 skill would be a Minus Strike, doing damage according to HP lost (1/4th, maybe).

[Argyle_Darkheart]

I said before lvl30.

I did actually gloss over this bit, because I couldn't fathom why you were making this distinction. That is, I figured you misspoke. You still have all your class abilities past 30, no matter what job you are. Look at the class as a whole; it's overwhelmingly tank-focused.

Shield Bash, by being a GCD Stun, woul be useful even for a DPS. After all, Lancer and Pugilist each have a Stun skill.

Shield Bash is terrible as a DPS ability, as its potency/TP is absolutely horrendous. Both Lancer and Pugilist have stuns that are off-GCD and cost no TP, so they double as potency/s increases and interrupts.

[Reynhart]

I did actually gloss over this bit, because I couldn't fathom why you were making this distinction. That is, I figured you misspoke. You still have all your class abilities past 30, no matter what job you are.

Indeed, you still have your class abilities past 30. But like I said, past 30, job skills can make any class any role. In my previous post, I mentionned "Souleater". Imagine a stance where you lose 5% of your HP on any WS to add that same amount of damage to your attack. There, you're a DPS, now.
The only problem is when a job go in Duty Finder at low level, where he can't count on these skills to fulfill another role.

Shield Bash is terrible as a DPS ability, as its potency/TP is absolutely horrendous. Both Lancer and Pugilist have stuns that are off-GCD and cost no TP, so they double as potency/s increases and interrupts.

Shield Bash is not a pure DPS ability, but it'd still be useful to be able to Stun frequently.

[Argyle_Darkheart]

Indeed, you still have your class abilities past 30. But like I said, past 30, job skills can make any class any role.

The point is, you can only do so much with 5 job abilities.

Shield Bash is not a pure DPS ability, but it'd still be useful to be able to Stun frequently.

Not when you're hemorrhaging DPS to do it; get someone else to stun.

[Reynhart]

The point is, you can only do so much with 5 job abilities.

You can do a lot.
If SCH had slightly higher potency on his Cure spell, he wouldn't need the fairy to be an effective healer. Since this potency is totally arbitray on the development team, they could have done it. The important part is to make each DPS unique. By spending hit points, DRK would play a lot different than other DPS.

Take one class, give it a Shield Oath equivalent and Flash, and it could be a tank right away. Give it Rampart and Sentinel, it could eat a lot of damage. That's only four skills.

Not when you're hemorrhaging DPS to do it; get someone else to stun.

The "frequent" part is precisely when "someone else" can't. Or when you solo.