No More Classes?

[Viviza]

I've always seen classes as more of a lore thing than a mechanical thing. Classes like lancer and conjurer are reasonably common in the world, but dragoons and white mages are the stuff of heroes. It makes sense for your novice level 1 character to start with a class and eventually promote. That the job overlaps the class rather than just overwriting it makes little practical difference... with only a couple rare exceptions you take your job at level 30 and stick with it forever.

The new jobs not having a class implies that they're advanced jobs that novice adventurers, as common folk, simply do not have access to. It doesn't need to be any more complicated than that. Though if they do overhaul the entire system I would be very curious to see how they go about it.

[alphagprime]

I've always seen classes as more of a lore thing than a mechanical thing. Classes like lancer and conjurer are reasonably common in the world, but dragoons and white mages are the stuff of heroes. It makes sense for your novice level 1 character to start with a class and eventually promote. That the job overlaps the class rather than just overwriting it makes little practical difference... with only a couple rare exceptions you take your job at level 30 and stick with it forever.

The new jobs not having a class implies that they're advanced jobs that novice adventurers, as common folk, simply do not have access to. It doesn't need to be any more complicated than that. Though if they do overhaul the entire system I would be very curious to see how they go about it.

This is the most legitimate post I have ever read regarding the necessity for Classes in the game.

On the other hand, I don't understand why people have such a hard time understanding how "removing classes" would functionally work. Honestly, removing classes is a simple as a name change. You wouldn't even have to change the quests or story lines outside of a few minor wording changes. Some Class -> Job scenarios are actually enhanced by the lore such as Lancer -> Dragoon because of the lore of what a DRG is. However, that being said, if they did away with Classes they wouldn't have to change the name of the Lancer's Guild. The terminology doesn't change the function. "A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet."

Also, if they did away with the Class system you wouldn't get rid of the class and all its abilities to be reduced to whatever 7 skills the Jobs add. They would simply add the Jobs skills to the, what is now, the Class list and just remove the second menu. You would still have all the same skills. Its really not that complicated. From there Cross Classing would work exactly the same it does now except your cross classing would be even more restricted. Instead of having unlimited access from 1-30 you would have the same limited access you do post 30 with the job crystal. The only problem with that is for new players. Sometimes having quick and easy access to some low level abilities from other classes is really useful such as the Raging Strikes -> Blood for Blood. Blood for Blood is hard to use in solo content. Raging Strikes gives a similar buff without the downside and makes solo content for new players and low levels easier. It also requires fewer levels in ARC to get Raging Strikes than the 30+ levels that are required for Blood for Blood. There is no clear justification to allow Cross Classing Raging Strikes prior to 30 and then remove it at 30. The Job Crystals justify that change and in exchange for fewer skills you get a stat buff. If you didn't get a stat buff then why use the Job Crystal at all?

TL;DR- The Classes aren't useful, their purpose is served for the easy transition of new players and leveling new classes for vets. Removing them would only hurt low levels. Removing them would not change the way the game plays at max levels, like at all.