Hybrid classes - SAM & RD MAGE.

[AzraelX]

so Yoshi has mentioned hybrid classes , Samurai, @ Red Mage in previous interviews.

I was thinking wouldn't it be cool for Samurai & Red Mage to be the 1st hybrid classes in the game they would work sort of like AST with same moves doing different effects on what stance they are in and stance can only be changed out of combat.

Samurai- dps & tank
Red Mage - dps & healer

What do you guys think?

[Shougun]

Personally seeing SAM being placed as DRG's neighbor, they both can wear the heaviest DD armor (which has the highest pDef, and visually most tanky DD look). In terms of balance they couldn't make Samurai good at both, so one option would have to be meh (I know there are people who want it to main tank, same rule for balance applies though). Like any of the tank options (all the tanks have a stance option), or SCH and SMN, where they can do both but they only really excel at one.

For Red Mage I kind of hope they can give him a moment to shine with damage, due to FFXI he's been hanging out as support for quite some time already. That sword.. it's not just a wand.. lol. I'm definitely not opposed to support features, I mean a lot of our DD have support skills here and there already (and red mage can wield "white magic"), just hope they don't FFXI em' into a mage bard- I would like to see him also be a melee DD battle mage. Disclaimer: stopped playing FFXI around WOTG, so the class could be different than I remember (also never played Red Mage, but it seemed to be a refresh pez machine). I suppose it could be a healer but I think it is important to embody the sword of black and white in its whole, but due to balance he'll have to be good at one thing at least (can't be a jack of all trades).

[Wobi]

For those of you out there that played FFT a Samurai was like a tank/DPS/mage all rolled into one. It would be interesting to see them bring that concept over to MMO form and somehow balance it. (minus breaking potentially breaking our weapons)

[Shougun]

For those of you out there that played FFT a Samurai was like a tank/DPS/mage all rolled into one. It would be interesting to see them bring that concept over to MMO form and somehow balance it. (minus breaking potentially breaking our weapons)

Well you'd have to pick one to major in since this game doesn't really support a true hybrid class (really pia to balance anyways lol), but it seems like the Paladin will be a tanking support in Heavensward (even more so than it is already) - with it's new barrier to ally and heal spell.

Possible ~ :P

[Kuurei]

For those of you out there that played FFT a Samurai was like a tank/DPS/mage all rolled into one. It would be interesting to see them bring that concept over to MMO form and somehow balance it. (minus breaking potentially breaking our weapons)

Tank DPS is usually balanced by making their DPS mid-tier and having their Defensive Cooldowns/oh shoot! buttons being mid-tier as well. Pre-RoK Berserker on EQ2 fit this, doing about the same DPS as a Swashbuckler back in the day, since it was an AoE heavy class like Swash, and their oh shoot! buttons had to be pretty well-timed.

Tank/DPS Hybrid could work if it is made to where it is only filling one role at a time, too. Forced Stance like they're making Astrologician do maybe? If you switch stances you cannot switch to the other mid-combat?.

Red Mage would be tricky. I feel like they could go with a duality, getting mid-tier heals and mid-tier nukes, a couple minor shields and the like to play off of any of the existing healers well. Maybe the "En-" line of spells that the Beastmen use to make their Autoattack potency based off of INT instead of STR.

[Ashkendor]

Tank DPS is usually balanced by making their DPS mid-tier and having their Defensive Cooldowns/oh shoot! buttons being mid-tier as well. Pre-RoK Berserker on EQ2 fit this, doing about the same DPS as a Swashbuckler back in the day, since it was an AoE heavy class like Swash, and their oh shoot! buttons had to be pretty well-timed.

The way FFXIV is set up, that just makes you a mediocre DPS and a mediocre tank.

That means that generally they wouldn't be the preferred choice for either role.

Tank/DPS Hybrid could work if it is made to where it is only filling one role at a time, too. Forced Stance like they're making Astrologician do maybe? If you switch stances you cannot switch to the other mid-combat?.

This has possibilities, though.

[sirDarts]

The way FFXIV is set up, that just makes you a mediocre DPS and a mediocre tank.

That means that generally they wouldn't be the preferred choice for either role.

Well a Tank/DPS hybrid (does more damage than a tank, but tanks less than a tank) could work in 8-man or raid instances where one (or several) tanks are mostly off-tanks, who don't stand in so much of a damage, and their DPS is important. Dunno.
But yeah, in 4-man instances they would be mediocre at best.

[Sylve]

I would rather SAM went the way of the BRD/Machinist.

Consider the possibility of having a Stance that causes your Katana to be fully drawn with skills coming out fast but deal less damage while the other has a Draw/Strike/Sheathe type animation with a cast bar.

[Zaft]

Tank/DPS Hybrid could work if it is made to where it is only filling one role at a time, too. Forced Stance like they're making Astrologician do maybe? If you switch stances you cannot switch to the other mid-combat?.

This is what I foresee being the future of this game, unless we come up with talent trees. Even WoW does the same thing with Gladiator Stance, where you're unable to swap into or out of Gladiator Stance while in combat.

[Sylve]

This is what I foresee being the future of this game, unless we come up with talent trees. Even WoW does the same thing with Gladiator Stance, where you're unable to swap into or out of Gladiator Stance while in combat.

Except that you give up Tanking talents to make Gladiator Stance worthwhile DPS.
Not only can you not switch Stance in combat, you required a FULL set of pure DPS gear.

Gladiator Warriors are not Tank Warriors.
Defensive Stance alone does not a Tank make.