SAMURAI SHOWDOWN

[Ciri_Wolf]

If we're going with purely aesthetical in terms of battle, then DRG would be a tank as well. Heavily armored and using a pole arm. I think that way of thinking heavily limits creativity. I just want SAM as dps so they have a better amount of rotations and wear cooler gear.

[EdwinLi]

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While on the frontlines of battle access to full body armor was actually a luxury for Samurai. The Samurai that can gain access to armor are usually those who have the money, member of military group( if the group can afford providing the armor), or part of a family/clan.

Most often lesser members of society Samurai only had access to lighter or parts of a armor (usually only a chest piece) and sometimes no armor which result in their basic tactic of avoiding damage (either blocking enemy attacks with their sword or dodging the attacks through their natural reflex) and attempting to strike down their enemies fast. The one thing they keep maintained was their weapon of choice ranging from the Japanese sword, Yumi (longbow), Pole weapons, and etc.

[DWolfwood]

While on the frontlines of battle access to full body armor was actually a luxury for Samurai. The Samurai that can gain access to armor are usually those who have the money, member of military group( if the group can afford providing the armor), or part of a family/clan.

Most often lesser members of society Samurai only had access to lighter or parts of a armor (usually only a chest piece) and sometimes no armor which result in their basic tactic of avoiding damage (either blocking enemy attacks with their sword or dodging the attacks through their natural reflex) and attempting to strike down their enemies fast. The one thing they keep maintained was their weapon of choice ranging from the Japanese sword, Yumi (longbow), Pole weapons, and etc.

You're confusing Samurai with Ashigaru. Samurai always had armor and served lords. When a Samurai lost his lord, or when the period started becoming peaceful, eliminating the need for Samurai, they would become Ronin and often had to sell their armor to make a living. On the battlefield though, during the warring states period, the Samurai were almost by definition the equivalent of knights while the footsoldiers are the ones you're mistaking them for. Samurai going to battle because of war is a very different thing than simply fighting, or protecting a village ala 7 Samurai, etc. People revered Samurai in a way that could arguably surpass even the way Knights were revered in medieval times. To this day, the Samurai legacy has left a great mark on Japanese culture.

And yes, they did learn many weapons and would use them in battle. Much like Knights and what we think of when we think of "warriors."

[Tanathya]

Cant we just all agree that players only want samurai due to nostalgia sake only?

Which is not the case.

[Millerna]

It all depends on what Square wants to base their samurai on. If they want something historically correct, then it also depends on which time period they want to base it on. Samurai have existed for many hundreds of years, and started out as simple servants (the kanji for samurai means 'to wait upon'/'to serve' in the original Chinese reading). The first weapon the samurai used was the bow, and this stayed their main weapon for a very long time. Katana was added, but more as a last resort. Once the Japanese got their hands on an Portuguese arquebus, they started mass producing them and using them during battle. The main advantage of arquebus compared to bow was that peasants could be easily trained to fire an arquebus. Training someone to use a bow took much longer. As for armour, they've used anything from simple cloth to plate to a combination of plate, chain, splint and cloth in a single set of armour.

Of course.. Historically correct samurai tend to be somewhat boring, so it's likely going to be based on the more popular romanticised versions seen in movies

[Laerune]

As someone who tanks, heals and deal damage, only thing that I care about is that Samurai is added to the game, its always a WIN/WIN for me.

On-topic:

I do think that Tanks should not get another swordwielder, the next tanking class should be different from the current ones. DPS could use a 2h swordwielder or a 1h swordwielder.

[FinalWolf]

They could easily have SAM a tank and make Red mage the rapier/sword users for the DPS who want it.

[Ciri_Wolf]

They could easily have SAM a tank and make Red mage the rapier/sword users for the DPS who want it.

True. Or they could reverse it

[Alacran]

Many have often quoted interviews as to where Yoshida has claimed Samurai would better fit the DPS role, however as I personally have not been able to find the quote, it has always been somewhat suspect to myself (not saying it is non existent, I simply have not been able to verify). What information I have found is in the video link posted below, specifically 22:15 begins a break down of how each job is not only chosen by the Entire team, but also specifically mentions that out of Two possible Tank options both DRK and SAM were in essence already designed for the role.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpxsH2rBGuw

Because of the European themes DRK was chosen this time around. Concept art, skill use, model renders, all of the development resources that went into making the Other Tank option, (Samurai) are still there, time that need not be wasted shoehorning another job in to a Tank role when one has already been made.

I have to wonder how the culture that actually has the Samurai tied so intrinsically to it's history sees the job represented. Surely I see the European Knight, the Warrior who comes from all walks of life, from every region, and the Dark Knight of actual and fantastical history, as protectors. Why the sudden disbelief that a Samurai was somehow unable to stand in the vanguard with these mythical icons simply astounds me. I could be wrong but did Samurai not have a Bushido code similar to Chivalry that stressed Morals, Honor, and Loyalty until death? The idea of seeing Samurai behind the enemy jockeying for positional set ups simply seems ludicrous.

[Laerune]

All these tanks vs dps conversation is pointless, its obvious that Samurai will be a healer with a bow.