PLD cross class abilities suck

[Xenosan]

It's not just the bad cross-class options that I have issue with it: It's the *essential cross-class options where there is a huge missed opportunity for unique play-style and job differentiation.

Cleric Stance. All healers use the same mechanic to utilize their DPS kit, stance dancing with Cleric.

I'd love to see each healer have their own method for DPS application, and not have them all gated behind the same Cleric dance.

Cleric in it's current form could be left to SCH - since that kit is all about weaving oGCDs between instant cast. It makes sense there. But WHM and AST could have different ways of applying hteir dps kit. WHMs own version of Cleric could be a buff, not a stance, require a tight DPS combo to maintain, be best paired with PoM, and really sell the burst potential of their kit (which is undervalued in the current meta).

AST already has a unique stance dance system and card mechanic, they're Cleric Stance alternative could be tied to that.

Real missed opportunity there. Another reason I wouldn't mind a post-3.x gameplay change that lets cross-classes RIP.

[Cabalabob]

I'm fine with most of PLD's cross class options, in 2.0 I wasn't because protect and stoneskin were gimped compared to whm so there was no point in setting them as there was usually someone who could do it better, now they are on par with the healer versions, which I like. The only one I take issue with is cure. It's an iconic PLD thing to be able to cure, the thing that sets PLD apart from warrior/knight/gladiator in old games was its ability to use healing magic, maybe not as effectively as a whm but still to an acceptable level. They need to make cure scale off STR and WD like clemency when used by a PLD cause right now it's a complete joke. Also raise needs to be made usable in combat for it to be a viable cross class skill but that's a change to the skill not a change to the cross classes.

As for MRD cross classes, they're fine in my eyes, foresight may not be good until you're well geared but it's nice to have as something to pop just to reduce incoming auto attack damage a little. Bloodbath is better than people give it credit for. Skull sunder.. I really don't know what SE had in mind when making this and savage blade cross classes, they're weird and pointless and probably the only ones I'd like to see changed but it doesn't bother me too much because I don't have enough cross class spots for it to matter anyway. As for fracture, like with raise it needs a buff to be viable but again, change to the skill not the cross classes.

[Khalithar]

At this point I believe the cross class abilities need to be scrapped and each class given an appropriate cooldown (giving all tanks their own version of provoke) and their damage buffed appropriately to compensate for loss of cooldowns like raging strikes. Either that or revamp it and give a greater selection of abilities.

[Quor]

I'm fine with most of PLD's cross class options, in 2.0 I wasn't because protect and stoneskin were gimped compared to whm so there was no point in setting them as there was usually someone who could do it better, now they are on par with the healer versions, which I like. The only one I take issue with is cure. It's an iconic PLD thing to be able to cure, the thing that sets PLD apart from warrior/knight/gladiator in old games was its ability to use healing magic, maybe not as effectively as a whm but still to an acceptable level. They need to make cure scale off STR and WD like clemency when used by a PLD cause right now it's a complete joke. Also raise needs to be made usable in combat for it to be a viable cross class skill but that's a change to the skill not a change to the cross classes.

As for MRD cross classes, they're fine in my eyes, foresight may not be good until you're well geared but it's nice to have as something to pop just to reduce incoming auto attack damage a little. Bloodbath is better than people give it credit for. Skull sunder.. I really don't know what SE had in mind when making this and savage blade cross classes, they're weird and pointless and probably the only ones I'd like to see changed but it doesn't bother me too much because I don't have enough cross class spots for it to matter anyway. As for fracture, like with raise it needs a buff to be viable but again, change to the skill not the cross classes.

I've tanked low level instances using CC'd Skull Sunder on my LNC/DRG. I'm talking Halatali/Toto-rak or lower. Soon as someone hits 30 and puts on a Job crystal then aggro goes flying.

It's also semi-reliant on having some form of CC (i.e. THM to Sleep). But hey, it's gotten me through a few tank-less runs before. Having said that, they're useless past this (incredibly specific) niche, so I'd like to see SE either do something with them (beyond 100 potency attack that generates 2x threat) or scrap them altogether in favor of something else more useful.

[Jingai]

Yes but compared to swiftcast and blood for blood, every cross class is pretty bad.

Now that's most certainly not true. Invigorate is a cross class skill and it is absolutely vital for PGL/MNK for their entire career. Actually, it's pretty potent for all DPS jobs...so to say they're all pretty bad is a bit unfounded, don'tcha think?

[Gameplayzero]

Now that's most certainly not true. Invigorate is a cross class skill and it is absolutely vital for PGL/MNK for their entire career. Actually, it's pretty potent for all DPS jobs...so to say they're all pretty bad is a bit unfounded, don'tcha think?

not only that but protect and, hilariously enough, cleric stance.

And aero as well...

edit: oh cleric was already mentioned above.

[Yuni_Queen]

I can't live without invigorate as ninja...
Internal Release.
Invigorate.
Blood for Blood.
Blizzard II (SMN).
Raging Strikes.

And others. Cross-class skills are good. It is our cross-class restriction, that makes that bad.

[Enkidoh]

Raising cross-classes restrictions, so i can use swifcast on war, BECUASE I WANT - yes, please.

I'm sorry for my ignorance, but please enlighten me as to what benefit this would give you as WAR? (Unless this is simply trolling).

Guys just give PLD Benediction and call it a day, problem solved

The trouble is, that ship sailed long ago with 1.0. PLD was fitted out as a pseudo healer in 1.0 because... CNJ/WHM was the only dedicated healer in the game, and they needed another healer out of necessity (remember ACN was dummied out in 1.0 and SCH and AST did not exist). Hence in ARR how ACN was given SCH as an experiment, it was an attempt to streamline Job roles and thus relieve PLD of healing duties, allowing it to concentrate on being a straight tank (in particular, the Duty Finder requires Jobs and classes to be specific roles, having PLD able to both tank and heal would cause... certain potential issues with players queuing as tank for the 'adventurer in need tank bonus', but then insist on healing in the party and then the party wipes because they're not actually doing their job role properly.

Having said that, having some healing capability for GLA/PLD is not a bad thing at all, but that was more or less solved with the addition of Clemency. So really, I don't think PLD really needs anything more, except maybe a slight healing boost for Cure. But it's not essential.

[Yuni_Queen]

I'm sorry for my ignorance, but please enlighten me as to what benefit this would give you as WAR? (Unless this is simply trolling).

Looks like you missed the point of that in a corridor.

What i meant, was that making cross-class restrictions (like PLD - MRD, CNJ; DRK - GLA, MRD) are bad. I would like all classes i raised to be able to use as cross-class.
Joke with Swifcast on War was to give a hint, that anything, even if stupid, would give player some freedom in making a build, since we are very limited in here.

Answering your question:
You can use swifcast on flash, since it is a spell.
Your ignorance was forgiven.

[Enkidoh]

Well, I agree restricting cross class abilities as a class (in other words, without the Soul Crystal equipped) was not a good idea, but like most of the issues with ARR's design, blame the 1.0 players whom SE polled as to what they wanted ARR to be like and what changes they wanted to be implemented in ARR's design - one of the main changes was they wanted designated party roles for each class, and each class to have an actual identity, especially when in a party, hence the restriction on abilities, a restriction which is even tighter when a Job is equipped. SE merely gave players what they wanted. So, gone horribly right I guess?

Also Flash may be a spell but it has an instant cast time anyway, making Swiftcast totally redundant. But I digress.