I've seen all this stuff about Adding new jobs to existing classes

[LadyVal]

At this point, I think it's probably for the best. Jobs sharing classes is going to make them excessively similar and limit creativity.

I agree. As a SCH main, I can tell you that in 2.0 SCH and SMN were so similar it was ridiculous. HW made each job more unique, but it does create a lot of irritating problems. Such as, which bonus stats do you use? Since those are class-based and not job-based. It makes switching between each job a pain in the butt. Plus when you have a lot of the same abilities as another job, things happen like, two people using the same buff/debuff at the same time. In 2.0 it was never fun to E4E or Virus the same target at the same time, one ability was always wasted that way.

Plus, just a lore irk and not a gameplay irk but as a SCH, the game scenes that showed you talking to Hydaelyn in your artifact gear, since your class was ACN, the game assumed your job would become/was SMN. So I got to be a SCH but in every cutscene I was put into the SMN artifact gear and that just got under my skin. lol

[FeliAiko]

Branching Jobs was a concept SE entertained during 2.x, with ACN and it's offshoots viewed as a 'prototype' of sorts. Another one they considered was having 'Advanced Jobs' that would require having multiple Jobs at max level (for example, both White Mage and Black Mage at 50 to access Red Mage). Instead they went with Advanced Jobs simply being Jobs that start at Level 30 without a base class, and have since mentioned that they'd rather have separate Jobs over branching ones.

[Niwashi]

... and have since mentioned that they'd rather have separate Jobs over branching ones.

I agree with their reasoning for deciding this. (Branching jobs was a cool idea, but one that leads to more hassle than benefit.) However, one point I regret about the decision is that it doesn't look good for getting Ranger into the game. I don't see how they could possibly add Ranger and not have it branch out from Archer.

[jazo]

The problem I see here is that that would only work if both classes focused the same stat. I mean, My SMN is weaker because I spec'd for SCH, and the same issue would persist there.

If they can make jobs branch they can also make stats branch

[FeliAiko]

I don't see how they could possibly add Ranger and not have it branch out from Archer.

You could have Rangers equipping crossbows only, which would differentiate them from Bards. The real issue though is what would Rangers bring to separate them from Bard, because despite the name the 'support' element of Bards are pretty minor (a shame you don't get those 'Voice' songs that the NPC has during the Bard Job quests, but oh well). If anything it would be better to just incorporate Ranger elements into Bard (which they kinda did with skills like Barrage and Sidewinder) instead of creating Ranger entirely, unless they can completely make the Job different and unique.