Geomancer vs Blue Mage

[Talraen]

Not that I'm a big proponent of taking things from FFXI, but FFXI showed you could make an effective geomancer without having their powers based on specific terrain. I imagine if they ever implemented GEO in FFXIV, it would work similarly. I don't really see any reason why they couldn't make a workable geomancer in this game.

Blue mage wasn't really known as a sword-wielding job until FFXI. (They could use them in V, but really, RDM have been the "sword-wielding" mage since FF1). Stragos in VI was mostly using rods. Quina is using forks and such. Khimari was using spears. Quistis whips. "Gun Mage" was the Blue mage of FFX-2.
Blue magic is often more useful for its unique support and healing abilities than its damage -- once again, a difference that comes mostly from FFXI.

Except Quistis, Quina, and Kimahri aren't blue mages, they just use the blue magic mechanic. Strago may or may not have been a blue mage (honestly not sure of his official class) but he doesn't actually wear blue so :P to that. Plus given that this game already differentiates between swords (GLD), daggers (ROG), and greatswords (DRK), I think it can easily add rapiers (RDM) and scimitars (BLU). Frankly even if they implement BLU as a pure caster, I'd personally rather see them have swords than another generic rod class.

Also I'm not sure if you're saying FFXI made BLU a support or the opposite, but most blue magic in the series is just straight offense. A lot of the common and awesome blue magic is of a support nature (e.g., white wind and big guard), but in terms of pure numbers it's mostly non-standard attack mechanics (Lv. 5 Petrify, Roulette, Exploder), elemental attacks using non-standard elements (Aqua Rake, Aero), or alternative status attacks (Frog Song, Stone).

[Docent]

Also I'm not sure if you're saying FFXI made BLU a support or the opposite[...]

What I meant is that in FFXI, BLU are known mostly for the [Physical] Damage Spells (and ability to self-skillchain). (Yes I know, whiskers burns were awesome...)

Like you said, in older FF titles, I mostly respected the job for its abilities like White Wind / Big Guard and non-standard elemental attacks, or AoE ability -- Trine was rather strong in FFVII.

One thing that is almost certain is that their "funkier" spell selection like Level 5 Death or Roulette would not make it in an MMO setting, because it would be far too random, situational and/or potentially game-breaking.

Just a quick note - for those talking about GEO using earth attacks like Stone

If anything, GEO should be able to use all 6 elements, if they were true to the job's ability to manipulate any terrain.

[Yasuhiro]

Like you said, in older FF titles, I mostly respected the job for its abilities like White Wind / Big Guard and non-standard elemental attacks, or AoE ability -- Trine was rather strong in FFVII.

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Not to go too off topic but Final Fantasy VII had some really awesome Blue Magic abilities yes, learning Beta early from the snake and using it to nuke literally anything was amazing, because it was a mushroom cloud when casting it and the Pandora's Box spell I think it was called that you get late game, great ability.

FFXIV loves its fanservice, right? I'll take Blue Mage if it had some FFVII spells to learn along the way, very underrated abilities. Because most only remember Blue Magic from V or XI. (Mostly talking about game exclusive abilities not shared ones =p)

[ckc22]

I'd love to see Blu in as a DoM tank.

I think that with a bit of creativity (both on the part of the developer and players) they could make the class feel like a blue mage even in our current system.

Make the job quests focused on learning skills from mobs - done.

I don't get people who need everything to be so literal. Probably same type of people who don't understand that Astrologian is Time mage and keep asking for that...