Why do people want SAM to be a tank!?

[jomoru]

That's just an over generalisation that you cannot prove and can easily be applied to both healers and tanks too. My main is PLD, I didn't jump on DRK and I probably wouldn't jump on SAM if it was a tank.

No, no it can't. A higher percentage of Tank players play DRK than DPS players play Machinist. Same with AST for healers. The Repeat I've consistantly gotten from the people I play with(which is only anicdotal so I take it with a grain of salt) is Machinist is too similar to Bard, those who didn't like Bard don't find Machinist filling in the gaps, those who DID like bard already leveled Bard and were "Well I already leveled Bard"

So the idea that a new DPS class will intrinsically be more used is flawed, it has to be sufficiently different from the other 8 options.. and they've shown that to be difficult so far with potential for failure. This would be PROFOUNDLY compounded by putting out more than one Dps class at the same time trying to both balance them with the current setup along with making them feel sufficiently different than someone feels the effort to level them vs continuing with what they have.

Loving DRG so far. But if I find a job that can tear me away from him, I'll probably change.

Presumably you'd want something that plays ALOT different from any current options because if not you'd just stick with Dragoon, or would you be happy with Dragoon basically refluffed with a giant sword and called Samurai?

[VanilleFang]

A higher percentage of Tank players play DRK than DPS players play Machinist. Same with AST for healers.

There's other reasons for this...

1. DRK fights for MT with PLD, and in a lot of situations you're better off with DRK because of the higher DPS they can push. DRK are also better in any instance that deals high magic damage to the MT.

2. AST is brokenly OP so of course a lot of healers are using it. It has nice aesthetics, but a raiding party is strongest with SCH+AST right now. Also cards.

[Shippuu]

There's other reasons for this...

1. DRK fights for MT with PLD, and in a lot of situations you're better off with DRK because of the higher DPS they can push. DRK are also better in any instance that deals high magic damage to the MT.

2. AST is brokenly OP so of course a lot of healers are using it. It has nice aesthetics, but a raiding party is strongest with SCH+AST right now. Also cards.

Except the trend of "Best job = most played" isn't followed when it comes to AST and MCH. You say AST is "brokenly OP" and yet it's still the least played healer. And MCH is likewise the least played DPS job, despite the fact it's capable of doing more damage than BRD, yet there is twice the number of BRD's than MCH. DRK is more complex than PLD from a mechanics/rotation perspective and yet it's the most played tank.