[Tanks/Healers]: Are you disappointed there is no new job in 4.0?

[Rokke]

And a PLD doesn't play like a DRK or WAR. A WHM does not play like a AST or SCH.

You're right, as PLD/WHM are currently underperformers while DRK/WAR/AST/SCH are not.

[SDaemon]

You're right, as PLD/WHM are currently underperformers while DRK/WAR/AST/SCH are not.

True, but not the point of my statement.

"All DPS playing in the same red DPS icon = DPS fill the same role or even remotely appeal to the same audience" is an extremely closed minded way of thinking.

Grouping all tanks into an umbrella group and all healers into an umbrella group while trying to argue that the differences between DPS jobs make them each unique roles that need attention is closed minded.

[Elladie]

I haven't read anything but the first page so no idea how this has developed (hopefully not derailed!) So I'm going to answer the OP's question. I'm a healer main and have been since 2.0 (BLM before that but SCH just was so delicious). I'll go SMN or BRD if my healer isn't needed for our group, or folks want to switch things round a bit, but I only levelled & geared them so we'd all have options. SCH is definitely my first love, and I'm excited to level it through the new story & see how its role develops. Looking forward to these rebalancing antics that are going on too. I'm also very excited to give RDM a try (was my main in FFXI) but it's unlikely to tempt me from SCH for long. I'd love to see DNC arrive one day as a melee healer, since I don't usually play melee roles.

Tldr: I'm happy with my SCH, looking forward to Stormblood, not bothered that I don't have a new healer to play.

[Llus]

Not disappointed at all. I main WAR, second MNK and third BRD. When heavenward was released I was interested in DRK, but didn't even touch it for nearly a year and after I did finally get around to leveling it I don't play it because I don't enjoy it's play style. I couldn't care less that they didn't introduce a new tank and am glad that they will be spending time on fixing the issues with PLD. Because SAM and MNK will share gear sets; I'll likely level SAM to see what it's like. I may or may not enjoy the play style and may simply continue with my MNK secondary.

[Belhi]

Eh? You obviously have never played 2 different DPS in this game.

There is a reason there are different types of DPS. Just because they have the same red icon, does not mean they have the same role in a party, or even remotely play the same.

I personally can't stand the caster DPS or ranged DPS in this game, yet I love playing Melee DPS.
That alone shows that melee DPS have been unfortunate with only 2 options since the release of 1.0.

NIN, DRG, MNK. That is 3 Melee classes and while they have their own styles (they are different Jobs after all) their category is pretty much the same. Where does this 2 options come from?

As for caster dps, again Range Physical and caster Physical aren't that dramatically different, particularly with cast times on the BRD and MCH now. Are they different? Yeah. They are different Jobs. However functionally the main difference is the rotation, not the role in the group.

I am pretty familiar with every role. I have every job at 60. Really this argument is silly. Dividing DPS up into Ranged and Melee is understandable but your getting a bit carried away.

My issue is I suspect that the problem with Tank and healer balance lies in the Tanking and Healer meta. The meta was build around 2 sub roles and that is always optimal. Unless that meta is changed I don't see balance changing dramatically, just getting shuffled around. As it is all the Jobs are functional in their roles except in some cases maybe PLD. WHM is perfectly capable of healing any content. Its just AST offers more. The Balance issue is less about if a Job can do the content and more about if it is on par with the other Jobs in its role.

I am sceptical we will see any dramatic changes to the Tank/Healer meta. If that is the case, WAR will remain the dominant OT and PLD and DRK will end up fighting over the MT position. Healers will be different as AST straddles both positions, which honestly probably makes it harder to balance.

Does this make it harder to add new Jobs to the meta? Sure but if the meta hasn't changed then its not going to be any easier in 5.0 than it is now so as an argument its pretty empty.

[Xlantaa]

It is obvious. Yes.

On the other hand. We will rule Duty Finder (again).

I expect something to compensate in the future. But NOT, please, no a hammer welding tank or a BLue Mage tank or beast master tank. Pleae not. Those NOT. That are no tanks. If you don't want give us Samurai, then a Gunblade tank.

[Kemonologist]

No any disappoint and I want those two to be DPS. I main scholar since launch, still main it in HW and will continue it as main in SB too. Even I level all jobs but I still choose PLD for tank and SCH for heal from many reason until now. New tank and heal can't take me away from old jobs. Why many people think people will abandon their main to new jobs? Yes, new jobs have some interesting from new and fresh but the thing that intend people to the job is gameplay. They might leveling it but after capped, many people no touch it anymore. Job specific aesthetic don't have potential that much when glamour can take away from it easily. You have only different weapon and animation for new jobs when they can share gear with old jobs.

[Rokke]

True, but not the point of my statement.

I don't have any tanks past 50 so I can't comment on those, but AST and WHM are the two jobs I play the most. In pve, AST is a WHM with some attacks exchanged for card buffs. They are incredibly similar, which is why the current meta is wonky. AST can do everything a WHM can do and more.

In comparison, BLM and SMN fill the same roll (ranged turret) but, at least imo, they feel different enough when you play them.

[Niroken]

I didn't even want another healing job even before Heavensward was announced because I was entirely aware just how balanced WHM and SCH were off each other, it would have been insanely hard to balance a third healing job in-between that synergy and it looked like I was right (although they tried to work around it in the worse possible way).

My small hope is that in Stormblood they work on the battle changes in such a way that while making DPS easier for DPS classes (making it so they can focus on mechanics more) they can finally up the difficulty of the dungeons and also make Healers and Tanks more active so it's more enjoyable for our jobs as well.

[Belhi]

Why many people think people will abandon their main to new jobs?

Well for a number of reasons. People can get tired of the same thing and want a change and for people who the themes of RDM and SAM appeal to the switch is tempting. If people never changed there wouldn't be any DRKs, MCHs or ASTs.

For me personally its because I know a number of tanks and healers who have outright stated that they intend to change. When statics are planning for a new expansion knowing that some members might not be intending to play the same roles is they are now. I considered a change but with no new healer job and the probable need for healers for my FC I will probably stay as healer even though the current jobs have felt somewhat stale for me recently.

I don't have any tanks past 50 so I can't comment on those, but AST and WHM are the two jobs I play the most. In pve, AST is a WHM with some attacks exchanged for card buffs. They are incredibly similar, which is why the current meta is wonky. AST can do everything a WHM can do and more.

The thing is that I don't see them drastically changing AST because they want it to be able to fill both roles in the existing meta. The only way to make balancing that work is to either alter the meta itself or try and tie it down to a particular place. Or make all the Jobs good at doing everything which would end up making them feel even more similar.