DualShocker Interview - 3.5 pt 2 next week, supposedly

[Zojha]

Either way, something has to change in raiding that forces players to mix job compositions.

Not much to be done there except forcing every raid party to take X, Y or Z job just in order to clear. Mitigation and Healing are artificial additions and as a consequence only ever as useful as they are required, there's not much you can do about that - You can require more or less of it or you can invalidate Damage as Winning Condition. You don't have more options.

Every "utility" you give jobs is measured by the same standard. As such, the "defensive jobs" as you call them need either more direct DPS done by themselves, or indirect DPS via party buffs. It is as simple as that.

[Istaru]

Not much to be done there except forcing every raid party to take X, Y or Z job just in order to clear. Mitigation and Healing are artificial additions and as a consequence only ever as useful as they are required, there's not much you can do about that - You can require more or less of it or you can invalidate Damage as Winning Condition. You don't have more options.

Every "utility" you give jobs is measured by the same standard. As such, the "defensive jobs" as you call them need either more direct DPS done by themselves, or indirect DPS via party buffs. It is as simple as that.

With the simple combat system that we have and how fights are designed with DPS checks as one of their foci, you are correct.

Change how things are created, and you change that mentality.

Since Yoshida will not create content requiring a single job he present, we will maintain the status quo.

[Ultimatecalibur]

Since Yoshida will not create content requiring a single job he present, we will maintain the status quo.

A lot of things can change based on tool kits available and the Cross Role skills system changes will likely change that.

Pacification use is currently a no go in Raid content because only Paladin has access to it.
Harpooning use is currently a no go in Raid content because only Warrior has access to it.
Buff stripping is currently a no go in Raid content because only Monk has access to it.
Sleep use is currently a no go in Raid content because only White Mage and Black Mage have access to it.
Knockback requires in fight mechanics to use because only White Mage, Summoner and Machinist have access to it inherently.
Bind use is limited because Black Mage is the only Ranged DpS without it.
Silence use is limited because Paladin, Scholar, Monk, Ninja, Bard and Machinist are the ones that have it but you can build viable* comps that will have trouble silencing due to Monk/Scholar.

*"viable" being a comp with 2 tanks, 2 healers, 2 melee dps and 2 ranged dps all of different jobs.

Putting several of these effects in various Cross Role skill lists will allow the devs to design fights that require them.

[Istaru]

A lot of things can change based on tool kits available and the Cross Role skills system changes will likely change that.

Pacification use is currently a no go in Raid content because only Paladin has access to it.
Harpooning use is currently a no go in Raid content because only Warrior has access to it.
Buff stripping is currently a no go in Raid content because only Monk has access to it.
Sleep use is currently a no go in Raid content because only White Mage and Black Mage have access to it.
Knockback requires in fight mechanics to use because only White Mage, Summoner and Machinist have access to it inherently.
Bind use is limited because Black Mage is the only Ranged DpS without it.
Silence use is limited because Paladin, Scholar, Monk, Ninja, Bard and Machinist are the ones that have it but you can build viable* comps that will have trouble silencing due to Monk/Scholar.

*"viable" being a comp with 2 tanks, 2 healers, 2 melee dps and 2 ranged dps all of different jobs.

Putting several of these effects in various Cross Role skill lists will allow the devs to design fights that require them.

That's all well and good and sounds nice but, but how does that get PLD, WHM and to a lesser degree, MNK to the point of not being unwelcome in top tier content?

[Ultimatecalibur]

That's all well and good and sounds nice but, but how does that get PLD, WHM and to a lesser degree, MNK to the point of not being unwelcome in top tier content?

Other changes involving the Cross Role system will help that.

Currently a lot of problems that Paladin and White Mage suffer from are caused by them being designated owner of certain "must have" abilities. Currently Paladin "owns" Provoke, Convalescence, Awareness and Rampart and White Mage owns Cleric Stance, Raise, Protect and Stoneskin. Moving these skills to the Cross Role Skill list frees up a significant amount of room to allow for abilities to balance these two with the other jobs in their roles.

Monk's problems are mostly tied to lack of a raid wide damage buff in the vein of Battle Litany and Trick Attack. Changing party wide buffs like Battle Litany and Mantra into the Cross Role skills will help them balance things out. The fact Dragoon's Piercing debuff boosts Bard/Machinist dps could be balanced out by giving Monk a way to boost caster dps.

Also the improved Magic Defense boost the Paladin mentioned in the interview and misinterpreted by the Op was likely referring to problems in raid caused by the lack of the -10% Int down debuff from Delirium or Dragon Kick.

If everyone can be useful for mechanics then why take the job with a lower DPS?

If the gap in personal+raid-wide dps is small enough: personal preference. Even if all job in the same role had similar levels of effectiveness players would gravitate to the jobs they most enjoy playing. Some players find Paladin boring others enjoy its streamlined simplicity over managing Origin stacks and MP consumption. As long as the dps gap is small enough players will not feel forced to play the most optimum job(s).

[Ririta]

Putting several of these effects in various Cross Role skill lists will allow the devs to design fights that require them.

If everyone can be useful for mechanics then why take the job with a lower DPS?

Perfect balance is impossible in MMORPGs, no amount of homogenization and streamlining will ever solve it...

[Dualgunner]

If everyone can be useful for mechanics then why take the job with a lower DPS?

Perfect balance is impossible in MMORPGs, no amount of homogenization and streamlining will ever solve it...

http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Perfect_Balance