Stormblood and the off-hand equipment slot

[kattzkitti]

Has there been any information released about what (if anything) they intend to do with this slot for all the other jobs? Maybe return the option for one-handed main hand with off-hand for casters? Combine sword and shield and just remove the slot?

[Vidu]

...why should they do anything with it? ALL crafters and 2/3 gatherers are using the off hand slot... Its a lot more than just sword and shield for paladin.
It is however pretty obvious that the other battle classes wont be using the offhand anytime soon (they havent added one weapon and shield for casters with HW and even changed some of the old one-hand-weapons - coil, ifrit, mog, titan... - into two hand versions) - but since every crafter is using it, I really dont see any need to change it? Why is that empty slot a problem for your whm, bard or warrior?

[Jim_Berry]

In Final Fantasy XI, there were items such as: Grips, Ammo and other items. Maybe FFXIV's "off-hand" is something similar?

[rxnin]

OH for machinist should be a second gun LOL

[Kazrah]

There's the possibility of combining Paladin weapons into one just for the purposes of more suitable itemization while still maintaining the current tool setup for all DoH and the two DoL classes that implement this system. Given that Paladin has been constantly stated to be getting a major overhaul, this would probably just be one more thing on the list.

[Hasrat]

I haven't seen much of the endgame/HW content, but wouldn't that mean removing the player's choice between block strength/rate? Simplified, sure, but removing some of the variety we get (and we don't often get very much of that).

[Wobi]

I'd really like them to bring back the Chakram in the off-hand slot we had in 1.0 for Monk, it was nice being able to pull something at range. It certainly didn't do much damage but it got the job done. Then again they could just add that as an ability.

The problem with adding to the off-hand slot is that it becomes a requirement and another item slot you need to keep up to date and further inventory woes, like a Paladin with their shield. There is no real need to split them up when they can just consolidate the stats into a single weapon you need to obtain.

[Lambdafish]

There's the possibility of combining Paladin weapons into one just for the purposes of more suitable itemization while still maintaining the current tool setup for all DoH and the two DoL classes that implement this system. Given that Paladin has been constantly stated to be getting a major overhaul, this would probably just be one more thing on the list.

There is one reason, and one reason alone why this won't happen, Glamour. It is a massively backwards step to combine the sword and shield and force people into combination pairs that they maybe don't like. I have glamoured shields that I don't like to be paired with swords that I do, and that system works. Their solution to the problem was to have swords and shields always drop at the same time in loot tables, and that is IMO all that needs to be done.

[Kazrah]

There is one reason, and one reason alone why this won't happen, Glamour. It is a massively backwards step to combine the sword and shield and force people into combination pairs that they maybe don't like. I have glamoured shields that I don't like to be paired with swords that I do, and that system works. Their solution to the problem was to have swords and shields always drop at the same time in loot tables, and that is IMO all that needs to be done.

OR like the ARR caster 1-handed weapons, they could just transition out of them, offering it as one item rather than as individual items. I'm sure they could find some means of setting up a glamour system for it that would work the same as it does now.

I like to mix and match pally tools too, but I know that like caster 1-handers, the idea that they should stay separate items when the dozens of Paladin players mostly use weapons of the same set is logically pointless and mechanically outdated.

[Gaj85]

...why should they do anything with it? ALL crafters and 2/3 gatherers are using the off hand slot... Its a lot more than just sword and shield for paladin.
It is however pretty obvious that the other battle classes wont be using the offhand anytime soon (they havent added one weapon and shield for casters with HW and even changed some of the old one-hand-weapons - coil, ifrit, mog, titan... - into two hand versions) - but since every crafter is using it, I really dont see any need to change it? Why is that empty slot a problem for your whm, bard or warrior?

Because why not? As a Black Mage I think it would be bad ass to be able to have some type of totem in that hand or something (Like in Diablo III). I wouldn't say I view it as a "problem" as you put it but more so of a way to add another element.