New DPS Job Idea - Time Mage!

[Ceallach]

The picture I linked was from Final Fantasy Explorers...

That's fair, but it could have used a bit more context for people who don't know that game exists. Just post something like this first next time, okay?

Say remember that one time in FFXI, where SE implemented Ninja as a DPS and Samurai as a Tank, and Blue Mage a bit more melee oriented than usual... Good Times, Good Times indeed... Hint Hint.

And then players used ninjas to tank via Utsusemi and samurai as DPS because Seigan and Third Eye were bad for being a main tank? And then blue mages were made so overpowered that they could do anything without drawing their swords at all, including tank?

[Valdegarde]

It paints them as the same job with different coat of paint, to be honest.

Something I felt too and was afraid of, because I would like to see a fully developed Geomancer job in the future, much as I imagine the topic creator would have liked to see Time Mage apart from Astrologian and many who wish Ninja didn't imply the Thief job too. I think it's a little early to tell, since for all we know there's a separate Geomancer sect as different from Kugane's as Sharlayan's are from Ishgard, but I do admit feeling some pessimism.

[arctanx]

Interesting discussion concerning the future of DPS jobs in the game, guys. I think there are only a few areas left in "traditional" FF lore to choose from. Soon, they're gonna have to branch out and do something unique. For those that like my style (if maybe not implementation), I've posted a Healer job suggestion (Maestro) as well if anyone wants to give feedback here, all posts welcome.

[Pastahnak]

The picture I linked was from Final Fantasy Explorers, where Geomancer is a support/tank, arguably one of the tankiest melee classes in the game with their mighty glacier tendencies, HP and clubs/bells.
Also worth noting that Geomancers in Final Fantasy Tactics, one of their more popular incarnations, couldn't wear heavy armor but they could wear some of the other kinds of best armor, shields, their HP growth was 3rd highest in the game (tied with Knight and Dragoon!) and their HP multiplier was 4th highest, drastically higher than any other mage class and only 10 behind Knight/Dragoon.

All this isn't implying that I think it has to be a tank or anything, but you speak as if there's NO precedent, when there's clearly some.

this geomancer sounds really cool, would love to see this added in the future as a tank/support alongside dancer (melee/healer) to add some much needed attention to those two roles.

[Eloah]

It paints them as the same job with different coat of paint, to be honest. They even outright state a few times that the 6 constellations are the same as the elemental representations Geomancers use. E.g. geomancer's Tree of the earth is equivalent to astrologian's bole, etc. The only thing different about them aside from the heavenly energy vs earthly energy (which was also explicitly stated by the npcs in the quest as feeling similar) is that Geomancers don't currently have the same spell effects, which itself is not really special at all since neither did the Ishgardian astrologers until the Sharlayans showed them the power that they were missing out on. It's pretty darn clear cut to me that Ishgardian Astrologers = Sharlayan Astrologians = Kugane Geomancers.

While what you say has some credence, it is not altogether accurate. True there are similarities true: 6 constellations/6 elements, heavenly energy/terrestrial energy, time & space/earth & water, but fundamentally that's comparing apples and oranges; they are both fruits but not the same thing. The different coat of paint concept you described is nothing new, look at superheros and their abilities; one may use fire another ice, etc, look at television shows, cop shows, dramas, comedies, even real life; if you have a sibling(s), together aren't you classified as your parents children, but are you the same? A concept that is especially true for twins/triplets. The only thing that the quests do is paint Geomancers as protectors. Now protection can have a variety of interpretations, but within the context of the game that could either mean a healer or a tank, though it doesn't outright mean a DPS is not possible either. Plus as Valdegarde mentioned there could be a sub sect or an entirely different sect that we'll learn from in the future; they did this with both Machinist and Astrologian, and to a lesser degree Red Mage.

And then players used ninjas to tank via Utsusemi and samurai as DPS because Seigan and Third Eye were bad for being a main tank? And then blue mages were made so overpowered that they could do anything without drawing their swords at all, including tank?

So you see my point then.

[Ceallach]

So you see my point then.

But I feel like you aren't seeing mine. Look at all the jobs that are in the game right now. None of them deviate very far at all from their original versions. You'd have a better point to make if we had machinist as a tank or something like that, but actually the jobs are quite within what they've always done. Literally the only Disciple of War tank left that there could be is the viking, and that would have to have a play style similar to Exdeath in the Dissidia series (block and counter using shields only) to avoid being too close to the warrior. You can't have a job that plays just like another job, which is probably why we won't have a healer geomancer; as Mhaeric pointed out, it would just be another astrologian.

[Eloah]

snip

I see your point just fine. But it's been shown to you again and again that any job could be implimented anyway the developers see fit. The point is if the devs want to do it, they can and they will.

[Ceallach]

I see your point just fine. But it's been shown to you again and again that any job could be implimented anyway the developers see fit. The point is if the devs want to do it, they can and they will.

The devs respect the lore of the game too much to do something like make machinist a healer. You're ignoring that.

[Eloah]

The devs respect the lore of the game too much to do something like make machinist a healer. You're ignoring that.

I'm out, I've hijacked this thread enough. You wont see what others have shared, and that's fine. But this thread should get back on track to what it's supposed to be about. Time Mage and our thoughs on it.

[Shouko]

How many posts about Time Mage are we going to get? With all the jobs in Final Fantasy history everyone is so fixated on Time Mage, yet it is one of the lesser interesting jobs, imo anyway.

I would much rather see a true pet class like puppetmaster and beastmaster or adapt ranger into a pet class since that could easily be done, since they failed hard with smn. Or a true cut throat rogue class without all the honor babble of ninja. I understand honor is big in jp culture but its really getting boring how its incorporated into everything in this game.

That's what people do, is they brow beat the dev's until they cave in for something.

If anything would like BLU (depending on how they did it), PUP, COR (not MCH), DNC (if they can work out details), BST would be interesting as well. Anything really over another mage, besides BLU of course.