We want to play the expansions Jobs with the starting character.

[NocturniaUzuki]

I'll second how long ARR is. Can confirm. I'm currently redoing the entire game on the JP datacenter since moving to Japan.

Two weeks later, I'm still only on Titan. That's progressing at a casual pace. If I did nothing but grind the MSQ during all my play time (unrealistic in most cases, since there are a LOT of side things you need to do, like content unlock quests), I might be around the Lv. 40 MSQ mark.

[Burningskull]

In FF11 you could unlock any advanced job at lvl 30. At least at the time I played. I think in FF14 they could easily make all the advanced jobs start at lvl 30 in some of the old zones, and then just make you wait till you are at the lvl 50 or 60 mark to start your job quests if they don't want to make job quests from lvl 30 up to lvl 50/60.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

In FF11 you could unlock any advanced job at lvl 30. At least at the time I played. I think in FF14 they could easily make all the advanced jobs start at lvl 30 in some of the old zones, and then just make you wait till you are at the lvl 50 or 60 mark to start your job quests if they don't want to make job quests from lvl 30 up to lvl 50/60.

But you either had to be able to get to the zone where the unlock was, which was sometimes very difficult, or know someone who could help you.

[Burningskull]

But you either had to be able to get to the zone where the unlock was, which was sometimes very difficult, or know someone who could help you.

True but with the way things are locked behind the previous expansions story in FF14, putting the jobs in the old areas at lvl 30, since that is what lvl ARR jobs start at, seems like a really nice comprimise for new people that hear the expansion has a job they like but then it's locked several expansions away. They put RDM and SAM in the old areas but started them at 50 and it looks like the new jobs in Shadowbringers is going to start at 60. And I know that if they start at lvl 30 SE thinks they have to do job quests or job stories from lvl 30 - max level... but they could always just have an unlock quest, give abilities through leveling like normal, and then start the job quests when you hit that 50 or 60 mark.

I always thought it was a bad idea that the jobs DRK, MCH, and AST started at lvl 30, but were locked behind level 50 content because of where you unlocked them. They could have put those starting job quests in the area outside Ishguard and allowed you to unlock them at lvl 30.

But the past is the past and going forward I would hope that they allow more freedom in the expansion jobs for newer players. Again making them available at level 30 instead of locking them at the last expansions starting level. But it doesn't look like that for Shadowbringers.

[Astarotha]

i really only have 2.5 gripes about the current system, the first is that the hw jobs absolutely cannot even be accessed until 3.0 (ff11 you could semi-skirt the issue by using the secret techniques "scream like bitch, run like cheetah" and "power of Prima" to access things super early), second is rogue is built as a lvl 1 class but cant be chosen at char creation (what makes this semi-ok though is it does lead to a very cheeky joke about learning a new class), and the half-gripe is that the 5.0 jobs MAY start at 60 when id rather they start at 50 (my issue here is i love the lore and questlines the jobs get, and more quests are good, but i also realize there is a limit to dev time and money that will get stretched more and more with each new job added so its kind of a catch-22)

[Burningskull]

i really only have 2.5 gripes about the current system, the first is that the hw jobs absolutely cannot even be accessed until 3.0 (ff11 you could semi-skirt the issue by using the secret techniques "scream like bitch, run like cheetah" and "power of Prima" to access things super early), second is rogue is built as a lvl 1 class but cant be chosen at char creation (what makes this semi-ok though is it does lead to a very cheeky joke about learning a new class), and the half-gripe is that the 5.0 jobs MAY start at 60 when id rather they start at 50 (my issue here is i love the lore and questlines the jobs get, and more quests are good, but i also realize there is a limit to dev time and money that will get stretched more and more with each new job added so its kind of a catch-22)

This is why I would suggest new jobs start in old zones at lvl 30 (or 50 if you don't want to level through ARR again) with the unlock quest being the only one you do. At the end of it the trainer says now go, practice what I've taught you and come back when stronger. Then you can start the job quests at lvl 50 or 60 for story.

[Orbus]

You might have to fudge a bit of story for being able to take them at lv1, but their skills and talents come at the same rate as other jobs at various levels and are more or less balanced the same as other jobs below their starting level, just without the job quests every few levels since you start past all that.

It may not be an elegant solution, but simply allowing someone to start at lv1 as the job and then just not get any quests for it until they normally would, would work.

I know people who are adamant about playing one job, they made their character XX job and that's what they want it to be and will make a new character for playing a different job.
I wouldn't do that, but there are people who do and I imagine a change like this would make them real happy.

[Iscah]

I always thought it was a bad idea that the jobs DRK, MCH, and AST started at lvl 30, but were locked behind level 50 content because of where you unlocked them. They could have put those starting job quests in the area outside Ishguard and allowed you to unlock them at lvl 30.

It wouldn't have worked with the way skills are unlocked in ARR/HW - requiring you to complete the job quests and receive the skills as "rewards". Anyone picking up a HW job before having access to Ishgard would be unable to learn any of their Lv30-50 skills to use while completing ARR.

They changed that system in Stormblood, with only the Lv60 and Lv70 skills locked behind quests for RDM/SAM and all classes learning Lv61-69 skills automatically, but the pre-existing quests have not been changed.

While it's more useful to learn the skills automatically, I do miss getting some explanation/context as they are given to us.

[Astarotha]

the problem with being able to access the hw jobs early though is it does break the established lore and impact of them (drk especially) so while i find it annoying i do understand WHY they did it like that (and due to the subsequent issues that caused why they avoid doing it again) and i honestly wouldnt want to trade drk 30-50 for being able to unlock it super early
plus im at leviabeetus on a non-armory bonus alt and im already almost 57, by the time i GET to hw im betting ill be at 60

[Jaywalker]

Honestly we have classes before jobs. Conjurer before White Mage, Marauder before Warrior, etc. Maybe do an optional nerfed, lower level class that graduates into the higher ones? Red Mage maybe something like Duelist, Astrologian could be Oracle or Seer, Machinist could be Marksman, Dark Knight could be Squire, Samurai idk enough but in that spirit?

None would be required to take the jobs proper, but they could offer a little extra play and training for those who want it.

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Off topic just want to say ur character/glam looks cool and I giggled at your blurb. :P