Could the 'hammer' emphasis maybe hint at a new WHM weapon?

[Niqote]

But they explained the artist drew it after drawing the model and that there was no intention behind it.

They noted there were no hammers in game. The dev Yoshida spoke to said 'ah its ok, we can work it in' or something to that effect which means just like the scythe on the Mogstation, it might just be a skin over an existing weapon type.

[Shougun]

But they explained the artist drew it just because, there was no intention behind it.

Wouldn't be the first time they introduce something like that though :P. I agree it could just be what it is, though I think it'd be neat if it was a healer.. just sounds weird that an expansion is tank / damage.. felt like the healer's time to get in on the party lol.

[Paladinleeds]

GEO is a healer, and uses a Hammer. It's the next job they hadn't announced yet.

Lore-wise, isn't a GEO just either a WHM or an AST, but using the ground and not the sky as its postition for the deity... as in, it's basically either a WHM or an AST... would be an absolute massive let down for healers to literally get the same job, just with the energy coming from the ground and not the sky. I'd say that'd be an even bigger kick in the teeth than no new healer at all.

[Novak_04]

would be an absolute massive let down for healers to literally get the same job, just with the energy coming from the ground and not the sky. I'd say that'd be an even bigger kick in the teeth than no new healer at all.

Dancer, meet Bard.

[Vahlnir]

Lore-wise, isn't a GEO just either a WHM or an AST, but using the ground and not the sky as its postition for the deity... as in, it's basically either a WHM or an AST... would be an absolute massive let down for healers to literally get the same job, just with the energy coming from the ground and not the sky. I'd say that'd be an even bigger kick in the teeth than no new healer at all.

Ninjas use daggers and Samurais use katanas but they accomplish the same thing: sticking the enemy with the pointy end. Most jobs in this game are similar to other jobs but perform their actions differently.

[Paladinleeds]

Dancer, meet Bard.

As far as I know, DNC is an infusion of BRD and NIN. So not what I was getting at.

Ninjas use daggers and Samurais use katanas but they accomplish the same thing: sticking the enemy with the pointy end. Most jobs in this game are similar but perform their actions differently.

Ninjas are designed to be debuffers and fairly support-like, with SAM being selfish DPS. So not quite the same. Lore-wise though, GEO and AST/WHM (I can't remember which) are the exact same except for the belief of their source of energy. Which suggests they're the exact same in how they play.

[Shougun]

Lore-wise, isn't a GEO just either a WHM or an AST, but using the ground and not the sky as its postition for the deity... as in, it's basically either a WHM or an AST... would be an absolute massive let down for healers to literally get the same job, just with the energy coming from the ground and not the sky. I'd say that'd be an even bigger kick in the teeth than no new healer at all.

I think a main gimmick is their area and vicinity concepts, like single target heals that come packed with an aoe or team buffs that happen around you. They can use many elements including those WHM currently uses, so you've also got fire, lightning, water, poison, and gravity. To be honest if we counted their elements and concepts, at least just refrencing FFXI, Geomancer can step on the toes of all the healers we have right now lol.

They're some remix of all three healers with area effect mechanics baked around those ideas.

[Sulnas]

I have some speculation building in my brain, and it's probably a little far-fetched but I'll go ahead and share what I have.

The 60-70 AST quests explains how geomancy is pretty much a dead art that's been taken over by charlatans, save for Kokuyo, who can be seen wielding a small mallet-like hammer, iirc. The ending to the questline seems to imply the possibility of geomancy coming back into the limelight thanks to Kokuyo sharing his learnings with the other geomancer NPCs, so in that sense, GEO as a new healer job isn't entirely ruled out.

Next is the far-fetched part pertaining to Gaia and her hammer. Nomura said the hammer was an afterthought, but it's possible that it coincided with previous plans for SE so they accepted it. Eden refers to the Garden of Eden from the Book of Genesis, when God created the world. The teaser image showed little more than a sapling under a beam of sunlight, implying some sort of divine creation, or genesis. And then when you consider Gaia is named after the Earth herself from Greek mythology, you can easily find all the life and creation themes going on.

So here's my suggestion: If Eden takes place in the First, then perhaps Gaia is that shard's iteration of the geomancer job, with a heavy focus on the earth and life.

... this is probably really messy to read so I apologize ;;

[Paladinleeds]

I think a main gimmick is their area and vicinity concepts, like single target heals that come packed with an aoe or team buffs that happen around you. They can use many elements including those WHM currently uses, so you've also got fire, lightning, and water. To be honest if we counted their elements and concepts, at least just refrencing FFXI, Geomancer can step on the toes of all the healers we have right now lol.

They're some remix of all three healers with area effect mechanics baked around those ideas.

Nah, again, lore-wise, the teachings of AST and GEO are the exact same, bar AST looks to the sky and GEO looks to the ground. That's what I'm saying, and lore-wise, they were the exact same. I'm discussing this in a Discord and this was brought up. So if they added it in, that's still a very significant kick in the teeth. Cleric or Chemist, I can understand, as they're not lore-wise just the same as another class just one looks to the sky the other looks to the ground (this was all explained in the AST 60-70 quests, so spoilers for those who aren't there yet, sorry!), but that's where I feel GEO cannot work.