SE, the concept of "Limited Jobs" is a really bad idea, turn back now

[Auryan]

I don't have a problem with the concept.

Now, if I were a big fan of BLU, then maybe this would miff me. But I'm all for SE experimenting with other forms of content. And honestly, jobs they pick for limited jobs...are probably jobs they were unlikely to ever add as normal jobs. If Yoshi P thought they might add blue mage in 6.0 for example I don't think they would have added it as a limited job. Same with beastmaster if that ends up as the next limited job.

I also wouldn't be shocked if they stopped adding 2 new jobs per expansion. I could honestly see it slowing down to one new full job in 6.0. Because every new job adds overhead in future expansions. They all need new weapon models, new job quests, new artifact gear, new spells and animations, and they all have to be balanced. So I expect eventually two jobs per expansion will dwindle to 1, further cutting down the chances of jobs like blue mage or beastmaster anyway.

If it's 'get this job as a limited job side content or never at all' I'd easily take the former. The game needs more side content outside of the endgame loot treadmill, and this is a system that could be fun to see expanded on in the future with more limited job specific duties liked the masked carnival.

That is how I see the limited job system. Thank you for describing it better than I ever could. I don't think the idea of jobs as content is inherently bad. It comes down to execution.
When I look at niche jobs like PUP, BST, BLU, Orator, Mime, Arithmetician and so many others, you get the impression that these jobs would never even be considered of being added to XIV without this concept. And I know that people get attached to BLU thanks in large parts to XI, Tactics, etc, but I think that having it in whatever form (and as much requested side content to boot) is better than people constantly requesting it after every expansion and the devs going, "We're thinking about it."

I haven't really thought about the balancing and cost issues down the line, but it could very well be how things will eventually go. That makes the idea of limited jobs that much more interesting, since it's not a tool do the content like the standard jobs, but rather more like content in of itself. If they can develop and expand the system slowly like they with other side content such as the Gold Saucer, I think we'll have a very reliable and consistent form of side content in these jobs. At least, that's what I'm hoping.