Predictions for job(s) in the next expansion?

[Seraphor]

I'm not sure a whip is that much of a "ranged" weapon, in reality. Crossbow could work for a hunter / beastmaster.

While Machinist has a gun, a proper rifle job is not out of the question, either some heavy rifle, or some sniper job. I was playing Xenoblade Chronicles lately, seeing how a character is a healer with a heavy rifle that sometimes dashes into melee to hit enemies with the rifle grip. It can be made quite separate than a MCH gun.

I mean, they made books into weapons for ACN/SCH/SMN, they can do whatever they want in that respect. Could be a slingshot, could be a very long pole with a rusty spoon taped at the end of it; they can be quite creative.

Whips have been regarded as ranged weapons in the past by way of working from the back row. You could easily have them reach any range. That's kinda the point of them, they can be very long, hit things further away, but coil up small. If you can get a clear shot with a bullet/arrow/chakram why not a whip?

I've had this debate before, but I seriously doubt we'll get another DPS job that uses any kind of gun.
Not only does MCH's ranged of weapons and machines pretty much cover every type of gun already, but there's nothing else unique they can add to guns to build an entire job around. Jobs are more than just their weapon.
Possibly Chemist as a healer could use a gun or some kind of firearm, but that's about it.

A slingshot would be... odd. They'd have to make it pretty big to be able to make various unique models of it. But it would be unique I'll give you that.
Any kind of polearm would be less 'ranged' than a Whip, so...

[MirronTulaxia]

I still stand by if you can point at it in FF and it’s not covered by Machinist it’s fair game. Which leaves quite a lot, guns and otherwise, as an open option for a ranged DPS. It’s not the largest field, but I would say it’s in a better position than another melee DPS or Tank.

[Snek]

I'm certain one will be a healer. What that is, nobody knows. Might even just be 1 job.

Personally I'd love a melee healer with a hammer and a ranged physical DPS that uses STR and DRG armor.. Maybe tossing javelins.

But I'm certain neither of those will come to pass.

[EdwinLi]

We know that 6.0 Trailer is currently in the works now so the Jobs are most likely already finalized but there has been a sword job theme that has slowly risen through time in Fantasy style games being the Illusionary or Shockwave Range sword slash user jobs.

It has always interested me because it takes a potential melee weapon for most games and apply a range combat ability for it.

Current each type of melee job has a 1 or 2 skills that use this concept but none actually focus on the actually potential.

Red Mage has only recently gotten its first sword illusion Range slash attack to act as a off-skill when players don't want to spend their energy on the Red Mage Melee Combo called Reprise. This does open Red Mage up to have a pure range sword combo attack following Reprise but there is a chance they may not expand into this option so it can keep Red Mage melee combo as the focus for the energy system it has.

In a sense they could even apply this to Mystic Knight/Spellblade/etc whatever it is called due to having multiple names in the FF series if they don't take the Tank route or Melee Mage route Mystic Knight is often known for in other FF games but instead take the Physical Range route new to the Job's concept. Thus introducing a Physical Range attack with sword illusion slash as the main focus while having the Spellblade attacks as the off-combo magical attacks such as Firaga Blade, Blizzara Blade, and etc Blade.

[Katie_Kitty]

Extreme and savage tier fights balanced around having 2 melee and 2 ranged.

In what universe is this even remotely true? You could argue that parties are expected to have at least 2 ranged to go along with two tanks and two healers but there is absolutely nothing about ex/savage that requires or even encourages the use of two melee. Double melee is not even that prevalent in raids especially these days when SMN and BLM make an awesome double caster pair.

[Zalinaire]

I can see Chemist coming in as a possible healer in the next expansion. The jobs I would like are:

Green Mage / Geomancer = Healer
Bo Staff user = Melee DPS
Chemist = Physical Ranged DPS (Let's mix some explosive concoctions :P )
Arithmetician = Magical Ranged DPS (Could be interesting)

[Ultimatecalibur]

In what universe is this even remotely true? You could argue that parties are expected to have at least 2 ranged to go along with two tanks and two healers but there is absolutely nothing about ex/savage that requires or even encourages the use of two melee.

Look at how mechanics are divided up in many of those fights. Often there often are mechanics that have 4 close positions (suitable for the 2 tanks and 2 melee) and 4 far positions (suitable for the 2 healers and 2 ranged).

Double melee is not even that prevalent in raids especially these days when SMN and BLM make an awesome double caster pair.

Double Caster is an anomaly due to how much Summoner and Black Mage both currently outperform the Melee dps. Black Mage ends up being given a melee position so they do not need to move as much.

[Vendalwind]

In what universe is this even remotely true? You could argue that parties are expected to have at least 2 ranged to go along with two tanks and two healers but there is absolutely nothing about ex/savage that requires or even encourages the use of two melee. Double melee is not even that prevalent in raids especially these days when SMN and BLM make an awesome double caster pair.

In this universe..... they are designed specifically to allow for 2 melee dps. Has been that way in terms of fight design since the game first came out.

[gumas]

my money still on either a whip like weapon, a talisman onmyoji style or a hammer (nero use it as boss in praetorium dungeon and thats waay back in ARR era)

[SeikishiYuuki]

Fights aren't really built around having 2 melee. I think internally the design is that Savage/Extremes are doable within having any combination of 2, 1, 1 as far as DPS rolls. It just works out that mechanics allow for the double melee or "fake" melee spot because otherwise it'd ruin someone. Let's be fair even considering that mechanics still often ruins melee where its a mild inconvenience at worst for a caster or phys ranged.