Why we have to rethink the way we allow Limited jobs

[Amnmaat]

I would love Beastmaster to be a normal job. Would quit healing and just play that ^.^

You mean I can have a goobbue fight for me? YES! I just wonder if they'd go for the glamour idea (all beasts do the same damage) or if they'd go for the egi treatment where you get like 3 pets each doing unique actions.

[TeraTyrantShadic]

The egi idea would be a far better option, since not all beasts perform the same action and each of them have their own unique set of skill. I think it would be an easier job since they already have the enemies in the game and they can use their move set and adjust it for the job itself. The use of limited job system on beastmaster is not necessary because we already have the foundation. Just need to think of unique abilities and weapon skills. Plus it doesn't have to be 3 beasts, it can be more than 3.

[SomeRandomHuman]

The easiest way to fix limited jobs: Re-work blue mage into a functional magic dps and then never release anything that could be a limited job.

If they're going to be limited then we should at least be able to take them in Palace of the Dead and Heaven on High. It's not like that content is anything more than an alternative leveling method anymore anyway.

[Avenger]

I am enjoying blu and looking forward to limited bst.

[Morningstar1337]

The egi idea would be a far better option, since not all beasts perform the same action and each of them have their own unique set of skill. I think it would be an easier job since they already have the enemies in the game and they can use their move set and adjust it for the job itself. The use of limited job system on beastmaster is not necessary because we already have the foundation. Just need to think of unique abilities and weapon skills. Plus it doesn't have to be 3 beasts, it can be more than 3.

I think the issue (and this is relevant to BLU as well) is that both jobs have a collection element to them. For BLU its spells, for Beastmaster, its monsters. this is a problem because it makes the respective mechanic collectibles and in turn would entail that you start from basically nothing and work your way to "collect" them.

Then again this is based on an assumption that Beastmaster is as focused on taming and thus collecting monsters like Blue Mage Does does learning and collecting spells, so I must ask if, in any of its incarnations in the franchise, was that actually the case or if all the Beastmasters were centered around specific set monsters and doens't require going out of their way to tame hostile creatures.

[Kazrah]

As long as there are whiny diehard fans of XI wanting XIV to be more like their precious first MMORPG rather than overcoming their Final Fantasy Syndrome and allow XIV to be its own thing, there will always be limited jobs.

I think it's not just how we allow limited jobs to be a thing in this game, but also how we can re-imagine jobs so that they fit the mechanics of this game and understanding that wanting a job exactly like how it was in past games in the series detail-for-detail is just too unrealistic. It's exactly why we got Blue Mage as it is: a square peg smashed into a round hole, resulting in something that doesn't fit and wound up as a damaged product.

That being said, I do like how Blue Mage is in XIV. Yes, I have my share of complaints about it like reworking a couple of spells and having a duty roulette catering exclusively to Limited Jobs both to help Blue Mages learn more spells and to promote a more suitable environment for any future limited jobs, but I like the job overall and how it can bring a small bit of life and fun to older content. It also makes me think about what kind of practical applications you could have with other limited jobs, how they can be used as a means of testing mechanics players otherwise wouldn't get our hands on, and how future limited jobs could expand on that indirect means of public testing.

As for those unhappy about limited jobs and wanting a job from a past game like XI, I'd ask you if you are willing to see some sort of compromise in the form of a possible re-imagining of that job: Beastmaster using a system that doesn't involve taming pets, Puppetmaster not using its XI customization stuff, that sort of thing. If you're not willing to or don't see any reason to compromise, then please look forward to your next limited job.

[Auryan]

Then again this is based on an assumption that Beastmaster is as focused on taming and thus collecting monsters like Blue Mage Does does learning and collecting spells, so I must ask if, in any of its incarnations in the franchise, was that actually the case or if all the Beastmasters were centered around specific set monsters and doens't require going out of their way to tame hostile creatures.

Mostly the former. The only incarnation of BST having set pets that comes to mind would be the trainer dressphere in FFX-2. In that game each of the girls got their own unique pet that had their own move pool. However in games like FFV, Tactics Advanced 1/2 and FFXI, BST had an emphasis on catching and commanding wild monsters for a limited duration and then repeating that process when the monster is spent or if the charm wears off. And in some games like Tactics, their taming was particularly useful for teaching your units blue magic. Would be neat if they could replicate that feature if they plan on going forward with BST.

[tyranical69]

This is more or less about setting a standard. Limited Jobs are all we know could be FFXIV's version of beta public testing (Like WoW's Beta server test for a new expansion) or it could be a permanent new system (With additions such as the Morbol Achievement, New Masked Carnival content and integrating old currencies into new rewards which can be easily obtain through other means). However that being said I believe that this is more than 'This is how Blue Mage should be...' This is about how FFXIV is starting to isolate classes from current content and forcing them to play old content in which not many are willing to participate (Only in small communities there are willing to help out the new Blue Mages). Case and point, Blue Mage's Primal spells can be obtained but if you did it undersized and not a full group it is not a guarantee to learn it while the opposite being synced and a full party your learn rate is 100%.

Though this does set a grim standard for future jobs, an example would be... Chemist. Imagine this they couldn't somehow fit chemist into the game but are already halfway done, the solution would be to pass it off as a limited job and maybe or maybe not work on it. Sure we can have it as a normal job, but will it though? Puppetmaster and Beastmaster could be future limited jobs, but that doesn't mean it'll stop there. The 2 new jobs for next expansion could be a limited job or one of them being a limited job.

What I am saying is that you can have Blue Mage as it is a normal job with an overhaul (or not) and still have its side content. The Limited Job system doesn't provide anything at all other than a detriment that we are forced to use the Party Finder System, which not many will use unless its for end game content or the new hype content (Only for like 1-2 weeks before it dies down and PF for running old content will still be rare). Capped 20 levels below the current cap (I would also say Stormblood is old content, but you don't see any Blue Mages there). Plus its to keep everything in check, The Yokai event at launch had a bad start, with Blue Mages Level 5 Death or Missiles everything.

I love Blue Mage and the current iteration (Apart the Limited Job) is Ok-ish and I believe it either does need a tweak or an overhaul. I enjoyed masked carnival and collecting my spells. I came from FFXI and not many are just pissy about the fact Blue Mage was implemented this way (Skillset-wise), its the fact they implemented it in a way its limited from current content. Limited Jobs does absolutely nothing it literally has little to no future in any MMOs. I am also not saying that FFXIV should be FFXI, but what I do think is that FFXIV should follow FFXI's footsteps on how they managed to implement jobs without resorting to using a separate system to introduce a new job.

[M0rrigan]

I feel like the issue was one of Flavor, especially in the case of BLU. Blue Mages were known for using enemy skills and learning them from the selfsame enemies. Which is a troublesome task to adapt, and so skip out on one of them would mean losing its general flavor...

As such the devs decided that fidelity was more important that balance. the "lack" of which is inherent to Blue Mages due to their versatility and access to spells like White Wind and in certain games, (Bravely Default namely) the most powerful elemental magic)..

They could have easily done so with just a regular job and kept their fidelity. BLU skills could have been specific enemy abilities learned from job quests with duties. Why does BLU need to have 50 spells in this game, when on other FF titles blue mage categorized characters only had a handful? they could have balanced those enemy abilities potencies and effects down a bit to fit the regular 4 and 8 member dungeons and raids just as if it was a regular job with its rotations.

They had no issues butchering Dark Knight making it a tank, the complete opposite of what DRK is. A strong physical dmg job with lower defenses, sacrificing HP to become stronger. Where is their fidelity here?

[Morningstar1337]

They could have easily done so with just a regular job and kept their fidelity. BLU skills could have been specific enemy abilities learned from job quests with duties. Why does BLU need to have 50 spells in this game, when on other FF titles blue mage categorized characters only had a handful? they could have balanced those enemy abilities potencies and effects down a bit to fit the regular 4 and 8 member dungeons and raids just as if it was a regular job with its rotations.

They had no issues butchering Dark Knight making it a tank, the complete opposite of what DRK is. A strong physical dmg job with lower defenses, sacrificing HP to become stronger. Where is their fidelity here?

DRK isn't a collectible focused job though, which is another problem. A job that relies on collectathon gimmicks in a game where people will kcik you for not having Swiftcast/Quelling/Provoke (before the Role skills thing, which is a response to the aforementioned kicks) is gonna be a problem,and I think for most, the collectible gimmick is the draw.