It turns out there have been so many actions removed from the game that the majority can actually reuse old animations for reduced development time/cost and still graphically make sense (for the most part). To better illustrate, here are some examples I've thought up:


Rampart:
• PLD: Old Bulwark animation (Rampart and Sentinel are nearly identical).
• WAR: Old Unchained animation.
• GNB: Old Palisade animation.
• DRK: Old Shadowskin animation.

Low Blow:
• PLD: Old Savage Blade animation.
• WAR: Old Skull Sunder animation.
• GNB: A low-kick and spin with gunblade's vibration stirring up sand.
• DRK: Unchanged.

Provoke:
• PLD: Name it Challenge and give it a smacking sword on shield animation.
• WAR: Unchanged.
• GNB: Name it Taunt and give appropriately matched animation.
• DRK: Old Sole Survivor animation (name it Lure).

Interject:
• PLD: Old Shield Swipe animation.
• WAR: Old Butcher's Block Animation.
• GNB: A flash bang animation.
• DRK: Unchanged.

Reprisal:
• PLD: Give it old Flash animation and name.
• WAR: Give it old Ultimatum animation and name.
• GNB: Give it a reverse (downward moving) blue-ish hued Heart of Light animation.
• DRK: Unchanged.

Shirk:
• PLD: Old Eye for an Eye animation and maybe name.
• WAR: Old Deliverance animation and maybe name.
• GNB: Old Manashift animation.
• DRK: Unchanged.

Arm's Length:
• PLD: Old Tempered Will animation and maybe name.
• WAR: Old Convalescence animation.
• GNB: Slow effect gunshot animation.
• DRK: Old Dark Arts animation.
• NIN: Old Duality animation.
• SAM: Old Invigorate animation.
• MNK: Unchanged.
• DRG: Old Diversion animation.
• BRD: A song animation with slow effects (Peloton uses a flute for ARC so we can pull this off).
• MCH: Old Rapid Fire animation.
• DNC: Inspire it from FFXI's Fan Samba animation.

Leg Sweep:
• NIN: Old Jugulate animation.
• SAM: Old Ageha animation.
• MNK: Old Steel Peak animation.
• DRG: Old 3.0 Feint animation.

Bloodbath:
• NIN: Old Kiss of the Viper animation.
• SAM: Unchanged.
• MNK: Old Internal Release animation.
• DRG: Old Power Surge animation.

Feint:
• NIN: Old Shadewalker animation.
• SAM: Unchanged.
• MNK: Old One Ilm Punch animation.
• DRG: Old Phlebotomize animation.

True North:
• NIN: Old Kiss of the Wasp animation.
• SAM: Unchanged.
• MNK: Old Anticipation animation.
• DRG: Old Keen Flurry animation and maybe name.

Second Wind:
• NIN: The Healing Pill ability NPC NINs use.
• SAM: Unchanged.
• MNK: Old Purification animation and name.
• DRG: Old Feather Foot animation.
• BRD: Healing song animation.
• MCH: Old Hypercharge animation and name.
• DNC: Inspire it by Healing Waltz from FFXI.

Head Graze:
• BRD: Old Misery's End animation.
• MCH: Old Dismantle (wrench toss) or Heartbreak animation (I prefer Dismantle...).
• DNC: Unchanged.

Leg Graze:
• BRD: Shoot some sticky pitch under the target.
• MCH: Unchanged.
• DNC: Inspire it by FFXI Steps.

Foot Graze:
• BRD: Binding song animation.
• MCH: Unchanged.
• DNC: Inspire it by FFXI Steps.

Peloton:
• BRD: Greenish hued variant of old Foe's Requiem, maybe named Mazurka after FFXI.
• MCH: Unchanged (pairs well with Tactician).
• DNC: Old Fey Wind animation.

Addle:
• BLM: Old Lethargy animation.
• SMN: Old Virus animation.
• RDM: Old Disable Animation.

Swiftcast:
• BLM: Unchanged.
• SMN & SCH: Hold book up and pages flip fast.
• RDM: Similar to Acceleration but the focus spins around the character.
• WHM: similar to Presence of Mind.
• AST: Old Time Dilation animation.

Surecast:
• BLM: Old Manawall animation.
• SMN & SCH: Slam book on ground and create a binding glyph.
• RDM: Take a defensive fencing stance.
• WHM: Unchanged.
• AST: Old Spread animation without the giant card.

Lucid Dreaming:
• BLM: inspire from Manafont
• SMN: Old Rouse animation (but on self).
• RDM: Old Cleric Stance animation.
• WHM: Unchanged.
• SCH: Fairy dust sprinkles around them.
• AST: Old Royal Road animation.

Repose:
• WHM: Unchanged.
• SCH: Maybe a new sleeping powder animation.
• AST: Old Break animation.

Rescue:
• WHM: Old Crutch animation.
• SCH: Unchanged.
• AST: Old Goad animation.

Esuna:
• WHM: Old Esuna animation and name.
• SCH: Old Leeches animation and name.
• AST: Old Exalted Detriment animation and name.

And finally, BLU should have blue hued versions of their current role skills, hinting at their identity of copying abilities - in this case from the other casters.