Quote Originally Posted by anhaato View Post
The #1 issue with the job system in this game wasn't the classes, it was everything being tied to your main weapon. The soul crystals would be a much better game design in theory if it let you change class by equipping it WITHOUT your main weapon, and letting you choose different main/off hands. They ALMOST had it right with one handed wands and shields for cnj and thm but they didn't pursue it enough. A samurai should have the option to equip a bow or a polearm for example. Dragoons should be able to use one handed spears and shields. Rangers (if only that actually existed) should have knife/dagger offhands. Bards should be able to use harps AND bows, not a strange mashup of the two.

Obviously there should be a characteristic weapon of each job, which would be present in its af gear, but other than that I want to see raid weapons like Asphodelos Bow [RNG BRD MCH SAM] or Edenmorn Knives [NIN RNG BRD DNC] for that sort of flexibility that FFXI had which made it possible for them to have so many damn jobs in there.
FFXI didn't have flexibility though. It was use this weapon with this subjob or you're useless and can't be part of the party. If you rocked a sword and shield as a bard and didn't use the elemental staves you'd be immediately removed from the group.