Alright, this isn't to start a ruckus but it has to be asked...

If any of you arguing for spell reform ever played FF11, did you really ... honestly .. TRULY use anything OTHER than the Thunder or Blizzard line. Be truthful.

I was a career BLM and took pride in having full access to all of the elements. I even tried to make use of them as the situation demanded and know what? "Thunder -- or Bliz -- are better, only use those for higher damage output ok?" The only time I used Aero-Tornado was Kirin. Only time I bothered with Water .. uhm... yeah. Or the lucky playing with the Fire line... uhmm yeah. For a moment I just realized I never even bothered to remember I had earth-based nukes save on that eyeball BCNM. I had a massive spell list that was 95% wasted. Yes I know FF11 is NOT the only FF game but it was the first FF MMO and they are most probably taking cue from the player base usage data in building this one on -some- things.

This being pointed out, it is also very classic FF to be restricted to those three spheres as a BLM/THM and I see no issue with it outside of the duration of the enfeebling effects outside of combo as well as the rate of resistance building by the mobs. I have a lighter spell list, I have to choose how and when to apply what I have to the best effect. I like it.
However, I do agree that I am annoyed that only the fire-line is AOE and isn't very cost effective but then again AoEs have always had that pitfall, ne?

Here is where I expect pitchforks : Conj/WHM do NOT need freaking astral based spells. They are NOT holy priests in any sense in this particular FF. Conjurers are liaisons if anything and WHM are a step up in harnessing elemental granted magic to bring succor. EI they are given access to the healing abilities of water rather than it's more destructive aspect. I don't see why they even gave WHM Holy ... it's has no real usage, it should have been Reraise or something instead.

So do we need the full elemental wheel as thms/blms? Honestly, no. Would it be nice? Perhaps. I'd rather fully explore my capacity as a blm with what I have first before asking for any more due to the restrictive spaces of the action bar. ( I hate the action bar thing btw. Hate hate HATE. But one must adapt, ne?)