Weapon versatility for all jobs <Yes, Please>

[Grey_Cain]

what Im asking for is versatility on what weapons I can use with what skills... I understand that a warrior w a pike is a lancer, but it doesnt have the main abilitys of a warrior so its not a warrior anymore...
On top of that a lot of this DD's classes should have the use of a bow or crossbow... Its something realistic and obvious....

Well, in all technicality, a MRD that takes off the WAR crest isn't a Warrior anymore either. It's a pirate, and pirates don't use bows.

WAR is a specialization of a specific class, so I think what you're looking for then is the idea I mentioned before where a particular job crest would be equipped regardless of class. If it were to happen, then you could be an Archer with the WAR crest and have your WAR abilities with a bow. Equip a sword and you're a Gladiator with sword-and-board plus WAR abilities. Throw on a staff and you're a club-based WAR with some magical abilities.

All the semantics in the world won't save the fact that sometimes you need to work within the game's system. If they were to give any indication that they were dropping the weapon-based Class/Job system, by all means classes should be given the option to wield many different weapon types.

But from all of the news and screenshots, I can't infer anything other than they're keeping it the way it is, and I'm quite happy with that. Broad weapon types have been chosen to define each class, and there are still some broad weapon types that might be introduced to bring in new classes like the idea about dropping daggers from GLA and giving them to a Scout class so they could eventually become a Ninja. Maces/Morningstars (Templar), Guns (Engineer), Sickles/Scythes (Necromancer), Totems/religious icons (Oracle), and Books (Mediator) are all still available (from what's been used in previous FFs), and it shouldn't be too difficult to come up with something for any given class that they want to add to the list.

[FallenRaine]

Have a bad feeling that if they were to give us more then one weapon for a class/job that they would throw in the weapon skill ups just to troll..yay! Quicksands cave and Boyahda tree pts ; ;

Also they should add Level Sync just because of the fact that we don't have weapon skill ups

to me the armory system is putting a limitation on the game that's not necessary at all eventually their gonna run out of weapons. yes there's millions of weapons they could add but you'll get to a point where they won't match the job.. unless you make a bunch of specific weapons which is a cop out

[Airget]

Weapon versatility won't work because even in XI each weapon had it's own definition in terms of abilities accessed to it. A WAR using Greatsword had to use the Greatsword WS they couldn't use their Great Axe weaponskills and when wielding a Great Axe they would have to use Great Axe weaponskills. In the same sense you are suggesting weapon variety in the sense that I use a greatsword and still have access to all my MRD abilities, but that just wouldn't be possible. However as I type this a idea did pop into my head on the idea of "weapon variety".

What if later on SE decided to add in arms which granted access to certain abilities normally not accessible when say on MRD. For example let's say they gave MRD a two handed hammer. This Hammer would have the following effect on it:
Access to PUG skills up to rank 30, (Gain Pounce, haymaker and Fist of Earth) -allows access to Pummel-Concussive Blow and Pounce-Demolish combo)
Restricted to MRD WS from rank 35-50 (lose Path of Storm, Whirldwind and Godsbane)

In this sense the idea of multiple arms could work if said arms worked in the way to allow more diversity when creating your set of actions.

Another example with war is perhaps a single handle axe which would grant access to
Access to Gladiator skill up to rank 35 (Gain Phalanx, Aegis Boon, Riot Blade and OUtmaneuver)
Restricted to MRD WS from rank 35-50 (lose Path of Storm, Whirldwind and Godsbane)

So in this sense you now have a warrior arm which focuses more on defense but you also limit your combos since said arm doesn't grant access to any of the Gladiator combos.

But ya, I think this is the only way adding arms would work, because the main point of arms is to obtain uniqure techniques from them, so you can't have a MRD wielding a heavy Hammer and expect them to use whirlwind and godsbane with it because those techniques were developed to be used with a great axe not a two handed hammer.

[FallenRaine]

yea its like XI where war could use GS and so could Drk they would have like all the same Ws except for like one that was job specific.

or like Pld, blu and rdm ws differed some on sword

[Kaizlu]

Yep, apparently asking for that is wrong though!

I don't think it's wrong to ask. But you have to understand that this is a core aspect of the game, it's the "game" itself.
We're almost at 2.0, and they didn't scrap the Armoury System® so I'm 87% sure that they won't do it in the future.

People have to understand that if you don't like a core aspect of the game there comes a point where you have to stop trying to make the game more likable and just admit that you don't like it and move on.

[Alerith]

Just for the record, as PLD, even if maces were available, I'd sure as hell never use one.

[Arkine]

Just for the record, as PLD, even if maces were available, I'd sure as hell never use one.

I would.

Maybe future content can have mobs that are weak to blunt damage, I'd use a mace then and get some Hammer time! warriors/ Knuckles MNKs and battle staff Dragoons.

Or we can just stack 6 MNKs and 2 WHMs and call it a day like we have now.

[Duelle]

I would.

Maybe future content can have mobs that are weak to blunt damage, I'd use a mace then and get some Hammer time! warriors/ Knuckles MNKs and battle staff Dragoons.

Or we can just stack 6 MNKs and 2 WHMs and call it a day like we have now.

That doesn't create willful choice. That's forcing people to take up a weapon they don't want/like. That's not a good thing.

BRDs in XI had Harps/Flutes (non battle), and Staves/Daggers/Swords for battle..(obviously wouldn't come close in DPS with meles) but in XIV they're just Archers with songs.

A very good depiction of what a bard with a bow can be like. XI's Bards never contributed directly to the fight between low weapon proficiencies and the fact all they did was spam songs and toss off-heals when not using songs. Now please let's move on and not try to bring back that thing from XI.

Which brings up a point...people say they want XIV to be different but they also want it to be a 'standard mmo' but will defend the restrictive weapon system to the death even though pretty much every MMO allowed for flexibility in weapons within a particular class

No other game used the weapon as the defining mechanic of each class, through which you gain your abilities. And its not like weapon proficiencies would be equal accross the board like they are in WoW (where you may be limited in the number of weapons you can learn to use, but are equally proficient in all). Could we go all guild wars 2 on this (job-specific actions determined by the weapon equipped)? Possibly. Would it be a gigantic headache this late in the game to design and then balance? Absolutely. Would it be worth it? Not really.

[Bebekurenai]

It would make sense in the current armory system to add more weapons, and it wouldn't go as far as FF11, if you just give classes more variety. Let's say, if Gladiator (aka blade wielder) could use different kind of blades like daggers (which he can use already) or falchions, and the marauder (aka axe wielder) small axes and great axes. I am no weapon specialist, but I do know there are many weapons of the same kind, which would keep the class as it is, but with a greater choice. Maybe also tweak the PLD's 2hr so it can be somewhat useful when he uses a great sword. Or make it so that depending aswell on what specific weapon he uses, it would be linked to the job too and his 2hr. So if PLD has a shield 2hr, make a Dark Knight with a Great Sword have a dif 2hr (just saying and freely ranting about dark knight). And if a gld uses a dagger, make the job a thief.

Again, just ranting about options for even more jobs and chances to use more weapons. It is possible to do without messing the current system.

[Denmo]

You guys are forgetting.

With the armoury system, the more versatile your weapon choices are per job, the less jobs there will be.

Think about it.