Why not abolish the Class system entirely in favor of Jobs? [@ Devs]

[Yoji]

I'd rather have classes focus more on solo play. Give the player more versatility. You ever level that job that just does
not seem take on the mobs solo? In ffxi it was the monk or the whm, even classes that could depended heavily on what mob they were fighting.That's where classes come in.

The issue is that classes are a base of jobs, fine if classes are separate entities, but jobs are limited by class. And this game is supposed to be about group battles. I really don't know how SAM or NIN could be added unless a new class was, and then they'd be similar. It's just totally not necessary. I just don't want to see jobs ruined for the sake of fitting the class.

[Kallera]

The issue is that classes are a base of jobs, fine if classes are separate entities, but jobs are limited by class. And this game is supposed to be about group battles. I really don't know how SAM or NIN could be added unless a new class was, and then they'd be similar. It's just totally not necessary. I just don't want to see jobs ruined for the sake of fitting the class.

Considering the number skills you use from class while playing a job,, I'd say the opposite is true, you still depend on the class skills in group battles even while as a job.. And there are plenty of reasons why I would want to fight solo. Quests, farming materials, exploration, being able to say "I solo'd that NM!" And jobs required two classes to be familiar with. One combination makes sam, the other nin.

[Yoji]

Considering the number skills you use from class while playing a job,, I'd say the opposite is true, you still depend on the class skills in group battles even while as a job.. And there are plenty of reasons why I would want to fight solo. Quests, farming materials, exploration, being able to say "I solo'd that NM!" And jobs required two classes to be familiar with. One combination makes sam, the other nin.

Maybe you misunderstand my point, a second job would have about 80-90% of the abilities/spells of the first job, with few differences. Please tell me which class you would assign the following jobs to, keeping in mind they would inherit most of the stuff the first job already has: Dark Knight, Thief, Red Mage, Beastmaster, Blue Mage, Ninja, Samurai, Time Mage.

Would they not need to be similar to their class? Would the job have to be changed (in a boring way) to suit?

In XI there were what? 20? Jobs, with their own individuality/unique identity.

[Kallera]

Maybe you misunderstand my point, a second job would have about 80-90% of the abilities/spells of the first job, with few differences. Please tell me which class you would assign the following jobs to, keeping in mind they would inherit most of the stuff the first job already has: Dark Knight, Thief, Red Mage, Beastmaster, Blue Mage, Ninja, Samurai, Time Mage.

Would they not need to be similar to their class? Would the job have to be changed (in a boring way) to suit?

In XI there were what? 20? Jobs, with their own individuality/unique identity.

Classes can also be added to provide the basis if becoming other jobs. As another alternative, classes like gladiator can change by the availability of two handed weapons, or for red mage, a main gauche(making different offhand weapons restricted to the jobs, but available to the class. For example, class "hatamoto" class with the ability to wield one handed or two hand katana, maybe even a shield. The samurai is restricted to two handed katana, the ninja to one handed katana in one or both hands, with either no shield or "tools" available in the secondary or ammo slot if you want to change them on the go.


Boring? You don't want to be called gladiator or pugilist? You want to immediately be considered of the elite warriors of Uldah? Keep in mind there is also lore, guilds, quests, connected to this. You're cutting off your nose to spite your face.

[SodRansom]

Does anyone think that 2.0 will try and make the classes more generic? We don't know for sure that the abilities each class has will be staying the same...do we? If that was the case, that would solve the problem that Yoji is talking about. I don't think adding jobs to 1.0 was in the original design of the game, so you run into the problem of the classes already being too specialized.

If the classes were turned more generic, that would really open up the possibilities of specializing with jobs. And then you could have a class branch into several different jobs...which is a really cool idea I think.

[Naraku_Diabolos]

The issue is that classes are a base of jobs, fine if classes are separate entities, but jobs are limited by class. And this game is supposed to be about group battles. I really don't know how SAM or NIN could be added unless a new class was, and then they'd be similar. It's just totally not necessary. I just don't want to see jobs ruined for the sake of fitting the class.

SAM is all about brute force and damage dealing. NIN is like THF, but they buffed themselves (Utsusemi, Tonko) and debuffed (elemental with status downs) enemies.

[Thebard]

SAM is all about brute force and damage dealing. NIN is like THF, but they buffed themselves (Utsusemi, Tonko) and debuffed (elemental with status downs) enemies.

Thats FFXI, it doesn't have to be that way ya know.

[Kallera]

Thats FFXI, it doesn't have to be that way ya know.

Nor do classes have to abolished, there are plenty of game that start you out as one class and evolve it to a advanced class.