New Yoshitaka Amano CE Artwork

[ArkhamNative]

Does the consciousness of Hydaelyn manifest as a third woman with head wings?

I took it to be a manifestation of Hydaelyn, sort of analogous to Altana of FFXI. The key hints for me were her god(dess)ly size and aetherial glow, and of course her wings embracing a great (large) Aetheryte crystal.

(No Scholar. Big hint for people to give that one up?)

Trololololol...
Just don't look at the rest of the CE. The Scholar AF art (whether it depicts a Scholar job or some other job/class wearing the iconic Scholar AF) is on the back of the main CE box, and on the cover of the art book, and on the game DVD case, and on the game DVD. (JP versions)

[Zetsumei_Tsunarashi]

The lady is definitely Hydaelyn. I would think that the mother crystal in the center and her wings being in the shape of a circle (symbolizing the planet) would be a dead give-away.

[Mjollnir]

The lady is definitely Hydaelyn. I would think that the mother crystal in the center and her wings being in the shape of a circle (symbolizing the planet) would be a dead give-away.

Yeah, but what if Hydaelyn's *real* name is Siren, eh? Ah-ha!

[Anonymoose]

Just don't look at the rest of the CE.

With only 8 jobs on the cover itself, I'm thinking the likelihood that the "All Jobs" art image plastered everywhere is just trying to big up both the new class and job is growing slightly. I would have bought that they'd keep us in the dark about a second new job, but with how much work goes into it and how big a deal it'd be, I think it'd had made the Amano art if it was in for release.

It might be risky to do before E3, but I think I'm going to take my first step away from the middle towards "No SCH." Not declaring allegiance to the idea yet, but walking that way.

[Catapult]

I'm on the side of "arcanist is the XIV name for scholar" since the arcanists of Maelvan's gate often get called "scholarlies" by people around town. It also wouldn't be the first time they've bent the name. "Secretary" springs to mind.

But yeah, back on topic. If it's not Hydaelyn, it's Nymeia.

[Sabi]

My first thought was of a FFXIV version of Altana as well.

[Skies]

I get that the figure on the left is Gauis, but for the life of me I can't work out what position he is in. His horns are side on but I can't seem to figure out where his limbs are

It's Amano art, he can't figure where his limbs are either.

[Xeia]

(No Scholar. Big hint for people to give that one up?)

Never.

Rumor has it that all of the gear shown here is actually in the game! Which would mean that bookish beauty in the mortar board on the far right is...!!!

Ahem!

/10char?

[Evane]

I have always entertained the idea of the playable races having one common primal that gave them the power of the echo. That could be her, Ultima.

[Bowen]

I'm on the side of "arcanist is the XIV name for scholar" since the arcanists of Maelvan's gate often get called "scholarlies" by people around town. It also wouldn't be the first time they've bent the name. "Secretary" springs to mind.

Pretty much this.

There's no denying that it looks like Scholar. It has the hat and everything. The thing is though, Arcanists are Scholars. Just look at this quest text from the quest "Seal Rock":

Shortly after the island first appeared, the Knights of the Barracuda and the scholars at Mealvaan's Gate [Arcanist's Guild] began to suppress the rumors as well as possible while limiting access to the area for investigation, an authority immediately challenged by pirate and Sahagin alike.

And some dialog as well!

Sthalmann
There's little we can do about that now. Though it would have been nice to join the scholars on this trip.

Source

In the end, both sides are right. It's just Arcanist, but the Arcanists of FFXIV are Scholars.