Could Specialization Classes Even Work?

[lordvr]

How does having specializations make sense in a game where you can cherry pick the best abilities from every class? It seems they would have to alter the current nature of the game completely to ever implement something like this.

[Kurokikaze]

They would have to alter what abilities can be used cross-class and balance them accordingly. Specs are definitely the best way to move forward from where we stand though.

[AlexiaKidd]

This is something I have tried to think how they could do it if you are talking in the sense of bring back more traditional classes.

How could they keep CON and then still have a WHM and BLM as another two separate classes, maybe make WHM cure's more powerful and BLM's nukes more powerful, but then still if you levelled both you would just put all the best abilities onto one of the classes and make a super mage.

If you just mean in a sense of how the game is with the current classes this as well troubles me. People moaned about being pigeon holed into levelling certain classes and things for sub jobs in FFXI. What are they going to do now when you have to level a lot of classes to cap just so that you have those select few abilities from them all to make your class better than average.

[Kurokikaze]

This is something I have tried to think how they could do it if you are talking in the sense of bring back more traditional classes.

How could they keep CON and then still have a WHM and BLM as another two separate classes, maybe make WHM cure's more powerful and BLM's nukes more powerful, but then still if you levelled both you would just put all the best abilities onto one of the classes and make a super mage.

If you just mean in a sense of how the game is with the current classes this as well troubles me. People moaned about being pigeon holed into levelling certain classes and things for sub jobs in FFXI. What are they going to do now when you have to level a lot of classes to cap just so that you have those select few abilities from them all to make your class better than average.

My post on this was wasted halfway into another thread.

Have you played WoW? Think of CON as a Mage and BLM and WHM as the specs. The class will still be CON but the abilities, traits and ultimately the person's role in the group would be decided by the spec.

Lemme break it down:

FFXIV: CON -> BLM (dps) / WHM (heals)
WoW: Shaman -> Elemental (dps) / Resto (heals)

another one just in case...

FFXIV: GLA -> DRK (dps) / PLD (tank)
WoW: Paladin -> Retribution (dps) / Protection (tank)

Get it? I really can't make that any easier to explain. So what we're using FF names? It's the EXACT same thing. In the end playing CON without any specs would be as dumb as playing any class in WoW untalented for obvious reasons.

In FFXIV we can call it an "Advanced Class" just so that it falls more in line with FF lore but in the end its a specialization. Another example is FF1 when you get the rat's tail to Bahamut and he turns your Warrior into a Knight etc.. Thats more linear obviously but its the same; you're taking a base and evolving its skills/stats/traits to better fit a certain mold.

Edit: I think I need to draw a picture really fast. Be right Back...

[Majidah]

Class specific equipment, class specific abilities, abilities that don't support cross-class, and so on.

[Wobi]

The way I worked it out is that abilities from the base class could be used cross-class but abilities learned in the specialized class would be for that class only. This would give the more unique feel to a certain class that many complain is missing.

[AlexiaKidd]

No problem I get you ^^ Never played WoW or any other MMO apart from FFXI for many years so I am not experienced in the ways of other's. Yes that system makes a lot more sense and should allow the flexibility needed without causing to much hassle and seems the easiest way to implement them so why wouldn't they do it ^^