support jobs

[Morticous]

This was in regards to being made a Ranger, sorry for the confusion, haha.

in that case, I wasnt suggesting adding any TB consuming abilities to Ranger. I would expect rangers abilities to be similar to MNK or DRG TP consumption wise.

[Silvanoshi]

If Square does add new roles, I hope they add new jobs/classes as well. Not one, but multiples at the same time to reduce queue clogging. This is a good time to add in new abilities (for new battle mechanics) as well and add new abilities to classes already released.

Dark Knight Tank Type
Greatsword User.
Saps stats from mob to buff self. Could use a variety of ways to "Tank" - Shrouding in darkness to increase dodge rate, blindness to lower accuracy, paralyze even to lower the amount of attacks incoming.

Bard - Revamped Support Type
Harp User for non-song attacks. Songs, ideally, can use other instruments.
Haste Song, Slow Song, Debuff Song similar to Dark Knight, but doesn't transfer to the bard/party. AE/DD Songs. Allow this to stack or not with Dark Knight abilities depending upon balance. If doesnt stack on the mob, give a more robust song list for our bards.

Potentially give this class a dispel song/ability? Key debuffing during fights to prevent the boss from dishing out too much damage.

Ranger, the old/current Bard DPS
Bow AND Crossbow.
Add in tamable pets to get people out in the open world. New Arrow Abilities. Poison (Reduced Healing), Fire (burning), Ice (Heavy, for soloing), lightning (Paralyze), ect damage. Along with abilities that have 100% chance to do this, Maybe consider adding in equippable arrows to offhand (FF2, Rosa) to produce proc effects similar to the abilities when on CD. This might be a little unfair since ranger would have to "pay" to buy arrows to be good DPS while other DPSers do not.

Chemist Healer
Gun as a weapon? Maybe?
Chemist can throw or use a gun to produce item-like effects from afar that heal the party. Perhaps some other concoctions are available as well.

Time Mage Support
Weapon used is very tough considering staff/wands/books are in use. Pocketwatch maybe?

Haste, Slow, Stop available as CC. Gravity/Demi DD/AE

Potentially give this class a dispel song/ability? Key debuffing during fights to prevent the boss from dishing out too much damage.

Haste, in general:

The haste abilities from the new Bard and Time Mage can make up for the lack of DPS they pull, allowing the rest of the party to deal more damage. It can also be utilized by the healer/tank to heal more or generate more emnity. This is assuming haste will lower the global cooldown (which I hope it does)

Dispel, in general:

Great way to add in new mechanics to boss fights in new dungeons/raids. You can spice up old dungeons and add in new mechanics too. Imagine Demon Wall casting voids and repels twice as fast for x number of seconds. Could you still survive without a support (dispeller)? Yes. This is just an example, mind you.

[Masekase_Hurricane]

Why would they need to add ranger ? All they need to do is change your base class to the same level playing field as your job. That way you could choose to play Archer and be a ranged DD @30 or you switch to bard and stay as it is currently but add more songs. Give them both different limit breaks support if on Bard Damage limit break when on Archer. Could see the same with other jobs give Marauder the ability to be a DD instead of a tank @30. This way at 30 you are opening up two different jobs come 30.

[Morticous]

Why would they need to add ranger ? All they need to do is change your base class to the same level playing field as your job. That way you could choose to play Archer and be a ranged DD @30 or you switch to bard and stay as it is currently but add more songs. Give them both different limit breaks support if on Bard Damage limit break when on Archer. Could see the same with other jobs give Marauder the ability to be a DD instead of a tank @30. This way at 30 you are opening up two different jobs come 30.

Because what I was suggestion makes more sense with their current model. What you're suggesting would mean classes would need to be rebalanced.

Silvanoshi's got the right idea.

[Gesser]

Time Mage Plox.

And Calculator.

[Silvanoshi]

Calculator would be interesting, Gesser. My thoughts...

Calculator could be DPS or Support.
Weapon could be an unrolled scroll with complex math on it.

3 Calculation Modes available. TP, MP, HP Mode. (Think Oaths for Paladins) Triggers no Global Cooldown, no cost, no reuse timer.

When active, abilities play off of the numerical value currently displayed. Example:

Basic Magical Attack - Muddle.
Potency 140. If used with a calculation mode (TP, HP, MP) and if that value is an even number, deal 180 damage.

AE Magical Attack - Mind Melt
Potency 100 to all enemies around target. If MP is an odd number, does 200 damage.

Rather than make this another spellcaster, lets make it interesting and have random effects come into play. CHance to Buff party with X. Chance to Debuff Enemy with X if one, two, or even all 3 numerics (TP, MP, HP) meet criteria such as being an even number.

So on so forth. Values that can be used are basically -> If HP/MP/TP Less than/More than, do more/less damage.

It could get quite risky too if that Calculator wants to burn sprint to get 0 TP for more powerful spell effects... It can be used as offensive rather than defensive. Example: If TP less than 30%, a spell does 3 x more damage or dot lasts twice as long.

[Lithera]

Support classes can be a tricky balance but done right they can fit right in with the current roles. The problem of them becoming indispensable is dealt with pretty easily if the added DPS output from the party from their buffs/debuffs plus their own DPS comes out close to the same DPS the group would get if they swapped in a true DPS, or if replacing a healer with said support class buffed defense/cures enough to make them equivalent to having a second healer. This would be why it's better to refer to them as hybrid rather than support. RDM would fit well in this. Could even use "stance" type abilities akin to Oaths or Defiance to help with this which would effectively swap them from Healer role to DPS with certain buffs/debuffs only available under certain stances or even certain cross class skills only available under specific stances. DRK could have a similar hybrid role as tank/DPS.

[UBERHAXED]

Good Stuff

+1 except change Dark knight
Dark Knight (DPS)
Base class Marauder
Change all absorbing moves' percentages to 100%, (they were obviously intending for marauder to do into DK if you look at this), have a lvl 30 stance that changes the enmity multipliers form skull sunder, butcher's block, and overpower (i.e. all enmity increasing moves) to the equivalent percentage of HP absorption. i.e. SS->300%, BB->500%, Overpower->800% (or maybe 400% since it's aoe)
lvl 35 move can be DPS boosting move like fist of fire
lvl 40 move can be a skill like lifesurge (maybe remove crit but increase HP gain)
lvl 45 move can be AOE dps skill
lvl 50 move can be like spirits within from paladin (probably keep silence, make the base potency higher, but make it work in reverse so less HP= high potency)
And cross from Pugilist and Lancer.

Maybe some changes for ranger too
Ranger (DPS)
Base class archer
Secondary arrows (arrows aren't consumables but they have additional effects added to auto attacks, e.g. 10% paralyze or 20% lethargy (like the freaking enemy archer have...) or 10% Damage boost or 5% crit rating boost, with increasing % values for higher tier gear)
lvl 30: Far shot,ripped straight from PVP, change cool down to 30 seconds and keep the potency the same
lvl 35: Tactical dodge, like repelling shot but can be use only from 10 to 20 (similar to shoulder tackle from monk) and knocks back 15 yams, potency probably 100
lvl 40: Smoke screen, enmity decreasing skill, causes blindness to foes, aoe (think flash, but decreasing enmity)
lvl 45: Conceal, increases evasion like feather foot
lvl 50: Head shot, 500 potency 3 min cool down, stun
And for the love of god fix the weapons, like wtf 6 points behind every other class?
Same cross class as bard currently, change bard to take from the other support classes
Maybe a passive that changes swiftsong into quickfoot (a stance for yourself, but same effect, remains in battle)

These changes will create balanced DPS classes, with some elements borrowed from other games (e.g. the blind tank archers from White Knight Chronicles )

[Silvanoshi]

Uberhaxed - Sounds good overall. The only thing I might suggest is saving smoke screen for thief/ninja for later.

Speaking of classes... Thief/Ninja jobs ---> Rogue class

Rogue 30 / Marauder 15 -> Thief
Archer 30 / Conjurer 15 -> Ranger
Marauder 30/Black Mage 15 --> Dark Knight
Arcanist 30/Black Mage 15 --> Time Mage
??? 30 / ??? 15 --> Bard
Rogue 30 / Pugilist 15 --> Ninja

The issue we're going to run into is that new classes will need to be created... Or do we really want instant-50's created of new jobs like the summoner/scholar? The community might be against grinding new jobs, but its the best way to learn your job... Square, by adding new open world/dungeon content, could ease this. However, it sounds like this is more for an expansion than a patch.

[CrAZYVIC]

I think the Support jobs can work, if they share Slot in the duty finder with DPS. I repeat only in the "Duty finder", in the FC/Party finders, this jobs will cause more sorrows than joys.

Support jobs will do 1/2 damage of a real DPS class, limitating the damage their weapons and buffs.

The negative aspect of this.

1.- The support jobs will cause longer waiting timers in all the content.

2.- The support jos will STEAL spots to the DPS in party finder and end game Free companies.

3.- How many times a terrible pug bard or corsair, joined to your End game group in FFXI, auto earning one spot in the main ally?. People were there years working hard, was removed in order of get the new "Support job guy". So please avoid real support jobs in this game =/.

Red mage = Healer & small Debuff capabilities = Healer Role
Dancer = DPS with a Small Healing capabilities = DPS Role
Blue mage = DPS 100% or Tank 100%
Corsair = DPS with small buff capabilities = DPS role
Geo = DPS with Small debuff capabilities = DPS role