Able to be every class?

[Mystry]

I've heard it said that you can experience every class (eventually) on a single character.

Is there truth to this, or do stat allocations (don't know how those work) mean its pointless to try a magic class after being a physical class, or visa versa?

[Duuude007]

I've heard it said that you can experience every class (eventually) on a single character.

Is there truth to this, or do stat allocations (don't know how those work) mean its pointless to try a magic class after being a physical class, or visa versa?

Yes it is true. Also, stat allocations can be changed by spending 10k Grand company seals.

The only jobs (so far) which have a true need to reallocate in order to reach their full potential are SCH (MND stat) and SMN (INT stat), both of which derive from the Arcanist class.

[Enkidoh]

Yes it's indeed true. To do so you need to firstly get to level 10 on the class you start the game as (I presume LNC in your case), do all the quests given by your class's guild to the level 10 one, and you'll be told the 'Armoury System' has been unlocked. Then you simply go to the guilds for every class you want to play as and join up - doing so you will be given the starting weapon for that class. Then simply equip it in your main hand slot to change.

Levels and stats are unique for each class, so any AP you put into your starting class stays in that class - you will earn AP for the new class as you level up. And you're totally free to switch to a Disciple of Magic after playing as a Disciple of War (or vice versa) - it's completely up to you. This also goes for Disciples of the Hand and Disciples of the Land classes as well (crafting and gathering classes), which use the same system. If you wish to do crafting or harvesting simply join up with their guild in the same way as a Disciple of War or Magic and then equip the tool they give you to change to that class.

[Theodan]

Yes indeed you can experience every class and job with just one character, (many including myself have already done that and got all our jobs to lv.50, etc) It takes time to do that of course but if that's what you want to do it is possible

Each job has it's own allocation of stats, so it doesn't matter what you spec for LNC/DRG as that wont affect any other class/job. (of course the exception is SMN/SCH as mentioned by Duude007).

Hope that helps

[Niwashi]

A couple people have already mentioned that Summoner and Scholar are the exception to having separate stat allocations. The reason that's the case is part of the way classes differ from jobs, so that may be worth a little explanation.

Jobs are an advanced and specialized version of their primary base class. They retain all the skills and traits of their base class (though in a few cases, the effect of some of those skills may change). They use the same XP/Level as their base class. And they use the same stat allotments of their base class. Essentially, a White Mage is still a type of Conjurer, a Dragoon is still a type of Lancer, etc.

In most cases, like a Gladiator (class) becoming a Paladin (job), or a Thaumaturge (class) becoming a Black Mage (job), they also continue filling the same role in groups and essentially doing the same things they had been. They're simply better at it by having the advanced job. That keeps the stat point allocation pretty straightforward.

Arcanists, however, can advance/specialize into two different jobs, Summoner and Scholar. A Summoner is a type of Arcanist, and a Scholar is also a type of Arcanist, so they both use the Arcanist class's stat allocations. The issue is that while both the base Arcanist class and its Summoner job fill a Direct Damage role in groups, specializing in Intelligence-based magical damage, its Scholar job specializes in Mind-based healing. So if you're going to use both of its jobs you need to decide how to allocate its stats to work for both of them. (Some people do that by simply dividing ACN stat points half to Int and half to Mnd. Others do it by focusing on one of the two jobs for a while, then paying for a stat re-allocation, then focusing on the other job for a while.)