How a slight change could open GLA for a future DPS job

[Reynhart]

Greetings,

Since the launch of FFXIV, my main class has always been Gladiator. Since I love the PLD, I was quite happy when the job was introduced. By I always hoped for a second job to be given to GLA, and, obviously, a DPS one. I'll use DRK as an example.
Thinking about it, I imagined how GLA could be changed to make it viable as a base for a DRK. What surprised me is how little change would be needed for it to work quite well (In my opinion)

The point is basically to transfer some GLA skills to PLD, namely Rampart and Sentinel, since they're only good for tanking, and transfer two PLD skills to GLA: the two Oath.
They could be renamed "Shield Stance" and "Sword Stance" if the "oath" term is too pendatic for GLA.
But, Sword Stance needed some changes, since, at low-level, it would be the main source of DRK's DPS. It could be the exact opposite of Shield Stance : More damage dealt, more damage received and less enmity.

Here's a chart to compare the existing GLA/PLD and a revamped one :
Gladiator
Existing
lvl1 Fast Blade
lvl2 Rampart
lvl4 Savage Blade
lvl6 Fight or Flight
lvl8 Flash
lvl10 Convalescence
lvl12 Riot Blade
lvl15 Shield Lob
lvl18 Shield Bash
lvl22 Provoke
lvl26 Rage Of Halone
lvl30 Shield Swipe
lvl34 Awareness
lvl38 Sentinel
lvl42 Tempered Will
lvl46 Bulwark
lvl50 Circle Of Scorn

Revamped
lvl1 Fast Blade
lvl2 Shield Stance
lvl4 Savage Blade
lvl6 Fight or Flight
lvl8 Flash
lvl10 Sword Stance
lvl12 Riot Blade
lvl15 Lob
lvl18 Bash
lvl22 Provoke
lvl26 Rage Of Halone
lvl30 Swipe
lvl34 Convalescence
lvl38 Awareness
lvl42 Tempered Will
lvl46 Bulwark
lvl50 Circle Of Scorn

As for PLD:
Existing
30 Sword Oath
35 Cover
40 Shield Oath
45 Spirits Within
50 Hallowed Ground

Revamped
30 Rampart
35 Cover
40 Sentinel
45 Spirits Within
50 Hallowed Ground

All skills based on "Shield" (Lob, Bash, Swipe) could be used with a two-handed sword, and we could replace Enhanced Rampart and Enhanced Sentinel by Enhanced Shield Stance and Enhanced Sword Stance (10% effect at start to 20% effect), although these traits would be learned sooner that Enhanced Sentinel.

As for stats, GLA would have higher Strength and less Vitality, since it would be designed around having Shied Stance to tank even at low-level.
PLD could remain the same.

[Eye_Gore]

Rampart and Sentinel are already usable by a PLD, and what use would Shield Oath be to a GLA DPS class? Since it reduces damage dealt

[Reynhart]

The point here is: If we have a DPS job, Rampart and Sentinel won't be usable by that job since they'd be PLD skills. Rampart is not that useful for low-level, and by the time you learn Sentinel, you're already playing PLD and not GLA anymore.
GLA would still be a tank class, so Shield Oath would help it tank, but if you do a low-level as a DRK, you'd use Sword Oath instead of Shield Oath to be a viable DPS.
By giving less pure tanking skills to GLA, it would be easier to branch to another role, with the help of modifiers from a DRK crystal job.

The best part is that PLD wouldn't really change at lvl50 from what we have now, apart from a more powerful Sword Oath, with a slight drawback.

[Exstal]

You'd remove the emnity modifier from Shield Oath anyway. Which would make it similiar to Monk's Fists of Earth. It could work.

[Reynhart]

Without the enmity modifier, It'd be very difficult to tank at high level. Shield Oath could stay the same.
As a DRK, you just wouldn't use Shield Oath but Sword Oath. That's why both need to be before lvl10, to be sure you have them for Duty Finder (1st Guildhest at level 10)

[Exstal]

I'm saying that you shouldn't be able to ”tank” as a DPS class. So you would lose the emnity modifier when you put on the Dark Knight job crystal.

[Reynhart]

Indeed, you "shouldn't" but not as "the sytem won't allow you" but as "You'd be stupid to do it".
If you queue as a DRK and all you do is Provoke everything in Shield Oath, you're just trolling, and you'll be kicked right away.

After all, all classes can equip Provoke. They just won't use it if they know how to play. Titan and Topaz Carbuncle also have good enmity modifier
Besides, since DRK would be a DPS, the party should have a "real" tank there.

You could also design DRK to only equip 2-handed swords, so that they won't have a shield to protect them, or give them lower vitatily...it's really easy to discourage DRK from tanking just because they could technically use Shield Oath

[Tsolake]

I think it would be cool. Really hoping they add DRK... like, really, REALLY hoping

[Luinne]

while not pertinent to this thread, the following quote made me laugh aloud

There isn't a single good reason from a *developmental* standpoint for THF to be its own class if NIN is also implemented.

The Thief is to the Ninja as the Archer is to the Bard. what could have possibly given you cause to believe otherwise?

As for the DRK, it'll be quite a long while before added. Don't hold your breath unless blue is a hue you wish to remain.

[Exstal]

The Thief is to the Ninja as the Archer is to the Bard. what could have possibly given you cause to believe otherwise?

While my quote is old, it was long before Rogue was announced. It was a discussion about how Thief and Ninja in FFXIV would have the same role, basically the same attacks, and very little to differentiate them. I just haven't removed it yet in favour of a better one.