Rogue/Ninja Starting Class?

[Giantbane]

FFXI - Start with 6 Base Classes.
FFXI - Hit level 30, unlock the ability to gain advanced jobs through quests, some tougher than others.

FFXIV - Start with base classes, quests to unlock other base classes like gathering/crafting.
FFXIV - Hit level 30 on base class, via quests, unlock jobs once you hit 30.

It's pretty much the same as XI with the exception you can't even switch from the class you start as till you progress a bit in the story. Also take into consideration, the fact you mention 'Asian Grinder' and not realize most asian mmos tend to have you jump through hoops to unlock a newly released class if you have the ability to switch means you're more just upset about the fact someone mentioned XI, as usual.

Most MMOs with 1:1 for class/character you can start as a newly released job/class on a new character if your previous characters fufils x,y,z requirements - look at TERA online, their recently added Reaper class you had to hit a level requirement and do a quest, you couldn't just start as it.

FFXI - 6 base jobs
FFXI - spend weeks(at least) leveling to 30 to unlock different jobs that all use completely different abilities and often focus on completely different weapons.

FFXIV - All combat classes available to start with. All of them.
FFXIV - spend hours leveling to 10 to unlock switching between your original class and the other classes you already chose not to start with
FFXIV - spend hours leveling to 10 to unlock the supplemental Gathering/Crafting classes (which is just an Armory system wrapper for crafting, so that's not really pertinent to the discussion)
FFXIV - spend a week (maybe) to level to 30 and a day leveling to 15 in a completely different class in order to unlock job specializations that play nearly identical to the base class, use the exact same weapon type, but has a few extra abilities.

It's not the same thing at all.