Is there a benefit in leveling a new class compared to rolling an alternative char?

[Asyx]

Hello!

I'm usually quite the altoholic so I enjoy playing new characters to see old content again or just do simple stuff compared to the stuff you have to do on max level (usually, I play tank or healer so people die if I take it easy).

But in FF14, you could just roll a new class and get a second job when you've got 2 new classes (or just one other class that leads to a different job combined with one of the other classes you've already leveled), right?

So, is there a major disadvantage if you roll another character or is the only disadvantage that I would have to level the gathering and crafting classes again?

Also, are there craftable items that I cannot just send to another character? If not, in theory, I don't have to worry about such things, right? I could just roll another character and craft gear for that character with my main should I need it.

Thanks

[Black91CRX]

Downside to alts is having to grind the same content twice. With one character, it's easier to farm gear for your other classes/jobs.

[Rex]

The advantage to having one character with multiple classes is you actually improve each of your classes by doing this because you unlock cross class abilities.

For example, you have a bard. Bard does not have the Lancer (Dragoon) TP regeneration ability, "Invigorate". However, by leveling Lancer, you now have the potential to equip Invigorate to your bard, thus making you a better bard.

Another example is White Mage. People really appreciate a White Mage with Swiftcast. Unfortunately, Swiftcast is a Thaumaturge (Black Mage) ability. By leveling Thaumaturge, you unlock the ability for your White Mage to unlock swiftcast. This is a huge deal for White Mage, being able to swift cast Raise in a crunch.

If you're leveling Dragoon, it'd be nice to have "Second Wind", the Pugilist (Monk) HP instant regeneration ability. So, leveling Monk will give you the power to cross class it.



These are just a few of many examples. Get it?



No one is stopping you from making a second character, however, it's good to have multiple classes on one character, because it makes that single character stronger in ways.

And like mentioned, by sticking to one character you don't have to grind out the entire story all over again to get a new relic, for example. You can get them all in the same night if you wanted to on one character.

Purely your choice. I have multiple characters for fun. I only stick to my main character for everything though. I have a female character for events like the Lightning event, so that I could collect both Lightning's and Snow's gear.

[Nyalia]

There are tons of reasons not to use alts in this game.

1. There are no crafted endgame gear items. Crafted items end about 20 ilevels short of the endgame items. Also, to do endgame crafts, you need nearly every crafter class at 50 for their level 50 cross-class skills.
2. Many endgame equipment items can be shared across similar classes, like BLM and SMN.
3. You get a huge experience bonus if you're leveling a new class and already have one at 50 (like, +50%).
4. Once you hit 50 and stop gaining experience, you still get "Rested" experience from being in town or logging out in town. This means that when you do switch to a new class to level it, you get another +50% bonus to your experience (so, double exp, when combined with the above).
5. Cross-class skills are a thing. For each job, there are two other classes that have skills you can use as that job. The last of these skills tend to be learned around level 26-42, so you don't have to get the other classes to 50 to learn all the cross-class skills, but you'll have to do tons of leveling of the same classes if you want to have an alt for each job or whatever.
6. Flexibility. Out grinding Atma? WHM is a terrible class for soloing low-level FATEs, so you probably want to switch to a DPS class. Doing some Spirit-bonding? You want to do massive AoE damage fast, so switch to WHM (they get Holy at endgame) or BLM. Did an S-rank Hunt mob just spawn? You'll want to Tank or Heal that, but switching from your DPS character to a Tank or Heal character takes time, and the mark will be dead by the time you switch characters and get there.
7. More importantly, want to queue for a dungeon as a DPS, with a queue time of ~30 minutes, and not be bored to death while you wait? Sure, you could FATE grind or whatever, but it's really nice to have a class at endgame so you have something to do while you queue, like Beast Tribe dailies or Spiritbonding, or a crafter/gatherer class to level up.

Really, the biggest reason to do it all on one character is convenience. You don't have to take up 8 spots in an FC. You don't have to manage your macros and equipment between characters. You can use dungeon drops you get for other classes (99% of which are untradeable). You can get hard-to-obtain vanity items for glamours and use them for any class instead of just one. You don't have to level 8 different chocobos. You can easily switch classes if you want to do a given content, but your class isn't needed.

And so on.

[Sessurea]

alt char

advantages: It's own weekly lockouts ( coil, st, soldiery cap )

Disadvantage: got to play the game again. I personally am not minding playing through the game again, though.


Alt class:

Advantage: convenience. Theres no arguing with how nice it is to change class with one click. Also rng is arguably kinder to you, if you can do a raid and loot for 2 classes, instead of just looting for one.

Disadvantage: Chances are, unless you're running and being lucky in coil, you find it difficult to gear an alt to a level of similar satisfaction that your main gives you.

I got so completely tired of tearing myself between bard and drg, I just made an alt char for brd. Hoping to have it 50 for the new tome.

[ruskie]

Basic idea is that you have one job and the 2 subclasses leveled to the appropriate levels. Beyond that no bad thing about rolling alts. So you should have atleast 3 classes leveled one to max and two to what you need for them to be effective endgame. As for crafters you need most of them on a single job... it goes the same for botanist/miner. Also for crafters and gatherers they share the accessories often.

[TheTen]

Cross-class skills are really not optional for a majority of classes/jobs, so you are expected to at least level most classes on one character to some degree.
Furthermore, you cannot send mail between alts... if you want to gear an alt with your main, you will have to have both of them in the same FC and use the FC chest, or ask a friend to play intermediary for you.

Beyond that, however, nothing speaks against making alts... you can play the starter questline for a different city (something that is not possible on one character), you may enjoy the look of one race doing certain skills more than others (Lalas makes everything look cute, male Roe make everything look slow and heavy, etc.), and let's not forget... you will have all quests available again.

Yes, you get a 50% kill EXP bonus if you level another class on one character, but that's not an advantage... it's compensation for not having the main storyline missions and whatever side quests you have done available anymore.

[tocsin]

also, on the pro side of alt classes, desynthesis can not be maxed for all skills on a single character, so that is probably one of the few end game bonuses for having multiple alts.

[ruskie]

if you want to gear an alt with your main, you will have to have both of them in the same FC and use the FC chest, or ask a friend to play intermediary for you.

The other thing is you can't really gear an alt with anything other than non spirit bonded crafted gear and a few minor dungeon drops. Everything else is untradable.

[Urthdigger]

Thought I'd mention something: it was mentioned earlier that alts help you gear up everything by bypassing lockouts. This really only applies to soldiery and ST. For primals, dungeons, and coil, having just one char helps due to the random nature of what drops. With alts, you have to hope that both what you want drops AND that you're on the right alt. A character with all jobs can freely lot away. This has allowed me to jump straight into endgame with new 50s.