How would you make Mime work as a Job? (Even though it probably never could)

[Steady]

Don't know why Mime as a job has always interested me. I suppose it goes back to FF7 and Copycat, where you could copy Knights of the Round back to back for some pretty sexy numbers.

Anyhow... please understand that this thread is really for fun, not so much a debate on whether it's be a likely or viable class (though I'm sure I'll get those replies too)

So anyhoo, here's my daydreaming thoughts -

1. Can only Mimic Classes/Jobs that have already been learned.

For Example. You can't mimic a monk in your party, if you don't already have Monk leveled.

2. You can only Copy one class at a time.

You can't heal and dps and tank. I picture a tether, like the one from Cover, indicating which player you are currently copying.

3. You can only copy living party members.

If the White Mage dies, and you opt to mimic a healer, you must mimic the Scholar who is alive. If the Warrior dies, you must mime the Paladin.

4. Restrictions on Job specific abilities.

Either allow access to some or no Job specific abilities. I think the job should default to DPS, and that Healing and Tanking be somewhat limited to niche situations. Access to Sentinel, but not Hallowed ground, Cure II but not Benediction.

Anyhow, can't sleep, may as well daydream. If you'd like to with me, feel free to reply.

[Mahri]

Easy: Can utilize skills from all jobs already leveled, limited only by what you can fit on your hotbars. Class skill/weapon skill restriction rules apply (that is; if you can't use it normally as cross-class, i.e. Warrior's Overpower, Mimic can't use it at all).

It would be broken, goofy, and ridiculous, but plenty of fun.

[Steady]

Easy: Can utilize skills from all jobs already leveled, limited only by what you can fit on your hotbars. Class skill/weapon skill restriction rules apply (that is; if you can't use it normally as cross-class, i.e. Warrior's Overpower, Mimic can't use it at all).

It would be broken, goofy, and ridiculous, but plenty of fun.

So you picture it more like a Marauder using Crossclass skills for his DPS?

See I would think you'd need to have one Flat stat that affected everything, and have stances of some sort that adjust between one set and another. Perhaps a changing hotbar.

In order to be effective beyond a novelty for any role other than dps (and maybe including) they'd need access to more things than just cross class items. There is just not enough there I don't think.

[Mahri]

Oh, I'm just going by how I remember it working in previous FF games -- specifically, Gogo in FF6, whose abilities could be swapped out for anything.

The actual unique "mimic" skill would be a tricky one. I honestly can't think of a situation where just flatly repeating a previous action or set of actions would be feasible, given how such a heavy part of the game is figuring the best way to weave your existing skills amidst fight mechanics.

Instead...hmmm...maybe make some kind of allowance for Job skills as well as class ones. Like, pick three or four, tailored to a role, or maybe just for stylishness' sake. Cast Flare and then Dragonfire Dive. Go full wrath-of-god with Circle of Scorn + Holy.

...I'm still thinking this is ridiculously impractical, but you gotta admit that would look totally sweet.

See I would think you'd need to have one Flat stat that affected everything

Now this, for sure, would actually make things work out pretty well, but possibly too well. Oh, game balance.

[WellFooled]

I like your idea, but I think it's downside is that it would just operate like whatever job you're mimicking at the time.

I would suggest that mimic's copy the skills from their party members, but have unique combo effects. Say there's a Paladin, Dragoon, and White Mage in the Mimic's party. He opens by copying the Paladin's Fast blade, which he follows up with Feint from the Dragoon. Because he is a mimic those two moves combo together to result in a 5% haste buff for himself instead of any combo effect available for either of the original jobs.

The thing is there would have to be an absurd amount of different combos to account for any possible party configuration...which would be tough to keep balanced. Unless lots of different combinations resulted in the same bonus effect.

[Stupiduglytaru]

would be cool to have it like blue magw and actually mimic the current mobs ablities would be amazing to knock titan off the map for a change XD

[Evergrey]

I would make it a little more simpler then others have suggested.

Basicly it would be it's own class with it's own skills. Several of those skills would be, Mimic skills.
for an example, a skill that's active for 10 seconds. And the one action the targeted enemy does will be copied and you can unlease it at anytime within 30 sec.
Another skill could be that you mimic one of your party members next action.
Perhaps some skills that alters the reality through mimics. For an example put up an invisible mimic wall, preventing AoE damage to get through.

This way the Mime class would require the player to time their mimic skills to get the most out of them.
It would be a hard class to master, but that would just make it more fun in my opinion.