I'm confused about how Classes/Attribute points work.

[Pr0jectseph]

1. If I change from lvl 30 Thaum to an Archer.
Does my archer start at lvl 1?

2. If I then get my Archer to lvl 15 how do I know I have a Black Mage as an option?

3.Will my Black Mage start at lvl 1?

Last question/s are about Attribute points and how they work.

4.Attribute points. I have heard each class has their own separate set. So my question is, aren't the points utterly superfluous? (As in, they could just as easily be given to the most useful stat to your class).
I say this because no Archer is going to put points into Piety. And no warrior will stack INT.
It seems quite obvious as to the choices you will be making. So why even give the option?

5.Also, if my Thaum has it's own set of points to allocate...and as an Archer he also has his own set of Archer points. What happens to me when I turn into a Black Mage? Does it take points from the Thaum and Archer? Or will he have his own set of points to use?

Thanks

[ZhycranaDranix]

Question 1: Yes

Question 2:You will then be able to unlock a quest as your LVL 30 THM to embark on becoming a BLM; the quest is located in the THM guild after getting your archer to lvl 15

Question 3:No Your BLM will start at whatever level you left off on as your THM as long as its over 30 obviously

Question 4:Yes/No as certain classes require two main stats i.e as a WHM you wouldn't throw all of your points in MND as PIE plays a part in your role too , as well as dps classes placing a little in VIT just for survivability purposes. End game when you're fully geared allocating all 30 in your main att. would pose no problem at all but leveling it requires spreading around minimal yes, but it still requires a bit.

Question 5:It will still use the ATT from the BLM: A Black Mage is a THM not an Archer so it will follow your base class line

[Pr0jectseph]

Question 5:It will still use the ATT from the BLM: A Black Mage is a THM not an Archer so it will follow your base class line

So am I correct in the assumption that the class which requires a level of 30 for a job to activate will be the "Base class" for that job?


Also, thanks for the help!

[ZhycranaDranix]

Yes you are correct

Pugilist - Monk
Lancer - Dragoon
Gladiator - Paladin
Conjurer- White Mage
Arcanist- Scholar/Summoner
Marauder - Warrior
Archer - Bard
THM- Black Mage
Rouge- Ninja

[Darkstride]

So am I correct in the assumption that the class which requires a level of 30 for a job to activate will be the "Base class" for that job?


Also, thanks for the help!

Jobs are an upgrade to your class, not a separate entity. You equip the appropriate soul crystal to switch to job-mode. As a Thaumaturge, you equip a Black Mage crystal earned from a quest at level 30. The job shares the same abiltities as the base class, but has limited access to cross-class abilities. In exhange, the job is more specialized for its role as it gains access to job-exclusive abilities.

[Enkidoh]

As well, besides having it's base class at 30, there are several other requirements you have to accomplish first as well before you can unlock that class's Job:

Have a certain secondary class at level 15 (which is different for each class you want to unlock a Job for) - for instance, as you know to unlock Black Mage on Thaumaturge, you also have to have Archer (ARC) at level 15.
Completed all the class quests given by the Guild of the class you want to upgrade to a Job (the last one is at level 30)
Have passed a certain point in the main storyline (the level 20 main scenario quest Sylph Management) - this last requirement was a recent change added in the 2.45 patch.

If you satisfy all this, a npc in that class's Guild will then direct you to someone else who will start the Job quest line for that class.

As others have said, a Job is like a modification to a class in that it piggybacks on it and uses it's levels, exp, traits and abilities while boosting your stats in that class and allowing you to use unique abilities to that Job (that you cannot use with any other class or Job). So they are well worth the effort to unlock.

Hopefully that hasn't been too confusing for you.

[Taieo]

So once I do the quest for my BLM I can no longer lvl my Thum? If I still can lvl the Thum past lvl 30 is there a good reason to? if I am modifying my class with the BLM job... Sorry I just don't know but have been wondering for a while...

[Squintina]

So once I do the quest for my BLM I can no longer lvl my Thum? If I still can lvl the Thum past lvl 30 is there a good reason to? if I am modifying my class with the BLM job... Sorry I just don't know but have been wondering for a while...

The BML is an upgraded version of a THM. When you unlock BLM, you get a job stone. If you equip it (while being a THM), you're a BLM, unequip it, you're back to THM. Technically, regardless of whether you're a BLM or THM, you are leveling the THM - the BLM automatically takes on whatever level the THM is and any experience earned applies to the THM (which basically means it applies to both).

Easy explanation:

If you're a lvl 30 BLM and you level to lvl 31, your THM is level 31 too. And vice versa.

[Niwashi]

So once I do the quest for my BLM I can no longer lvl my Thum? If I still can lvl the Thum past lvl 30 is there a good reason to? if I am modifying my class with the BLM job...

Squintina and Darkstride have already addressed the issue of how to switch back and forth, but as to the "is there a good reason to" question, generally not. The only thing from THM that BLM misses out on is a few cross-class skills, but the stat boosts and job specific skills you get in return outweigh those. Most people quit using the basic classes once they unlock the associated job.

[Darkstride]

So once I do the quest for my BLM I can no longer lvl my Thum? If I still can lvl the Thum past lvl 30 is there a good reason to? if I am modifying my class with the BLM job... Sorry I just don't know but have been wondering for a while...

You have a job crystal equipment slot.

The job and class are not separate. You just have class-mode or job-mode depending on whether or not you have a job crystal equipped.

No job crystal = Thaumaturge
Equip job crystal = Black Mage
Remove job crystal = back to Thaumaturge