Hey guys. [As a side note, this is going to be long. Sorry? Not to be rude, though, but if you primary response to someone trying to express an idea is "TL;DR", I probably don't care for your opinion anyway.]

So, I had some ideas for an additional Discipline and Classes that could help introduce pets as well as advance and simplify the Monster Part Targeting system -- as I feel basing it purely in random assortments of moves is a bit inefficient.

Idea 1:

Discipline of the Beast
Followers of this discipline devote themselves to studying and conquering the beasts of the Eorzean wilds -- honing their skills of tracking and their knowledge of the ravenous themselves wildlife found across the lands. Through in-depth study, careful planning, and expert skill, they help keep the civilized communities of Eorzea safe by controlling the eb and flow of monsters.

Class: Poacher (or Hunter)
- Poachers specialize in identifying and capitalizing upon the weaknesses of monsters and educating their allies on the most effective means of approach and attack. Through information and careful strategy, the allow their enemies to make the most out of each kill -- increasing odds of success and profit through skill.

Weapon: One Handed Axe

Abilities:
- Spot Weakness: By revealing an enemies weakness, the Poacher allows the next attack to deal additional damage.

- Poach: If it connects, the enemy is stricken with Poacher's Mark. If the enemy dies while under the effect of Poacher's Mark, the chance of acquiring additional items is increased.

- Poacher's Aim: [Part]: Inflicts the monster with Targeted: [Part], all damage done for the next 5 seconds deals directly to the selected monster part. If that part breaks while this effect is active, there is a chance for additional drops based on the part.

- Scavenge: If used within 10 seconds of a monster dying, grants a chance of recovering an additional item drop.

Traits:
- Expert Skinner: Increases item drop rate for monster based items

- [Family] Hunter: Increases damage dealt by Poacher and allies to monsters of a certain family.

Class: Tamer (or Beast Master)
- Tamers, unlikely Poachers, have a distinct respect for monsters outside of their monetary value. Specializing in knowledge of the habits and behaviors of monsters, Tamers possess a distinct talent for calming, charming, and controlling creatures of the wild. Through the taming, charming, capturing and summoning of monsters can serve to fill many different roles within a party.

Weapon: Shepherd's Cane

Abilities:
- Tame (spell): When used on a natural enemy, the creature has a chance of being tamed. Tamed monsters do not attack the Tamer or his allies (even if they are normally aggressive) for up to 30 seconds. Docile monsters passively follow the Tamer, while formerly hostile enemies will merely regard the Tamer wearily, when the effect ends, these enemies will attack.

- Charm (spell): Allows the Tamer to seize temporary control over a wild creature. Tamed enemies are more susceptible to being charmed, hostile enemies are significantly less susceptible. The more damage an enemy has suffered at the hands of the Tamer or his allies, the less likely they are to be Charmed. Monsters of higher level than the Tamer are less susceptible to charms as well, even when successfully tamed. Monsters build a resistance to Charm, and charmed monsters, if hostile will attack the tamer.

- Suggestion: (Only usable when a creature is charmed) Through indepth understanding of monster behaviors and communication, Tamers can suggest behaviors to charmed creatures. These behaviors are base (Attack it, Defend Me, Stay Here, Leave, Sic[special ability]), and the monster may choose to disobey.
-- Circumstances when a monster may disobey a suggestion:
--- When the target of "Attack" is higher level or a creature of a species that normally preys on the charmed creature.
--- When the charmed creature has accumulated significant damage and told to attack a healthy enemy.
--- When the creature is nearly free of the effects of charm
--- When the creature is higher level than the Tamer and simply refuses to obey

- Capture (spell): When a creature is tamed, charmed, or nearly defeated, the Tamer may attempt to teleport it into the Tamer's Monster Farm -- where it is domesticated and can be summoned into battle.

- Summon (Spell): Spell cannot be used unless the Tamer has over 50% HP. Call a monster from your farm to aid you in the field. Summoned creatures possess all of their basic species abilities, but no special abilities (if they were an NM, the retain their unique look, but none of their unique abilities).

Traits:

- Spirit Link: In exchange for unquestioned obedience, the Tamer is spiritually linked to the creatures he summons. They share health, stats, and status effects.

- Calm Step: Decreases range at which monsters will aggro

- Monster Lore: Expert knowledge of monster habits allows to know the locations and movements of monsters within extended range (can see monster locations on map)


The Monster Farm, Summoning, and Monster Buffs:

Monsters delivered to the farm are not summon-able until the Tamer actually names (either through a menu, or by visiting an actual monster farm) them. Once named, Monsters are added to the Tamer's ability list.

Summoned Monsters use the Tamer's Stats, plus modifications based on the monster species. Each monster has Killer traits for families they commonly prey upon -- when a monster is summoned, creatures of the prey species are less likely to attack the Tamer, but creatures that prey on the summoned creature's family are more likely to attack. Pets do not aggro enemies, and will not auto-attack enemies who attack the Tamer unless the tamer commands them to do so. Tamers and their summoned pets share HP -- as a trade off for having complete command over the summoned monster, the Tamer sacrifices himself to keep the monster from dying. (When the Tamer is reduced to 1 HP, the summoned creature is set back to the Farm, and the Tamer cannot resummon them until he has at least 50% HP) A cool down could be potentially be imposed from re-summoning the same pet.

Monsters in the farm also have levels, but these are different from regular levels. Each animal captured has 10 levels, every 1-2 levels, it learns a new species ability and gains additional stats. They stat boosts are in league with roles which are static based on the monster's individual species.

For example:

Dodo
Level 1: +10% HP, +5% DEF, No Abilities
Level 2: +12.5% HP, +7.5% DEF, Rancid Breath (Blind)
Level 3: +15% HP, +10% DEF, No Abilities
Level 4: +17.5% HP, +12.5% DEF, Rancid Breath (Slow)
Level 5: +20% HP, +15% DEF, No Abilities
Level 6: +22.5% HP, +17.25% DEF, Regurgitate
Level 7: +25% HP, +20% DEF, No Abilities
Level 8: +27.5% HP, +22.5% DEF, Rancid Breath (Sleep)
Level 9: +30% HP, +25% DEF, No Abilities
Level 10: +35% HP, 30% DEF, (Special Tamer Only Ability)

In this example, Dodo's would potentially be a tanking Monster. To raise a monster's level, you would have to find special family specific items acquired through Poacher's special abilities to increase the monster's level (The level 2 item would be from monsters between level 6-10, level 3 from monsters level 11-15, etc.)

The balancing act:

Tamer vs. Gladiator tanking
- Tamer's pet receives buffs, but not ones from abilities the Tamer must use himself. (so Sentinel and Gladiator abilities that increase defense do not boost the Pet's stats.)
- Tamer's pet has significantly less abilities, and slower reaction time, making it less reliable for more advanced tanking scenarios, they would, however, be great for off-tanking adds or handling multiple smaller targets or protecting mages. Could be designed to be able to immediately switch targets as necessary to defend characters.

Tamer vs. Melees DD
- Tamer, through monsters, would have access to many different types of damage, but due to monster correlation would require much more preparation to be effective in melee scenarios.
- Limited summon slots would demand Tamers decide on their potential roles ahead of time. (DD Tamers bringing multiple types of damage pets, tanks bringing multiple types of tanking pets)
- Through species stat modifications, Tamers could become damage dealers (-HP%, +ATK% to scale them towards similar DD stats) or average strength support types.


The basic principle behind poacher is Hunter (FFTA2: http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Hunter_(Final_Fantasy_Tactics_A2)), the basic principle behind Tamer is a mix between Blue Mage and Beastmaster and Morpher (http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Morpher)

(Heading out from work, I spent my last 15 minutes typing this, I'll update it when I get home.. I think this gives off the general idea of what I was thinking. I'll clarify anything that doesn't make sense.)

Hope that's all clear enough to get some good feedback on it. I'll try to keep an eye on this thing! (I'm terrible at remembering to come back to the forums) and clean it up this weekend when I have some free time.