[dev1072]Concerns regarding character uniqueness and class-specific stat allocations.

[BlaiseLallaise]

A system whereby players can voluntarily allocate attribute points to each class...

... is the complete opposite of a system that ...

...would eliminate all differentiation between top-end characters.

It literally means that I can choose where to put my attribute points in each of my classes, however I want, without regard to what the elitists say I 'should' have. If anything, what's coming next, where the growth is automatic, that is closer to a lack of differentiation than what they have planned down the line. But once Materia comes in, that will add a whole new element of differentiation that elitists can then pick apart to tell me what I'm doing 'wrong'.

I don't think there is any reason to fear a lack of differentiation. As stated before, you can't stop elitists from dictating the 'best' setups in any MMO, but you can choose to ignore them. And when you do, good luck finding someone who chooses to grow their character in the exact way you do.

[Yeldir]

I don't seem to be conveying myself effectively. Let me try again.

By giving everyone access to every play style on every character, they are limiting character customization with an illusion of broader choice. Allow me to explain why: Customizing your character means making permanent and meaningful choices about what special role they'll play during your journeys. You could make your character a durable tank with a huge hp bar, or an archer with sky high accuracy, or a flimsy caster with devastating magic damage, and so on. These choices set your character apart from other characters, be that good or bad in the long run.

By changing this system to allow per-class attribute specs, the choices you make about what your character is going to be are rendered meaningless. You're not making choices about what your character is going to be or do. You are everything. We're looking at the removal of the class system. I think that's bad. I don't want my character to have the option to suddenly be a tank or an archer, and I don't want anyone else's character to have the option of suddenly being me. At this point we might as well be playing an FPS, because the only thing that's going to set our characters are our guns.

Apart from the timesink factor, concerns of elitist vs casual really don't apply here, as under either system there will be specs you are required to play in whatever role you're trying to fill. That's a fact of MMO life. I'd just prefer the choices I make regarding my character's development to be meaningful. You guys get what I'm trying to communicate, here? We're losing the power to choose what our characters are supposed to be.