Red Mage

[Duelle]

That's all well and fine, I suppose. I still don't see the place for a hybrid class in XIV without running into some serious design pitfalls in terms of how the content is currently balanced. At least, I can't really see it working well at this current time, personally.

Hence why the design should lean towards melee DPS and tack on utility on top of that. Given how stats work, a RDM's gear would push them to their intended role as is (why I would expect it to share gear with BRD and NIN to a degree), leaving room for utility (provided the design supports said utility to help define the job).

Because the job's known for borrowing things from existing jobs, I don't think it'd be that weird for it to be able to crossclass stuff like Cure, Stoneskin and Thunder and have them be more useful than to the other jobs. I would argue the abilities it can crossclass do help define RDM up to a point and provide utility without requiring too much development being devoted to that aspect of the job.

[rwyan]

I agree with some posters in the sense that the current battle system is heavily concentrated on a class/job being a healer/dps/tank. The game doesn't really seem to be designed true hybrid roles. However, I also agree that the spirit or essence of what makes the Red Mage so iconic could be replicated in the current system (using both white magic, black magic in addition to some melee skills to fulfill one of the three roles).

[aerialrave]

Would support this.
Red Mage is the original Pimp from Final Fantasy 1.
Look at that pimp hat:

[MagnamStyle]

RDM for 1st Melee-oriented DoM(Sabre/Thrusting sword)

don't give it a shield we got GLD/PLD already, give him a magic gauntlet/glove or something for the offhand(grimoire?)

make it so that his spells have no cast time AND a melee animation when used in a combo chain ea. sword->sword-> black magic/ white magic(blind for foes, aoe weak heal/regen for party)

using an elemental black magic in the combo then proceeds to en-'element' the RDM, this buff can later be expended to improve an ability OR another that requires an elemental based weapon OR transfer the existing buff to an ally.

casting magic then improves melee abilities like giving them a gapclosing effect or telekinesis(ranged-'melee' attacks)

my idea of a graceful(since getting hit will prolly mean death) melee caster with a nice red hat.

[EdwinLi]

Red Mage is possible but you should not expect it to be the Red Mage from other FF games.

Most likely if Red Mage is introduced they will provide a different twist to Red Mage skills to show its focus on being a Melee Mage over what RDM is known for in other FF games.

[madolyn]

they could bring back some old thm skills from 1.0 and make an xiv version of rdm lol. THM in 1.0 (before jobs) was fun to play with drains and absorbs, paralyze, slow, banish, dia, poison, stygian spikes, bio, scourge, etc.

[KaedrianLiang]

Red Mage doesn't have a place in the current design of things.

For Red Mage to have a place they would probably have to change RDM all together, which would be sad. Look at how SMN was butchered.

[SendohJin]

Red Mage doesn't have a place in the current design of things.

For Red Mage to have a place they would probably have to change RDM all together, which would be sad. Look at how SMN was butchered.

what specifically about RDM has to exist for it to still be a RDM to you?

[Balipu]

what specifically about RDM has to exist for it to still be a RDM to you?

Oh, I know: It is only a RDM if it is exactly like it was in FFXI

[Balipu]

The rapier and the hat alone make red mage a must have. I can totally see a red mage being the Yugiri of 3.0