Uh hi. Red Mage is the thing you're after it sounds like! I wrote one up just like everyone and their mother actually, somewhere on the forums(http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...8Concept%21%29 shameless plug). There'd really be no problem making a close range Disciple of Magic class, since they'd generally use the same or similar gear in the first place. Though the one I wrote up is meant to be a very frantic close-to-mid range fighter based on versatility, it falls into a DPS role easily enough, and from what I could do I had no problems wedging it into lore or making it work mechanically. Red Mages even have rapiers as a series-iconic weapon for them.

Honestly to me it seems like they'd be a lot easier to implement than everyone makes it out to be. Summoners work fine without dropping Bahamut on a dungeon boss's face. Don't see why red mages can't just have weak/cross-classed heals like summoner and black mage already do.