Quote Originally Posted by Zophar View Post
I actually agree with this. Going back through the series, Samurai wasn't so much the monster dps machine that people know from FFXI, but was more a master of techniques designed to disable or otherwise hinder the opponent. This is the samurai I'd like to see if it were to be a dps. We already have enough brute physical dps jobs. I'd rather it be a tank, but if it must be a dps, let's have it be a dps with a tactical flair.
This is quite true, and I certainly think that could be something useful. The problem is, raid bosses are largely immune to debuffs. Virus works once a minute on anything, Rage of Halone and other tank debuffs work constantly but that's only a 10% damage reduction or slashing resistance down (or piercing or bludgeoning for DRG and MNK). SAM would have to be able to put debuffs on that others can't. But then ask yourself one other thing... Where does that leave Red Mage?! Red Mages were the enfeebling and enhancing masters in XI, and if that role was unavailable to them here, what would they end up doing? DPS and Healing are totally different roles, so a job that could do both at any given time would be TOO useful, and even if they could only switch "stances" by being out of battle, that still lets them be a little too flexible for other jobs' comfort.

This is one reason I don't think SAM should be a major debuffer. FFT is my favorite FF game and while I'd love to see Kiai's or Iaijutsu for debuffs come into play...I think it's not something the team wants to do in the first place, or if they do, they want to leave that job for red mage.