The harp is a lie.

[Alkoun]

Well, this is the question on all our minds. The devs simply haven't given us enough information on the subject. But from what I understand jobs will be more group oriented and the armory classes will be more solo oriented. So if you like archer as a ranged DD right now, you might be out of luck until they add the Ranger job.

But what's to stop us from playing a class in a group? Why play a RNG or BRD in a group if I can instead be an ARC with MRD and GLA and LNC and CNJ and THM skills?

[Scardon]

But what's to stop us from playing a class in a group? Why play a RNG or BRD in a group if I can instead be an ARC with MRD and GLA and LNC and CNJ and THM skills?

Because apparently there design goal is to change things in such a way where jobs will be infinitely more useful in a group than any combo of class skills. Even if someone does find a useful combo of class stuff they can just gimp the hell out of it until its worse than all the jobs. At least this is the intent I gather from all these dev posts.

[Scardon]

Well if they want to increase bard damage over archer that would be nice. But it will probably be all DPS jobs do more damage than the classes, and bard will just do the same damage as archer (less than the other damage jobs though) while slinging buffs.

[charlemagne]

I dearly hope it isn't a harp, it looks bad enough just as a bow. If it is a bowharp then at least it's the lolARCs that are suffering it.
Could have been worse, I could have had a pianolance to look forward to.

[Anonymoose]

Could have been worse, I could have had a pianolance to look forward to.

But I just started leveling Marauder.

[charlemagne]

But I just started leveling Marauder.

For you my friend it is the axetambourine

[Fayette]

I'm a L50 Arch and I always thought Bard in FFXI was kind of a cool job with playing instruments. I think that bow looks pretty awesome so I cannot wait to use it! I'm in minority though I suppose lol ^^

[FestAkos]

I'm pretty sure the damage difference between Monk and Pugilist or Marauder and Warrior or Lancer and Dragoon is going to be pretty big, or else the jobs would be almost pointless. I mean, you could play a super hybrid by using the armory system to its full potential but you won't be the best at anything while doing so. So if your group just needs DD, it'd be best to choose a DD job over a DD class with other skills.

[Nikita]

I for one am very happy Archer is becoming Bard! I am leveling Archer now just to unlock this delicious twist on a long time favorite job (Bard, duh!). I think Archer will even be my new main until I get Bard just for the practice.

I love this combo, so awesome!!!

PS: SE, the concept art for Bard armor/weapon = gorgeous!!!

Lovelovelovelovexoxoxoxoxoxoxo <3