How about a non-support ranged dps?

[enthauptet]

I don't see why having a melee healer unable to do nisi or searing wind is a big deal. Isn't the whole point of the game to play multiple jobs? Not every job has to be a good choice for every encounter like how if you have a lot of movement blm is a bad choice, etc. I personally think it would be more fun to play if you had to pick and chose party composition to play optimally rather than anything working anywhere.

[HorseBoots]

Unless they want to get cuh-rayzee (which they have repeated over and over that they do not feel like they are ready to take that step.) I wouldn't expect another dex-based pure ranged DPS any time soon. The logic behind that isn't necessarily over playstyle rather than stat distribution.

We currently have 2 STR DPS, 2 INT DPS, and 3 DEX DPS. The addition of yet another Dex DPS would only make the distribution of Dex accessories even more bloated than it already is. I've pegged it as the most logical step for awhile that it would make the most sense to add two DPS when they decide to expand on classes once again. Mainly to even out the rest of the stat distribution. From there I think it would be most fitting (probably in say, 5.0 assuming that the ship doesn't sink.) to then expand a full party from 8 to 10 players, and then finally add support as it's own role, opening up room in any group to actually add a pure ranged DPS class.

[RiceisNice]

I wonder if this line of thought wasn't one of the reasons which created the MCH/BRD copy paste issue.

We are limited only by the resources, development decisions and creativity. Both mechanics and jobs can be adjusted.

There are no mechanics that directly interfere with MCH/BRD's gameplay though. In the case of healers, Searing Wind/Nisi directly conflicts with being in melee range of anyone voluntarily. It's not a good example to make. BRD/MCH feel like a copy/paste job because of them both having GB/WM, as well as MCH really having no outstanding mechanics exclusive to themselves, not what they (don't) bring to the table (compared to other roles anyway).

If MCH had an actual mechanic where it involved swapping barrels to toggle between AoE, damage:TP effiency, or timing ammo usage akin to aetherflow (or really, giving more than just two skills an additional effect in form of debuffs, DoTs or self heal) and not be an objective dps increase to be used as soon as it comes off cooldown (effectively turning it into an oGCD). They can design job gimmicks/mechanics that don't actively screw them over because of boss mechanics, looking at how DRK and AST turned out.

I don't see why having a melee healer unable to do nisi or searing wind is a big deal. Isn't the whole point of the game to play multiple jobs? Not every job has to be a good choice for every encounter like how if you have a lot of movement blm is a bad choice, etc. I personally think it would be more fun to play if you had to pick and chose party composition to play optimally rather than anything working anywhere.

If the idea is "you play the job you want for the content", then sure, it's not a problem. It does become a problem if it comes to "any job can complete any content". At that point it becomes worse than what you see with PLD and AST in savage, because using your examples, a melee healer is completely useless and SoL for something like searing wind, or really any boss mechanic that discourages stacking (thunderstorms being a generic example). Not to mention most of the gear distribution actively discourages this with job-specific weapons and gear. Of course they can design future content to accommodate that, but it'd be an incredible anchor to what they can do if they have to assume the healer has to stay with someone to be able to heal them.

[MilesSaintboroguh]

I don't see why having a melee healer unable to do nisi or searing wind is a big deal. Isn't the whole point of the game to play multiple jobs? Not every job has to be a good choice for every encounter like how if you have a lot of movement blm is a bad choice, etc. I personally think it would be more fun to play if you had to pick and chose party composition to play optimally rather than anything working anywhere.

Oh I agree with that. After all, if you mained a BRD or MCH or even an AST when Alexander was new in 3.0, you should go play another class because those 3 classes were the laughing stock of raid parties and no one would want to take you in. You're right, it would be a lot more fun if we had to pick who can raid and who got told to go home.

[myahele]

A shame they couldn't make a dancer as the support dps since that seems the most obvious choice ... instead we got another melee ranged dps in the form of MCH.

[Warlyx]

why would any1 take a melee healer ? it needs to bring awesome heals or awesome buffs in order to even have a chance , plus like ppl have said there mechanics for heals , and plenty of examples, lots of bosse have debuffs just for heals to manage....if u add another body to the melee u will have lots of issues...

and MCH was created because we had 2 tanks , 2 heals , 2 mages , 2 melees (+1 with nin) , so adding a ranged was in order however MCH has nothing going for it...it was promised as X and in the end delivered BRD copycapt with some changes (chain skills , lame turrets for dmg and buffs instead of song) and all the CC in 1 job , heavy , stun , silence , knockback , and root. Some CD sharing to make it fair and call it a day. Oh forgot about wildfire that unique i guess.

[Vespar]

Right now they do less damage than everyone else even while never casting promotion/mages ballad/armies paeon.

THIS RIGHT HERE!
Why can't they have BRD/MCH's DPS on par with other classes except for when they are using a support ability, then and only then drop their DPS to keep them balanced.

[Archaell]

why would any1 take a melee healer?

It could be healing through dpsing... make it "warrior" but healer and the problem is solved.

[Pompompar]

What can be brought into FF14 from this list ?

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Jobs

[MilesSaintboroguh]

So you want a DPS/healer hybrid without the cleric stance? I think it's gonna take more than making a melee healer with DPS strats in mind for the problem to "be solved".


Healers aren't meant to join the fray for any reason whatsoever. There is no benefit for having a healer being in melee range unless they are trolling the party. It's too much risk for little rewards. As I said before, if you are going to make this special melee healer have more defense to compensate and thus have more durability than a mage healer, just make the darn job a new tanking class and be done with it.