Need Help - Retainers - Do they retain experience already gained

[Aoxaviar]

I ask this because, from memory, I don't think that the Dev Team actually ever covered whether or not the retainers would keep experience gained if you switch them between classes (and now jobs with 3.2).

Does anyone know if they get completely reset when doing the switch?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, but please, don't go and totally screw one of your retainers in order to answer this.

[Naria]

If you reset their class then their exp is set to zero. Since jobs are added on to classes, presumably if you assign your retainer the job associated with its class they still retain that lvl, i.e. a 60 cnj becomes a 60 whm.

[Aoxaviar]

Thanks, I couldn't remember. I am working on getting all 8 retainers (finally had to do it) and I was thinking about reworking who did what, but that means starting over on my gatherer's. So now I know not to do that!

Thanks again!

[Naria]

If it is for rp/aesthetics then you can always change their name and character design with a retainer fantasia, which can be purchased from the MB. I've done that a few times myself.

[Noxifer]

As for the whole job system for retainers... Since they have the requirement of "need base class to level 30 first", or in case of the new jobs "need any DoW/DoM at 50", and you have to reset their class to switch to a job... I would actually guess that it works a bit like achievements. When your retainer has reached level 30 LNC, for example, you unlock DRG for them, and it's permanently unlocked for that retainer. If they're at level 50 LNC when this goes live, you'll unlock both DRG and DRK/MCH/AST for them at the same time. Also, since jobs start no earlier than level 30, I suspect that they will start their job at level 30, instead of 1. I also suspect that they'll start at 30 even if they got the relevant class higher than that before unlocking the job.

But... I know that when they add new achievements, you actually have to get one more of whatever it is in order for the achievement to trigger. Take the minion achievements, for example. Even if you have 300 minions, you still need to gather one more in order to trigger the "get 50 minions" achievement. (Numbers plucked from the air, because I don't remember the exact numbers.)
So will you need to level your retainer once more to unlock the job? Or just send them out on a venture? And if the latter, will they need to actually get exp for that venture? What happens then if the retainer is at lvl60 already?

I'm not really worried about this, mind you, just... curious and thinking out loud ^^ It'll be interesting to see on Tuesday how they've solved it.

[DPZ2]

I expect the reason for retainer 'jobs' in the first place is so your retainer can be a Dark Knight, Machinist or Astrologian (which they currently cannot). No reason to think they won't start out at level 1, just like classes.

[Nihility]

It's just an aesthetic thing so you can equip your retainer with job specific gear.
In the menus it will probably simply be like a promote to job button that does nothing but allow them to wear the job gear

[Noxifer]

In the menus it will probably simply be like a promote to job button that does nothing but allow them to wear the job gear

Nope. That's not how it's going to work, judging by this line in the patch notes:

* You must reset your retainer's job before assigning a different class or job.

[Culfinrandir]

Nope. That's not how it's going to work, judging by this line in the patch notes:

That's the line that made me wonder too. If I have to reset my lvl60 ACN just to turn it into a SCH then it ain't happening.

[Noxifer]

That's the line that made me wonder too. If I have to reset my lvl60 ACN just to turn it into a SCH then it ain't happening.

Well, you'd likely have to relevel it from level 30, yeah =/

I mean, it could work like that, the way it does for us (though I noticed the patch notes made no mention of needing the secondary class at 15 ;p ), and the note was just there for those wanting to change to one of the new jobs, but I think it unlikely.