How can they add more classes and make them unique and have their own flavor?

[RiceisNice]

In my opinion, it is a far greater risk to keep things similar. The game will rapidly become more boring if things are not appropriately spiced up. I think it would be better for the health of the game to add a DPS that everyone wants and rolls/levels up etc (NIN for example), than it would be to add a DPS that few people like and is basically a carbon copy of [x] job (MCH for example). Keeping things interesting is what is going to keep people playing long term. Keeping with the status quo is what is going to have people leaving for the next big thing.

I feel like this is definitely the case for MCH/BRD. The two share the same role and purpose, but it's also down to the abilties and flow of gameplay. Instead of sticking with a multiple attachment/stance they had originally wanted for MCH, they scrapped it and only gave one attachment (gauss barrel). ...then turned around and gave BRD a duplicate of said "attachment", and they've done away with having a traditional physical ranged dps. Balance (espesically numbers) sohuldn't be a huge concern when it comes to things like that, you could just tune it with mid patches or hotfixes. It's job mechanics that takes a lot more time to adjust, if not change.

Because of the way they've structured the game, it would require taking some risks to add classes that would truly feel different or offer "game changing" elements.

Given their track record so far, I doubt they will do so. Classes will likely remain a visual wrapper to similar functioning skills with one or two unique uses.

If you're to compare DRG and MNK on release, the two have entirely different GCDs when monk is at GL3. DRG in 3.0 also revolves around mixing in their oGCD (due to animation lock from jumps) and effectively managing their BoTD timer through GS. MNK has no such burdens, but instead need to maintain full uptime on the boss and minimize damage loss from downtime. NIN also approaches differently without the burden of having to maintain uptime, but instead 2 different timers/dots that branch off their weaponskill versus the highest damaging combo, on top of ninjitsu.

Same with BLM/SMN, the two function so differently in their resources that it's just not a comparable gameplay. Likewise with the healer's approach to healing and the utility behind it. The only time I feel they truly dropped the ball on job identity is BRD/MCH, and SCH/SMN if we're speaking specifically on dpsing (which honestly might as well be the case in your average dungeon runs).