Pipe Dreams: Squad training and recruitment

[Duelle]

A while back, the developers talked about the warrior of light (all five million of you) getting to lead their own unit and leveling them through dungeons and such. Setting aside the BRD diatribe, I figured I'd give some suggestions on how to do this.

The "why?"

Because you're the warrior of light and are so awesome that people want to do things with you in hopes of learning from you.

The "how?"

Upon reaching a certain rank in your Grand Company, you are given the option of taking part in training recruits. You're able to recruit the equivalent of a light party (3 recruits + you) and allow them to grow stronger to better serve their respective GCs.

The Mechanics

I. Recruitment

Upon reaching the Captain rank with your GC, you get a short quest that allows you to speak with GC recruitment officers to assemble your squad. Much like retainers, you can create and name recruits. You can recruit a maximum of 3 members.

II. Growth

Squad member stats are not determined by gear, but instead determined by their class and level. A good place to start would be to have them scale along the lines of the ilevel caps for dungeons.

Squad members can level in two ways. Dungeon runs and killing mobs in the overworld.

a. Overworld

One squad member can be summoned in the overworld as a companion. The consumable item required for this would be called "Battle Orders" and can be purchased from your GC's Quartermaster.

b. Dungeons

You have the option to queue for a specific dungeon with up to three squad members. Squad members are level synced to the dungeon like players.

If you queue for a dungeon while in a party with up to three people, the party leader can choose to have one of their squad members fill empty group spots before queuing up for Duty Finder.

III. Customization

Squad members can be customized via character creation. Aside from looks, a personality can be assigned (with a chat toggle to allow them to call you by name or simply refer to you as "captain").

In addition, their gear's appearance can be changed by using glamour prisms with items in your inventory/armoury chest as templates. You can glamour rare and exclusive gear on to a squad member, including artifact gear.

IV. Combat

Squad members can be assigned a class to start. This at first limits squad members to the DoM and DoW classes. Unlike retainers, squad members can be assigned classes that you have not unlocked.

After a squad member has leveled up to a certain point, you have the option of giving them apprenticeships in jobs you have currently unlocked. This is to allow squad members to be Dark Knights, Machinists and Astrologeans in addition to the current jobs in-game.

Notes

- I suggest staying away from item level grinds for squad members, as they're enough of a pain for retainers.
- Seeing that I want squad members to be able to take up jobs in addition to classes, being able to glamour them to look like they're wearing job AF would make sense.
- I would also suggest that a 4th squad member be available while giving you the option of changing the squad lineup when needed. This is so that if you start off leading a squad as a tank but want to switch to a DPS job, you could have that extra member become a tank so that you have your roles covered.