Class changing, are we unique?

[dragonseth07]

Hello! So far in the story, I've not seen anybody change class ever. Everyone and their mom seems to have Cure slotted in story fights, but that's about it. :P

Are we unique in our capacity to learn and level all the different classes? Why does everyone seem to only ever do one thing? The first guildmaster lets us loose to join others, but nobody else in the guild ever took advantage of it but us? That seems crazy. If we are unique, why? What makes us special in that regard?

[Canadane]

I suggest progressing further into the story!

[dragonseth07]

I suggest progressing further into the story!

Oh! Well then, nevermind. >_>

[Ginal]

I'm not sure what Canadane is referring to, but, characters in FFXIV are almost always represented as a single class that never changes. I don't believe there's any particular lore reasoning behind this, or the player being able to change at any time. It simply is what it is.

[WhiteArchmage]

There IS at least one instance of an NPC class changing. Spoiler tags because it's post-50 MSQ.

Thancred used to be a rogue but became a gladiator after some events in his youth, only to go back to rogue after the class was released (it's technically a retcon but there IS said class change). If we take into account Coil, the twins are also able to become Summoners after being bathed in the aether of Bahamut AND given Phoenix's blessing

The lore over most NPCs not changing their classes is...why would they? Class quest NPCs are so married to their class that they're not interested in switching to another one. Padjals are canonically WHM (or technically CNJ, I forget, was E-Sumi-Yan canonically a CNJ or full-blown WHM?), arcanists don't need to change because they work at customs in Limsa, marauders are part of the Yellowjackets, gladiators are either in the Brass Blades or fight in the arena...

[myahele]

I think there can only be 3 WHM at a time due to a specific ritual they need to do + the need to limit WHM by the Elementals. Although all Padjals seem to go through CNJ training in Stillgade fane, but only a select few can be a WHM.

The only group of people I can think of that need to have 2 classes as part of the training regimen would have to be the Sultansworn. As far as I know Squires there need to know basic CNJ

[Sakuraluna]

I'm pretty sure there's one character in the main story quest line that switches classes in a very obvious manner at one point in the story, but won't say much more than that in case it could be considered a spoiler. I tend to theorize that they are just set to main certain things, and that a number of them main healer due to necessity as the player character won't always come to single-player quest fights as a healer class. That it probably follows with the design of the player-character class/job system -that the developers can set npc's to whatever class they need them to be for whatever length of time, but that it's probably easier to just include an npc that already is the needed class in those scenes or fights.

[Keramory]

Well to look at it from a lore perspective, think of it this way.

What is a class? It's like a martial art or a way of life right?
To make it an even more appropriate word, I would even go as far to call each class a discipline. Fair?
You have a discipline in which you dedicate time and effort to right?

So what are two disciplines in life that we can relate to?
Lets say Karate and Biology.

Now I can take a class in Karate or a class in Biology, but this doesn't make me a true martial artist or biologist right?
Furthermore, I can be serious about Karate or Biologist. But it takes time, usually by steps, to reach my goal as a Blackbelt or Biologist. I'd even go as far as calling it Leveling if you will. Usually over time, one is going to be a heavier focus of interest.

So if I'm TRULY passionate about one, I want to make it the focus of my life. I want to make this my career. I want to become a Master of Karate. I'm focusing on leveling this to the max. I'm going to reach level 60! How long does level 60 (the cap) in real life take? Well most true masters would argue 20-30 years, even more. Flip side, Biology. You could be a simple biologist, but to become a master of the biological field? About the same...20-30 years.

So obviously, MOST people are going to find their discipline to be one or the other. Thats how they're living their lives. That's how they identified themselves.

So throwing that whole long point back into the game. Lets name a Paladin NPC. Being a Paladin is his life! He focused his very being, day after day, to his sword and shield. To be the perceived level of the story, he spent his life as of that moment, learning how to be a Paladin.

And he's just most likely fodder for the story! How many Paladins/Gladiators have died in the story? If you haven't been counting, its alot.

So lets move to our main characters. They're like the grandmasters of Karate. They're not your average breed. Imagine what someone would have to go through, training wise, to be at their level? As you go through the story you'll even see some back story as to their training in a way.

So this should explain why those NPC's are usually one class (with a few exceptions you'll see in the story...which really...the most famous one being a design/product placement for a newer class -.-).

What about the hero of light though? What about you, the character? Well you are obviously by far....some insane absolute silly exception to literally every rule and restriction common game law has. Why? Well one...I'd argue that they kinda over powered the concept of the hero of light by quite alot, more so then FFXI's point of view on the players character)...but two...its a video game and multiple classes is a highlight for the online FF games.

[Enkidoh]

The 1.0 GLA class quests also had a battle where a npc enemy actually switched classes mid battle (he started out as GLA, but then switched suddenly to MRD, changing to a great axe from a sword and shield, supposedly to give himself an edge as his opponents weren't expecting it. He also tried the same trick against the player when they had to fight him as part of the quest - in both cases it didn't help him and he still got his lalafell butt handed to him ).

Also basic Conjury (specifically, healing spells like Cure and Esuna), is stated as being a core skill taught to many people as a form of first aid regardless of what Discipline they normally hold, particularly in Gridania where it regarded as being essential for survival in emergencies where a CNJ isn't always available.

Either way, it's clear there are numerous situations where npcs and enemies are shown either switching class or cross-classing abilities which are not their own (to say nothing of Rosenthal being both MRD and MSK at the same time even back in 1.0, clearly dual-wielding a great axe in one hand and a flintlock pistol in the other! But I digress...).

[Morningstar1337]

Also basic Conjury (specifically, healing spells like Cure and Esuna), is stated as being a core skill taught to many people as a form of first aid regardless of what Discipline they normally hold, particularly in Gridania where it regarded as being essential for survival in emergencies where a CNJ isn't always available.

I wonder if that explains why Cure is a common cross-class skill for classes (Not Jobs)