Samurai Weapon: Nodachi or basic katana

[Balipu]

Very curios but is SAM mentioned in the slightest to be from Doma? I mean maybe it would be silly for NIN and SAM to not be related, but I feel SAM could fit being an elite Gyr Abania soldier? I've also heard Doma is completely destroyed so their might not even be a point going there. That's my input anyways!

Exactly. It would be silly if Ninjas and Samurai end up not being related. You are right, Doma is most definitely destroyed. Like the Doma in FFVI. But Othard is a whole region, with many more cities. That is why I threw in Wutai as a possible city we could have if we ever go there. Nothing is mentioned about where Samurai are from, because samurai aren't even in the game yet. Outside of the weirdos from the Heavensturn event of course. They are said to come from the far east and well it has been confirmed by Yoshie-P that Othard is the Hydaelin version of the Far East.

We honestly don't have to go to Othard eventually.

Yes we do. The refugees have joined us in 2.2 and have been helping us ever since. I mean I would personally rather help them than the Ala Mhigans cause all they do is complain and try to kill us, but I understand that Gyr Abania takes priority because of its strategic position. Pretty sure we can't have any region beside Garlemald stay in Garlean hands. Besides, it is not just a random corner of the map but the home of the Au Ra and the ninjas. Also nothing suggests Othard has to come very late. I can totally see it comming in 5.0 for example. It has to come before Garlemald at the very least. And if we ever go to Meracydia for example I'm sure the home of Bahamut and Sephirot would be one of the last places we go as we get to the grand finalee.

[Shippuu]

Wearen't going to single handedly go around saving every city from garlean control. We have to have valid reasons to travel half way around the world to go to Othard. Especially since going to Othard means skipping areas and lands that are much closer. On top of that, Eorzea is the focal point of the setting, it's a land that's special and the staging point of the conflicts we take part in. In order to have a reason to leave we'd have to defeat the ascians, and at least push the empire out of the lands and even then we are more likely to push forward towards the garlean capital after that then go somewhere else.

We are getting even stronger ties with our grand companies soon with new ranks and the platoon system. The grand companies have a hard enough time helping each other and are thus incredibly unlikely to offer any kind of aid to foreign nations that are half a planet away from them.

The most likely candidates for new locations after Ala Mhigo are Meracydia, Thavnair, ilsabard/garlemalde. We will very likely see all of those before we even set foot in Othard. And even when we do set foot in Othard it may be from the Ilsabard land bridge and closer to other cities we know are there like Rabanastre.

They didn't want to release samurai so close to Ninja because it was another japanese themed job, what makes you think they'd then turn around and make an entirely japanese themed expansion?

[Nalien]

No? Samurai was abandoned in favor of Dark Knight because it didn't fit Ishgard.

Well... Since then, SE has realized it was somewhat of a mistake to tie new Jobs so closely to the expansion... Gating all the new Jobs behind Ishgard, and thus 2.55, was met with some backlash...They'd be wise to avoid that in future...

As Shippuu said, it's also possible we arrive at Ala Mhigo later into the expansion... It would actually make for a good Idyllshire zone... If they're being smart with the expansion, they'd have a zone for everyone to gain instant access to, with all the new Jobs there, then have something like Ala Mhigo unlock through the story... Given some of the mentions its had in 3.#, I'd quite like a trip to Radz-at-Han in Thavnairia... That's a Near East themed location, so it's kind of ideal for most of the Jobs people expect from 4.0... I actually wouldn't expect Samurai from Ala Mhigo, nor Doma... Ala Mhigo had Monks, Doma had Ninjas, Radz-at-Han having Samurai would be perfect, meanwhile Red Mage and Blue Mage can both have a mystic vibe that fits the Near East (Blue Mage especially, see: ToAU, heck, the Lv51+ Alchemist quests makes quite blatant references to Blue Mage with a certain Thavnarian Alchemist...), and Dancer is almost certainly a Thavnarian specialty, just look at the gear and emote... Geographically, Radz-at-Han is just across the Sea of Jade from Ala Mhigo, as well, so it's really a prime location to add as we explore that side of the map... I believe Garlemald proper was ruled out until 5.0 (along with Doom Train), so...

[Grimgrum]

Totally-Not-Cyan (who will be a mustached Au Ra) will show up near the start of wherever 4.0 and will be all like "ey wat up my gaijins prepare thyselves", throwing swords at random and people hoping anyone who catches one will transform into a Samurai.

alternatively:

"I'm yet another Doman refugee who arbitrarily decided to show up now and I'm here to teach you all about SAMURAI™ because I really hate those GARLEANS and I was informed you Eorzeans feel the same way! They killed my family and thus I am filled with revengeance, so go and learn the ways of the SAMURAI™'s Bushido so together we can both fight the GARLEANS"

Then he'll advocate something about how Doma's resurrection will start with the liberation of Ala Mhigo (assuming this is the expansion's premise), fanning the flames of rebellion across Garlemald's territories, and that glorious nippon steel will be at the forefront of this second revolution for whatever weird symbolic reason blah blah blah and it's all shoved into SAM/NIN's story.

[Grimgrum]

As for the actual topic, I love the idea of spears/bows/clubs as mentioned by others in the thread earlier, but man, that would be bold as hell. I can only assume with the feedback DRK got that they would want to take a more conservative approach to SAM, plus I really can't imagine them pulling a Ragnarok multiple times over when they eventually use staple legacy Final Fantasy katanas like the Masamune, Ame-no-Murakumo, and the Murasame by assigning them to NIN. Kotetsu, Ashura, and Kiku-ichimoji would work for NIN, but not those other three without it feeling somewhat off (Masamune and Murasame as one weapon? Double Ame-no-Murakumos?).

One possible compromise: leave a two-handed katana as the main interchangeable weapon while having a handful of skills that utilizes various weaponry in their animations (think Devil May Cry... or Bugs Bunny with a hammer), possibly drawing from a tighter selection of visual models determined by whatever main katana you're wielding. The basic ranged attack could be a quickly drawn bow attack for example, while a wakizashi can be involved in a speed-themed weapon skill. One combo could consist of a kanabō (or the far smaller jutte, if pulling a giant club out of thin air sounds too silly) strike leading into a naginata attack, while another combo can consist of your usual Samurai mainstays like the Bushido skills from FF6 or the "Tachi:" weapon skills from FF11.

Sure, it could look totally weird, but it'd fit well I think in a game where no one bats an eye at the hilarious ice skating we already do in battle.