How I would like to see jobs like RDM and BLU function

[TarynH]

I'd like to start off by saying this is not another debate thread about what roles certain jobs should be assigned. Instead, I would like to throw an idea out there for jobs that could possibly fit into many roles. I'll be using Red Mage primarily as an example, but other jobs like Blue Mage, Dancer, and others, could take advantage of this proposed system.

The idea is not even new. The system is in the game, but currently serving another purpose. Anyone who has opened up their Companion menu would know what I'm talking about. While it is simplified for the AI of your Chocobo, you can set what kind of role you would like your companion to have; Defender, Healer, and/or Attacker. Why can't this type of system be used for a job that can fit into those three roles?

For instance, we start with a basic Red Mage. They usually have a rapier class sword, so we'll use that. They usually have black and white magic, so we'll stick with that. So from the very start, RDM could have the ability to do all three jobs. Parry tank (think Fencer), caster/melee attacker, and healer.

From that basic model, we could then build upon RDM. Picking which path we would like to take, and mapping abilities accordingly. If one wants to be a caster/melee attacker, they would use a system (like the Companion menu) to first assign the attacker role (this is for Duty Finder purposes). Once they have been established as an attacker, they would get access to higher tier black mage spells, as well as attack-based melee skills.

If they chose healer, they would be locked into that role, and gain access to healing abilities and spells. Tank would be mainly sword skills, and damage mitigation abilities/spells. Equip gear accordingly.

Meanwhile, the core of the job would not change. You would still have access to basic black and white magic, and basic sword skills, even after picking a role. Only by picking a role will you be granted access to higher and better skills for that particular role. You cannot be all three roles at once, but can change between roles at any time (except where prohibited).

This type of system could be used for all jobs that traditionally have access to a larger array of skills and spells. Plus it would prevent those types of jobs being forced into one of the three roles. Let me know what you think of this idea!

[Rhaja]

Th e sad part is Yoshida has already said no to specs, along with picking abilities so people don't get blocked from content for not having the "right" build. Thing is, that second part already happens because of cross classing. No swiftcast? kick attempt. No Provoke? Probably kicked.

[LineageRazor]

We also have our one, and likely only attempt at specced jobs already in the game. Play Arcanist? You have your choice of playing as a Healer or a DPS. You "respec" by changing job crystals. What you're suggesting sounds no different, except that you'd have three job crystals instead of two.

The devs have made it quite clear that they feel what they did with Arcanist was a failed experiment, and that they will never do so again. I don't see a lot of hope for your idea.

Best get used to the idea of RDM being a tank, healer, OR DPS, not any combination of these. The best you can expect as a nod to RDM's multi-role utility is that they may get a minor curative ability if DPS, or a handful of low-damage nukes if healer.

And tank? RDM never really was a tank, aside from a brief period in FFXI where deeper understanding of the enmity system allowed players to hold hate by casting specific spells that players' experimentation had revealed to have higher-than-expected enmity - something SE quickly put the kibosh on by removing nearly all the enmity from said spells. "Classic" RDM in the Final Fantasy series was a combo of nuker, melee damage, and healing; tanking was never part of it.

[TarynH]

The "build" would be predetermined for the most part. Everything would be unlocked through job quests as it is now. When you go into the menu to select "attacker" it would give you all the abilities for "attacker" that you have unlocked.

Example:

You complete RDM quest at level 35. You gain access to let's say Fire II, and Cure II (for the sake of nothing better in mind). You also gain access to a tank buff (we'll say a parry increase move).

Now when you go to switch your RDM to attacker, you have access to Fire II, but not Cure II, or the tank move. You also gain trait bonuses to attack magic and sword damage.

If you switch to healer, your RDM will lose access to Fire II, but gain access to Cure II. It will then have trait bonuses for healing and possibly better MP management.

When you switch to tank, your RDM will gain the parry increase move, lose access to Fire II, and Cure II. It will gain a trait bonus to defense and sword play increases enmity.

And of course, the job would always have basic spells/abilities that are kept regardless of which role you're in. For instance, it will always have sword moves, and lower tier spells like Cure I and Fire I. Swiftcast and/or dualcast could be basic abilities across all three roles. (Again, just examples.)

So it wouldn't be like you pick your own abilities. They would be assigned when you picked your role.

[TarynH]

And tank? RDM never really was a tank...

Not saying RDM even has to be a tank. RDM was purely the example as it's the best jack-of-all-trades job to use. The system could limit it to either Healer or Attacker variants of the same job.

Blue Mage could be any of the three, but could be limited to Attacker or Tank.

Dancer could be any of the three, but limited to Healer or Attacker.

Arcanist actually works, IMO. Just that one side of it needs a little work. Scholar is great. Summoner... eh. But I disagree that it's "specced." You pick Healer or Attacker, and you get access to different abilities and spells. The same base spells stay for both jobs. However, you don't get to pick a spell like Adloquium and put it on SMN.

Edit: And you're right. It would be like changing job crystals. I feel certain jobs would get better functionality by being able to play various roles in the game. And it would save a lot of time trying to figure out which role a multi-role job has to fit in.

[Istaru]

A SCH with all their attribute points in INT instead of MND would not be very welcome in EX or Savage content. The opposite is true as well.

[TarynH]

A SCH with all their attribute points in INT instead of MND would not be very welcome in EX or Savage content. The opposite is true as well.

In my suggested idea, those stats would stay with the role.

Let's say RDM wasn't a tank. Let's say you could choose Healer, Melee Attacker, or Ranged Attacker variants of the job.

You would put all MND into your healer variant. All INT into your ranged attacker (spell caster). STR or DEX (in my mind it would be DEX for rapier) into the melee attacker variant. Those stats would not change when you switched. Unlike how SCH/SMN is now, where you have to choose, or make it half-and-half, or constantly change it.