Red Mage confirmed or nah?

[Deedsie]

Am I the only one that does not get the whole red mage hype? In the original games Red Mage was nothing more than a cross between Black Mage and White Mage. What's so special about that? Why do people want this class so badly?

Because it WAS more than a cross between black and white mage. They fought with swords and could wear all but the heaviest armors while being able to use white and black magic to a lesser extent than white and black mage, respectively.

[Rgbg]

Am I the only one that does not get the whole red mage hype? In the original games Red Mage was nothing more than a cross between Black Mage and White Mage. What's so special about that? Why do people want this class so badly?

Not hyped about RDM one bit. I hated that job in FF XI and to this day I am convinced that the only reason you ever brought a RDM was for Refresh which was a neat skill indeed. Other than that RDM had weak healing and weak offensive spells compared to whm and blm, but it was a popular class anyway. If RDM indeed makes its appearance here in FF 14 I hope it brings its elemental sword spells. Those were a joke back in FF 11 but they were spells - just like refresh and even phalanx I think - that were exclusive to the class and I'd prefer that over RDM being half at everything it does

[Terrini]

It is probably Red Mage (perhaps a DD job). It is possible they may combine Rune/Mystic Knight ablities into Red Mage if they want to give it Allisae's new attack skill.

If RDM indeed makes its appearance here in FF 14 I hope it brings its elemental sword spells. Those were a joke back in FF 11 but they were spells - just like refresh and even phalanx I think - that were exclusive to the class and I'd prefer that over RDM being half at everything it does

This is exactly what I've expected of Red Mage in FFXIV all along, so I totally expect that Alisaie pulling out a sword makes her a Red Mage now and that Alisaie herself is Red Mage Confirmed.

[hynaku]

If remember right didn't the dancer have a scarlet red rose for a hair piece.

[Atlaworks]

Am I the only one that does not get the whole red mage hype? In the original games Red Mage was nothing more than a cross between Black Mage and White Mage. What's so special about that? Why do people want this class so badly?

In the original games, red mages were able to be good at but not the best at... white magic, red magic, melee, tanking, pretty much everything. They're the quintessential example, at least in the FF series as well as a good deal outside of it, of the "Jack of all trades". That's why people want one- not just for magic, but the idea that they could be good at anything. Even me, I'm looking forward to it in a locked DPS role, because it'd be the first DPS class we have that can melee and use magic at the same time. Maybe a class that actually uses both MP and TP for once? Revolutionary.

[Niwashi]

In the original games, red mages were able to be good at but not the best at... white magic, red magic, melee, tanking, pretty much everything. They're the quintessential example, at least in the FF series as well as a good deal outside of it, of the "Jack of all trades".

That also tended to make them very powerful while leveling, but a bit weak for endgame. I'm not sure that would work as well here. Certainly it would be a deal-breaker in a typical one job per character MMO, but I wonder if it would be viable in one like this. It certainly doesn't seem likely to be anyone's choice for savage mode raids (unless they change the job beyond all recognition, which I'm hoping they don't), but if it were good for regular dungeons, that could still be enough to make it popular. The majority of players don't raid anyway, and those who do do other things as well.

[Atlaworks]

That also tended to make them very powerful while leveling, but a bit weak for endgame. I'm not sure that would work as well here. Certainly it would be a deal-breaker in a typical one job per character MMO, but I wonder if it would be viable in one like this. It certainly doesn't seem likely to be anyone's choice for savage mode raids (unless they change the job beyond all recognition, which I'm hoping they don't), but if it were good for regular dungeons, that could still be enough to make it popular. The majority of players don't raid anyway, and those who do do other things as well.

The idea is to make them not-as-good at a lot of things, but as good as(or slightly better!) than the norm by combining everything they're kind of good at. That can be balanced for endgame as well as anything else- balancing numbers is not inherently tied to how those numbers are outputted, after all.

[Fevelle]

Am I the only one that does not get the whole red mage hype? In the original games Red Mage was nothing more than a cross between Black Mage and White Mage. What's so special about that? Why do people want this class so badly?

FFV made the fame. Red Mages had the most valuable magic skill, called Doublecast/X-Magic, that allowed for 2 spells to be used in the same turn. It's also pretty iconic design-wise in the FF series.

As for FFXI, I hope they don't go with that idea, because FFXI was EVERYTHING but a Red Mage - more like a disguised Mystic Knight.

I, personally, would love for red mage to be a contender with SCH.
A healer with more dps uptime while still having good heals.
I mean, don't see why that wouldn't fit the whole white magic and black magic thing.

Red mage would use white magic for its heals and then black magic when dpsing.

I wouldn't mind it as a melee/caster hybrid dps either though~

I have the exact same thought! I just don't want it to be a tank.

[Dyvid]

I would say all but confirmed but how it will actually play is another matter.