Bard using Harp

[KitingGenbu]

Honestly, many bard classes in games do not always use musical instruments. Some utilized dagger/swords/ranged weapons since they were essentially assassins that utilized an instrument as a cover of sorts (Dragon Age is a prime example of this). Also keep in mind that some bards didn't utilize instruments at all and would use their voice (For example, FFXI allowed you to just sing your songs if you wanted, just limited how many songs you could have up and their effects). Pretty much, its easier to alter a couple of animations and some lore versus altering every aspect of the job. Maybe even implement a job called Troubadour like Everquest has, since they have both bard and that class.

Lets also keep in mind that its not completely outside the realm of possibility to have jobs sharing the same type of weapon. Even though SCH and SMN were 'intended' to be that way since they originate from one class, people can not honestly believe there is a difference between a cane that a WHM uses and staff that a BLM uses. They are essentially the same thing. So it is easy for SE to just add more jobs with similar weapon types in the future with just different models and stances.

[Kazrah]

Lets also keep in mind that its not completely outside the realm of possibility to have jobs sharing the same type of weapon. Even though SCH and SMN were 'intended' to be that way since they originate from one class, people can not honestly believe there is a difference between a cane that a WHM uses and staff that a BLM uses. They are essentially the same thing. So it is easy for SE to just add more jobs with similar weapon types in the future with just different models and stances.

BLM and WHM may be considered two sides of the same coin, but they are not "essentially the same thing". Another thing too is that the BLM weapon is considered a rod, which is slightly smaller than a WHM staff, so no, BLM and WHM technically don't use the same weapon. Also, just because they can make multiple jobs with the same weapon type doesn't make it a good idea. In fact, it's been repeated stated that the ARC/SMN/SCH approach was considered one of the biggest failures in terms of job creation just because of how the stat system effectively barred you from playing both jobs to their fullest without constantly having to buy stat point reset items, and even then, SMN and SCH use mostly the same emotes and animations anyway.

Now back to the main subject, Bards using bows actually makes sense when you read the background for the job, about how it would sing while fighting to bolster their allies and spur them on. The real issue with it right now is really that it's kinda in this sort of role limbo where it could either be more focused on damage or more focused on the songs and the support element, and I don't think anyone really knows which direction to take it in. Heavensward only seems to have made it worse with the whole "bowmage" feel in an attempt to give it more damage (which at first was a failure) and fights at the start of Heavensward being more about how much dps can be done rather than how much the job can bring overall to a raid group (not just damage).

[Norleas]

They could split off of archer with a Hunter/Ranger class, utilizing traps and possibly pets. Maybe swap out some of Bard's current attacks with some more magical-based attacks. Hunter/Ranger can be a split between melee and ranged attacks, having a bow/dagger while brd has their bow/harp. I think it can work out, but will it happen? Probably not. But it's fun to speculate these kinds of things.

[Enkidoh]

They could split off of archer with a Hunter/Ranger class, utilizing traps and possibly pets. Maybe swap out some of Bard's current attacks with some more magical-based attacks. Hunter/Ranger can be a split between melee and ranged attacks, having a bow/dagger while brd has their bow/harp. I think it can work out, but will it happen? Probably not. But it's fun to speculate these kinds of things.

This will never happen because the 'one class splitting into multiple Jobs' experiment was considered a failure as shown all too clearly by the problems with SMN and SCH coming off ACN. Yoshi is on record in the past saying this specifically that they will not be doing multiple Jobs on a single class again. So I hate to say it but RNG will never be a new Job for ARC as SE simply will not be returning to that concept again. If RNG is added to the game, expect it to be a totally different class and Job separate from ARC and BRD.

Lets also keep in mind that its not completely outside the realm of possibility to have jobs sharing the same type of weapon.

You're falling into the old trap of only looking at this game through a FFXI prism again - that idea is simply not possible with the current system. The Armoury System is not like FFXI's Job system where Job and weapon are completely separate concepts, here your Job/class is your weapon (why else does the class/Job icon almost always show the weapon?). To make the same weapon associated with different classes and Jobs would require the entire existing system to be scrapped and rebuilt from the ground up, an expensive, time consuming and ultimately pointless exercise. I've said it before and I'll continue to argue this point - there is nothing wrong fundamentally with the Armoruy System at it's core ideas and principles - one weapon per class and Job upgrading from that is fine. The problem is trying to prevent classes and Jobs simply rehashing ideas and concepts after one another, which was also an issue believe it or not in FFXI too (by Wings of the Goddess the FFXI development team were stating how difficult it was to come up with new Jobs which simply did not reuse older Job ideas, concepts and roles in a party). Of course there is nothing wrong with trying to improve on things, but that does not mean completely replacing the existing system with something else.

Tinkering around the edges with experiments that end up not working as well as planned is another issue that has to be faced as well - as it just ultimately makes the whole thing inconstant, but that is another argument entirely.