It’s also all but a given that the expansion will include at least two new jobs.

[Risvertasashi]

It’s also all but a given that the expansion will include at least two new jobs, probably three, and another level cap increase while we head over to Ala Mhigo.

Now this is a fun line. Back with HW, they did hint that they might not be able to do 3 new jobs in one go again...

So... if 4.0 only has 2 new jobs, which role do you think is getting left out in the cold?

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While DRK has brought people into tanking, we're still short on them. In areas of the game, desperately short. So I think a new tank is certain.

That leaves us with... DPS or healer. DPS are the most numerous and biggest chunk of SE's audience, while long healer queues at 60 suggest that, although still in demand for leveling, there's an excess of healers at the top end. Hmm. Well, let's hope they go with three...

[mp-please]

Hopefully healer. AST was a disaster that i would rather not have to see again.
Personally they should just focus on the current classes than add new ones, i even rather have more midcore content than 3 new classes that will play exactly like the ones we already have in the game except with a extra gimmick.

[Risvertasashi]

Hopefully healer. AST was a disaster that i would rather not have to see again.
Personally they should just focus on the current classes than add new ones, i even rather have more midcore content than 3 new classes that will play exactly like the ones we already have in the game except with a extra gimmick.

While I also don't want another AST aka WHM reskin ... I don't want to entirely close the door on new ideas, either.

[Mendalas]

Hopefully healer. AST was a disaster that i would rather not have to see again.
Personally they should just focus on the current classes than add new ones, i even rather have more midcore content than 3 new classes that will play exactly like the ones we already have in the game except with a extra gimmick.

AST so much fun, I switched from WHM main (since 1.0) to AST when it came out. Took me a while to actually accept that I liked it better than whm cause it was my original love and hard to abandon. But finally I bought the AST high end weapon over the WHM and have never looked back. They have made a lot of improvements on it and can't wait to see AST grow even more moving forward to the next exp.

AST a disaster? I think not but that is my opinion. Instead of just healing and dps'ing, we get to buff people with powerful card buffs! It adds a whole new fun element and I really enjoy it.

[basketofseals]

AST so much fun, I switched from WHM main (since 1.0) to AST when it came out. Took me a while to actually accept that I liked it better than whm cause it was my original love and hard to abandon. But finally I bought the AST high end weapon over the WHM and have never looked back. They have made a lot of improvements on it and can't wait to see AST grow even more moving forward to the next exp.

AST a disaster? I think not but that is my opinion. Instead of just healing and dps'ing, we get to buff people with powerful card buffs! It adds a whole new fun element and I really enjoy it.

A lot of the salt comes from AST's buffing being a mini game or a side mechanic rather than being its core identity. A lot of people were looking more forward to a support oriented healer, and what we ended up with was 4 buttons that all juggle 1 ability. Not to mention we pretty much fish for extended or expanded balance making every other draw feel kinda lackluster. It also, in my opinion, hasn't properly distanced itself from WHM.

On release, you have to admit that AST was quite underpowered, and it just never really recovered in reputation. Especially since it was the same time as the hardest raid we've ever gotten.

[mp-please]

AST so much fun, I switched from WHM main (since 1.0) to AST when it came out. Took me a while to actually accept that I liked it better than whm cause it was my original love and hard to abandon. But finally I bought the AST high end weapon over the WHM and have never looked back. They have made a lot of improvements on it and can't wait to see AST grow even more moving forward to the next exp.

AST a disaster? I think not but that is my opinion. Instead of just healing and dps'ing, we get to buff people with powerful card buffs! It adds a whole new fun element and I really enjoy it.

My point in that post wasn't that AST is fun or not. That's personal bias that i rather not bring to any argument, my point is that in terms of development AST was a convoluted mess. If they wanted to buff it they should've pulled the same they did with SCH and WAR with a complete rebalance before 3.2.

[mosaicex]

I saw a lot of people going all hot and bothered that we might be getting more tank in 4.0 ("Oh no, my favorite Job *cough*WAR*cough* might be getting shafted" "I want my favorite Job to be DPS! I will drop the game otherwise!) so I am expecting a lot of people to say Tank.

In my opinion, it's going to be healer that's getting left out. They already had hard enough time trying to balance AST, which in the end, ended up being a discount WHM anyway.

[ADVSS]

im gonna say 2 dps, and if not 2 dps/hybrid. We do need more tanks in the community but i dont think the jobs are the problem entirely, the trinity needs to loosen up a little, but thats my opinion. Also i personally would wait another year if they can make a unique healer and unique tank and bite the bullet for dps. Dont get me wrong what they need to do is focus on gameplay for all the roles with this expansion, not spit out two half of one and half of the other, and one might as well be the same but its sorta different. Glad to see my all time favorite get added, sad to see they tried to make it a half warrior half paladin, sorta. with spooky sound effects and some weird mana drain issue. Further on what i said, ninja came out when we needed a new tank or healer most, busted queues but when i think about it, ninja was done so good, i want to see more jobs done like this, with thought involved and not failing the tradition of the job in all of final fantasy history. They couldve kept bard unique and made mch the ranged full on dps that some brds wanted, they could of come up with a new type of healer that didnt have to shield OR regen and pick one or the other before combat, they couldve done something new, like a bubble/reflect/time mage as a healer. They didnt. Personally I think theyre smart enough to realize this, and will probably play it safe. for the next expansion. I really deeply feel like not getting 1 of each role is kind of a disservice, but id rather wait if they just cant do it at this time

[Alistaire]

The same source you quote says probably 3. They'll be aiming for 3 because if you don't add one of each role df gets bad. They saw what happened when ninja was introduced.

They're just saying "at least 2" in case design-wise they can't get 3 working and ready in time.

[Silver-Strider]

If they do only add 2 new classes, I'm banking on a Tank and DPS.
While I would like a new healer (was so disappointed in AST) I just can't really see it going over well when they can't make something unique that is also effective.

They could make a HoT healer but that is incredibly difficult to balance as spike damage is a huge thing in this game and unless the regens have a burst initial heal, it's downright impossible for them to compete but that would just make them into discount WHMs again.

Damage healers might work, whereas they heal by doing damage but that seems like it might also be a challenge to balance considering that they would still need to be able to heal should they be unable to deal damage for whatever reason.

Blood Mage healers also would be a nightmare to balance as having the healer sacrifice their own health to heal others, especially in situations where they'll be taking damage as well, is just asking for trouble.