Is it better to start a new character or just simply change classes?

[Houndgear]

Hey guys, new player here.

It may seem like a dumb question but I'm trying to figure out if it really is better to start a new character or just change classes.
I started as a marauder without proper research (also because I was checking the game) but the thing is, marauder is expected to be tank and I don't like tanking I prefer dps.
I was thinking to start new, then again the class system in this game is rather unique letting you change and adapt on the spot.
So I was wondering what would you guys advise me to do!
Thanks for your time \o

[Jkap_Goat]

Just change classes

[Frizze]

Yeah, id just switch classes. The storyline around level 15 sends you to visit the other 2 starting cities. Assuming youve completed your level 10 quest from your starting class(required to switch classes), being sent to the other 2 cities is a perfect opportunity to pick up whichever class you want to try next. The game will even give you a boost for doing so - any class you have that ISNT your highest level gets bonus exp. So until your new class overtakes marauder youll be getting extra exp to help catch up.

So did you research the classes a little? If not, you could always pick up multiple DPS classes to try out a little and see which one you like the best. Otherwise, keep asking questions. Someone is bound to have the answers you seek.

[LunaFaye]

Hey guys, new player here.

It may seem like a dumb question but I'm trying to figure out if it really is better to start a new character or just change classes.
I started as a marauder without proper research (also because I was checking the game) but the thing is, marauder is expected to be tank and I don't like tanking I prefer dps.
I was thinking to start new, then again the class system in this game is rather unique letting you change and adapt on the spot.
So I was wondering what would you guys advise me to do!
Thanks for your time \o

If you're not that far in yet, make a new character because you can gain more exp from the MSQ and the early side quests, then hunting log and fates in comparison.
If you're at level 30 already, sorry can't load the lodestone right now to check, then just switch classes.

However here's the good and bad based on each, might help to decide in the future:

Everything on one character:

Good: You don't have to unlock everything again, dungeons that you have successfully finished are marked as such, same for trials and story content. Giving you the option, that after switching to another class/job you'll be able to level via dungeons or potd alone, and not having to go through the whole fate and hunting log grind. At higher level, you accumulate tome stones, that can be used for either your main job or any other job on that same character, making it sometimes easier to switch between jobs and play the one you feel like playing that day.

Bad: While the tome stones as mentioned above are gathered on that one character, that also leaves you not much space or freedom to work with at the end, because you are getting only enough tomes to gear one job. So that would mean if you are one of the people, that frequently love to switch, that other job would be extremely under geared and won't be able to run up to date content. It would take around a month, basing this on the regular system not the increase of tomes we are having right now, since that's temporarily to prepare people for the new expansion, before you would be able to gear another Job.

Some content has a weekly lockout on gear, you will only be able to run get that gear for either your main job or your other job, but again that other job probably not at the gear level it needs to enter the instance, and people not letting you roll on the items if you're not on the right job. Wasting precious time that you could have spend on something else, in the hope that you would have gotten a specific piece but weren't on that "alt" job that day. Or RNGesus isn't pleased enough with you, making it a nightmare to gather specific pieces.

Same goes for gathering/crafting if you're planning on doing that later on, since SE introduced the spezialist tree in 3.x, and we don't know if it sticks around for stormblood, you would have only one character that could gather scrips and only one character that could get 3 specials. You can switch them if you want, but then we are talking again about a unnecessary grind of scrips and what not to do that.


Having multiple characters:

Good: You can help friends or pug via PF/RF/DF instances, that you won't be able to do on you main character, due to the weekly lockout as stated above. Groups wouldn't get less loot because you beat that instance already for the week etc. You gain more exp and level faster via MSQ/POTD and a couple of side quests, in comparison to the fate/old dungeon and hunting log grind. You could have more then one specialist if you're crafting, and wouldn't need an FC or others to help you out, since you can grab all of them and just rotate between the items, if you place both of these characters in the same FC for example.

Bad: You will have to unlock every region/dungeon/trial/aether currency/GC seals/Chocobo etc again. You would have to get gear for any new character again.

In summary, if you like to have a uncluttered inventory, and like to have your character based on a specific race/job due to lore, want to level fast and playing the game more on a solo kind of aspect when it comes to crafting/gathering or using the Raid Finder and Duty Finder more often, than you would going with friends or FC mates, then having more then one character would be your thing.

If you hate unlocking everything again, and are not keen to the looks of your character and their job, since you can't be bothered to find any interest in the lore aspect of the game. You enjoy playing this game more as a group or with friends/FC mates, making it your goal to min/max gear and raid at any given time, but don't mind that you can only run "lower/older" content with a other job, then one character with multiple jobs would be your goal.

Hope it helps.

[Feidam]

Hey guys, new player here.

It may seem like a dumb question but I'm trying to figure out if it really is better to start a new character or just change classes.
I started as a marauder without proper research (also because I was checking the game) but the thing is, marauder is expected to be tank and I don't like tanking I prefer dps.
I was thinking to start new, then again the class system in this game is rather unique letting you change and adapt on the spot.
So I was wondering what would you guys advise me to do!
Thanks for your time \o

You are only lvl 14 the so not really a big issue if you start new. However if you like the way your character looks then just switch classes. This way you keep whatever you have earned so far.

[Houndgear]

Wow guys thank you so much for your insight!

Changing classes is a very cool design and I'm fan of it for the purpose of not feeling trapped in one aspect of the character.

In my research I also saw interesting jobs and classes I would like to try so I guess I'll make a bit of both worlds. Making some more characters later down the road.

Thank you all for your help, and specially LunaFaye for it's in depth guide

[OcieKo]

Wow guys thank you so much for your insight!

Changing classes is a very cool design and I'm fan of it for the purpose of not feeling trapped in one aspect of the character.

In my research I also saw interesting jobs and classes I would like to try so I guess I'll make a bit of both worlds. Making some more characters later down the road.

Thank you all for your help, and specially LunaFaye for it's in depth guide

As an altaholic. I do recommend focusing on one character for all crafts initially, this game is pretty punishing crafting wise if you dont have everything. Adventuring wise, try to at least focus on only one at a time for leveling. After that theres a lot of different ways of spreading out to alts.

[Alisi]

In my research I also saw interesting jobs and classes I would like to try so I guess I'll make a bit of both worlds. Making some more characters later down the road.

You don't have a real choice in this. You need level two classes in order to unlock a job. One needs to be lvl 30 and the other needs to be lvl 15. So if you wanted to unlock the job of Warrior, you need marauder to be lvl 30 and glad to be lvl 15. The new jobs added in HW and SB don't need this but the others do.

It sounds a bit confusing but it's actually quite nice, once you get used to it. You don't have to divide your attention between characters so much and gearing is much easier (since you can collect gear for your other jobs and a lot of the jobs use the same gear -- ie. the healers basically use the same set so if healing is your thing, you can get all three to max and gearing one will more or less work for the other two, after which you can switch between which one is best for the situation. You didn't just waste all the time gearing and leveling and investing in white mage only to find out that it's been nerfed into the ground. You can just switch to scholar until your preferred job is buffed. xD)

[Quinthom]

Change classes. The only purpose for having multiple characters is for storage. Most achievements in game count on you leveling up multiple classes. Around level 30 you will want to be sure you have all your cross class skills.

[Rongway]

You don't have a real choice in this. You need level two classes in order to unlock a job. One needs to be lvl 30 and the other needs to be lvl 15. So if you wanted to unlock the job of Warrior, you need marauder to be lvl 30 and glad to be lvl 15. The new jobs added in HW and SB don't need this but the others do.

Starting Friday, no job will require a secondary class leveled.