RDM weapon rework.

[Vorx]

So i sent this idea first in-game but thought i'd send it here also. An RDM uses both a sword and an ether crystal as a weapon. So my thought was, why can't the crystal be placed in the shield slot so you could mix and match the sword and crystal?

Currently the Paladins are about the only class that uses the shield slot, its just an empty slot for everyone else. This would add another class that would use that slot and give us more ways to customize our RDM.
While the sword would have the intelligence and damage stats the crystals would have the magic defense stats and all.

[Ferth]

They used to have one-handed weapons and shields for whm and blm. It was a huge mess. At this point I'm pretty sure the only reason Paladin has sword and shield separate is for glamour purposes.

[Tlamila]

Currently the Paladins are about the only class that uses the shield slot, its just an empty slot for everyone else. This would add another class that would use that slot and give us more ways to customize our RDM.
While the sword would have the intelligence and damage stats the crystals would have the magic defense stats and all.

DoH and DoL use it as well, for the offhand tool.

I disagree with the suggestion, as said they removed the system even from WHM and BLM because it was pretty meh. Even when it was still a thing, as a WHM I would always choose 2h staff rather than wand and shield.

[Sylvain]

As other player pointed out, the PLD having access to 2 weapon is more of an hassle than anything else and it is unlikely they'll ever do something like this again unless they make another tank job using a shield (let say BlueMage with Mace+Shield for instance).
And in this exemple I assume they want to allow BLU to use PLD shield, which might as well be not the case.

Possibly the only reason they havn't fused all PLD shield and Sword is because many low level one and special glamour shield are standalone pieces.

[Vorx]

Well with all that said then Glamour might not be such a bad idea, just being able to glame different crystals on the arms would be pretty cool and you'd see a lot of interesting styles. Like say the Gordian Rapier with the Ironworks Magitek Degen crystal. Or the Padjali Rapier crystal with the Horde Rapier.

Same goes with all the other classes that have stuff like this. With the updated Glamour system they could start doing a whole lot more with it.

[Jandor]

Would have been nice if the sword and focus were separate items. IMHO though it's not really worth talking about now, I'm close to 100% certain they'll never change it now.

[Rongway]

It would really not have been that great if the Medium was an offhand item. As often as RDMs get paired up in trials, it would suck to win the roll on the Medium but not on the rapier.

Making them a single item was the right move.

[Jandor]

It also sucks that some nice mediums are stuck with some really ugly swords.

Losing a roll only sucks until you finally win the roll, good looking parts being saddled with bad looking parts sucks forever .

[Vorx]

That was exactly why i made this post, as you said some of them are just ugly, i myself tend to stick to just the Ironworks Magitek Degen because most of the other RDM arms look like they were just copy and pasted with new colors or names.
But over all to date the fact that the off hand slot is not being used makes it a pointless thing. If they are not gonna change this for RDMs and a few other classes they should make PLD arms like RDM arms and remove that slot all together.