Idea: Class split idea for all jobs

[SketchyBrush]

Arcanist can split into Summoner and Scholar, both wielding books for their main hand. This idea builds on that for the other 14 jobs.

Marauder splits into Warrior (tank) and Viking (dps). Viking wields two axes and instead of defiance and deliverance, it gains a Carnage gauge that increases attack speed and be spent on abilities. The Viking would dual world axes.

Gladiator splits into Paladin (tank) and Cleric (healer). The cleric wields a mace and uses a combination of instant cast heals and proc heals, similar to excog. Melee dps between heals and perhaps a beneficial group aura.

Dark Knight (tank) would have a split job into Reaper (dps) and wield a scythe that has a darkness pet to fight alongside him. The scythe would have a longer melee range, giving it more mobility.

More ideas in following posts

[SketchyBrush]

Conjurer splits into White Mage (healer) and Geomancer (magic dps) and there is a greater emphasis on combining elemental attacks. For instance, a water opening spell with an earth finisher spell might trigger a mudslide aoe attack, or a earth starter air finisher that is a dust storm.

Astrologian (healer) splits into Time Mage (magic dps) that 6 new cards for attack combos, or spell enhancers. It also puts a miriade of status effects on mobs

[Nezerius]

Yoshi had already stated that he ended up not liking the way ACN split into two jobs, so I can't see it happening to other classes.

[Shurrikhan]

Yoshi had already stated that he ended up not liking the way ACN split into two jobs, so I can't see it happening to other classes.

But he makes that assumption over a near worst-possible test case, one in which fatal flaws were designed in -- obviously not with the intention to fail, but each certainly implemented intentionally.

SCH and SMN didn't need to share abilities or traits, which he implied at the time was something of the Achilles heel of split-job designs. That was done intentionally then and has since been largely undone. Even traits prior to level 30 are now replaced between SMn and SCH, for instance.

Heck, he didn't even need to cause them to have shared experience. He could have just as easily made SMN alone the natural extension of ACN, while SCH is leveled separately, as per their weapon and gear distinctions.


On topic:

Personally, the job as solely a second half of a given class has never made sense to me. The stuff of any job is simply an auxiliary or advanced toolkit which may or may not synergize specifically with a given weapon, and most have no reason to be the only jobs matchable with the weapons they currently match.

I could easily see Gladiator and Paladin as both being viable options, with Gladiator being more diverse in that it can has a largely pool or open skills by which to borrow mechanical traits and/or abilities from other classes, but optimally works itself into a counteroffensive opportunistic sort of swap-tank. I could see Archer as the most situationally-matchable and most fluid of the trio of the offensively-supportive Ranger, raid-supportive Bard, and the base Archer class. I could see Ronin allowing for considerably more flexibility at the cost of firepower and (unless borrowing from tanks) sturdiness compared to Samurai. I could see Rogue diversifying into Thief (based around item (ability) steals, traps, and parts management), Assassin (poisons and strikes of opportunity), and Ninja (ninjutsu and deception), or retuning the base kit to fit highly specific needs at lesser general output. A Lancer could move on to the way of the Adept or Dragoon, or even tune up Lancer to be a pretty damn good half-tank or point-support. Etc., etc.

[SketchyBrush]

Monk (dps) splits into Dancer (healer) as another melee dps healer who uses chakras as either currency for big heals or as enhancements on heals, the dps would rotate on encumbering the mob with 3 or so dots as well as status effects.

Ninja (dps) splits into Shadow walker (tank) who uses a lot of evasion as well as their version of hallowed ground being a shadow clone who has all threat transferred to this clone to eat a tankbuster, then aggro goes back to ninja. Perhaps 3 clones summoned at a time so aoe would kill all 3 but single target gangbusters need 3 shots to break the shadow clone defense.

[SketchyBrush]

Machinist (ranged) into Gunblade ( melee) with all the cool melee things that Gunblade are known for.

Bard (ranged) into Performer. I don't know more of what could be done here.

[Ilyrian]

Machinist (ranged) into Gunblade ( melee) with all the cool melee things that Gunblade are known for.

Guns and...blades?

[Moogly]

Guns and...blades?

Check this dude : Squall Leonhart