More Options for Character Growth

[Elexia]

The point is that the OP is looking for ways to avoid this and also trying to be helpful in a creative process. He isn't necessarily looking for concepts that lock people into different play-styles - he just wants to see some flexibility and variation and I can't see anything wrong with that.

That was the point of the Armoury system and Job system, we're not going to get a game where you'll have a conjurer or white mage out tanking everyone due to progression path for example.

Things like this are great. It seems people are thinking XI didn't have this.

Did people forget about Merits? There was actually a great deal of customization between characters with merits, and while some jobs had a set couple of skills that were basically required, that just means a system of the like here would just need to be better balanced.

Heck, we even have a system in place that can be used for merit points... Acheivement Points.

When it comes to XI people forget a lot of things because it's an older MMO. Merit points ended up the same way as talent tree type systems ends up...there's always the "Expected" path that you'll have to take. No matter how much customization or choice you're given in an MMO, there's always an optimal or preferred build that people will expect you to do. This is true in every MMO I've played including the much touted WoW.

[Phobos]

When it comes to XI people forget a lot of things because it's an older MMO. Merit points ended up the same way as talent tree type systems ends up...there's always the "Expected" path that you'll have to take. No matter how much customization or choice you're given in an MMO, there's always an optimal or preferred build that people will expect you to do. This is true in every MMO I've played including the much touted WoW.

In XI there was still a decent ammount of customization between characters. Yes there were some skills that became "required" or "assumed", but that would just need to be avoided through balance. Some BLM would merit all AM-2, others would MAX Freeze and Burst. Some COR's would go with roll boosts, others with things like QD and that JA reset move. RDM I often redid depending on the LS I was in and what the other RDM's had. Again, I'm not saying it was perfect but as long as you make each possibility worthwhile it's a valid system. XI didn't do it perfectly but there was still some variety between players and I rarely saw anyone getting flak for something stupid, other than zanshin.

I'm mostly just saying; this concept isn't foreign to Final Fantasy and with some work they could get it working properly here.

[Onidemon]

When it comes to XI people forget a lot of things because it's an older MMO. Merit points ended up the same way as talent tree type systems ends up...there's always the "Expected" path that you'll have to take. No matter how much customization or choice you're given in an MMO, there's always an optimal or preferred build that people will expect you to do. This is true in every MMO I've played including the much touted WoW.

Yes it is true but the difference is that in WOW for example, your warrior can be a better Tank them mine due to the trees and mine can be better at DPS. In XIV your War will be the same as mine and i have to change jobs or classes to do something different. Also i am not implying by any means that White mage should be able to tank as that makes 0 sense, only things that do make sense.

[syntaxlies]

Yes it is true but the difference is that in WOW for example, your warrior can be a better Tank them mine due to the trees and mine can be better at DPS. In XIV your War will be the same as mine and i have to change jobs or classes to do something different. Also i am not implying by any means that White mage should be able to tank as that makes 0 sense, only things that do make sense.

you can improve dps and enmity +or - with materia.

[Onidemon]

you can improve dps and enmity +or - with materia.

That's the same as having better gear then mine. You War does not play differently then mine. Gear will always make a difference it is not customization. I want skills that make my War a better tank or DPS then yours because that is what i would prefer to do.

[syntaxlies]

That's the same as having better gear then mine. You War does not play differently then mine. Gear will always make a difference it is not customization. I want skills that make my War a better tank or DPS then yours because that is what i would prefer to do.

but couldn't i just get the same skill?

[Onidemon]

but couldn't i just get the same skill?

Yes you can. But if you want to Tank because that's what you like, you wouldn't spec you WAR for pure DPS as i would do with mine correct? Then we would both chose different paths and skills but play the same class.