How Would You Design Red Mage!?

[Tibian]

I wouldn't design Red Mage at all, especially at this point in time in the game.

XIV needs a more dynamic mage class than a "combination" class/job. It also doesn't need a melee mage class right now either.

The only reason people want Red Mage right now is for refresh. Having an entire class made and implemented just for Refresh is pretty sad.

There are plenty of opportunities for SE to create a more inventive class/job than Red Mage.

[Eremor]

Well what exactly does it need now? Another back line mage? Maybe, but since they allowed for 2 choices for new jobs in the poll it could be assumed that 2 new jobs are coming. Just from a numbers perspective we have 5 DOW and 2 DOM, so if RDM were slotted under DOM then adding both RDM as well as a back line mage (Arcanist?) at the same time would bring the numbers up to 5 to 4. Similarly we have 4 front line classes and 3 ranged classes so adding RDM and a back line mage would bring that up to 5 and 4 as well, maintaining a similar proportion.

Now as for role-wise, since all the direct debuffing spells were striped from the mages skills there is no dedicated debuffing class (admittedly there isn't a whole lot of need for one since almost every job has some way to inflict some enfeebling status but most of these are either unreliable or undesirable).

Personally I was waiting till they released the results of the poll before advocating my favorite job, if no one voted for Red Mage then all this discussion is somewhat pointless (but considering the popularity of this topic that seems unlikely).

[Duelle]

Well what exactly does it need now? Another back line mage? Maybe, but since they allowed for 2 choices for new jobs in the poll it could be assumed that 2 new jobs are coming. Just from a numbers perspective we have 5 DOW and 2 DOM, so if RDM were slotted under DOM then adding both RDM as well as a back line mage (Arcanist?) at the same time would bring the numbers up to 5 to 4. Similarly we have 4 front line classes and 3 ranged classes so adding RDM and a back line mage would bring that up to 5 and 4 as well, maintaining a similar proportion.

I think a large contributor to the discrepancy between magic and war disciples is that magic in Final Fantasy is very cut and dry. The devs would have to invent other types of magic or play off other types of magic seen in past FFs (Ninjutsu and Geomancy being two examples) and develop them as real magic. Not many seem to realize that, and instead look at it as "War = 5, Magic = 2. Itz n0t ev3n!!1one1!". =/

Personally I was waiting till they released the results of the poll before advocating my favorite job, if no one voted for Red Mage then all this discussion is somewhat pointless (but considering the popularity of this topic that seems unlikely).

Grr...guess I waited too long to reactivate. They had a poll for jobs?

XIV needs a more dynamic mage class than a "combination" class/job. It also doesn't need a melee mage class right now either.

The only reason people want Red Mage right now is for refresh. Having an entire class made and implemented just for Refresh is pretty sad.

There are plenty of opportunities for SE to create a more inventive class/job than Red Mage.

I volunteer Green Mage. Blue Mage as a backrow caster would also work. *nod*

[Tibian]

I think a large contributor to the discrepancy between magic and war disciples is that magic in Final Fantasy is very cut and dry. The devs would have to invent other types of magic or play off other types of magic seen in past FFs (Ninjutsu and Geomancy being two examples) and develop them as real magic. Not many seem to realize that, and instead look at it as "War = 5, Magic = 2. Itz n0t ev3n!!1one1!". =/
Grr...guess I waited too long to reactivate. They had a poll for jobs?

I volunteer Green Mage. Blue Mage as a backrow caster would also work. *nod*

You didn't even have to be registered for the poll. Results should be out relatively soon based on last week's CSR response.

A pure ranged Green/Blue mage would be something I'd be open to seeing, especially Blue Mage. I think Blue suffered a lot in XI due to its ambiguous class identity/role(s).

[Duelle]

You didn't even have to be registered for the poll. Results should be out relatively soon based on last week's CSR response.

A pure ranged Green/Blue mage would be something I'd be open to seeing, especially Blue Mage. I think Blue suffered a lot in XI due to its ambiguous class identity/role(s).

Well, yes. Considering it was tossed in with hopes that it would shut up the Red Mage melee camp...

Wish I had known about that about the poll, though. =/

[Zantetsuken]

I wouldn't design Red Mage at all, especially at this point in time in the game.

XIV needs a more dynamic mage class than a "combination" class/job. It also doesn't need a melee mage class right now either.

The only reason people want Red Mage right now is for refresh. Having an entire class made and implemented just for Refresh is pretty sad.

There are plenty of opportunities for SE to create a more inventive class/job than Red Mage.

I find myself agreeing with this.

We don't need the FFXI RDM (that is, a enhancing/enfeebling mage) ported over to this game, because we are getting that with Arcanist (>> Timemage.. hopefully)

Until then, RDM should be shelved.

When the time does come for RDM, I hope the devs need to go back to the full history of the Job and come up with a build that builds on the Jack-of-all-trades origins.

Final Fantasy Wikia sums it up best:

Red Mages typically cast both Black and White Magic and can also wield swords and equip armor that normal Black and White Mages cannot. They are, in essence, among the more versatile characters of the series. However, their versatility comes at a high price: their stats are usually low, and they cannot cast higher level spells or use stronger equipment. They can learn many spells, but not the strongest, and equip some heavy armor, but not all of it. Thus, the Red Mage is a jack-of-all-trades, but a master of none. However, in certain games, Red Mages have a special ability such as Dualcast which boosts their spell casting efficiency. The standard Red Mage attire consists of red, black, and white clothing, including a red cloak with white or black trimmings, black boots and a red cap with a white feather.

So in short, RDM should require:

• Dualcast-type ability
• Some White Magic (cure-type and buffing spells )
• Some Black Magic (elemental damage spells )
• Rapier

I think it might be useful to draw from the Mystic Knight job in creating a FFXIV RDM.

The Mystic Knight is very similar to the RDM but it's spells are focused on enchanting their swords with elemental and enfeelbing magic. (or En~ spells in FFXI)

eg.

• En-Poison
• En-Silence
• En-Thunder
• En-Drain

A RDM who's Job spell list consisted of En-spells, has access to THM and CNJ spells, can Dual-cast, and has some function by which TP is used to help cast spells, would be much more faithful to the RDM lore than the Refresh-whore of FFXI IMO.