A new way to play!

[P0W3RK1D]

There should be multiple ways to play a class

What i mean by that is , allow for a 2nd style(s) of play which focuses on Class-identity and fun for every class that needs one.
These 2nd loadouts would not be able to be used in extreme and savage raids, but can be freely used everywhere else.

as stated before the loadout would focus on sticking to the class identity and playstyle of the Job, and on fun, rather than being number perfect in balance.
new moves dont necessarily need to be added, in fact these second loadouts would only need to change ability cooldowns, potencys, and effects, animations can be swapped to make it look better too.

for example Dancer is traditionally a Supportive Job that specializes in debuffing enemies, and can provide some healing to the party. However the dancer we get is a somewhat supportive dps that dosent really do the debuffing thing at all, even its healing is shabby, for example sake, lets call our current dancer the "Fan dancer".

this 2nd playstyle would add to Dancer the "Waltzer" loadout. and while this loadout is selected and active the Dancer's abilities would behave differently.
*potency of aoe damaging weapon skills would be slightly reduced
*The range of single target damage skills would be heavily reduced
*Curing waltz would have its potency increased, and its cooldowns heavily decreased
*Shield Samba would have its damage reduction increased
*Fourfold feathers when used on enemies would debuff them
*Dancer could have 1 additional dance partner
*Standard and technical steps grant debuff to enemies when completed
*Dancer would get twice the En Avant charges
*Improvision's healing buff would be increased

and whala, a whole new playstyle.

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Not every class would NEED this additional loadout system, but ANY class can have it, The classes that would most need this system are the classes who's class identity and fun playstyle has been thrown out for viability and balance in raids, and classes that otherwise just don't fit the name and playstyle they are traditionally expected to have, this game seems to have no shortages of those things.
Players can still choose between which "loadout" they would like to use at any time, just like swapping classes, they can choose to play their class the way we have it right now, but those who don't like that playstyle would have another option(s) to enjoy.
And again, these "loadouts" cant be used in savage or extreme raids, as not to disrupt the delicate balance the dev team has enforced.
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Honest thoughts, would you guys like to see this type of thing in the game, kuz i sure would.

and just food for thought, if the numbers were tweaked enough this system could be used to create new classes for roles, using existing classes, example being; as one of the 8 people in this game that still play healer i was very disappointed that the Dancer job was instead made a dps, and still disappointed to this day that bard feels and plays like a ranger that was forced to take piano lessons when he was younger but if this system were to be implemented something like the "Waltzer" loadout i mentioned above (with a few small additions) could be legit classified as a healer -- and because its a loadout system thoes who like the Dancer as it is now dont have to give it up, and thoes want a dancer that focuses on support more than dps can have it -- everyone wins in the end.

[ItMe]

Honest thoughts, would you guys like to see this type of thing in the game, kuz i sure would.

I would not like to see this in 14.
The devs have expressed Arcanist going into SMN & SCH has been a nightmare plagued by unforeseen issues.
If I remember right they even said in an interview a few years ago it's such a headache they'd even separate them if they could.
If the system were designed with something like this in mind from the beginning it could be cool, but unfortunately 14 doesn't sound like a game that could ever support what you're throwing around.

[P0W3RK1D]

If the system were designed with something like this in mind from the beginning it could be cool, but unfortunately 14 doesn't sound like a game that could ever support what you're throwing around.If the system were designed with something like this in mind from the beginning it could be cool, but unfortunately 14 doesn't sound like a game that could ever support what you're throwing around.

mind explaining to me your reasoning for that one?

[Wilford111]

A large amount of work would be needed to keep these alternate playstyles balanced with the normal ones, otherwise people would nonstop criticize you for using them. I don't think it is worth it to put that much work into something that isn't necessary, and the work could be put to much better use elsewhere.

[Anhra]

i don't like change

balance

Unlike those nay-sayers, who constantly say the same arguments, i would be welcoming any kind of improvements like alternative Playstyles or even skilltrees, want to know why?

Because FFXIV has terribly designed Jobs compared to other MMOs (except BLM, who was created probably by a mere accident). They are incredibly basic and "balanced" to the point where SCH/WHM/AST can't even be considered to be what they are in name, but instead, jusr Healer1/Healer2/Healer3 (same goes for tanks btw, and depending on how MNK turns out in Endwalker, dps might suffer the same "balancing" issue) since they are, based on their Skillkit, all the same Job.

So yeah, f the balance for once and give this game finally something fun for its outdated combat-system for once.

Oh, and to those nay-sayers: just because it is "annoying for developers to do stuff and things" shouldn't even be considered a valid argument. FFXIV makes plenty of money with subs/mogstation/ limsa fantasia addicts already (squeenix even used said money to develop FFXVI AND the FFVII remake) so stop selling this game for shorter than it deserves to be.

[ItMe]

mind explaining to me your reasoning for that one?

Ah, I thought I explained it with the SMN/SCH example.
The devs expressed that even working with Arcanist going into two classes has lead to lots of unforeseen issues.
The coding dosen't like working with SMN/SCH and that's why they've told us they'll never do another split class like that.
With that in mind, I think asking for something that's so similar but on a much larger scale is probably a pipe dream for 14.
Could they make it work anyway?
Probably.
Will they?
They don't seem interested.

snip

It's not "I dont like change."
It's I literally don't think 14 can support this without an overhaul and don't think we can expect one.
I never even aired my preference on OPs idea lol, I just stated it's probably not in the cards.
Maybe something like that could happen after Yoshi P leaves the helm, but he's boiled cross classing and even choice in role abilities out of the classes so I don't think we can expect him to suddenly reverse course.