new items are counter productive?

[Biggs]

The way that you are talking about it, you make it sound like this new gear is so phenomenal that we will be sweating bullets trying to decide if we want to bring the WAR or the MRD to our next run. But it isn't, even if jobs could use it, many of the new pieces are comparable to already existing AF, so you really aren't adding any more variety because the gear just isnt THAT amazing that everyone is going to want to start rolling classes instead of jobs in situations where they wouldnt have anyways.

Also, I could be wrong but I thought the point of having classes and jobs was so that eventually each class could have multiple jobs to choose from? So yeah, It might seem like jobs are super superior right now but that's generally because they usually are, and this gear is likely not going to change that.

Never said anything about the new gear being Phenom, only that I understand that there is more here in play than just what we have been given in this patch. Whether or not the Class and Job system will be successful as this game moves forward has yet to be determined. What is certain though, at least for the time being, is that they HAVE chosen to keep both in the game and in doing so, will need to develope both in some way. The gear in question is but a small step to what I am sure is a larger goal. I don't honestly think there is any gear in the game right now that makes me feel as cool wearing it as the AF gear does, yet some of these new pieces look like some sweet alternatives for when I am just out and about as my class playing Solo or with another player doing leves.

Look at it this way: Right now you have Gladiators and Paladins. I feel like the Paladin job, when you look at it in its full AF splendor, speaks for itself. When you see Paladin you say to yourself, there is a defender of the weak, a knight, someone that specializes in protection. However, when you look at a Gladiator, at least at this point in the game, you sort of just see a run of the mill soldier. If they were to start developing gear that was Gladiator only that wasn't artifact gear, but fleshed out the class a bit more as soldier, nothing would make me happier. I would love to see them develope Gladiator gear that looks like the equipment worn by Roman Gladiators (fully enclosed helms, subligars, shields made a little more for offense that perhaps add more damage to shield bash) these things could could then set the class further apart from the job. Then, when you see the 2 standing side by side, you could more easily distinguish one from the other in both style and Role. One would look dangerous, and the other would look knightly. I am at least willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and see where they are going with this before condemning it altogether. One thing I can definitly agree with you on though Skeleton is that a sword is a sword, I fail to see how a Paladin would be unable to wield a sword that is essentially the same thing he (or she) uses now. Now if they started making blades that looked wicked or poisoned or something that goes against a Paladins code of ethics, I could totally get down with that. We shall see.

[settings]

there is so many items per level and class i get confused to buy stuff they need to remove some