New story writer for 7.0

[Simple_Barghest]

Blue Mage (if you count it)

F*ck it.
Get Martyn on the Trust team.
Make that worthless gobshite clown actually do something. He's got the spells, he can go toe-to-toe with Primals, make him put in some actual legwork.

[Alleluia]

Jobs we've never had (for more than one dungeon):
Paladin
Warrior
Dark Knight
Reaper (for now, likely to change)
Bard
Machinist
Dancer
Blue Mage (if you count it)

From some interviews I've seen, it looks like Krile will get a new job next expansion and join us. Likely as a caster, but it could be ranged. (That's supposing we get two DPS jobs next expanision, which is the most likely, but the devs can do whatever they want.)

Krile as a machinist... Krile with a chainsaw gun. Krile with a flamethrower. Probably giggling.

She keeps the pikachu hoodie, but adds metal tips to the ears. (And maybe add an elpis flower pinned on her somewhere.)

Make it happen, SE.

[Simple_Barghest]

He made Dancers more Paladin than Paladin ever has been.

[dynus]

From some interviews I've seen, it looks like Krile will get a new job next expansion and join us. Likely as a caster, but it could be ranged. (That's supposing we get two DPS jobs next expanision, which is the most likely, but the devs can do whatever they want.)

[WhiteArchmage]

Geomancer Krile please and thank you. We already have precedent of jobs sharing names with other practices (Astrologian and Sage, in particular), and Geomancer would fit her both as an offensive caster helping her deal with her insecurities, and a nod to FFV where she originated. AND an attack-mage GEO can be from the New World and just coincidentally be called such wihtout being tied to the Othardian version.

[dynus]

That or Time Mage would be a good call back to FFV, as both originated in that game. Either way, I feel like it should take over the DoT mage position Summoner no longer has.

[RyuDragnier]

Really hoping the other job we get (if we get 2 jobs) other than whatever Krile has is a Scouting job, preferably with the reverse of RDM. Instead of casting spells to power their melee burst, it's melee to power up their casting burst.

[kaynide]

I expect they will gradually move towards like what they did with Yshtola in later 6.x dungeons, allowing her to be either healer or caster.

So, sure, while we've never had a full time Paladin-only, G'raha's tank job IS paladin.

I expect more of that to allow the players to pick characters they LIKE playing with over a need to fill a role.

...and regarding new jobs, I've long worked with the following, which was pretty accurate for the new job roles in 5.0 and 6.0.


My Assumptions:

1) Jobs (or really any additions) are chosen based on what will sell the expansion/get fans excited. $$$
2) Job choices are not forced to fill missing "gaps" in roles. (4 magical ranged including BLU before a 3rd physical ranged)
3) The way roles are organized is fluid. (It used to just be Melee DPS and Ranged DPS)
4) New jobs can be influenced by the place we're going, but this is not a requirement. (YoshiP was originally planning to do SAM in HW)
5) If possible, jobs want to recycle old assets/save on development time (PLD used to have knives/daggers, pre Ninja). I expect similar treatment to wands from BLM and WHM.

Job History:

2.0 (Initial Release)

• 2 Tanks (WAR, PLD)
• 2 Healers (WHM, SCH)
• 2 Melee DPS (DRG, MNK)
• 3 Ranged DPS (BLM, SMN, BRD)

2.x

• +1 Melee (NIN)
• Jobs have balance of 3 Melee and 3 Ranged DPS

3.0

• +1 Tank (DRK)
• +1 Healer (AST)
• +1 Ranged (MCH)
• Ranged reorganized to Magical Ranged and Physical Ranged

4.0

• +1 Melee(SAM)
• +1 Magical Ranged(RDM)

4.x

• +1 Magic Ranged* (BLU) (Note this is a Limited Job)

5.0

• +1 Tank(GNB)
• +1 Physical Ranged(DNC)

6.0

• +1 Healer (SGE)
• +1 Melee (RPR)

Current Situation:

• 4 Tanks (WAR, PLD, DRK, GNB)
• 4 Healers (WHM, SCH, AST, SGE)
• 5 Melee DPS (DRG, MNK, NIN, SAM, RPR)
• 3 Physical Ranged DPS (BRD, MCH, DNC)
• 4 Physical Ranged DPS (BLM, SMN, RDM, BLU)*
  (Again, BLU is a Limited Job)
  

Speculation:

Regarding jobs as a whole, I expect...

• Based on live letters, at least 1 DPS in each future expansion that has new jobs.
• It is possible an expansion will come with only 1 job, or possibly none at all.
• An eventual reorganization of jobs by GEAR SET.
• An attempt to balance of total Melee and Ranged, divided into their armor sets.
• BLU will be moved from "Magic Ranged DPS" to "Limited Job".
• Not so many full new expansions left; maybe 2-3.

Regarding new jobs, I expect the next expansion to have:

• A Scouting melee DPS.

Regarding new jobs, EVENTUALLY I would guess/I could see...

• Ranger/Corsair/Marine: A ranged rifle user, wearing aiming gear, using the "bow-mage" mechanics. Possibly "Colonial Era" flavor. Possibly related to the "New World" to the west.
• Mystic Knight: A dual-wielding, flashy sword user; probably scimitars or Khopesh. Possibly "Arabian Nights" flavor. Possibly related to Meracydia.
• Beastmaster: An axe-wielding limited job, wearing Maiming gear. Obviously has pets.
• Geomancer: A bell-wielding healer, using essentially Conjurer's base kit but reflavored heavily. Probably a "Shield Healer" using a revamped Stoneskin.
• Time Mage: Using wands from WHM/BLM, with those being phased out similar to PLD's knives.

Regarding new jobs, my personal wish list..

• (New Job): A dual-crossbow-wielding, acrobatic trap user, wearing scouting gear. Something like Linkle or Bayonetta.
• (New Job): A shape-shifting job.

[Lyth]

I'm hoping that with a new story arc, they might start showcasing some of the Disciple of Magic jobs on the Warrior of Light in trailers going forward, just to be fair.

Going purely on the number of jobs within each sub-role, I think that we're most likely to see either a caster or physical ranged next. But I also feel that the distinction between these two subroles has been completely arbitrary for a few expansions now, given that resource attrition isn't a thing in this game anymore and physical ranged really aren't here in a 'support capacity'. It seems like it only exists to hide the fact that we actually have seven jobs that play at range, which is where many players tend to feel most comfortable playing.

And while I think it would be most useful to add more tanks and healers in the long run to draw more players to those roles, I think we're much more likely to see a caster added in the near future. Based on interviews over the past year, I'd also guess that it'll end up being a completely new job to the series, as they've pointed out that it's difficult to adapt a pre-existing job to this format while staying true to various iterations over the series' lifespan. Perhaps a job using void-based space-time magic similar to Gaia in order to give BLM a run for its money.