What if they added sub-jobs to ff14

[Rymi64]

I think it'd be a neat addition if they did it right. Like only needing to have the job you want as a sub unlocked and to be at or above the level of a skill on your main job. Make some skills unusable while it's a sub job. The gauge abilities could fit nicely imo.

[Jeeqbit]

Sort of like how we have classes that can unlock jobs?

[Ranaku]

They already don't get the normal jobs and balancing right...i don't want to imagine into what nightmare sub jobs would turn quickly...

[Rongway]

I think it'd be a neat addition if they did it right.

They won't.

This is primarily because there is no way to do it right in XIV. In general our jobs are too complete on their own to support additional actions from subjobs, and in the cases where they are deficient at most all they will get out of a subjob are few oGCDs. A shield. A movement ability. Some burst attacks. Mostly things we already get from having Role Actions, but that if we got any more of things would just be absurd. And then everything will be designed around everyone having shields, or everyone having movement abilities, or burst oGCDs. And then we'll get people joining groups without a subjob that provides the required ability. Then everyone has a bad time.

Just, no, please no.

[Ishe-P]

They used to let you do a pseudo sub-job thing where you had to play a class up to 30 to unlock what are now certain role abilities and to get a job stone that combined aspects of two classes (iirc, for example, to get warrior you had to play gladiator and pugilist to 30 or something, look this isn't important). I think the player base at large decided it was hogwash and pushed back against the devs hard eventually to get it changed. So what I'm saying is that it isn't that they didn't try, but a number of factors led to them scrapping this idea.

[Renalt]

They kinda/sorta did that in the beginning where you can take actions from one class and apply it to another. However they got rid of that feature and turned it in role actions instead.

[Anienai]

My main's WHM was 34 til about a month ago (iirc). I only needed 34 WHM for stoneskin.

[Raraka]

I think OP refers more to a system similar to what PSO does

To elaborate and give a couple examples:

In PSO you can pick any main class and a sub class. You get the full skills of the main class, and passives from the sub-class (with slightly less power)

You can be a Hunter (Melee combat) with a Force (Mage) sub, and that lets you use most spells avaliable for Force, more notably, access to healing spells and the esuna equivalent

Another example is Ranger + Techer, letting you use Buffing skills while using guns

Of course in PSO select people tend to math out what are the best subclasses, and the same would happen in XIV. But it is still very fun making situational or "roulette" viable builds

In PSO2's endgame fight Sodam, I myself made a very cursed Techer + Ranger build to bring all the buffs and debuffs I could, in a single set, because most people in pug runs didn't bring techer or ranger as they were considered lower damage

An interesting counterpart in XIV could be something like Healers bringing Monk as their sub class, and getting a shorter version of Mantra. Warriors bringing Samurai as sub, and meditating for gauge on downtime. Monk bringing Thrill from Warrior, to take a buster with Riddle of earth. Paladin bringing a res from WHM (under some limitations, like 10k mana, or once per combat), etc etc...

As silly as some interactions might sound, the general concept on itself is a way they could add flavour and a illusion of choise for players. I would be happy to have an iteration of such system in Roulettes or Field Ops

[Rymi64]

-snip-

That's why you would limit what ones people take, you can just disable skills that would give shields or movement easily. Or just make those skills severely weak in certain jobs. And having a few extra ogcds to hit would be nice on some jobs like say healers. And it's not like the devs would suddenly start designing around being a specific sub job anyways so it would be a player made problem if anything.

They used to let you do a pseudo sub-job thing where you had to play a class up to 30 to unlock what are now certain role abilities and to get a job stone that combined aspects of two classes (iirc, for example, to get warrior you had to play gladiator and pugilist to 30 or something, look this isn't important). I think the player base at large decided it was hogwash and pushed back against the devs hard eventually to get it changed. So what I'm saying is that it isn't that they didn't try, but a number of factors led to them scrapping this idea.

Sub jobs would be different from cross class since instead of having to level the job individually to that level to be able to use the skills on another you'd just need that sub unlocked and the main job at the level. Also you'd be tied to only the one jobs abilities vs having to mix and match the abilities from multiple job, essentially forcing you to level many jobs. It'd be much more sustainable than cross class could be and they could even use some traits from the sub job

-snip-

Exactly right on what I'm talking about. Though I don't blame ppl for being confused, I'm not very good at expressing what I mean

[DrWho2010]

this is wanting the illusion of choice. in this game, the way it is played at high level means that only the most optimal build will be accepted. then you have no choice in what to pick for your job or sub-job ability. This is why jobs are "complete" as they are already. the only thing that determines success in gameplay has and always will be - PLAYER SKILL. meaning, you can't rely on some mythical build to help get you through content. the main point to clearing content is to GIT GUD.