The Leveling Problem explained.

[Lady_Silvermoon]

I had no idea that giving all jobs a low-level AoE was now controversial. I suppose it's supposed to feel good when you go into a leveling roulette as dragoon and ninja and suddenly the only thing you can do is blink away at one target (and constantly getting interrupted because facing issues while attacking and running) while the bard and tank mow down groups and the healer gets to actually heal for once.

I just assume it's defensiveness because I refuse to believe anyone argues in all seriousness that some jobs getting their first AoE at 15 and others at 40 is a well-considered, properly functioning game design because anyone who has done a leveling roulette in the past few years knows it's not.

[Jojoya]

I just assume it's defensiveness because I refuse to believe anyone argues in all seriousness that some jobs getting their first AoE at 15 and others at 40 is a well-considered, properly functioning game design because anyone who has done a leveling roulette in the past few years knows it's not.

Sastasha, Tam Tara and Copperbell were designed for single target damage because once upon a time tanks didn't have AoE at level 15. I think only ARC and THA had AoEs at that level.

As I pointed out above, only 2 DPS are missing an AoE by level 26 so once you get to Toto-Rak (sync to 27) it's going to be extremely rare that you end up in a party where only the tank has an AoE.

There is nothing wrong with having jobs with single target damage as part of their job identity early on. No one is cherry-picking who gets to go into Qarn on the basis of AoE.