Beastmaster's weapon?

[Heroman3003]

Someone already stated it but so far every beastmaster in the game has been shown wielding an axe and shield. However, one counter argument I have seen about it is that the weapons are the empire's take on it, and that the job we play as would use different weapons.

I am curious what we will end up getting, and if it is the expected axe and shield how it would play differently from Blue Mage. Alternatively, a whip weapon could be fun but likely a pain to try and animate it. I recall seeing another person mention how the handle of the whip might look different between designs but the whip part would remain the same.

I imagine that weapon will be completely irrelevant and job will entirely play like Blue Mage does, just with summoned beasts instead of directly using magic.

[Nestama]

NPCs aren't a good guide though as they often throw the Armoury System to the wind, dual wielding different weapon types in ways players have never been allowed to do.

Besides, weapon is technically irrelevant anyway if BLU is anything to go by - sure it has a weapon, but that weapon's 'type' is basically just copied from an existing class (let's face it, BLU's weapon is just THM/BLM's wands given a touchup), and had no bearing on the class's gameplay at all (it was only there as a requirement of the Armoury System to actually work, needing something to be equipped in the weapon slot at all times).

I mean, even now there's only a handful of BLU weapons available even now and they're just basically glamour anyway. I see no reason to believe BST will be anything different.

Well until we see otherwise, it's still fair to assume BST will use an axe and shield (I don't think we've really seen human NPC's mix and match weapons and shields outside of GLA/PLD, THM/BLM and CNJ/WHM). Though if SE decide to go the Tactics Ogre / Battle route, then they could give them a whip (Lyon's portrait has him holding a whip. Ganpp seems more proficient with the axe than the whip, though).

[Enkidoh]

Well until we see otherwise, it's still fair to assume BST will use an axe and shield (I don't think we've really seen human NPC's mix and match weapons and shields outside of GLA/PLD, THM/BLM and CNJ/WHM). Though if SE decide to go the Tactics Ogre / Battle route, then they could give them a whip (Lyon's portrait has him holding a whip. Ganpp seems more proficient with the axe than the whip, though).

Stahlman/Rostnsthal has dual wielded a pistol and single handed axe since 1.0, and yet that has never appeared as a player ability, ever (players have long assumed a hypothetical COR class would allow that, but... SE never oblidged - it's possible the never implemented 1.0 MSK class may have also allowed that but, that never happened either). Then there is Raubahn dual wielding swords as GLA (until he... ended up being forced to wield one handed - although I suppose you could say we're now kind of getting that with VPR.). And to say nothing of Gaia's infamous use of a giant hammer (in that case, it was because Nomura was unware there was no hammer using class in the game when he designed her, and Yoshi just allowed it 'because it was cool'.).

Ans as shields are effectively now associated with PLD (I mean, back out, a shield is PLD's symbol), I doubt BST would feature one. Because, what is the point? They're not going to be rushing into the fray to defend themselves or others, that's what their pet is for.

[Nestama]

Stahlman/Rostnsthal has dual wielded a pistol and single handed axe since 1.0, and yet that has never appeared as a player ability, ever (players have long assumed a hypothetical COR class would allow that, but... SE never oblidged - it's possible the never implemented 1.0 MSK class may have also allowed that but, that never happened either). Then there is Raubahn dual wielding swords as GLA (until he... ended up being forced to wield one handed - although I suppose you could say we're now kind of getting that with VPR.). And to say nothing of Gaia's infamous use of a giant hammer (in that case, it was because Nomura was unware there was no hammer using class in the game when he designed her, and Yoshi just allowed it 'because it was cool'.).

Ans as shields are effectively now associated with PLD (I mean, back out, a shield is PLD's symbol), I doubt BST would feature one. Because, what is the point? They're not going to be rushing into the fray to defend themselves or others, that's what their pet is for.

Fair points on that, I did forgot about those characters since its been years (though did we ever see Raubahn use his two swords in game-play combat? I know we've seen Merlwyb dual-wield her guns). However as far as we know so far, named and non-named Beastmaster NPC's in FFXIV do use an axe and shield and often fight alongside their monsters. In FFV, they used whips (so could work out as range, or a ways to control the monster though that would probably not fly with some players haha), FFXI they were proficient with axes (A+), FFTA/2 they used instruments (so could be a way to control which actions your monster uses maybe?) and Trainer from FFX-2 they just threw their pets at the enemy (no weapon).

I can see them having a shield because they gotta defend themselves when taming a beast, y'know?

[kaynide]

Ans as shields are effectively now associated with PLD (I mean, back out, a shield is PLD's symbol), I doubt BST would feature one. Because, what is the point? They're not going to be rushing into the fray to defend themselves or others, that's what their pet is for.

Your other points are fair regarding NPC gear, and we can only speculate, but I still would bet shield and axe for a few reasons:


1) the only other time FF has done BST in an MMO it was designed to fight alongside the pet itself, not in the background like a ranger or Pokémon trainer. It needed to be tanky on occasion. It would often be the tank with utility or dps pets unless you went full on crab which itself was a fantastic tank, in which case dual wield axes was the norm.

2) Seeing as viper will be a dual wielder, I doubt they would add another to steal its thunder. So probably not dual axes.

3) shields already exist in game and general sword stance/animations from removed abilities can easily mean less dev time

4) I doubt they would use a weapon that would bring a lot of hype in an entirely new, very flashy job (like whips), or iconic weapons from other jobs (like bells)

5) Axe is just “cool” enough that it’s fine here because the pets….but not cool enough to merit an entire job around it. We already have WAR which kinda melds fighter/viking/berserker.

So, of course who knows, but precedent has been set.

[hydralus]

The weapon will be gloves so you can /pet more effectively.

[RitsukoSonoda]

Keep in mind with the Tactics series BST typically equipped musical instruments as their weapon.

Part of me wants that to the case here too so I can beat things over the head with flutes, guitars, cellos, a pipe organ, etc... >.>

[Nestama]

Keep in mind with the Tactics series BST typically equipped musical instruments as their weapon.

Part of me wants that to the case here too so I can beat things over the head with flutes, guitars, cellos, a pipe organ, etc... >.>

Maybe in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance/A2, but I meant Tactics Ogre (Bozja took most inspiration from Ogre Battles/Tactics Ogre with the BST. Pagaga even got Ganpp's gryphons, for example).

[DiaDeem]

[Fyrebrand]

It's gotta be whips! Nothing else will do!