Retainers: Class change vs. Job progression

[LuSnow]

Hello All

Just to be sure that I understand correctly: When we, as char, progress our class, let's say archer for example, we then later evolve into bard.

My question: For a retainer, it doesn't work like that? Even if bard is the "natural" follow up of archer, it's considered as a class change and we have to pay the 40 ventures for the Modern Vocation?

Thanks for confirmation (or correction in case I wrongly understood).

[LuSnow]

I finally found out the answer to my question and share it here in case it would help others: Unfortunately, no matter if the class change is a natural progression of the base class (like bard for archer, or summoner for arcanist, ...), it does count as a "full" new job for retainers.

There is no difference made for retainers between changing base class to another base class, or changing base class to next natural following class: Both needs to pay the 40 ventures.

However, it's half so bad, because the retainer can equip high level gears on the base class. So, for example, when you equip higher level gear for yourself, you can hand over your previous gear to your retainer, even if you're summoner and he is arcanist.

[Enkidoh]

Yeah class choice and Job upgrade is technically meaningless for retainers, the only function it serves is to allow class and Job restricted gear to be equipped (particularly Artifact Armour or AF). Otherwise it has no bearing on the quality of the items brought back, it's entirelly random (although level apparently does have some bearing on the likelihood of rarer items being rewarded).

Also remember that the retainer's level is pegged to whatever level you have in that same class or Job, so if you set them to a class or Job that you only unlocked and never played or levelled, then the retainer will also be stuck at that same level until you level it or change their class to one that you have EXP in. So that is also something to be aware of.

[Rongway]

The jobs that are upgrades to classes require the retainer to be that base class and Lv30. The jobs that have no base class require your retainer to be any combat class--specifically still a class, not a job--at the level that that job unlocks at. If you change them to a job before reaching the unlock level for another job you want, the only way to get them to be the job you want is to reset them to a class and level them all over again all the way to the unlock level.

[LuSnow]

I have another question: Since we can hand over our higher level gear to our retainer even if they remain on base class and we are on next "natural" class (for example, I'm bard, retainer is archer, both same level), is there still a point at all to get a retainer to evolve into the next "natural" follow up class? Like for example, would it be worth that I make my retainer change from archer to bard? It seems to me that it doesn't bring anything?

[Frizze]

Enkidoh has the answer. There is some higher level gear that an archer cant equip while a bard can. Not a lot of it, but a set or two each expansion. So thats what "upgrading" your retainer gets you. The full ability to equip all gear. Its up to you if that is worth it(though, in the long run ventures are ridiculously easy to get so 40 of them eventually becomes a non-issue).

[LuSnow]

Thanks and sorry, I hadn't understood it clear before. My bad.

[LuSnow]

wrong manipulation, it got posted doubled. Admin/Mods, feel free to delete