Job Stones vs. Weapons — Why Do We Still Have Both Locking Our Jobs?

[Allistar]

For 8.0, I would like a change to how we switch our jobs. We have job stones. These little gems are literally the whole mechanic that lets us switch from one job to the next. You equip a job stone, you become that job. Simple, clean, makes sense within the lore. Cool.
But then we ALSO have weapons that are locked to specific jobs. So not only do you need the job stone to play a job, you also need the right weapon. Which raises the question — why are we doing both? What is the job stone even for if the weapon is doing the same gatekeeping?
There are two cleaner approaches the devs could go with:
Option A — Lean into the job stones. Let every job equip every weapon. The job stone is what defines how you play, and your preferred weapon is just the one you're most proficient with, giving you the best stats or bonuses. Your PLD can pick up a greatsword, but they won't be as effective as a DRK using it. The job stone drives the identity, the weapon is flavor and optimization.
Option B — Lean into the weapons. Ditch the job stones entirely and go back to a system where your weapon IS your job, like the old days. You pick up a lance, you're a Dragoon. Simple as that.
Either option is more consistent than what we have now. I'm sure there's balance and technical stuff behind the scenes. But from a player experience standpoint, especially for newer players trying to understand the system, it's a confusing overlap that I think is worth a serious conversation.

[Daralii]

Deleting DoW/DoM classes and just having it be job-based is something that's been talked about by Yoshida, but it's been sporadic since SB or ShB. Don't expect any changes to streamline the system unless it's determined to be necessary.

[Underscore]

Because there are classes which don't have soul crystals.

But also, why does it matter? You equip a weapon, it switches your job and the relevant soul crystal is equipped automatically. Simple as.

[Astronis]

But also, why does it matter? You equip a weapon, it switches your job and the relevant soul crystal is equipped automatically. Simple as.

Not that I think the system is that much of a problem at the moment, but it doesn't work this way for weapons that can be equipped to a class. Equipping a PLG MNK weapon won't equip the monk soul stone. I think I've only seen this cause an issue for someone once though, when that person was intentionally cheesing ilvls to farm paste recently--they forgot their WAR soul stone and had to go through the dungeon as a MRD because by the time they noticed it was too late to equip it.

[Azurarok]

only reason I don't want classes gone yet is for the extra hotbar space. Been using those and macros for some useful setups.

[Alicie]

Just remove job stones entirely.
You do your job quest at level 30, you just upgrade to your job and that's it.
As for hotbar space? Add extra hotbars. Add 10, 20, 30, 1000 hotbars if you need, all hotbars are stored exclusively client-side and do not burden server with any excessive load at all.

[Jeeqbit]

Because SE doesn't have the "development resources" to do quality of life. They don't even have the "development resources" to implement Blue Mage's level 90 iteration despite the design being complete.

They've said they are now revisiting old systems. So we will likely see some improvements going into 8.0. But the sheer amount of QoL issues and their constant talk of lacking resources make me think it won't be anything more than a drop in the ocean of what's needed. Let's hope this is one of the things included.

The best solution here would be for the job stone to automatically equip when you switch weapon, if the weapon is only for a single job (to account for SMN/SCH low level weapons). I think that we can keep classes via skill trees or whatever they are doing with jobs in 8.0, so we could have a Rogue tree and a Ninja tree, etc.

[Azurarok]

yeah I have nothing against them adding more hotbar sets, even on controller they could do stuff like R1+R3 and R1+L3 to add more pages of 8 sets

that and/or add an option to make the Command Panel have a more sensible layout/input for controllers

[Allistar]

Because there are classes which don't have soul crystals.

But also, why does it matter? You equip a weapon, it switches your job and the relevant soul crystal is equipped automatically. Simple as.

That's a fair point on classes, and you're right that the automation makes it seamless on the surface. But that's kind of the heart of the issue — if equipping the weapon already handles everything automatically, including slotting the soul crystal, then the soul crystal isn't really doing anything meaningful as a system. It's just along for the ride.

[Allistar]

If soul crystals are meant to represent something — our mastery of a job, the lore behind why our character can perform these abilities — then shouldn't they be the thing that actually defines the job, rather than the weapon? And if the weapon is the real job-switcher, why do we need the soul crystal at all beyond flavor?