Class System Blues

[Reynhart]

What I think was promising in the earlier days is the fact that rank and level were separate.
You could achieve rank 50 in all the discipline, so you didn't have to level alt character BUT your point allotment reflected what skills you play the most.

This was real multi-class, where you had to choose between versatility and specialization. Too bad the concept was flawed, and too bad the solution was "Remove the system".

What I'd like too (And I was already flamed for that in other threads) is that they create new jobs and you could take only one job per class. They could justify it lore-wise, like in FFIV where Cecil rejects DRK and embraces PLD.
This way, you can level each class, but your set of jobs will be personnal.

[Mikita]

What I think was promising in the earlier days is the fact that rank and level were separate.
You could achieve rank 50 in all the discipline, so you didn't have to level alt character BUT your point allotment reflected what skills you play the most.

This was real multi-class, where you had to choose between versatility and specialization. Too bad the concept was flawed, and too bad the solution was "Remove the system".

That's true. The original point allocation system was a way of letting people specialize...

So you could have someone who put all their stats into being a better tank, or a better damage dealer, or a better mage. You could still pick up any weapon and play any class, but if you set up your character for tanking you wouldn't be as good with magic as someone who set themselves up to play a mage class.

The problem was that we were allowed to re-allocate a small percentage of our points after a certain amount of time -- kind of like retraining yourself little by little. But the player base saw that as a hindrance. I know people who would spend days reallocating their points, and only then would they say "okay, let's do that run now".

Many people wanted to be able to pick up a sword and shield, and immediately be good at tanking. Or pick up a staff and immediately be a good healer. So SE threw away the old system and gave us the one we have today where you can go from STR 170 to STR 350 in a second.

It's convenient, and I don't mind it either way. But by completely throwing out that old system instead of building upon it, now we only have specialization through equipment that we either make or buy if we're rich. Well, player skill too. ^^