NINJA...New Pet Class!

[Shurrikhan]

Its amazing how limited and short sighted people are in terms of jobs and the future of XIV. If we can stop looking backwards at XI and be open to new and creative ways of bringing a fresh face to this game, it could turn out to really worthwhile.

Looking at Ninja from a new perspective:

Solo play.

The ninja, using their high evasion and shadowy skills, preys upon the creatures of Eorzea. Singling out solo targets, ninjas rely on a number of tools to defeat their foes. Deadly two-handed attacks, debilitating Ninjutsu magic, and various projectile weapons are all of part of their arsenal. And always by their side, aiding them in battle, is their spirit animal!

These spirit animals could be quested for (think wolf, anole, coerul, etc.) and then given a particular parameter that fits the players style (tank, dd, support). To balance this in terms of party play (because we know people will), the spirit animal can only be summoned as a 5 minute ability that does a powerful attack. When solo, the spirit animal is summoned until defeated with a 2 minute cooldown after death.


Having the flexibility to have both party and solo play that fits within the background of the Ninja class makes for a fun and unique experience. As for the prerequisite job, I imagine Thief would be a fit, with a number of status effect moves and evasion/sneak attack related skills.

Thoughts?

Anything's fine as long as it's fun to play. Personally, I don't think the pet has to be a core element of the Ninja class. (In a different version of the armory system [disclaimer]) I'd love to be able to take a cross between Ninja and Thaumaturge, for instance, to summon shades of myself, between Ninja and Beastmaster for pets, Conjurer and Ninja for aspect-based effects, spirit animals, and improved elemental usage, Arcanist and Ninja for improved magic control and situationally-created familiars. A Ninja-Lancer could be doing amazing shadowy charges, mixing distracting threat-burst with high offensively-based evasion. A Ninja-Gladiator could be one hell of a tenacious tooth-and-nail defender. Etc, etc.

I like it when a class is considered that class not by its role, but every other unique and especially fun feature of the class. I'd like for Ninjas to be able to tank, and DD, and use pets. But, I'd expect much of that will come with cross-classing.