Multiple Weapons per Class/Job

[Shadowkept]

I enjoyed playing 1.0 and am really looking forward to ARR, and one of the things that SE does really well in both FFXI and FFXIV is the combat animations. I loved playing Monk and Dragoon for this reason. However, I think FFXIV needs more diversity in the animations and in the gear choices (too many clones imho) - no matter how unique your character's face/hair are, two characters of the same race/job often look identical at first glance.

I would like to eventually see at least two different weapon choices per class in a fashion similar to FFXI, example:

Warrior - Great-Axe, OR Dual-Wield One-handed axes (don't think main-hand/off-hand with two different weapons) but a matched pair of axes that are bought/sold/equipped as a pair. This makes it easier to balance stats and materia issues, doesn't require a dual-wield trait, and only really changes the weapon animations, character appearance, and flow of TP.

Other options could be:

Paladin - Sword/Shield, OR Greatsword (obvious trade-off of defense/offense)
Archer - Bow, OR Crossbow/Musket
Dragoon - Spear, OR Staff/Rapiers
Monk - Fists, OR Batons/Kama
Black Mage - Wand/Staff, OR Dagger (thinking ornate sacrificial dagger, not a knife)
White Mage - Club/Staff, OR Hammer/Mace

I know this will be too much of a departure from the Armoury System for some people, and it would definitely would be a lot of work for the devs, with a lot of new weapons and animations, but it's what I personally would like to see.

More diversity among the existing classes and jobs, in addition to slowing adding more classes/jobs.

On that front I would like to see a support class (not just DD)in the form of a thief/ninja, to debuff the mob and expose/stun/interrupt mobs making them more vulnerable. In addition they can help redirect aggro/hate through trickery/misdirection.

Well, that's my two cents. To the Devs, keep up the good work.

[Shougun]

I'd like to see real duel wield support, I think you could easily fix the materia problem by adding slots (2h have more slots, 1h have less (but you can use two)).

It will be awkward imo not being able to duel wield two different weapons.

Though I agree there should be weapon variety so, Yesh Prease!

I hope that they make all stats useful for every class so we can see some really varied builds and encouragement of different styles and weapons like a blackmage wielding a dagger for high critical chance and critical cap (str/dex) or using a staff for greater mp control and accuracy (mind/intelligence). Allocating stats is pretty much useless except for a few classes without something like this (to make stat consideration worthwhile).

You'd have to make some new relations to stats though like "why does STR make my magic hit harder" - you'd have to add some lore about magic being a very kinetic and physical action and having greater physical strength allows you to thrust your essence better (leading to higher damage caps, while Dex is better structure and timing to get criticals and int for accuracy or average damage, ect ect)

Of course there is a con to adding more weapons to each class - you will find a class competing with you for the drop on a dismillar class. "I want that axe!!" But you are a beastmaster you dont need it "makes my pets stronger because of high MND/STR" !

lol

[AmandaHuggenkiss]

While this would be interesting.
I highly doubt it can work with the way the armory system works.
The only way it might would be for highly advanced jobs, something that would require say a Paladin and a Black mage to unlock, then that "Super Job" could use weapons form either.

[Klefth]

I wish they just did away with the "armory" system altogether. It ends up being pretty restrictive and, from what I've seen in this thread, it will probably make it harder to come up with future classes further down the road.

I wish they instead allowed us to change classes/jobs with the soul crystals we used for jobs instead of them being bound to a certain type of weapon. That would allow to add more freedom on weapon choices for each class/job à la XI, and would probably serve to eliminate those issues regarding future classes (like people wondering which class could lead to which job, which weapon would be appropriate for which class, and then that conflicting with it's possible job and all that kind of stuff that was being discussed in that thread).

Buuut I know that will probably never happen. :/

[Shadowkept]

I agree that the stat issue would have to be worked out and wouldn't mind if different weapons/wield styles were used situationally, but mainly I just want to see more variety. The armoury system as is excludes soo many weapon types, because you would have to create a new class and corresponding job for each weapon: katana, great katana, scythes, greatswords, guns, etc.,.

I would still make very few weapons available to more than one class/job combination to avoid the competition you're referred to with the beastmaster example . For example swords/Gswords would be Paladin only. Axes/Gaxes would be Warrior only. And you could even draw a distinction between knives/dagger for thief/blm and staves/staff for dragoon/whm in areas where you wanted overlap.

If you kept classes as they are (one weapon style/wield type) and gave jobs an additional wield option you would eliminate the need to have weapons of the same type such as Great Axe that are equipable by only one or the other i.e. - "Why can't my Warrior wield that Marauder only G.Axe but as when it's upgraded to Relic it's suddenly Warrior only?" This thinking makes little sense to me in terms of lore. If they wanted to put weapons in the game that only jobs could equip you could use the alternate weapon.

I understand wanting to be able to equip two different weapons in a dual-wield system but that presents a lot of complexity and flexibility that would be great for users but hard to play balance. If you are worried about the aesthetics of dual-wielding, the two "paired" weapons don't have to look the same. By paired I mean that instead of each having separate stats, they have a combined total of stats and DPS and one materia slot per the two weapons.

[Nadrojj]

Dual wield, while I liked it would be difficult. I remember in 11 when nothing touched it, and no one would ever use any other weapons on war again. Until the two hander buff that evened (if not made dual wield a thing of the past) the playing field. Some jobs I think would benefit from a dual wield trait, but I just don't want to get that omg you have to dual wield axes mentality in this game that we saw in the past.

What jobs would you like to see have the ability though? I can't think of many outside of marauders. If we had a thf/rouge type job I'd like to see it. If we ever do get a ninja job I'd like to see one katana to be honest. I don't remember seeing many ninjas using 2.

[Asael]

Definitely a must like for this topic OP.

Alternate weapons for each class is definitely one of those things I would really love to see implemented sometime soon. It gives a feeling of variety and uniqueness to each class. The lack thereof is the soul reason why I never got into the marauder class/warrior job. What can I say, I am not and never have been a big fan of GAs. I would love to see something like great swords at some point or another because I for one would really love me some steel derpclone while wielding my sleek great sword. xD

[Shadowkept]

I would like to see a Thief dw'ing knives. A Corsair or Red Mage (w/e) dw'ing a pistol/rapier combo. If a Ninja class was created (I am not sure it fits the FFXIV "feel" which is arguably less oriental than FFXI) I think one katana as you stated, or Throwing Star/Wakizashi (short Katana) combo similar to the above mentioned Red Mage ranged/melee blend. The Red Mage (or Corsair) pistol and the Ninja throwing stars could be used at range for debuffing/building TP in addition to modest TP, and then melee Weaponskills at close range.

[Shougun]

I would like to see a Thief dw'ing knives. A Corsair or Red Mage (w/e) dw'ing a pistol/rapier combo. If a Ninja class was created (I am not sure it fits the FFXIV "feel" which is arguably less oriental than FFXI) I think one katana as you stated, or Throwing Star/Wakizashi (short Katana) combo similar to the above mentioned Red Mage ranged/melee blend. The Red Mage (or Corsair) pistol and the Ninja throwing stars could be used at range for debuffing/building TP in addition to modest TP, and then melee Weaponskills at close range.

You cannot not add Ninja. :P

I believe Ninja will be introduced in a new area/expansion along with Samurai (Allowing for the environment to be appropriate). That or they will hightech them a little, and letting environment / theme meet in the middle.

I think they can bring technology into FFXIV over time if they wanted - so you may get a sort of FFXIII/FFXII/Ninja Gaiden kind of thing (FFXIV is kind of at FFXII, Garleans are there but our own cities are at like FFIX and below lol). Though they really dont have to - I suppose we could blow up all the Garleans instead of taking their tech, and Cid could take his sweet ass time developing tech for the alliance.

[Asael]

You cannot not add Ninja. :P

I believe Ninja will be introduced in a new area/expansion along with Samurai (Allowing for the environment to be appropriate). That or they will hightech them a little, and letting environment / theme meet in the middle.

I think they can bring technology into FFXIV over time if they wanted - so you may get a sort of FFXIII/FFXII/Ninja Gaiden kind of thing (FFXIV is kind of at FFXII, Garleans are there but our own cities are at like FFIX and below lol). Though they really dont have to - I suppose we could blow up all the Garleans instead of taking their tech, and Cid could take his sweet ass time developing tech for the alliance.

I think ninjas would fit in just fine honestly. To each their own I suppose, but to me FFXIV feels almost like a throw back to FFVI and that game had standard a-typical ninjas all over it. Though that's just me I guess.

Besides, they're ninjas... It's not like you would notice they were even there anyways.