Transferring items between alt characters

[Terrini]

Although if you make multiple characters that are supposed to be related and know each other, it would be nice to even maintain that illusion by sending messages and gifts between the two. I think it would be even cute to screen those messages an such :3 it's all just in how you play. Different games have different methods and you do have to make do with what's available unless it does get changed.

So ultimately just saying I see the benefit of both ways and yes, more inventory would be nice but you can also pay two dollars extra for another retainer... Whatever happens, people will utilize whatever systems, but I do believe that they implemented this to stop real money trade in game in the first place, since you have to friend someone in order to mail them and be physically present to trade. So... there are a lot of things to consider even when making small adjustments like this seems to be.

[Niwashi]

Why would you guys even consider spreading out the classes when they all share skills?

They don't all share skills. Certain combinations share skills. If, for example, you had one character doing DoW classes, another doing DoM classes, another doing DoH classes, and a fourth doing DoL classes, archer is the only class that you'd duplicate in order to provide cross-class skills, as it's the only class whose cross-class skills cross the DoW/DoM boundary. (Then you'd duplicate whichever combat class is your favorite on your DoH/DoL characters, but they'd only need it for unlocking leves, so it's not like it has to be maxed out or anything.)

Anything duplicated beyond that would be just for whatever you find fun enough to want to repeat.

According to what statistics?

I'm guessing just based on the fact that that's what a Standard Subscription gives. (I don't actually know how many players keep their Standard Sub, though, versus how many drop down to an Entry Level Subscription.) Anyone who keeps a Standard Subscription is paying for the right to have eight characters per server.

No min-maxer will be making more than 1 account because of cross-class skills,

(I'm assuming you meant "more than 1 character" here, since that's what's relevant to the discussion.)
I've heard from plenty of hard core min-maxers who make multiple alts and get all their cross-class skills on each of them, because with multiple alts you have multiple chances at the top dungeons, more chances for loot, etc. It's a way around lockouts and caps.

and no casual is going to waste time redoing the entire main storyline quest and transfers all their work when they can switch out their gear/class with a click of a button.

A lot of casuals make alts precisely in order to redo the main storyline. The main storyline is the fun part of the game. Everything else is just grinding. There are plenty of players who like to play the fun part of the game more than once. This is the primary reason why I have multiple alts myself, (with RP being a distant second).

you'd be unable ... to use any of the already spirit bonded /used or "unique" (dungeon / chest deops in colours) items anyway on any alt so pretty much pointless

Despite quoting it, you clearly missed the part where he said "and she's maxed-out her crafting". The whole point of leveling up crafting is so you can craft stuff. That's brand-new, never used or bonded, fully tradeable HQ gear we're talking about. Of course his alts can use it.

[Niwashi]

[OT]

Although if you make multiple characters that are supposed to be related and know each other, it would be nice to even maintain that illusion by sending messages and gifts between the two.

On the subject of maintaining the illusion that alts know each other and work together, each of my alts have retainers named after and whose appearance matches my other alts. So even if I never get a chance to actually adventure together with multiple alts at once, I get to RP that they're meeting up with each other whenever I summon my retainers.

[kyuven]

Like it or not this is one of those rare games that wasn't designed with multiple characters in mind, which is why it's an extra service to have more than one.
RP purposes and extra inventory space I can understand perfectly well, but if you do that you gotta put up with the problems that creates.
Also something a lot of people seem to ignore is the game is HEAVILY skewed in other ways towards focusing on a single character over having multiple alts:
1) If you wanna replay the story, all the cutscenes are available for review. The only ones that you can't see are ones you didn't experience.
2) You get an EXP bonus based on the level difference between two classes. This, combined with dungeons, leves, and FATEs means your next class to 50 will actually be FASTER than the first.
3) More often than not in dungeons and quests and levequest bonuses, you'll end up with gear you can't use.
4) There are numerous bottlenecks that make leveling a second/third character far more tedious