Not loving any of the classes.

[BlackheartX]

They can be somewhat defined if you skim through all their abilities/traits. They just can't be easily defined in simple FFXI jobs, which is the way a majority of us on these forums are used to thinking. Most can be described in XI job combinations like DNC/DRG = Lancer and MNK/THF = Pugilist and BLM/WHM = Conjurer... etc.

They have plenty of time to separate and grow into their own.

It's more so to me feels like I'm playing a class I like and then ripping spare parts from other job, which was kinda the idea. I'm just wondering at what point will it get to where there's a set of abilities that is job defining and can't be taken. simply put what makes the class besides the different weapons and what makes me less of a Frankenstein of abilities. stats?

@OmegaB
Yeah crafting is a lot more fun versus grinding on a DOW IMO. Aside from favors, there's a lot of the higher up gear that has some pretty crappy stats and a few low level items being better than the stuff you can get at 46, which is pretty weird.

[Hyan]

I'm just wondering at what point will it get to where there's a set of abilities that is job defining and can't be taken. simply put what makes the class besides the different weapons and what makes me less of a Frankenstein of abilities. stats?

I'm still rather surprised there even are classes, which is probably so that it wouldn't feel so unfamiliar for us to play a game with no 'predetermined' classes.

[miokomioko]

The existence of traits like Transcendence and how they work come into play here. If Transcendence is Thaumaturge Affinity +10 and stacks up to +100, do you have to purchase Transcendence 10 times to get the single trait to give +100? Do you have to buy it once and equip it in multiple trait slots to get the bonus over +10? Do you have to repeatedly purchase it 10 times and equip it in multiple slots?

I'm assuming you have to repeatedly purchase the trait, up to 10 times (50,000 Guild Marks). Since there are 10 trait slots (right?), you could equip all 10 Transcendences to get your Thaumaturge affinity to +100 while on a different class (assuming you have 30 action slots since they cost 3 each to equip). That's what it takes to effectively cast a Thaumaturge spell or use a Thaumaturge ability on a class other than Thaumaturge without it being nerf'd.

This is a massive trade-off as there are tons of other awesome traits any class has for itself and you're giving up all traits entirely just to make your Thaumaturge abilities/actions/spells have their full potency while on another class.

I think people are assuming that every ability will cross over to any class without any negative impact, which is definitely not the case. It'd definitely be Frankenstein classes if that's how it worked, but cross-class abilities are weakened significantly if you're on the wrong class. (not to mention the abilities that require a specific weapon type, so they cannot cross-class)

[Hyan]

The existence of traits like Transcendence and how they work come into play here. If Transcendence is Thaumaturge Affinity +10 and stacks up to +100, do you have to purchase Transcendence 10 times to get the single trait to give +100? Do you have to buy it once and equip it in multiple trait slots to get the bonus over +10? Do you have to repeatedly purchase it and equip it in multiple slots? How could it even work?

Or maybe it's just the first trait in the game that does that sort of thing.

They can add better traits (+20, 30) later on, but it only goes as far as +100 no matter what. They can also introduce equipment that does the same thing. Even consumables.

I don't see a real issue with "Frankenstein" classes. Sure, it's all scaaary and new, but hell it sounds awesome.

[miokomioko]

I could see Transcendence II and III and so forth, allowing for more space to be saved in your traits slots. Possibly high action-cost and/or very high-rank.

[Hyan]

+10 affinity already sounds quite crazy though. What was it, +20% increase in efficiency?

+100 affinity would then be like +200% increase... the hell? They're not THAT much weaker..

[miokomioko]

It was more than 10%? Either it has diminishing returns or it's borken... You would assume that a Thaumaturge has 100 affinity to its own abilities/spells.

[Hyan]

At least some tests showed a +20% increase in potency (cure, nukes). Sounds broken, although only when it gets higher than +10 affinity.

[Dominious]

When I was reading the description of those abilities I thought it meant it raised your affinity by 10, up to a limit of 100% affinity e.g. the same affinity as the main class it's from. So your cures that are normally at 50% effectiveness when set on something that's not conjurer become 60% effective with "One With Nature" equipped. Going from 50% effectiveness to 60% would be an apparent 20% increase in effectiveness when subbed.

[BlackheartX]

Or maybe it's just the first trait in the game that does that sort of thing.

They can add better traits (+20, 30) later on, but it only goes as far as +100 no matter what. They can also introduce equipment that does the same thing. Even consumables.

I don't see a real issue with "Frankenstein" classes. Sure, it's all scaaary and new, but hell it sounds awesome.

Sounds awesome but it's not really new or scary you'll eventually end up at square one again where everyone fits a specific roll and there will always be a best X and a best Y ect.. Homogenization is going to be a problem if you could truly "Frankenstein" but maybe that's more of an endgame thing.

[Malacite]

I'm definitely gonna focus on crafting and gathering early on. I like the combat classes but I don't want to be f'ing poor like I was in XI for so many years.


It looks like leveling multiple crafts really pays off this time around too, with all the abilities you learn and not just being able to make more things.

[Reality]

I dont know how people cant be excited for 14, the class combination system alone shits all over ff11's single support job system

[Hyan]

I dont know how people cant be excited for 14, the class combination system alone shits all over ff11's single support job system

Because it's not ready and it's hard to be excited about an unfinished game.

I'm excited about the potential of course.

[miokomioko]

Because kids these days think beta tests are essentially demos and are a representation of the finished product.

[Weltall]

I'm excited to be reunited with my old friends in the game, but I will agree, I am not too thrilled about playing any of these classes from beta experience.

[Zozor]

If you love FFXIV but don't love any of the classes it may actually work in your favour. FFXIV is a game in which you need to love ALL of the classes in order to succeed.

To love none is to love them all - assuming of course you still enjoy playing.

[BlackheartX]

I dont know how people cant be excited for 14, the class combination system alone shits all over ff11's single support job system

Not everyone is so easily won and not everyone has played or been conditioned by XI.

[Tsutsumiko]

It's not that I don't love any of the classes, its just that none of the DoW classes seem to even mesh together at all. It was my understanding they wanted you to mix and match classes to create a "custom class" type character. . . but outside of a few abilities you get between rank 4 and 10 on these classes, there just seems to be no real reason or reward for mix and matching. Maybe I'm just going about it wrong?

[miokomioko]

It's not that I don't love any of the classes, its just that none of the DoW classes seem to even mesh together at all. It was my understanding they wanted you to mix and match classes to create a "custom class" type character. . . but outside of a few abilities you get between rank 4 and 10 on these classes, there just seems to be no real reason or reward for mix and matching. Maybe I'm just going about it wrong?

I think it's generally the idea that almost every class gets some ability to do everything. Which is why they feel like they have little focus.

Marauder, Pugilist, etc. all get abilities that are good for defensive tanking. Gladiator would love to use some of those.
Gladiator, Marauder, etc. all get abilities that are good for pure-DDing. Archer would love to use some of those.
Marauder, Archer, etc. all get abilities that are good for AoE/cone/line-DDing. Lancer would love to use some of those.

so on and so forth

[Fortescue]

Just off the top of my head: Gladiator with off class skills will be able to react off of every evade, parry, and block. A lancer wouldn't normally use a marauder TP skill but it might be good to try Trunksplitter against seedkin. I believe archer has an attack buff skill, gladiator has an accuracy buff, and there's some other buffs out there. Gladiator and marauder have a skill that takes off/reduces the effect of bind. Perhaps mobs will later AoE bind.

Of course I'm only guessing, but I believe there will be some mixing. My favorite craft is theory.