Rhapsody wrote:Just to chime in: with the Duty Finder, you might play with random groups frequently (or not, its up to you). These people are waiting for a certain party member, and they're going to expect you to perform your role. When you join a group, the game tells you your role. Remember you're playing with PC players too, who, IMO, aren't as tolerant as the people I met on WKC. You would probably get kicked from a group for trying things like the bow-mage shenanigans we saw in WKC.
Completely 110% agree here. I think the lack of tolerance is a combination of people who are familiar with the stricter class purposes in FFXIV, people who are not sure and so want everyone to play their specific role, and the random nature of the groups requiring people to play their role since they don't know the other players.
In general though I think this is right, and the class system will not really facilitate things like bow-mages. I mean you could be archer and have up to 3 skills from THM (for example) but because of your attribute point allocation you will be extremely weak with those skills. I believe that there is also a flat penalty on those skills since they are borrowed from another class. So basically although you can use THM or CNJ skills on your ARC or GLA, you will be very inferior with that skill compared to a real THM or CNJ. The system is set up to preserve the purpose of the classes.
Just to add to the general discussion...I keep seeing topics on the beta forum comparing classes, and although there might be a valid comparison of things like MRD and GLA since both are tank classes, even they have their specific purposes. The general consensus (and there are even complaints about this) is that there is a pretty good balance of classes and no one class really has an advantage over another. Actually it's funny, people complain about that and then complain about a lack of diversity because they think everyone will have the same skills attributes and gear. As if that's never happened before in any other game....lol
However, since we can change where we focus our bonus attribute points, and also use the gear and materia system to shape our gear and therefore our build, we still have freedom within the class to make our build specific to ourselves. Not to mention that the vanity slots will allow appearance to differ from the gear equipped, and the effectiveness of a character is not defined by their class or build so much as it is the player's ability and strategy.
For example a lvl 30 Gladiator *could* try standing there and spam flash until their MP runs out and then pop a Hi-ether before spamming flash a time or two more, and then not know what to do - that would be a bad gladiator player. On the other hand they could be using their combos to build aggro on larger enemies, using flash to distract mobs and shield lob and shield bash against specific enemies to attract their attention. the main combo of Gladiator builds aggro specifically, and they have a specific skill (Savage Blade) that causes increased enmity as well as dealing damage. So by rotating different skills and using Flash appropriately a good Gladiator will not run out of MP and will not be flailing around aimlessly. That's an extreme example of how player skill can make any class look horrible, and in the situation of a 'bad' gladiator, the healer would be working overtime on everyone and probably find themselves under attack all the time too. Party wipe will follow....