Just curious if and how folks are deciding what class/job to go with for their characters as their IC class/job. With a game like FFXIV the option to branch out and level any class or job is always an option and I'm just wondering how people are going to handle that in relation to being in character.
Myself, I intend to pick one class and have that be my IC class for the character, leveling the others up while playing out of character, or if I can, having someone ICly train my character in a new role.
So, what will you folks be doing in regards to jobs/classes?
I'm most likely going to handle it like you, start out as arcanist which will be my IC class, including the development to scholar later on (character progression, yay!).
If i level other classes, im most likely doing that OOC, that said if i level other classes at all. Who knows, mabye there will be an IC situation which leads my character to pick up another class IC, in that case i would play that out.
For my Duskwight, Isobeau, I'm starting off with classes that fit within her background. I envision her as primarily a craftsman, so would have martial skills that are most likely things developed simply through living in the subterranean environment. It says in certain parts of the Duskwight lore they are good with hand to hand, so she is primarily a Pugilist. I would imagine sometimes when one lives underground one has to try and work something out of a hole in the rock face or hard-to-reach area (somewhere dark that you don't really want to reach a hand in
), so I gave her lancer skills as well.
Now that she spends more time on the surface, however, she may see that being able to reach out and touch someone at range is a nice ability to have, so may seek out training to figure out how to use one of them fancy bow thingies
. The Free Company I'm a part of is an Academy setting, so IC training for martial skills would most likely be readily available
Eko is a primitive savage born on a lost world. The most intricate technology he had ever seen before joining society was a stone knife or spear. That being said, I'm starting him off IC with what he knows. He'll be a pugilist, because he's used to fighting with his fists, legs, and teeth in the wild. Eventually he'll be a lancer because of his familiarity with a spear. Then eventually he'll branch out to archer, marauder, and gladiator. All of these jobs will be IC for him. He'll never be a magic job IC though.
L'yhta is a talented spellcaster who was trained in all three Disciplines of Magic, so I'm going to level each of them on her more or less equally -- though probably with a greater emphasis on Conjury and Arcanima to start. She'll not have any experience (or appreciable levels) in the Disciplines of War until someone teaches her how to fight ICly.
To a larger point, I don't think it's necessary to only have one IC class for a character. People in real life are often good at a number of things, and with PCs being "special" and heroic in a variety of ways, it makes sense that they'll have multiple areas of expertise as well. The important thing is to have a narrative reason why your character has such abilities and ensure that the breadth of expertise doesn't turn into a pretext for bad behavior (i.e., godmoding).
I think it's important to note that whilst it's certainly possible to master pretty much everything available in the game where classes are concerned, that doesn't necessarily make for an interesting or compelling character. I'll likely just avoid interacting with any character who is presented as being a master of every single role available to them.
As for my own character, Theodric is going to stick to the melee combat styles as it just fits him like a glove. I may invest in other roles, but they'll be considered OOC to prevent stagnation.
B'jaern will participate in all Gridanian marital and elemental disciplines. Any proficient Twin Adder recruit should at least dabble in order to find their niche. His primary discipline however will be archery as an initiate of the God's Quiver. Anything else he will have to RP IC to obtain tutelage. Probably the two most intriguing to him are the speed and precision of pugilists as well as the need to understand and control why he has an affinity for fire although other spheres within thaumaturgy are cut off.
Xha'li already knows conjury ICly, even though I didn't get around to leveling it OOCly, he'll also be picking up Lancer because again thats what he originally trained with.
Haru has a strange way of looking at things. He's looking around to find his 'purpose' in the world, so I would imagine everything being a bit IC for him. Currently he's focusing on the Magic based classes, 'studying' their styles and aspects as he occupies his free time with simple crafts. ^^
He's not exactly one for violence, but he's not stupid in how the world works. Understanding the need for such warriors, he keeps that in mind as he continues his journey.
For my characters the class they start on will be their IC job, but I'm not at all opposed to them changing IC jobs if I like something better. For example my miqo'te will be starting off as a Lancer because I dig how that sounds but if I'm farting around on Gladiator and wind up liking it a lot I have no problem playing out him shifting fighting styles and adapting to a new concept and all.
Starting Conjurer, moving up to White Mage. And never touching another class, that will -most- likely include all crafting classes. I'm usually not one for alts, or crafting, sooo White Mage ICly and OOCly, not leveling anything else!
Nako'li is talented in most/all areas of magi, he picks it up easily, so any magic class that comes along, he will be using.
However, as a tribal Miqo'te I have him as knowing ARC (at least a basic grasp) as he hunted with a bow, and PUG, given he would have play fought, gotten used to that style of fighting (2 older brothers and 5 older sisters will do that methinks).
other than that, IC'ly he won't be touching any Jobs, it doesn't fit him specialising like that, and he may dabble in some crafting (magitek most likely if/when it becomes available)
anyone that wants tutoring in any magic disciplines, he is looking for students
(08-20-2013, 01:21 PM)Theodric Mirelane Wrote: [ -> ]I think it's important to note that whilst it's certainly possible to master pretty much everything available in the game where classes are concerned, that doesn't necessarily make for an interesting or compelling character. I'll likely just avoid interacting with any character who is presented as being a master of every single role available to them.
Yep, that's when it can edge into godmoding -- though it's worth noting that one of the most "godmode" characters in existence, Superman, can still be written in a compelling way. Further, Dr. Manhattan, who is the very definition of "godmode" in terms of powers, is one of comics' most interesting and flawed characters despite his ability to trivially address any problem should he choose to do so. My point is that a character can certainly be an expert across the board, but have other massive flaws or narrative elements that compensate for that raw power. That said, it can be quite difficult to pull that off, especially in an MMO.
I suppose my larger point is that I wouldn't recommend writing off a character that has considerable temporal power and expertise until you see more about what makes them tick. Yes, such characters do historically tend to the Mary Sue/authorial fantasy/godmode end of the spectrum, but they don't necessarily have to.
(08-20-2013, 02:45 PM)FreelanceWizard Wrote: [ -> ] (08-20-2013, 01:21 PM)Theodric Mirelane Wrote: [ -> ]I think it's important to note that whilst it's certainly possible to master pretty much everything available in the game where classes are concerned, that doesn't necessarily make for an interesting or compelling character. I'll likely just avoid interacting with any character who is presented as being a master of every single role available to them.
Yep, that's when it can edge into godmoding -- though it's worth noting that one of the most "godmode" characters in existence, Superman, can still be written in a compelling way. Further, Dr. Manhattan, who is the very definition of "godmode" in terms of powers, is one of comics' most interesting and flawed characters despite his ability to trivially address any problem should he choose to do so. My point is that a character can certainly be an expert across the board, but have other massive flaws or narrative elements that compensate for that raw power. That said, it can be quite difficult to pull that off, especially in an MMO.
I suppose my larger point is that I wouldn't recommend writing off a character that has considerable temporal power and expertise until you see more about what makes them tick. Yes, such characters do historically tend to the Mary Sue/authorial fantasy/godmode end of the spectrum, but they don't necessarily have to.
I'm not sure it has to even be presented as some great "power" to be adept at multiple things. I agree with FreelanceWizard, that it would really depend on how the character was presented in RP. "
Master of Everything"? that's one thing. Being able to play the piano and pilot an airplane and write good novels and have a degree in a martial art and have the ability to whip up a wicked duck confit, well, people can do more than one thing, and some times do drastically different things well. Not to the level that they would rise up to gods, mind you, but I can swallow a good concept as to why someone would be capable in more than a couple classes
(08-20-2013, 02:30 PM)Nako Wrote: [ -> ]However, as a tribal Miqo'te I have him as knowing ARC (at least a basic grasp) as he hunted with a bow, and PUG, given he would have play fought, gotten used to that style of fighting (2 older brothers and 5 older sisters will do that methinks).
"You think being a Pugilist is a game, boy!? I'll show you!"
. I usually kind of stick to one thing for my character just because FF is the only game I have played that has allowed you to play all classes on one character.
This time around I will have my main starting off as a PGL who may later learn to master the art and become a MNK, but she is also a bit handy with a sword and can take a punch really well so she may end up becoming PLD in the long run instead. I am kind of leaving it as a IC type of thing. If she finds people and friends to protect she will likely become a PLD, but if she kind of remains the way she is, selfish and keeping no close friends, she will likely go MNK.Â
I personally think it would be okay to know your way around the classes being handy with a few different weapons and maybe knowing some magic, but really only able to master one or two of those jobs. As I think actually mastering something definitely takes awhile and given as many jobs there are it your character would have to be pretty old or a savant to master even 50% of them in a life time, at least from my point of view. Plus juggling all those skills and keeping yourself adept in all of them would be pretty difficult. Just like math classes from college/high school, if you don't use it, you lose it.