(10-20-2016, 07:29 AM)Hyrist Wrote: Odd that I would think that, unless they existed in adventurer circles, the only real reaction to someone claiming they wanted to be the best White or Black mage in the would would be: "What's a White/Black mage?" Eorzeans as a whole are not always well learned, even of their own legends.
There is absolutely nothing present to suggest that the only way that these things would become new to the world is through adventurer circles. Considering the reputation that Black Magic has (that is, the reputation of something dangerous and highly illegal that can get you arrested if practiced), I am inclined to think that this statement is in fact entirely wrong when it comes to certain jobs.
(10-20-2016, 07:29 AM)Hyrist Wrote: As far as this not being a 'get out of jail free' card. I have to question what would be at this point and not at the same time be damaging to both the lore and the roleplay.
Put bluntly, the harder your confirmation, the less options you have for roleplay. As it stands, what SE has given is clear licence to peruse. Anything beyond that is open grounds for RP plot discussion.
This is not a logically consistent statement, because what is being asked is for SE to confirm a positive (that is, make an additive statement) about their lore (as opposed to a subtracting statement, which would limit options). This not a situation in which additive lore would be "damaging" to the lore and roleplay (which is honestly a vague idea which, without any clarification, doesn't really have much weight in this context anyway). Solid confirmation can be anything from them just coming out and saying, "oh yeah, tons of adventurers are <X> Job now, by the way," to something less direct like stumbling across a Secret Black Mage Cabal of untold numbers, all the members of which of which have soul crystals or something.
This is the opening of avenues, not the closing of them. It automatically provides more options by its very nature, instead of somehow limiting them.
(10-20-2016, 07:29 AM)Hyrist Wrote: For example, if they went ahead and said: "This is the method in which Adventurers were able to replicate the skills of a Black Mage." It would, very quickly, become the only accepted method, instead of leaving it to the interpretation of the readers to write, roleplay, and explore the possibilities of pursuing them.
You have given a single confirming method which suited your point, when there are in fact many others that do not fall in line with it at all. Refer to my above dissection.
Even if it became the only way to become a BLM it's still better than what we get from the lore at present: "there may or may not be only one soul crystal, and if you don't have it / one, you explode."
And that's without getting into WHM. Even if there were only one option to becoming a WHM, it's still better than the implications of what the game itself gives us presently, which seems to be no way at all.
(10-20-2016, 07:29 AM)Hyrist Wrote: By giving us examples of successes in Warrior and Bard, they give licence for the pursuit of all of them. Pursuit, however, does not guarantee success and it will be on the writer to create a convincing story within which success is justified. However, Â in my opinion such prospects should excite, not discourage.
So this is less about "I'm going to be the best White Mage ever seen!" So much as "I am going to single-handeledly revive this lost art!" Or "I am going to pass along this rediscovered secret art!"Â
Pursuit, investigation, rediscovery, refinement, failure, persecution, reeducation, are all great story concepts before we even talk about the execution or perfection of the craft. I'd caution not to sell what officiating this with the lore entry can encourage.
Again, see above.
The idea of confirmation being "limiting" is even disproved by this very passage, and your opinion on the way that BRD and WAR are presented. With this section, you have more or less disagreed with everything that you have offered above.
