Playing a Job and Race: Why does it bring about ire?

[Kage]

@Mercu

No, normal Dragoons can use the fire dive as well, only the more powerful ones though, including the Azure Dragoon, who can use it by default.

 

As quoted in the quest dialogue, it seems to imply that the dragonfire dive and the drachen mail are Azure Dragoon exclusives. "An ability only the Azure Dragoon..." Jumps and such are a-go but things like multiple air-combat feats are probably not.

 

I'll post this thread that is more Dragoon specific. http://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/showthread.php?tid=6357

 

In regards to other classes, I personally never saw anything Lore-breaking about being Black Mages ICly. However they have a community stigma based on the very nature of the kind of magic they use and where they get their power from.

[LiveVoltage]

I can tell this Dragoon thing will be of much discussion in the future, but for now, lets agree to disagree about the differences between normal dragoons and the Azure Dragoon and leave it at that because this logical argument is taking longer than it should. 

 

As soon as rouge comes out though, I wonder how many people will start RPing as Rouge or Ninja.

[Seriphyn]

I can tell this Dragoon thing will be of much discussion in the future, but for now, lets agree to disagree about the differences between normal dragoons and the Azure Dragoon and leave it at that because this logical argument is taking longer than it should. 

 

As soon as rouge comes out though, I wonder how many people will start RPing as Rouge or Ninja.

 

E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E

[Aduu Avagnar]

I can tell this Dragoon thing will be of much discussion in the future, but for now, lets agree to disagree about the differences between normal dragoons and the Azure Dragoon and leave it at that because this logical argument is taking longer than it should. 

 

As soon as rouge comes out though, I wonder how many people will start RPing as Rouge or Ninja.

technically, the only reason you can use any jumps at all is because the eye of the dragon resonates with you, marking you as /the/ azure dragoon. All Dragoon abilities are unlocked through this fact.

 

And I can't wait to play a rouge, though I prefer mauve.

[Aduu Avagnar]

Jobs are right popular, to the point I wouldn't mind specifically looking out for roleplayers who have no interest in it. Most sword users I've come across are paladins IC (Sultansworn or free paladin) instead of just a gladiator, like my character. Most fistfighters use the DBZ style chakras, making them monks instead of straightforward pugilists. And most lancers are dragoons, regardless of whether or not they're from Ishgard (which makes my character go "so you're just a lancer, then). The exception is magic users, who by and large stick with the base classes.

 

Sometimes being mundane can be just as unique and interesting as being uberpowerful!

being mundane is a lot of fun, however, as you have, yourself experienced in your own roleplay, its also a lot of fun to be uberpowerful.

[LiveVoltage]

I can tell this Dragoon thing will be of much discussion in the future, but for now, lets agree to disagree about the differences between normal dragoons and the Azure Dragoon and leave it at that because this logical argument is taking longer than it should. 

 

As soon as rouge comes out though, I wonder how many people will start RPing as Rouge or Ninja.

technically, the only reason you can use any jumps at all is because the eye of the dragon resonates with you, marking you as /the/ azure dragoon. All Dragoon abilities are unlocked through this fact.

 

And I can't wait to play a rouge, though I prefer mauve.

yes but stones dont count, otherwise we would only have one summoner, one bard, on black mage, etc.

 

Not to mention it is cannon that non-Azure Dragoons CAN in fact use jump based attacks, though this is only inclusive to the stronger one's and only the strongest can use the fire dive jump. IMO, all jump based techniques and attacks are usable by Dragoons, its just that you need to be strong in the Dragoon ranks in order to do so.

 

Thus, the Azure Dragoon is just a Dragoon elite amoung Dragoons who can use the same techniques and abilities but is way better at it than other Dragoons.

[Aduu Avagnar]

I can tell this Dragoon thing will be of much discussion in the future, but for now, lets agree to disagree about the differences between normal dragoons and the Azure Dragoon and leave it at that because this logical argument is taking longer than it should. 

 

As soon as rouge comes out though, I wonder how many people will start RPing as Rouge or Ninja.

technically, the only reason you can use any jumps at all is because the eye of the dragon resonates with you, marking you as /the/ azure dragoon. All Dragoon abilities are unlocked through this fact.

 

And I can't wait to play a rouge, though I prefer mauve.

yes but stones dont count, otherwise we would only have one summoner, one bard, on black mage, etc.

 

Not to mention it is cannon that non-Azure Dragoons CAN in fact use jump based attacks, though this is only inclusive to the stronger one's and only the strongest can use the fire dive jump. IMO, all jump based techniques and attacks are usable by Dragoons, its just that you need to be strong in the Dragoon ranks in order to do so.

 

Thus, the Azure Dragoon is just a Dragoon elite amoung Dragoons who can use the same techniques and abilities but is way better at it than other Dragoons.

Well, no, there are multiple stones, this is infered in the dragoon questline, when your trainer gives you his old one, your rival has his own one.

 

I must say that dragoon lore is one of my weakest points, so I am unsure where the lore to find them is beyond what I have experienced through the questline.

[LiveVoltage]

Yes but then it severely limits the scope of who can be a dragoon if there are so few stones. I digress but I rather prefer to exclude the stone from actual cannon because they cause unneeded conflict amoung RPers.

[Aduu Avagnar]

Yes but then it severely limits the scope of who can be a dragoon if there are so few stones. I digress but I rather prefer to exclude the stone from actual cannon because they cause unneeded conflict amoung RPers.

Except the Stone only resonates for the Azure Dragoon, not bog standard dragoons.

 

They are also tied into the lore of /every/ job, so to exclude them, is to exclude part of the lore of that job.

[LiveVoltage]

Yes but then it severely limits the scope of who can be a dragoon if there are so few stones. I digress but I rather prefer to exclude the stone from actual cannon because they cause unneeded conflict amoung RPers.

Except the Stone only resonates for the Azure Dragoon, not bog standard dragoons.

 

They are also tied into the lore of /every/ job, so to exclude them, is to exclude part of the lore of that job.

I dont think many care about stone cannon and neither do I. I think it all comes down to how people want to determine the cannon and lore, and I personally dont think that the stones are very cannon or helpful to the characters that role the said job.

 

I think im done with this thread. I think its blown out of proportion and is turning into something that I want nothing to be part of.

[Roswyn]

Yes but then it severely limits the scope of who can be a dragoon if there are so few stones. I digress but I rather prefer to exclude the stone from actual cannon because they cause unneeded conflict amoung RPers.

Except the Stone only resonates for the Azure Dragoon, not bog standard dragoons.

 

They are also tied into the lore of /every/ job, so to exclude them, is to exclude part of the lore of that job.

I dont think many care about stone cannon and neither do I. I think it all comes down to how people want to determine the cannon and lore, and I personally dont think that the stones are very cannon or helpful to the characters that role the said job.

 

I think im done with this thread. I think its blown out of proportion and is turning into something that I want nothing to be part of.

 

In my humble opinion, the soul crystal lore differs with each job. It's heavily implied in the questlines for each job that there are few to none for some jobs (WHM) and many more for others. (SMN)

 

Others, like Scholar, are a bit left open to interpretation. Could you possibly wander around in Wander's Palace for a while and find a Scholar soul crystal? Possibly. Would you posses the skills to stay alive against the Tonberries and also possess the mathematical knowledge to actually "use" the crystal properly? Ehhhhh.....

[Kailia]

Bard is a bit of an interesting job because the main dividing line between it and normal archers is the songs. It's debatable if the bards of today will ever be the same as the bards of yore etc. Also, if I remember correctly, you PC would have to have a certain relationship with the moogles of the shroud who can be very very picky. They would need a reason to like your PC besides "they wanna be a bard."

 

Bard is one of the more lax ones I think. It's more strict with other jobs. From my understanding, certain jobs in game are just plain unaccessable to a PC (WHM/BLM) and others your PC would have to craft a whole story around to attain and it would likely take many many years to to accomplish assuming they don't die/get tempered in the process. (SMN/MNK)

 

As always, if anyone can shed more light on this I'm all ears. I really enjoy the lore behind the jobs and how they affect PC lore.

 

Actually WHM I can confirm, is accessible to the PC. And I will also supply proof.

 

http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/pr/game/#!/jobs/content

Although the art subsequently became forbidden, it is now in the midst of a revival at the hands of the Padjal, chosen of the elementals.

 

To me, that is saying Raya-O-Senna is reviving the art and teaching new white mages. In the story, we see her train the first new one. But it is quite possible after the training is done, that she and her brother began teaching more adventurers.

 

That quote is pretty open ended, and if only the Padjal could be white mages, then they would be a playable race, otherwise, we would not of even heard of white mages otherwise.

 

I'm of the opinion that all jobs can be RPable. As long as the player has a story that meets certain restrictions which are:

 

1) Apply to the lore

2) Doesn't use the main story

 

Number 1 is a "Of course!" and number 2 is basically if everyone used the main story as their character, then no one would have a unique character.

 

My own character, found her crystal in the sunken temple, from the sixth era, and because the crystal bound to her, she underwent the training from a padjal so as not to abuse the power like white mages of the past.

 

And even then, her white mage training was still heavily limited, and she focuses solely on the elements themselves. In fact, she rarely uses white magic at all, except in the most dire of needs, because she has a clear understanding of what effect it has on her surroundings.

 

As for black mage, I do not RP that job or even the class. I use fire, ice and lightning, as elements she's learned to control through conjury training. So it is definitely plausible to RP the jobs, as long as your character's story fits with the established lore. You could either learn the jobs through current time training methods, or gain them through archeology basically.

[LiadansWhisper]

 

 

 

Actually WHM I can confirm, is accessible to the PC. And I will also supply proof.

 

http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/pr/game/#!/jobs/content

Although the art subsequently became forbidden, it is now in the midst of a revival at the hands of the Padjal, chosen of the elementals.

 

To me, that is saying Raya-O-Senna is reviving the art and teaching new white mages. In the story, we see her train the first new one. But it is quite possible after the training is done, that she and her brother began teaching more adventurers.

 

There is not a single piece of info to corroborate this in the questline itself.  You could also read that line as indicating that the Padjal are "reviving" the art by teaching it to each other (which is repeatedly stated during the questline).

 

That quote is pretty open ended, and if only the Padjal could be white mages, then they would be a playable race, otherwise, we would not of even heard of white mages otherwise.

 

I disagree with that.  The questline lore simply does not support what you are saying.

 

I'm of the opinion that all jobs can be RPable. As long as the player has a story that meets certain restrictions which are:

 

1) Apply to the lore

2) Doesn't use the main story

 

Which would eliminate the possibility of being a White Mage because the questline states in no uncertain terms that you, the player, are the only non-Padjal allowed to learn White Magic, and you are only allowed to do so because A-Towa-Kant specifically chose you (and only you ._.) to be his heir. Which means to play a White Mage, you're gonna have to stretch the lore somehow to work around the information you're given in the Job quest.

 

Number 1 is a "Of course!" and number 2 is basically if everyone used the main story as their character, then no one would have a unique character.

 

My own character, found her crystal in the sunken temple, from the sixth era, and because the crystal bound to her, she underwent the training from a padjal so as not to abuse the power like white mages of the past.

 

You're 100% free to play that out, but it doesn't fit the lore of the questline at all.  :-\

 

And even then, her white mage training was still heavily limited, and she focuses solely on the elements themselves. In fact, she rarely uses white magic at all, except in the most dire of needs, because she has a clear understanding of what effect it has on her surroundings.

 

White Magic properly used (similar to the way Conjury is used, which is a pale imitation of White Magic anyway) shouldn't have any effect at all on the surrounding area.  It's heavily implied in the explanation for why White Magic was forbidden that the issue with White Magic was that White Mages were misusing it (I'm looking at you, Holy) on a massive basis.  There's no reason to believe that using Succor as it was originally intended - which was to bring comfort to those in need - would actually cause harm to the world around you.

 

Ultimately, you can play whatever you want - even the jobs that, lorewise, are restricted to only one person because of terrible quest writing.  Everyone is free to do that.

[Kailia]

 

 

 

 

Actually WHM I can confirm, is accessible to the PC. And I will also supply proof.

 

http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/pr/game/#!/jobs/content

Although the art subsequently became forbidden, it is now in the midst of a revival at the hands of the Padjal, chosen of the elementals.

 

To me, that is saying Raya-O-Senna is reviving the art and teaching new white mages. In the story, we see her train the first new one. But it is quite possible after the training is done, that she and her brother began teaching more adventurers.

 

There is not a single piece of info to corroborate this in the questline itself.  You could also read that line as indicating that the Padjal are "reviving" the art by teaching it to each other (which is repeatedly stated during the questline).

 

That quote is pretty open ended, and if only the Padjal could be white mages, then they would be a playable race, otherwise, we would not of even heard of white mages otherwise.

 

I disagree with that.  The questline lore simply does not support what you are saying.

 

I'm of the opinion that all jobs can be RPable. As long as the player has a story that meets certain restrictions which are:

 

1) Apply to the lore

2) Doesn't use the main story

 

Which would eliminate the possibility of being a White Mage because the questline states in no uncertain terms that you, the player, are the only non-Padjal allowed to learn White Magic, and you are only allowed to do so because A-Towa-Kant specifically chose you (and only you ._.) to be his heir.  Which means to play a White Mage, you're gonna have to stretch the lore somehow to work around the information you're given in the Job quest.

 

Number 1 is a "Of course!" and number 2 is basically if everyone used the main story as their character, then no one would have a unique character.

 

My own character, found her crystal in the sunken temple, from the sixth era, and because the crystal bound to her, she underwent the training from a padjal so as not to abuse the power like white mages of the past.

 

You're 100% free to play that out, but it doesn't fit the lore of the questline at all.  :-\

 

And even then, her white mage training was still heavily limited, and she focuses solely on the elements themselves. In fact, she rarely uses white magic at all, except in the most dire of needs, because she has a clear understanding of what effect it has on her surroundings.

 

White Magic properly used (similar to the way Conjury is used, which is a pale imitation of White Magic anyway) shouldn't have any effect at all on the surrounding area.  It's heavily implied in the explanation for why White Magic was forbidden that the issue with White Magic was that White Mages were misusing it (I'm looking at you, Holy) on a massive basis.  There's no reason to believe that using Succor as it was originally intended - which was to bring comfort to those in need - would actually cause harm to the world around you.

 

Ultimately, you can play whatever you want - even the jobs that, lorewise, are restricted to only one person because of terrible quest writing.  Everyone is free to do that.

 

Actually if you read number 2, I mentioned not using the main story to explain why you'd be a white mage. And the games story does explain WHY white and black magic became forbidden for a time. It was being used so much that it was using up the aether energies in the atmosphere itself, which caused a calamity.

 

My interpretation of the lore suggests that after the main story happened,  Raya-O-Senna being more open to outsiders learning white magic, which we see throughout the white mage story, would consider teaching it to other adventurers who have proven they wont abuse the powers.

 

The one who was opposed throughout the story was actually her brother, but even he ended up coming around. Also, I believe there was a follow-up quest that wasn't restricted to white mages, that seemed to suggest they had become more open to adventurers, though I can't recall what quest it was that involved her and her brother.... *looks it up*

 

Ah right! it was the amdapor unlock, if you went to them as a white mage you get this:

 

Raya-O-Senna: Ah, a white mage come to help get to the bottom of this noisome business!

 

So technically, since she trained you, would she not remember you? Instead she merely says a white mage come to help.

 

So this leaves the lore well open for interpretation, that perhaps your character is not the only adventurer who has become a white mage. In fact, lets also keep in mind the opening cinematic:

 

 

2:04 - White mage is healing the warrior

7:18 - white mage appears with the group

 

Which means, the white mages were utilized before Bahamut actually appeared. So it's not improbable that someone could find a soul of the white mage from ages past, to become a white mage. It still abides by the lore, the game still supports there being non-padjal white mages in Eorzea.

 

But yeah I knew when I became a white mage OOCly, if I wanted to be an IC one, I needed to do some heavy homework. I wasn't about to use the game story for it. But I needed an alternative path. So finding a crystal from the sixth era, was my gateway I worked from.

[LiadansWhisper]

 

 

 

Actually if you read number 2, I mentioned not using the main story to explain why you'd be a white mage. And the games story does explain WHY white and black magic became forbidden for a time. It was being used so much that it was using up the aether energies in the atmosphere itself, which caused a calamity.

 

Yes, I understand that.  But if you ignore the main questline to "bend" the lore so that you CAN become a White Mage, you're still bending the lore.  There's nothing necessarily wrong with this, but it's entirely silly to pretend that you're not doing it.

 

Yes, the game's story does explain it.  It says that White Magic was being used abusively and destructively during a war with Black Mages.  And that when used in that manner, it is every bit as destructive as Black Magic. It does not, however, follow that using White Magic as it was originally intended to be used is automatically harmful to the land.

 

My interpretation of the lore suggests that after the main story happened,  Raya-O-Senna being more open to outsiders learning white magic, which we see throughout the white mage story, would consider teaching it to other adventurers who have proven they wont abuse the powers.

 

The one who was opposed throughout the story was actually her brother, but even he ended up coming around. 

 

Okay, but nothing in the questline itself backs that up.  They still never, ever say that they're going to teach anyone else.  Raya-O-Senna's brother merely accepts you, specifically, as a White Mage.  That you needed to be one, and that A-Towa-Kant was right in choosing you specifically (when initially, he'd disagreed with A-Towa-Kant).

 

Also, I believe there was a follow-up quest that wasn't restricted to white mages, that seemed to suggest they had become more open to adventurers, though I can't recall what quest it was that involved her and her brother.... *looks it up*

 

Yes, but it never says they're training anyone else.  Never.  Not once.

 

Ah right! it was the amdapor unlock, if you went to them as a white mage you get this:

 

Raya-O-Senna: Ah, a white mage come to help get to the bottom of this noisome business!

 

So technically, since she trained you, would she not remember you? Instead she merely says a white mage come to help.

 

Except that if you go to her as a Bard, she says, "Ah, a bard."  If you go to her as a Paladin, she says, "Ah, a paladin!"  If you go to her as a Gladiator, she says, "Ah, a gladiator."  As far as I know, she addresses every single player as their Job or Class title (depending on if they have the Soul Crystal equipped).  She says this because they programmed the quest to address you by your Job or Class title.  This is not confirmation that the Padjal are teaching people other than the Super Speshul White Mage in the Job questline how to White Mage.

 

So this leaves the lore well open for interpretation, that perhaps your character is not the only adventurer who has become a white mage. In fact, lets also keep in mind the opening cinematic:

 

 

2:04 - White mage is healing the warrior

7:18 - white mage appears with the group

 

Which means, the white mages were utilized before Bahamut actually appeared. So it's not improbable that someone could find a soul of the white mage from ages past, to become a white mage. It still abides by the lore, the game still supports there being non-padjal white mages in Eorzea.

 

They totally were.  Because in 1.0 the lore was completely different.  They completely changed the storyline in 2.0.  So the White Mage that shows up in the cinematic is the one from 1.0.  It has nothing to do with the current lore, and everything to do with the old lore. As far as I know, the old questline in 1.0 was far more open, and did not restrict White Mages to the extent that the current lore does.

 

But yeah I knew when I became a white mage OOCly, if I wanted to be an IC one, I needed to do some heavy homework. I wasn't about to use the game story for it. But I needed an alternative path. So finding a crystal from the sixth era, was my gateway I worked from.

 

The funny part is, you don't even need a crystal.  The Soul Crystal you find in the questline is simply the visible symbol to Raya-O-Senna and the other Padjal that A-Towa-Cant has specifically chosen your character at his heir.  It doesn't actually make you a White Mage.  The training Raya-O-Senna does that, not the soul crystal.

 

Edited to Add: Just thought of this...it's honestly too damn bad that we can't pick or choose between the questlines. The 1.0 storyline for White Mages was so much less restrictive and inclusive, as far as I can tell (watched a bunch of the cutscenes). But it clashes so hardcore with what you're told in the White Mage job quest.

[Kellach Woods]

Keep in mind that the questlines are written from the perspective of "YOU ARE THE BEST ADVENTURER EVARRRRRR" - On that I'd say we can play fast and loose with the lore by the same virtue that we can't all play the adventurer that single-handedly put boots to the Garleans.

 

'cause otherwise nobody could ever have a job since most of them are written as though you are the last person on the planet who is that job.

 

First MMO World Problems I suppose though.

 

We might get something different with Rogue/Ninja and I for one definitely hope so.

[Aduu Avagnar]

Keep in mind that the questlines are written from the perspective of "YOU ARE THE BEST ADVENTURER EVARRRRRR" - On that I'd say we can play fast and loose with the lore by the same virtue that we can't all play the adventurer that single-handedly put boots to the Garleans.

 

'cause otherwise nobody could ever have a job since most of them are written as though you are the last person on the planet who is that job.

 

First MMO World Problems I suppose though.

 

We might get something different with Rogue/Ninja and I for one definitely hope so.

From my own experience, the more inclusive ones would be:

• Paladin: Free Paladin membership/sultanswon
  
• Summoner: Provided you can survive killing a primal and potential tempering
  
• Scholar: Help a faerie regain memories 
  
• Monk: Be open to the energy of land around you
  
• Dragoon: Bog standard dragoon
  
• Black Mage: Have the strength of will to draw from the void and get someone to teach you
  
• Bard: Befriend the Moogles and be taught how to do it
  
• Warrior: Aid Gorge in his research of the inner beast.
  

The /only/ exclusive one is:

• White Mage: You are the only WHM to be trained that isn't a Padjal
  

[LiadansWhisper]

Keep in mind that the questlines are written from the perspective of "YOU ARE THE BEST ADVENTURER EVARRRRRR" - On that I'd say we can play fast and loose with the lore by the same virtue that we can't all play the adventurer that single-handedly put boots to the Garleans.

 

'cause otherwise nobody could ever have a job since most of them are written as though you are the last person on the planet who is that job.

 

First MMO World Problems I suppose though.

 

We might get something different with Rogue/Ninja and I for one definitely hope so.

From my own experience, the more inclusive ones would be:

• Paladin: Free Paladin membership/sultanswon
  
• Summoner: Provided you can survive killing a primal and potential tempering
  
• Scholar: Help a faerie regain memories 
  
• Monk: Be open to the energy of land around you
  
• Dragoon: Bog standard dragoon
  
• Black Mage: Have the strength of will to draw from the void and get someone to teach you
  
• Bard: Befriend the Moogles and be taught how to do it
  
• Warrior: Aid Gorge in his research of the inner beast.
  

The /only/ exclusive one is:

• White Mage: You are the only WHM to be trained that isn't a Padjal
  

 

I think you might be able to justify scholar if you somehow stumbled on an ancient tactical history or some such.

[Kailia]

Allow me to clarify my interpretation of white mage arts being revived:

 

When the Sixth Umbral catastrophe happened, select few were charged with being keepers of the White and Black magic arts. With White Magic, the Padjal were chosen to be its keepers. Teaching it amongst their race, isn't reviving the art, it is merely continuing to keep the art safe as keepers for the day it is deemed safe to revive the art in Eorzea.

 

In order to revive an art, the keepers of the art would have to take students outside their little circle. Their little circle in this case, is their race. From what I can tell the Padjal are very very few in numbers, and I'm almost willing to bet every one of them are white mages. And I also suspect they are longer lived than the other races of Eorzea.

 

So as I said, teaching amongst themselves, is nothing more than continuing their roles as keepers of an art. Basically keeping it safe until the day the races of Eorzea are deemed mature enough, and trustworthy enough to not abuse it. With the Garleans showing up, adventurers took center stage, showing skill, and wisdom to help protect Eorzea survive the onslaught.

 

1.x lore is still canon today. It may had been a pretty crappy game, but SE clearly did not throw it out. They merely brought 1.x to a close, then expanded the lore and increased the timeline by 5 years for 2.0. And in 2.0's story you play the first of many adventurers who get trained to be a white mage to combat both the Garlean threat and also the threat of the primals.

 

That's why in the Lost City of Amdapor opening questline, if you talk to Raya-O-Senna as a white mage, she doesn't address you as her former student, but as just another white mage. Because 1.x white mages weren't her students. It suggests that as of 2.2 when The Lost City of Amdapor dungeon came out, that adventurer white mages have become more popular. So 2.0, the art was starting its revival, so in 2.2, the art can be considered revived.

 

That's my interpretation. It's not stretching lore, it's actually going by lore. In my own character's case, I went a slightly different route, and found a white crystal from the sixth umbral era, to learn to become a white mage. That doesn't stretch lore either, because white magic was quite common in that era. The Padjal though guided her after finding the crystal, so she could be a white mage, which falls in line with the padjal reviving the art.

[Roswyn]

I think it's important to keep in mind as well that your PC will likely never be a "Warrior of Light" or the "Leader of the Scions" or the the sole kicker of Garlean butt God-Character in the questlines. I play in such a way that anything huge like that is off limits and I do not roleplay with people that do.

 

I see people sometimes who give their characters huge nonsensical powers that either:

 

1.) Do not corroborate with the established and current lore.

2.) Have no place in the FF14 universe.

3.) Places them massively "above" anyone else who isn't wielding similar X-Men powers, yielding only to NPC's like Louisoix. Literally X-Men powers like mind reading or looking at someone and "feeling" what they feel or knowing what kind of class or aether manipulation they use.

 

I'm not going to list anything out here but I know several people that play this way and sometimes I look in the other direction but other times it just becomes impossible to not feel like some people just create something ridiculous because they know it's "better" than everyone else. Perhaps maybe some vicarious sense of being awesome..? I'm not sure really.

 

I like to just stick with what is widely accepted as established canon with a sprinkling of normalcy. You can play an effective character and be a Gladiator. You can play a healer and just be a Conjuror. You can play a Thaumaturge vainfully trying to unlock the secrets of Black Magic (that sounds kinda cool actually..)

 

You don't need an Echo power, or a job, or a massive rank in the military while also being a master chef, alchemist, and accomplished Summoner all at the ripe age of 17 while winning beauty pageants. :frustrated::frustrated::frustrated:

 

Back to what OP was saying, the above is what people get antsy about when it comes to jobs. Read your lore, don't act like that ^^^^^^ and you're right as rain.

[Kailia]

You don't need an Echo power, or a job, or a massive rank in the military while also being a master chef, alchemist, and accomplished Summoner all at the ripe age of 17 while winning beauty pageants. :frustrated::frustrated::frustrated:

 

Yeah such an example would make someone too powerful ICly. That's why my own char, she doesn't have the echo, she doesn't have a massive rank in the serpents, the only thing she's good at is elemental based magic, with white magic healing, and some basic weaving (IC and OOC she can't even sew 2 or 3 star recipes lol)

 

I think if people want to RP the jobs, they should be able to, without being scorned or harassed. As long as their character isn't a marry sue, and still follows an interpretation of the lore that makes them having such a job, fit, then it is alright with me.

 

Someone being every job though? I don't think so. Heck, one could RP a summoner job, without being the job. For example, rather than summon an egi of the primals, what if instead, they were an elementalist that could produce the elemental themselves. Like instead of Ifrit-Egi, it ends up being just a fire elemental.

 

I have yet to see any summoner, try that approach. It would be an interesting approach to say the least.

[Berrod Armstrong]

Someone being every job though? I don't think so. 

That brings up another thing I wonder about. 

 

Perhaps a character can't be EVERY job, but what about two or three? I've never explored that much before. Can a Monk also be a Warrior? What are your thoughts on that?

 

I play Berrod as a Monk, hands down, soul crystal and everything. That's the only 'job' he has, BUT! He has Gladiator and Marauder training (which he's actually good at) and has taken lessons with the archer's and lancer's guild (He suuuuucks at those, don't even ask him to shoot an arrow). 

 

Due to his aetheric proficiency (or lack, thereof, in some areas) he is unable to employ conjury or thaumaturgy -- and he HATES TO READ AND CANNOT MATH, so arcanima is out of the question for him. So! While he may have only one 'job', I have given him skill in two other 'classes'. 

 

As for the white mage issue, I see a discrepancy between the questline's ONE AND ONLY and the dungeon quest's 'HEY WHM!' -- in addition to the fact that adventurers are allowed inside Amdapor ("OH HEY, A SOUL CRYSTAL IN THE MOLD!"). I wonder if we can have some clarification from the lore forums...

 

Stuff to think about!

[Kellach Woods]

It's worth asking the lore forums for sure.

[Mercurias]

That brings up another thing I wonder about. 

 

Perhaps a character can't be EVERY job, but what about two or three? I've never explored that much before. Can a Monk also be a Warrior? What are your thoughts on that?

 

Stuff to think about!

 

I honestly think it's fine, and the Lore basically tells you to go for it and learn what you can on the subject. It also gives you a chance to mix and match some things to customize your character's experience level.

 

That being said, I think that age/experience/history should probably have a LOT to weigh into this. Dabbling in multiple fighting styles/crafts is normal. Being the best at all of then when you're seventeen is probably not.

 

Think about how long it would take to do something like learn to master your own Aether through meditation or drill thousands of spear thrusts and parries until the moves are burned into your muscle memory. Then think about how long it would take to call on that training in the middle of a fight. This is going to be years of investment in time and energy.

 

I'd imagine that even the aetherically gifted would take years before being able to control their spells in battle, while many of the disciples of war would possibly take about the same time to become considered 'skilled' by their peers.

 

Personally, I roleplay that my own character grew up being trained with an axe and adopted the armor later in life and finds it cumbersome and his axe skills rusty from disuse.

 

He also had a 'lost period' where he studied for a year each in Thaumaturgy and Conjury. The best he can managed with Thaumaturgy after a year is ice cubes and lighting candles before he would make an explosion, and his Conjury is only slightly better (with a natural advantage that means he picked up a lot on the way).

 

His focus for the last four years has been Arcanima, and even after wholehearted dedication, he's only just recently come to the point where he's actually writing his own versions of spells and considers himself a Journeyman. Acquiring a fairy has led him to further experimenting, but he's still only just scratched the surface of what Scholar Magic can do.

 

In other words, he's dabbled in lots of things, has one job unlocked (and also one 'main' class) in Scholar, one class he's a moderately talented apprentice in (Conjurer), one class he's now out of practice with after having grown up with it (Marauder), and one class that taught him a lot...But that he isn't skilled in at all (Thaumaturge).

 

I THINK that's an example of someone who seems right when it comes to a twenty-five year old.

 

For a teenager, I's suspect maybe one class and maybe one trade seem about right.

[Eva]

It seems like this thread has run a couple different avenues, and I think the discussions so far have been pretty interesting.  Here's my contribution:

 

To the OP I'll just echo what others have said, and that is basically just to RP what you want and what you're comfortable with.  To me it doesn't seem extreme.  My own character doesn't stick like glue to the actual game lore surrounding the classes/jobs, and her father was a seasoned dragoon who had pretty ill regard for the Wood Wailers and "lancers" of Gridania.  There are enough RPers about that you will find a group comfortable with your level of adherence or deviation to/from the specific lore.  And your explanation about being a non-tribal miqo'te who was adopted seems perfectly acceptable to me.  I know of other miqo'te who have done similar things, or who have just walked away from that lifestyle.  Eorzea is quite the melting pot, and I don't think anyone really needs to feel pigeonholed by racial/clan lore tidbits.  Regarding the jobs/classes, I see no reason why someone can be a bard and not an archer, or vice versa.  Strict adherers to the lore might disagree, but there are various types of musical instruments available and it seems to me that archery skills and an ability to sing or play an instrument are entirely independent of one another for all intents and purposes.

 

I'm going to refrain from commenting much with regard to the White Mage storyline.  As a character who is a white mage in all but name (if we have to pin down one of the specific given jobs), it seems too slippery a slope what with the given lore and I generally dance around certain aspects of Eva's background with healing magic.  It doesn't help that we had different spells and different story quests in 1.0 and with ARR they pulled the floor out from beneath [many of] us.

 

Pertaining to multiple disciplines, I see nothing wrong with this.  I also rather like it when folks come up with creative alternatives to the jobs/classes listed for the sake of RP.  I've known characters who considered themselves engineers or architects, or various other jobs apart from the handful we're given.  Not to say there's anything wrong with a character who does fit one of these molds.  Someone needs to do it.  But multiple disciplines seems all right to me.  And even more "grounded in reality" might be how these progress and change over time.  Eva began as a weaver, learning slowly over a long span of time until she was something of a master at the craft.  This since became more of a hobby as Dalamud grew closer and she realized she might be called upon to defend people.  Much newer to her is practice with pikemanship.  From birth she also possessed an innate talent at healing which she let go at a young age (for reasons) and only recently picked back up again.  So she volunteers sometimes as a nurse.  She's not a conjurer though, and only knows a little of conjury.  In fact it may be fair to say she's more like Sylphie from the CJR storyline - carrying with it similar disadvantages and limitations.  So she has experience, and perhaps even some level of expertise with three separate disciplines (and she's dabbled a bit with others as well), but I wouldn't think it's fair to say she excels at any of the game-specific jobs except for maybe weaving.  Where Eva usually tends to shine more often is as a counselor, or advisor, and as a priestess.  It has been an unusual progression for sure.

 

But it seems to me that any character who is X job and sometimes Y job with Z craft skills is kind of two-dimensional to me, and somewhat boilerplate.  I like characters who are maybe good or excel at one or two areas, and falter or are lousy at something else, but maybe that inexperience or failure in turn provides determination, or a passion for something like that turns them away from their area of expertise so that they can improve at another area they're more passionate about.  Stuff like that, to me, is real.  It's human, and it feels like more honest RP when I can see a character not just as the chosen job, but as a compilation of thoughts and feelings and motivations and flaws.

 

 

TL;DR:  Play how you want and just make sure you enjoy it!