User:Darkhavans/Job Theories

There's a LOT of controversy on what the jobs in FFXI we're actually intended to do. I would like to divulge my thoughts on this. If you have any comments on my thoughts, then please post them in my talk page. Constructive critism only please. Since my main job is Ninja, and it probably has the most controversy, i'll start with it.

Ninja
Ninja current role: A ninja current role is mainly to tank. This may have been intended by SE, but no one really knows. A ninja as of now can also DD, but normally this is done while tanking. My thoughts on this: Plain and simply: Wtf we're we thinking??? Yes, some mobs can be tanked very well by ninjas, such as crabs, beetles (mobs that ninjas can also solo very well :p) simply because they attack slowly. One a ninja shadows go down, and he can't recast them again, he's like a mage. Ninja's are fast and stealthy, they are NOT meat shields, we're squishy; we wear cloth/leather armor. My thoughts on what a Ninja's role should/was mean't to be: Puller/DD/Enfeebler. Heres why:
 * A- throwing skill.
 * We're the ONLY job in the game with such an exceptional throwing skill, and with merits it can be brought up to an A+ skill. Not to mention, our shurikens are FAST, almost as fast as darts, which are just slightly slower than provoke. Ranged attacks are used for pulling. So this fits into the pulling category. Throwing can ALSO be used to inflict massive amounts of damage, especially with the new skill "Sange". However, shurikens are unbelievebly expensive and as of now it is impractical for your average ninja. But this still puts it into the DD category.


 * Shadows. (Utsusemi)
 * This is one for the puller/DD category. Currently, shadows are used to fend off attacks, and are used in tanking. While this works for some monsters, once a Ninja's shadows go down and there's nobody there to help them out, they're screwed 75% of the time. Shadows can be used while pulling, making a Ninja take no damage at all during a pull, therefore saving the party some MP. This makes them an insanely effective puller. We now have high damage, fast throwing weapons, and the ability to absorb damage. This also fits into the DD category now, not just because of Sange; but also because if a Ninja pulls hate from the huge damage they can inflict, their shadows will last long enough for the tank to regain hate. (Hopefully, otherwise you need a new tank, or you're doing waaaaaaay to much damage >_>.) So shadows also fit into DD/Puller.


 * Fast, high damage weapons.
 * Some may disagree when I say "high damage" but considering the speed of them, yes, they're high damage. Ninja's are the only job in the whole game with a 100% exclusive weapon type. This may point to something, but who knows. Katanas can do exceptional damage, and so can daggers at end-game. You may have just wen't "NOOB!", but you shouldn't have, and here's why: Let's say you have a Hornetneedle and a Blau Dolch, thats a combined delay of 328. With a ninjas Dual Wield IV trait, we can shave 30% off of that. That gets rid of 98.4 delay, bringing the total to 229.6, quite a large reduction. But, we're not done yet. Now, add Koga Hakama, Ninja Chainmail, and a Suppanomimi. That's an extra 15%, a huge reduction totaled. This is a reduction of 34.44 delay, or bringing your total is 195.16. That is about 2-4 (possibly a lot more if you have a Homan Bodypiece) every 3 seconds. Now I'm sick of doing calculations, so I used a delay calculator. With all the Dual Wield enhancing equip I mentioned, Haste, March 1 and 2 with Soul Voice, +25% capped haste from equipment; you're down to 1.4 seconds between 2 attacks, the attack animations take something like .6 seconds to go off, so you're down to a wait time between rounds of less than a second. If you think of how often double attack/triple attack would proc, you're looking at massive TP build and DoT, and if you got another 150 delay dagger, that brings you down another .1 seconds. I bet you're thinking "ZOMFG I GOTTA DO THIS!!!" but hold on there, This is with the best possible gear you can get. So that's just a little bit of information that supports this. So weapons are another reason Ninja was made as a DD.


 * Enfeebling Spells
 * Simple, we get enfeebling spells. We can be debuffers/enfeeblers. Our elemental Ninjutsu also lowers resistance to certain elementals.

So thats that on Ninja, I think i've said enough that support my theory, if you have any input, please divulge on my talk page. More jobs coming soon!