Unraveling the Mystery: Final Fantasy 14's Next Job Class Speculated to be a Falconer with a Crossbow
The Final Fantasy 14 community is eagerly anticipating the reveal of the second new job for the upcoming Evercold expansion. Following the introduction of the 'Bastion' class at the recent fanfest, attention has now turned to deciphering the identity of the remaining ranged physical DPS role. Through careful examination of various clues, an intriguing theory has emerged: the new job will likely be a 'falconer' wielding a crossbow, heavily relying on avian companions.
Detailed Report: Deciphering Clues for Final Fantasy 14's Next Job
The journey to uncover this potential new class began with a tantalizing tease from Masayoshi Soken, the acclaimed lead composer and sound director for Final Fantasy 14. During a fanfest presentation, Soken unveiled two distinct audio clips. The first featured a magical energy charge, followed by a sound reminiscent of a crossbow string being latched and fired, culminating in an explosive effect. The second clip unmistakably presented the sounds of a bird engaging an enemy, further accompanied by projectile-like noises. These auditory hints strongly suggest a combat style involving both ranged weaponry and animal companionship.
Further evidence surfaces in the recently extended Evercold trailer. A character named Visna is depicted examining a wand-like object, seemingly distressed by her pet bird. Upon touching the tip of this 'wand,' it transforms into a glowing rune. This rune bears a striking resemblance to a job stone symbol and, with a keen eye, appears to outline the shape of a crossbow. The 'wand' itself is speculated to be a specialized crossbow bolt, designed to be fired and detonate upon impact, aligning with Visna's interaction with it.
A critical connection between the trailer and Soken's audio clips lies in the explosion sound. The explosive effect heard at the 2:59 mark in the extended trailer shares a remarkable similarity with the explosion in Soken's first audio tease, strengthening the hypothesis that these elements are intricately linked to the upcoming job.
The logical progression of a ranged physical DPS job in Final Fantasy 14 necessitates a tangible weapon. While the notion of a job centered around 'hucking birds' at adversaries is amusing, the game's established crafting and gear systems require conventional weaponry. Thus, a crossbow emerges as a highly plausible instrument, capable of being crafted and upgraded.
Moreover, the proposed inclusion of a bird companion aligns seamlessly with the Evercold expansion's thematic ties to Norse mythology. In Norse lore, birds, particularly hawks and eagles, hold significant symbolic value. Visna's bird in the trailer, with its hooked beak, mirrors these majestic birds of prey, further supporting the 'falconer' concept.
Finally, a more speculative, yet intriguing piece of evidence, comes from a past animation anomaly. Several months ago, a bug in a Lalafell character's 'Dark Knight' jump animation momentarily displayed the character holding an unseen object in one hand while seemingly engaging a trigger with the other. Given the absence of a rifle-wielding job in the current game, some theorize this brief animation glitch could have been a remnant or early iteration of the new job's mechanics, accidentally mixed into the game files. While this remains a conjecture, it adds another layer to the mounting evidence.
Considering the collective weight of Soken's sound teases, the Evercold trailer's visual clues, the thematic resonance with Norse mythology, and even the curious animation bug, the likelihood of a 'falconer' job, specializing in crossbow combat and avian companions, appears increasingly strong for Final Fantasy 14: Evercold. Director Naoki Yoshida's enigmatic t-shirt hint of "guess who's back?" might even subtly refer to the return of such a winged companion.
