Though at first you only have access to six starter careers – warrior, thief, monk, white mage, red mage and black mage – the system becomes much more varied in short order. Those base professions yield to more complex classes like ninjas, bards, paladins, rangers and others. Moreover, once you reach a high enough level, you can take on a secondary profession (and its skill set) which can be maintained at half the level of your primary occupation. And since the FFXI system is a hybrid level/skill-based system, proficiency with particular weapons or abilities will vary even among characters with similar job paths. Finally, although you can't be a professional crafter in Vana'diel, FFXI boasts a fairly hefty array of crafting skills, from fishing to boneweaving, all bestowed by NPC guilds.