This was actually before the information on the classes spells/abilities was released... it actually took place before they announced conjurer on the main site... So it was actually in reference to Thaumaturge not Conjurer...

ya

SNAP! well i apologize extremely lol i feel like a huge dick now.

Hmm, now that what Thaumaturge's information is reveailed on the FFXIV site, we can all agree that it is in the form of a DRK mage, or all black/enfeebling-type magic. Unless FFXIV adds different kidn of spells, I believe that people would only train as a Thaumaturge only to learn the spells to be used on other classes.

How pain in the ass would it be if you had a Lancer with many of the Thaumaturge spells such as Gravity, Drain, Absorb-ACC (Add in Cure and the ability "Hum spell" from conjurer). Though the lancer won't be as hard hitting as other lancers, you wouldn't be able to get away or kill him even if you wanted to haha.

Are they trying to blend mages together?

The classes are just a base. They give you access to a core mechanic, some base abilities and traits, and a broad restriction on what gear you can wear.

You make your own class by equipping abilities and traits from your base class, plus any others you may have leveled, and wearing gear/specing your stats to suit.

If you want to make a Thaumatage that resembles a white mage from FFXI, you can. If you want to make a Thaumaturge that's similar to "insert your favourite class" you can.

How effective your build is remains to be seen.

'turge.

"We need a 'turge" seems easy enough, unless FFXIV goes down the three letter abv route again, in which case probably THU.

From what I've learned there are certain restrictions on what abilities you can buy from other classes than your current one. Some abilities apparently are specific to that class and can not be learned by other classes at all. I'm not sure how these stipulations are forming in beta but I don't think we're going to see full access to class abilities at a restriction such as half your level like in XI's subclass system.

You'll be able to equip abilities of other classes at the same level as your "main" job you're leveling, however:

1) The ability will be nerfed in the forms of cooldown increases and effectiveness.
2) You have action points that limits how many abilities you can equip, I'm assuming you'll get more as you level up. I believe I remember seeing that abilities from other classes costing 2 action points, while ones of your equipped class costed 1 point. So it will cost you more overall to not be a "pure" gladiator if you wanted that cure for easier leveling.
EDIT: In the spirit of this thread, replace "Cure" with "drain." :)

That's what I collected from watching streams of the beta.

Thaumaturge is more like, say, a warlock. from Wow, it is equivilent to a warlock,
Drains and self inflicted damage to heal others. So not much of a white mage imo.