Individualized Weapons or Not?

Should each character type has individualized weapons?
That is the question I am pondering.

I recall playing games where the game had two or more player types (like Mario and Luigi or Billy and Jimmie or the cast from Friday the 13th). Many role playing games like Final Fantasy, Ultima, Dragon Warrior, and the side scrolling adventure game Castlevania III had many different player types each with their own abilities. For the sake of my playing experience, I wanted one player type to have the abilities of every player type or for certain player types to share abilities like in Final Fantasy V wherein the player types can cross train and gain some of the abilities of other player types. This was a distinct feature only found in that version of Final Fantasy.

Now, that I am a game developer, I am stuck with a logistical dilemma brought on by an old desire to have player types that are not limited by a unique predefined set of weapons and abilities that can't be shared.

Currently, each player type has different speed limits and damage limitations and those will remain unique to each player type. 

I have outlined over 60 weapons and abilities for the 6 player types in this game. 3 of those player types won't be included until the sequel.

My original idea was to give each player type a unique set of 10 weapons whereas the abilities such as radar jamming, temporary force fields, and having a wing man would be shared among them.

Instead of each player type having its own unique weapons and then finding ammo for those weapons, maybe I could have all the of the player types open to any weapons available to the player throughout the game. Thus, if the player found weapon x then he or she could use X instead of weapon y. Then if I hide the weapons in secret locations instead of laying them out 'free and easy' Octo Force would become a more of an adventure game.

If you have any thoughts or questions on this subject please feel free to post them or email me at the address listed at the top-right corner of the blog.