Chi Blast Examination:

Chi Blast

I’ve always loved the idea of Chi Blast; focusing your mind, pulling in energy, then discharging it at an opponent. The thing about Chi Blast; however, is it really doesn’t have much of any use presently at level 99, these are the reasons why.

In order to make the ability have an effect you need to pile on a very large amount of MND gear, we’re saying 17 of 16 slots worth of gear to use this ability at all, I know that sounds excessive but I’ll break it down.

- Chi Blast Damage -
By default the number of times a player has used “Boost”, divided by 2, plus 1, then multiplied by the total MND stat. Finally that number will be multiplied by a random number between 50%-100%

EX:

MND: 180
(12x Boosts / 2) + 1 = 7

So that is to say 180 times 7 is 1260 finally multiply by a random number between 50%-100%. For examples I turn random number ranges to an average given enough uses your average should be what happens, the average of 50 to 100 is 75. Therefore your average Chi Blast Damage with 180 MND is 945.

All this means is a player with 180 MND will average 945 Chi Blast Damage on normal targets. Now this can be increased with the use of 2 items, the Temple Gloves or Taurine Cesti; also together.

They work like this

No Boost Effect = NumBoosts * 50%
1 Boost Effect = NumBoosts * 75%
2 Boost Effect = NumBoosts * 100%

So back to the 180 MND example we’ll boost with these items, on then swap back in the original gloves and weapon for the 180 MND (I know I didn’t say what any of the gear is, it’s an example, more explaining 17 out of 16 inventory lol)

So the number of boosts times 100% is simple, it comes out like this.

180 MND * (12 Boosts + 1) = 2340

2340 times 75% because we want the average is 1755.

I’ve really tried to simplify this, but this is it broken down. Every 3 minutes you will average 1755 damage or 9.75 a second. That’s assuming you have 17/16 inventoried items and those 2 Enhances Boost Items.

Doing 9.75 damage a second is very low damage output especially if you need to dedicate that many items to even get it that high. Also you’re not able to do anything else for damage during it, and a mage support for healing buffing isn’t a good idea either because you can’t be resting for MP while building up your next Chi Blast so you’re bound to running out of MP.

The 9.75 damage per second is in a perfect world of course, in the past I’ve gotten nailed w/ paralyze to stifle either a boost or two, or lock the ability in the first place then lose all my boosts. That or be far out of range to avoid paralyze then not make it in, in time to throw it, usually I’d have to come in the middle and throw on 11x Boosts to play it safe.

In summary 9.75 Damage Per Second isn’t worth all that gear and setup, it’s more of a “just for fun” ability which honestly I think something being useful is much better than a “just for fun” ability.

I do have a few ideas, these are just my observations of the big picture.

Ideas:

MNK already has a Footwork stance, this is an excellent analog of Warrior dropping 2 One-Handed axes and using a Two-Handed Axe to break through a high defense encounter.

MNK already has a Counterstance, this is a MNKs way to main-tank in certain situations; which on a personal side note is my favorite thing about MNK is they’re Counter Attack.

MNKs Chi Blast should be made as such to be a Ranged Damage stance. I know that might sound stupid at a glance, but think about it for a minute. PUP can use a BLM Puppet for heavy spell damage. Samurai can compare with ranger at times with ranged attack damage and ranged weapon skills. I could go on, but the point I’m trying to make is many jobs have a Ranged Damage Setup to fall back on in certain situations, and Chi Blast was MNKs back in the day at 75 cap, but now I honestly think it needs to be stepped up to compare with the short list of others I’ve mentioned above. Currently Chi Blasting just isn’t practical because its Damage Over Time is much to low. I believe it’d be an awesome thing for MNK to have a ranged damage setup, maybe even some job traits to increase it’s over all damage. If its going to take 3 minutes to do an attack it needs to hit a lot harder.

Final Ideas: Chi Blast recast reduced to 1 minute. this way you can use it more often, it won’t change over all damage, but will give the control of it to hold for the full 3 minutes or throw smaller ones because the flow of battle changes often and it gives the player more control.
And an increased MND mod; I honestly can’t say what that MND mod increase should be, but that damage over time needs to get scaled up for LvL 99. Without the Enhances Boost Effect Gear I've mentioned above no job would /MNK for Chi Blast because it's already to low for damage and that's with using the MNK specific gear to enahnce Boost. Really hoping to see Chi Blast get fixed up, thx!

well we still need to see what boost adjustment is coming , but other then that if they lower chiblast timer penance becomes 100% *might be broken*. If anything id love for chiblast and boost to work kinda like spheres in RO monk. lets say 5 points per "boost" lasts 3 mins. total of 5 stacks 6dmg with gloves 7dmg with gloves and hth. so your looking at 25 extra dmg now if they apply it as an enspell it would make it useful but not game breaking. so you then mod how chiblast is affected by boost and make it a straight dmg multiplier so 30: 60 120 240 480 960 *this is before the mnd mod*. you would spend less time boosting it would make it useful to chiblast even when solo or lowman , and you could use it in none melee situations to pump out a little more dmg then we do now.

wall o text fuck it

Yea that's a good point, that Boost update might address the Damage issue with it; It'd be useful again, that's for sure. The 3 minute timer reduced to 1 minute would be awesome for control, I realize damage over time it won't change anything; however, with the flow of battle you could do a weaker one to finish off an enemy and begin building the next one for the next. I'd love to see that.