Questions from the black mages of Vana'diel!

[Inafking]

Why doesen't the AoE of fell cleave generate enemity? As a BLM I find this insulting.

[Darkwizardzin]

Why doesen't the AoE of fell cleave generate enemity? As a BLM I find this insulting.

question added.

[Camate]

All right all you wanna-be Vivis and < insert your favorite FF black mage here >, your feedback has arrived!

Get rid of the differences in strength of the various elemental magic spells so that specific elements aren’t the only types used.

There is definitely a trend of black mages using only the stronger elements; however, we are aware that this is a large issue for elemental magic adjustments.

However, if we simply get rid of the stat differences and make all elemental spells equal, there will be concerns that the advantageous aspects of each element will be lost. Also there would be a need to completely change the levels in which these spells are learned. We are currently looking into adjustments that will enhance the merits of each element and their usage by establishing differences through enhancing damage and other elements via power, MP cost, status bonuses, etc.

Lower the MP cost of tier V elemental magic spells.

Along with what was stated above, we are planning to rethink MP costs and will be looking into these adjustments as well.

Increase the damage of ancient magic II spells.

We are planning to look into this at the time of merit point revamps. However, since the attractiveness of other elemental magic would become pretty weak by just increasing the damage, we would like to make adjustments in a different direction.

Add single target magic that has the same effect as ja-type spells.

The dark elemental magic we are planning to add in the next version update features quite similar stats.

Do you have any plans of adding Death?

We do not have any plans at the moment.

Would like magic similar to the opening movie where multiple black mages are required to cast it.

Ja-type spells were created with this in mind, as a damage bonus is added when the same spell is cast repeatedly. Also, in regards to magic to be added in the future, we are continuing to explore whether it would be possible to implement a system similar to what you are requesting.

Make it so a percent of the damage dealt by elemental magic is converted into MP.

More than a job trait or ability, I think looking into similar effects for equipment would be more plausible.

Add an ability that increases the damage of the next spell cast.

We will look into it. Of course, as you would expect, a risk would be associated with this though.

Let us use staff weapon skills that are only for certain jobs and support jobs.

We will look into this along with the weapon skill revamps.

Weapons are only being used to enhance stats, so please revamp the damage aspect of weapons.

We consider a black mage’s weapon to be magic. To give a pretty extreme example, the concept is that you are a magic expert, but have little to no weapon attack power.

Of course we are not rejecting black mage’s close range combat and weapon skills will be added, but we plan to focus adjustments on magic first and foremost.

[Erics]

Of course we are not rejecting black mage’s close range combat and weapon skills will be added, but we plan to focus adjustments on magic first and foremost.

inb4 a lot of RDMs rage.

[Darkwizardzin]

Thank you for the information camate. Overall I liked the answers to the questions but this answer I personaly have a follow up on.

We consider a black mage’s weapon to be magic. To give a pretty extreme example, the concept is that you are a magic expert, but have little to no weapon attack power.

Of course we are not rejecting black mage’s close range combat and weapon skills will be added, but we plan to focus adjustments on magic first and foremost.

I don't think any of us black mages dissagree with the "we consider magic to be a black mage's weapon" statment. The only problem we have is when there are high end weapons (like the warrior's Empyrean Ukonvasara) that you put in hard work to gain and get a wonderful increase in your effectiveness. Black mage (and scholar) do not get that with there empyrean (Hvergelmir) due to... well you said it yourself: "but have little to no weapon attack power". It isn't fair that most jobs get a very nice upgrade with hard work put in while black mages do not.

All we want is a worthwhile weapon to gain... plz pass that on the the devs camate.

Again I like most of the question that were answered... just that 1 at the end i had a problem with.

[Phafi]

How about increasing Vidohunir's range, so that we would not have to get very close to use it, but still be able to inflict the magic defense down.

[Phafi]

We are planning to look into this at the time of merit point revamps. However, since the attractiveness of other elemental magic would become pretty weak by just increasing the damage, we would like to make adjustments in a different direction.

Do you mean like, Flare II having a plague effect and Tornado II having a gravity effect?

[Leonlionheart]

I can't imagine giving two sh@%s about dealing damage with weapons on BLM.

However I think the work=reward factor of Relic/Mythic/Emp for BLM is completely off-balance. None of them do anything for BLM, other than Mythic if the rest of your gear sucks / ES macro.

How hard is "Every Elemental Affinity" +1 more than ToM staves for at least Relic/Mythic, and maybe 1 less for emp to cater to the people who already have tons of ToM staves, since they are practically harder than emp, but gain the bonus of Myrkr to make it still have a use for nuking /SCH (I actually use Occult Acumen + Spirit Taker on BLM when I'm not switching off staves often)

[Soundwave]

All right all you wanna-be Vivis

How do you prove that you exist...? Maybe we don't exist...

[Francisco]

All right all you wanna-be Vivis and < insert your favorite FF black mage here >, your feedback has arrived!

I'm not a BLM, but I'm a fan of the job. I'll throw in my 2 cents too.

There is definitely a trend of black mages using only the stronger elements; however, we are aware that this is a large issue for elemental magic adjustments.

However, if we simply get rid of the stat differences and make all elemental spells equal, there will be concerns that the advantageous aspects of each element will be lost. Also there would be a need to completely change the levels in which these spells are learned. We are currently looking into adjustments that will enhance the merits of each element and their usage by establishing differences through enhancing damage and other elements via power, MP cost, status bonuses, etc.

How about something like this?

25: Job Ability - Mana Surge: Increases the base damage of elemental magic, but increases MP cost.
25: Job Trait - Elemental Mastery I: Applies the effects of Mana Surge to Stone, Water, Aero, Fire and Blizzard.
50: Job Trait - Elemental Master II: Applies the effects of Mana Surge to Stone II, Water II, Aero II, Fire II and Blizzard II.
70: Job Trait - Elemental Master III: Applies the effects of Mana Surge to Stone III, Water III, Aero III, Fire III and Blizzard III.
75: Job Trait - Elemental Master IV: Applies the effects of Mana Surge to Stone IV, Water IV, Aero IV, Fire IV and Blizzard IV.
95: Job Trait - Elemental Master V: Applies the effects of Mana Surge to Stone V, Water V, Aero V, Fire V and Blizzard V.

The idea is, roughly around the time of learning the Thunder spell of a certain tier, BLM has the option of using Mana Surge to increase MP cost of the weaker spells (like Stone and Aero) to be the same as Thunder. In exchange for the extra MP cost, the attack power of spells like Stone and Aero will be increased to the strength of Thunder. This would be useful for enemies like Coeurls who are weak to Stone, but strong to Thunder. I'd say 5 minute recast/duration on Mana Surge. And rename it to something that's not terrible.

Along with what was stated above, we are planning to rethink MP costs and will be looking into these adjustments as well.

Not sure how much MP is an issue for BLM - but I can't see lowering the cost breaking the job much. If anything, it just gives more risk/reward - which SE seems to love for BLM.

We are planning to look into this at the time of merit point revamps. However, since the attractiveness of other elemental magic would become pretty weak by just increasing the damage, we would like to make adjustments in a different direction.

I like the mentioned idea about AM II enfeebling mobs, but it might be too much of a slap in the face to red mages... maybe giving them semi-unique enfeebles:

Quake II: Defense Down
Flood II: Magic Defense Down
Aero II: Evasion Down
Flare II: Attack Down
Freeze II: Magic Attack Down
Burst II: Accuracy Down

The dark elemental magic we are planning to add in the next version update features quite similar stats.

Comet?

We do not have any plans at the moment.

It'd be useless anyways...

Ja-type spells were created with this in mind, as a damage bonus is added when the same spell is cast repeatedly. Also, in regards to magic to be added in the future, we are continuing to explore whether it would be possible to implement a system similar to what you are requesting.

Sounds like something tough to implement... and kind of an annoyance... I would think BLMs would want awesome new spells all to themselves and not need a BLM partner to cast something like Meteor or Ultima.

More than a job trait or ability, I think looking into similar effects for equipment would be more plausible.

Probably - as there's similar gear for WHM/Cures.

We will look into it. Of course, as you would expect, a risk would be associated with this though.

See idea above for "Mana Surge" - perhaps it could also add a multiplier if you exploit a mobs weakness (Stone on Coeurls, Fire on Skeletons, etc)... the "risk" would be the obvious +MP cost and +Enmity gained through doing more damage...

We will look into this along with the weapon skill revamps.

Don't see this being a big deal with balance. The weapon skills are weak anyway and are mostly for utility and staggering NMs.

We consider a black mage’s weapon to be magic. To give a pretty extreme example, the concept is that you are a magic expert, but have little to no weapon attack power.

I don't see a need to give BLM any melee prowess... but I would like to see them have the option of consolidating elemental/magian staves into one weapon. Might be tricky because of the varying stats on magian staves (acc path, avatar path, mag.atk path, etc...)