In light of the fact that the DEV teams have plans to make new attachments. I would like this post to be a reference for the DEV team, from the Puppetmaster community, so they don't end up making some attachment *we* don't find addresses the issues we have with the job as everyday players.
I do want this thread to be taken seriously, so try to keep in mind, that attachments that adjust pet distances etc. are things DEVs have previously mentioned aren't very feasible. But I would definitely like everyones input, so DEVs can do a better job at serving the community.
The suggestions below are based on issues I currently have with some frames and the idea that each frame should live up to the job it is modeled after, without displacing that job or upseting *balance* as well as taking into account some previous things DEVs have mentioned as not feasible. For simplicity I will list the issue followed by the suggestion via job abilities, attatchments, etc.
Valoredge Frame:
Issue:
*Difficulty maintaining hate in party/alliance, and even solo setting (even using all the best available pet enmity gear currently in the game: Breeder's Mask/Mufflers, Domesticator's Earring, Rimeice Earring, Durgai Leggings.
Suggestion:
*Enmity Screen Job Ability:
-Could be one time use: Enmity generated from next weaapon skill is given to the automaton.
-Could be short duration: Enmity generated for duration of effect is given to the automaton.
-Could be cancelable with intermediate duration with penalty for balance of duration: Enmity generated for duration of effect is given to automaton. Master cannot perform weaponskills or weaponskill enmity does not apply.
-Could be cancelable with long duration outlasting recast, but caviat for balance: 25~50% of enmity generated by Master is given to Automaton, but weaponskill enmity does not apply.
-Could potential come with opposite effect JA that gives enmity generated from automaton to master, similar to Innin/Yonin pair.
*Strobe II Attachment (previously mentioned as a possibility, refer to DEV promise post)
-Could work with Strobe to decrease Provoke recast timer.
-Could be "Animated Flourish" or another Provoke with seperate recast timer.
-Could provide significant pet enmity.
*Flashbulb II Attachment
-High Volatile Enmity generating version of Flashbulb
*Cover Attachment
-Could be a durational effect activated whenever cast timer and appropriate maneuver is active and player with highest enmity is standing behind Automaton or when Automaton is not the current target of monster enmity.
-Could be perpetually active as long as maneuver is active and player with highest enmity is standing behind Automaton.
*Crusade/Palisade Attachments
-Could decrease enmity lost when damaged as well as facilitating enmity gain.
*Granting Valoredge access to enmity generating magic
*Further increase availability of Pet Enmity+ Armor
Issue:
*Achieving optimal survivability comes at the cost of Automaton being able to maintain hate or perform most logically useful weaponskill.
Suggestions:
*Automaton Weaponskill AI attachment (Tactical Processor II):
-Automaton would preform WSs based on current HP (HP<70% Cannibal Blade (Self Preservatory WS), HP<70% Weaponskill that would deal the most damage on current target, while for Stormwaker Frame HP<25~50% Magic Mortar, HP>50% Weaponskill that would deal the most damage.)
*Reprisal Attachment (Reactive Shield II)
-Could serve as means to increase survivability through increased block rate
-Could also decreases enmity loss from taking damage
*Hammermill II
-Could add "Drain" effect to shield bash
-Could add short duration significant attack down to enemy to increase survivability
*Defender Attachment
*Sentinel Attachment
*Rampart Attachment
*Make mana jammers MDT-%
*Granting Valoredge access to Enhancing Magic (Granting it access to healing magic would be unreasonable as far as balance is concerned).
*Further increase availability of Pet Damage Taken-% Armor
Stormwaker Frame:
Issues:
*Casting priority (Mainly Haste II)
*Nuke Damage/Cost efficiency
Suggestion:
*Allow RDM/BLM Automatons to backline damage deal through spamming tier I/II spells, at the speed similar to how Sharpshot frame can ranged attack with Drum Magazine
*Magic Damage+ Attachment
*Make Automaton Magic prioritization based on enemy level relative to that of the Master
Sharpshot Frame:
Issues:
*Sharpshot Frame/Head combination is nearly obscelete
-In comparison to having it front line using Valoredge Head with turbo chargers, having it ranged attack at all just slows its DPS due to animation lock similar to Puppetmaster maneuver animation lock
*Low survivability with little intrinsic self preserving capabilities
Suggestions:
*Double Shot/Triple Attachment:
-Could be occasional effect when attachment and appropriate maneuver is active, would make ranged attacks less of a hinderance to DPS, and make backlining Sharpshot Frame/Head combination strong enough to be useful again.
*Attachment that adds drain effect to Ranged Attacks:
-Could be occasional with increased activation with number of maneuvers
*Give Sharpshot higher TP return on ranged attacks
*Give Sharpshot increased TP return for Barrage, instead of the same as regular ranged attack
(Not mentioning Drain Automaton WS, due to the fact that Automaton WSs kind of off the table, and by design, we are running out of maneuvers to assign additional Automaton WSs, without overriding others.)
Harlequin Frame:
Issues:
*Limited usage, almost never used
-In light of the fact that there is no plans to make new head/frames, there is NO reason any of the current head/frames should be useless.
Suggestions:
Concept: Would like Harlequin to be the "Onion Knight" of frames:
*Grant Harlequin Frame access to ranged attacks
*Allow Harlequin Frame to attack with both hands per round, since his attacks are considered Hand-to-Hand
*Give Harlequin Frame higher base MP and grant him access enhancing magic
*Give Harlequin Frame innate shield bypass effect, similar to formless strikes
-For balance this would not apply to weaponskills.