Originally Posted by
AyinDygra
Thanks for the feedback!
You brought up some good points. Here's my reasoning behind various aspects of my proposal:
I figured since the monster correlations already exist, that it would be easier to include them than to exclude them. It does make sense that those would be less likely to react to pheromones, so removing them wouldn't be a big deal to me either. (although, the dragons/demons include many monsters that do fit, like puks and tauri, that I'd like to see under the influence of this ability)
NPC sold items would be very good. Making them craftable, and allowing HQ to be used only by Bst mains was one of my ways to keep Bst main superior to /bst sub, since we have other subjob issues.
The fast recast (10sec) is so it can be used on multiple party members during a fight, whoever needs enmity manipulation, on the fly. 30seconds may work for longer fights, or if you're set on fighting a single enemy type so the effect will beneficially carry over from fight to fight. I'm of the opinion that shorter recasts are always preferable, unless there is some sort of abuse possible with shorter time frames. (we're afflicted with way too many minute+ recasts on stuff in this game)
The special boost in damage/accuracy was pretty much just a recounting of the bonus already granted by killer traits, just spelled out as a bonus on the list (given some people may still think killer effects are just intimidation rates, and to point out the minimum bonuses I'd like to see from this effect.) New gear or merits could be added to enhance the bonus damage and accuracy.
However, enmity manipulation was one of the primary reasons for creating the ability, enforcing the concept of the Predator/Prey/Territorial aspects of animals, especially in combat. This is a way for Beastmaster to contribute to the smooth functioning of a party, keeping the enemy focused more on the tank than the rest of the party, without directly buffing a tank's DD ability. The behavior of rival males during mating season is the perfect correlation between a tank and a party's target. This isn't a fast method of hate control like Thieves and Trick Attack, or Dragoons Super Jumping; it's a constant moderation of how people accrue and diminish their hate levels in a Beastmaster themed way.
When using the Predator's scent against an enemy on DD's, the reduction of enmity along with the killer trait is especially important for this ability. One of the reasons tanks find it hard to keep hate is because DD's can reach the maximum hate threshold so easily and hate ends up bouncing around. By adding the enmity down effect, DD's under this effect will drop down from this threshold, and when they DO get hate, they'll intimidate the enemy occasionally while their hate is dropping and the tank tries to regain control of the situation. Very few jobs can manipulate hate in such a beneficial way.
Giving everyone the killer effect against the monster may also prove useful, when hate control isn't as important as the other killer effect advantages.
I hope my reasons come across as logical to others.