Why Blue Mage should be a new Tank job [Magitek Knight]

[Seraphor]

People have suggested Magitek Knight before, as well as Blue Mage as being contenders for the next Tank job.
What if these two were combined into one job?
Nay, what if the next Tank was a combination of Magitek Knight, Rune/Mystic Knight and Blue Mage!?

This wouldn’t be the first ‘combo’ job in XIV.
White Mage incorporates Geomancy in order to gain DPS, Warrior is also Berserker because a Berserker on its own wouldn’t work and Warrior on its own would be too similar to Paladin, Bard is also Ranger because a Ranger on its own would be pretty lacklustre and Bard on its own would just be singing songs and nothing else.
Most notably however is Astrologian, quite clearly combining concepts from Time Mage, Gambler and Astrologer.

My proposal is for a Magitek themed, Gunblade wielding Tank, in Heavy Armour, with the damage absorbing mechanics of a Rune Knight, and the flavour of a Blue Mage in its spellset. A Magitek Knight, or MGK.
After much deliberation I even think this might be what SE themselves are thinking of doing with it, if anything.

Blue Mage doesn’t have to be any particular thing.
Blue Mages have wielded Hammers, Rods, Whips, Forks, Dual Swords, Spears. They’ve worn robes, light armour, heavy armour, and no armour at all.
They’ve learned their skills by getting hit by the spells, or be seeing those spells used, by consuming the enemy that uses them, or by simply using an item.
Blue Mage can be almost anything, the only staple it requires is that it uses a particular set of spells that are also used by enemies and monsters of the world they exist in, and it is via some kind of interaction with these enemies that these skills are learnt or used.

The Lore already supports it.
Garlean Magitek is entirely powered by Ceruleum, a form of processed Aether, which also happens to be named after a shade of Blue.
I believe that the reason they’ve previously said that we won’t be getting a Blue Mage (although context is everything and it could’ve just been we won’t be getting it YET, or it won’t be CALLED ‘Blue Mage’) is because Blue Magic is already in the game. In terms of Lore, it is the Garlean philosophy of claiming the power of the eikons for their own, basically Ultima Weapon.
Ultima Weapon not only absorbs the essences of the first three primals, but it uses their skills, along with some other previously used Blue Magic spells such as ‘Homing Laser’. Ultima Weapon IS our Blue Mage, and by association Magitek IS Blue Magic.

In many ways it wouldn’t be very lore-friendly to give us a Blue Mage with this in mind (which I believe is the basis for SE’s ‘no Blue Mage’ comments) however that doesn’t rule it out entirely. ‘Lore’ has already seemingly been broken with some jobs, and the most similar example is Summoner.
Summoning Primals is BAD, the game tells you this every chance it gets, so what does a Summoner do? It finds a way around this, a loophole. You’re not really summoning Primals, you’re shaping your own aether into a rudimentary form of a Primal.
Something similar could, and should happen with Blue Magic/Magitek, but it would need some groundwork to be laid out first. This groundwork I believe is Nero’s side-arc, and once we inevitably go to Garlemald/Ilsabard we might be ready for it.

Nero will have found a way to replicate Ultima Weapons technology on a smaller scale that’s more elegant and effective than basic Garlean Magitek. Basically the coming together of the Allagan’s Ultima Weapon and Garleans Ceruleum Magitek will be the true advent of Blue Magic (aka Stolen Magic/Artificial Magic) and one way or another this will become available to us, either via Nero himself joining us against Garlemald, or another character stealing the technology from him, as Nero cuts the act and becomes a true adversary, no longer needing us to aid in his research.
I expect the soulstone for the job will be Nero’s own small-scale replication of the ‘Heart of Sabik’, or a copy of it.

It would have to be a Tank.
Blue Magic spells aren’t going to be learned from enemies, it’s just not going to happen in FFXIV. However, a viable system for using Blue Magic that’s in line with both the spirit of the ‘Blue Mage’ identity, and in line with the functional systems of FFXIV, is a mechanic in which receiving hits powers/charges up your Blue Magic via some sort of job gauge. As you would be required to take as many hits as possible in order to use your signature moves, this mechanic could only work for a Tank.
In addition, this ‘Magitek Knight’ version of a Blue Mage would almost certainly adorn heavy armour, similar to Nero/Gaius, and so it fits the Tank role perfectly.

Instead of learning their spells via a unique mechanic, they would have to learn them through job quests like all other jobs.
Job Quests would centre around seeking out the power of beast tribes or monsters, and repurposing it as a new magitek skill/spell, while facing off against the Garlean agents who are after you for stealing their technology, potentially coming to blows with Nero.

Now there’s a number of ways ‘receiving hits’ could translate into using abilities and spells:
1. A linear gauge that fills in relation to hits received. (already seen a bit of this in Paladin)
2. Charges that fill at random when taking hits. (opposite of Sen)
3. Random proc’s that trigger when taking hits. (opposite of MCH’s Ammo)
I’m sure there’s enough there for a decent ‘gimmick’ around which to build an entirely ‘new’ job, which is what SE would want to do for any new Tank job. But at the same time, nothing so outlandish that it couldn’t easily slot into place in the existing mechanics of FFXIV and the direction of its progressive balance train.

[Seraphor]

My proposed Magitek Knight build.

Here’s my own proposed system that uses a bit of all three:

The signature job mechanic would be a Magitek Paling (force-field) that increases defence, and allows damage received to be converted into the Job Gauge (hereby referred to as Ceruleum) which caps at 100.
Each hit taken increases this gauge by 1, and in addition, every 10% of HP lost will increase the gauge by 1.
This gauge is then expended in the form of a burst-style DPS stance akin to Dark Arts/Blood Weapon, or to use the top ticket abilities, which would predominantly be Blue Magic, with the wide range of utility you’d expend from Blue Magic.

An additional gauge would be displayed with six slots, one for each element. Being attacked by an elemental attack would fill the respective slot.
In addition, any non-elemental hit you receive would have a 5% chance of filling one of these slots at random.
These elemental charges can be used to power up certain elemental attacks, or used for top ticket spells.
This sort of functions similarly to SAM’s Sen or MCH’s Ammo, however it’s triggered like a RNG Dark Arts, so you can control when you use it and on what skill, but not when you gain it.

Lastly, the core enmity and DPS combos would feature a minor random chance to proc on hit, meaning you might be able to start the combo’s part-way through.



And my own proposed Abilities:

Lv 1 Cutting Trigger
Swipe of the blade with a simultaneous blast of the gun.
100 potency damage and increases enmity. Costs TP.

Lv. 4 Shear Trigger
Uppercut of the blade with a simultaneous blast of the gun.
110 potency damage and increases enmity. Costs TP.
Combo with Cutting Trigger: 130 potency.
On Hit Bonus: Each hit received has a 2% chance of proc’ing Shear Triggers’s Combo Bonus.

Lv. 6 Icebrand
Trigger an ice-aspected magic round as you stab with the blade.
Physical 120 potency damage. Costs TP.
Combo with Cutting Trigger: 160 potency.
On Hit Bonus: Each hit received has a 5% chance of proc’ing Icebrand’s Combo Bonus.
25% chance to proc Blazefire.
Magitek Overdrive Bonus: Gain 10 Ceruleum.
Ice Aspected Energy Bonus: +40 potency, +5 Ceruleum, Guarantees Blazefire Proc.

Lv. 10 Power Conversion
Recovers HP equal to 10% of any damage received for 15 seconds. 90s cooldown. Costs MP.

Lv. 12 Punishment
Forward stab of the blade with a simultaneous blast of the gun.
120 potency damage and increases enmity. Costs TP.
Combo with Shear Trigger: 160 potency.
On Hit Bonus: Each hit received has a 1% chance of proc’ing Punishment’s Combo Bonus.
Magitek Paling Bonus: Builds enmity with all enemies in 5y radius.

Lv. 16 Magic Missile
Fire an aetherial missile from the gunblade into the air, homes in on target. (Matra Magic analogue)
Single target, ranged. Deals 50 potency damage and increases enmity. Costs MP.
Damage increases with targets HP. (up to 150 potency if target is at 100% HP)
(Like AST’s Essential Dignity, but offensive, works great as an opener, which is what it should be)

Lv. 18 Thundershard
Trigger a lightning-aspected magic round as you overhead-cleave with the blade.
Physical 140 potency damage. Costs TP.
Combo with Icebrand: 200 potency.
On Hit Bonus: Each hit received has a 2% chance of proc’ing Thudershard’s Combo Bonus.
50% chance to proc Blazefire.
Magitek Overdrive Bonus: Adds a 40 potency DoT over 9s.
Lightning Aspected Energy Bonus: +40 potency, +10 potency DoT, Guarantees Blazefire Proc.

Lv. 20 1000 Needles
Expel a wave of hypercharged aether particles in all directions.
10y radial AoE. 100 potency AoE damage split between targets, maximum of 1000 damage split between targets. Increases enmity. Costs MP.
Magitek Paling Bonus: Increases radius to 15y.

Lv. 25 Blazefire
Trigger a fire-aspected magic round as you spin-cleave with the blade.
Physical 80 potency 5y radial AoE damage. Costs TP.
If proc’ed with Icebrand/Thundershard: 120 potency AoE.
On Hit Bonus: Each hit received has a 1% chance of proc’ing Blazefire’s Combo Bonus.
Magitek Overdrive Bonus: Adds an additional 80 potency to make 140 or 200 total if proc’ed.
Fire Aspected Energy Bonus: +60 potency

-Ceruleum Gauge becomes available-

Lv. 30 Magitek Paling
Duration: Permanent, toggle on/off. (tank stance)
Decrease physical attack power by 10%, increase damage resistance by 10%, doubles Ceruleum rate. Costs MP to activate.
Cannot be used when under Magitek Overdrive effect.

Lv. 30 Rough Divide
Lunge towards target with an attack that deals 180 potency damage.
30s cooldown. Costs 10 Ceruleum.

Lv. 35 Magitek Overdrive
Increase physical attack power and skill speed by 15%, drains Ceruleum at 5/s. Duration: 20 seconds or until Ceruleum is empty.
Cancels Magitek Paling effect. 90s cooldown. If MG is fully drained, Magitek Paling is placed on a 10s cooldown. (Burst DPS stance)

Lv. 40 Fated Circle
Spin attack that deals 100 potency damage to all targets in a 5y radial AoE.
30s cooldown. Costs 10 Ceruleum.

Lv. 45 Stoneskin
20% physical damage reduction on self for 12s. 90s cooldown. Costs MP.
Earth Aspected Energy Bonus: 30% physical damage reduction over 15s.

Lv. 50 Blasting Zone
Fire a particle beam dealing 140 potency magical damage to all targets in a 15y by 5y corridor in front of you.
30s cooldown. Costs 10 Ceruleum.

-ARR cut off-

Lv. 52 Mind Blast
Single target, 10% magic power reduction debuff for 10 seconds. Fills Ceruleum by 25 points. 30s cooldown. Costs MP.
(Voidsent Job Quest, Mindflayer?)

Lv. 54 Aqualung
Water spell, cone AoE 180 potency damage, costs 20 Ceruleum, 30s cooldown.
Water Aspected Energy Bonus: +50 potency
(Eft Job Quest)

Lv. 56 White Wind
Recover 20% current HP of self and any party members in 10y radius, costs 20 Ceruleum, 90s cooldown.
Wind Aspected Energy Bonus: 30% HP recovery.
(Job quest, Sylphs? Instead of stealing the skill, they give it to you)

Lv. 58 Degenerator
Ground target AoE field, 5% magic vulnerability up for 10s. Costs 30 Ceruleum, 90s cooldown.
(As a technical 'Blue Mage' it has synergy/utility with casters, another Voidsent Job Quest, Succubus?)

Lv. 60 Aspect Enhancement
Primes Elemental Energy Signature to be used via the next viable skill.
(Main plot Job Quest involving Garleans)
(Energy Aspect Gauge and Aspected Energy Bonuses become available)

-HW cut off-

Lv. 62 Blaster
Targeted 5y AoE 40 potency damage, increases enmity. Costs 5 Ceruleum.
(Coeurl Job Quest)

Lv. 64 Aetheric Overload
Deal damage to all enemies in 10y radius that scales with your HP.
100 potency base plus 20 for every 5% HP (maximum of plus 400 for 500 total)
Expend all but 1 HP, gain a damage shield equal to your max HP for 3 seconds. Costs All Remaining Ceruleum. 180s cooldown.
All Aspected Energies Bonus: +100 base potency, damage shield for 6 seconds.
(Basically the Self Destruct enemy skill, repurposed as the last-resort/death-cheat tank skill)

Lv. 70 Mighty Guard
Extend Magitek Paling to all party members within 10y radius, giving them a 20% damage reduction buff.
Drains Ceruleum at 5/s. Can only be used when under Magitek Paling effect.
Duration: 15 seconds or until Ceruleum is empty. 150s cooldown.
All Aspected Energies Bonus: Extends duration to 20s.
(Another core plot Job Quest with the Garleans)

-SB cut off-

Lv. 72 Arctic Wind
Deals 100 potency damage to all enemies in a corridor AoE in front of and behind you, also inflicts Heavy and Slow.
Can only be used with Wind and Ice Aspected Energies. 3s Cast Time, uninterruptible. 120s cooldown. Costs 10 Ceruleum

lv. 76 Unfettered Growth
Bestow a 10% damage reduction buff on a target, plus each hit that target receives restores 2% of their max HP and 2% of your HP (4% of your HP if used on yourself) 15s duration.
Can only be used with Water and Earth Aspected Energies. 120s cooldown. Costs 10 Ceruleum

Lv. 80 Beta Wave
Stuns and deals damage to a target and all enemies nearby it with a potency of 300 for the first enemy, 10% less for the second, 20% less for the third, 30% less for the fourth, 40% less for the fifth, and 50% less for all remaining enemies.
Can only be used with Fire and Lightning Aspected Energies. 3s Cast Time, uninterruptible. 120s cooldown. Costs 10 Ceruleum




Clarification:

Basic Emnity combo: Cutting Trigger > Shear Trigger > Punishment (random proc’s on hit mean you might be able to start this combo part way through)
Enmity abilities: Magic Missile (ranged), 1000 Needles (AoE), Blaster (ranged AoE)

Mitigation: Power Conversion (pseudo dmg reduction), Magitek Paling (tank stance), Stoneskin (phys dmg reduction), Mighty Guard (raid shield), Unfettered Growth (targeted shield, TBN analogue)
Last resort: Aetheric Overload

Utility: Magic Hammer, White Wind, Degenerator

Basic DPS rotation: Cutting Trigger > Icebrand* > Thundershard* ~Blazefire > Repeat (random proc’s on hit means you may be able to start this combo part way through)
Burst & enhanced DPS rotation: Magitek Overdrive > Cutting Trigger > Aspect Enhancement > Icebrand > Aspect Enhancement > Thundershard > Aspect Enhancement > Blazefire > Either A or B
A > Cooldown finisher or any randomly proc’ed weaponskill (basically filling the last 2-4 seconds with whatever you have available)
B > Cutting Trigger > Icebrand > Cooldown Finisher (this would require precise timing in order to finish with 5> seconds to spare and get to your Icebrand for the additional 10 Ceruleum before you ran out, in order to give you an extra couple seconds to get in the final attack)
DPS cooldowns: Rough Divide (added mobility), Fated Circle, Blasting Zone, Aqualung, Arctic Wind, Betawave


Aspect Enhancement Explanation:
As you take hits, you'll notice your six elemental icons light up somewhat randomly.
[F][I][L][Wi][Wa][E]
When you activate Aspect Enhancement, all available elements will glow. E.g. you have Fire, Wind and Lightning, they all glow when you use this skill.
[F][I][L][Wi][Wa][E]
When you then activate a skill that consumes one or some these energies, that energy is spent and goes dark again. E.g. You use Blazefire, the Fire icon goes dark, and the Wind and Lightning icons stop glowing, no longer activated.
[F][I][L][Wi][Wa][E]
You can hit it again to trigger the Wind and Lightning energies again to be used on say White Wind or Thundershard.
You take some more hits and notice Water and Fire energies light up again, and repeat.
[F][I][L][Wi][Wa][E]

Most skills are only enhanced by these elemental energies similarly to Dark Arts, however the post SB skills Arctic Wind, Unfettered Growth and Beta Wave, can ONLY be used by consuming their respective energies, more like Iaijutsu.

[Derio]

Would need some adjustments As it seems to be a crossover of PLD and War with self healing and healing for party members along with your standard mitigation.


I looked through and noticed you are missing the Tank life saver skill at lvl 50. Ex. Living dead, holmgang, hallowed ground. Aetheric Overload should be a lvl 50 skill to keep in on par with the other tanks.

Outside of that everything looks great

[Mahrze]

So TL;DR. what's different now from your prev thread that has the same concept?

[Seraphor]

So TL;DR. what's different now from your prev thread that has the same concept?

Quite a bit.
For starters I've made many changes in the build, but the main thing is the entire supporting argument in the first post.

[kirby200]

As long as they have a whip (Simon Belmont/Quistis) or Fork (Quina quen) im game.

[Jandor]

I love the supporting lore and the way you've justified both the Garlean origin and wearing heavy armor.

Not so keen on the job gameplay idea itself, it's good but I'm bias by my own vision of how BLU would play

[Reynhart]

Interesting concept to have comboes proc from hits as it makes the rotation more reactive than most other jobs.

However, I think the six elemental aspects are a bit convoluted, considering how meaningless elements are in this game. You could keep the job identity even if you replace those with an elemental charge (As you said, like Sen and Bullets) that increase when you're hit.

Also, having 1000 needles with a fixed damage will quickly make it obsolete at higher levels.

[MartaDemireux]

I like the lore background a lot.

1000 Needles will be very problematic. I’m not sure how broken it would be but what if some other potencies were slightly lowered and 1000 Needles had a potency of 1000 that is split amongst targets to a minimum of 100 potency. Perhaps it could be split into damage and DoT similar to Aero III or feature a gauge boost per enemy hit. That way one enemy will take a lot of damage but not gain gauge as much while a massive pull will deal less damage but really build or at least have a chance at building a gauge significantly.

All of the elements would get hectic as well and I think an aetherflow-type display would be better suited.

Kind of sad at the lack of Self-Destruct. I wonder if it would be possible to fashion this into an invincibility move as it appears you’re missing one. Deplete all HP and MP to 1 but gain invincibility while it deals damage based on how much MP was used up.

[Reynhart]

Kind of sad at the lack of Self-Destruct. I wonder if it would be possible to fashion this into an invincibility move as it appears you’re missing one. Deplete all HP and MP to 1 but gain invincibility while it deals damage based on how much MP was used up.

There is one :

Lv. 64 Aetheric Overload
Deal damage to all enemies in 10y radius that scales with your HP.
100 potency base plus 20 for every 5% HP (maximum of plus 400 for 500 total)
Expend all but 1 HP, gain a damage shield equal to your max HP for 3 seconds. Costs All Remaining Ceruleum. 180s cooldown.
All Aspected Energies Bonus: +100 base potency, damage shield for 6 seconds.
(Basically the Self Destruct enemy skill, repurposed as the last-resort/death-cheat tank skill)

But I'd say that "max HP shield" is a little low considering how much the other skills can absorb without the tank dying.