Soliloquy, The final RDM job ability.

I've been giving some thought about how RDM can be brought to the front line more often. With the recent feedback from the developers in regards to why they didn't want to create situations where damage dealers were forced to use skill chains it is apparent that it really isn't fair to the mage classes.

The logic that it would be to cumbersome and difficult to force DD to do Skill Chains is sound. But the opposite end of the spectrum is just as unsound. The changes made during the recent updates are indeed welcomed as it relates to lowering magical resistances but mages are still waiting for "accidents" to happen to take advantage.

In order to remedy the situation I think RDM should receive an ability called Soliloquy. Why Soliloquy you ask? By definition the very word is what we're talking about.

"A soliloquy is a device often used in drama whereby a character relates his or her thoughts and feelings to him/herself and to the audience without addressing any of the other characters, and is delivered often when they are alone or think they are alone."

If you're thinking ahead of me I am proposing that RDM have the ability to trigger conditions for magic bursts. Yes another job has that ability already. But my idea is different.

My suggested job ability would work in conjunction with RDM TierI and II enspells.
For example, A RDM wanting to land Slow II on a highly resistant monster would use Soliloquy first (While under the effect of Enthunder II or by casting right after using the ability.) and then his next enspell strike would trigger a gravitation affect on the monster and allowing him to cast slow II and magic burst it.

I wouldn't even mind that RDM's get Soliloquy at lower levels and use it to work with tier I enspells. The above example would trigger scission with enthunder.

The ability description would read:

Sililoquy: Your next enspell damage will trigger conditions for a magic burst. Magic burst type depends on level and element of enspell.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Paulus

"A soliloquy is a device often used in drama whereby a character relates his or her thoughts and feelings to him/herself and to the audience without addressing any of the other characters, and is delivered often when they are alone or think they are alone."

---

I'm sorry, but I can't get the lyrics "Can I remember how this song and dance began? Yes I can, damn right I can." out of my head thanks to this. >.>;

Red Mage's Soliloquy suddenly becomes a possibility...

Actually was thinking why include a Enspell strike? Why not have a simple system of magic > magic = burst. Or call it something like "euclidation". Basically, either a RDM can cast off themselves to create a desired burst or off another casters magic.
Rather then mix and matching.. I think a linear progression only...for ex, thunder III > thunder II = what's the thunder combo impaction? I would say III > II because opposite might take too long to successfully link.
Ifwe're talking about casting off another caster, then simply casting a like- spell right on top of their cast could "burst"

An ancillary reason for an enspell strike would be so that we could melee. But the real reason is because of the effect of lowering magic resists. As you know tier II enspells allegedly lower monster resists for an element that precedes it in the elemental chart of coralations. Also with the new update monsters further receive weaknesses to skill chains that are performed on them. So an enthunder II strike triggering a weakness of it's own along with a scission or gravitation from my proposed ability would make a monster really weak to earth magic.

The devs have been trying to go this route. Tier II enspells, death blossom for lowering magic evasion. RDM mythic, and some ToTM blades that lower magic evasion as an additional affect.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Covenant

Actually was thinking why include a Enspell strike? Why not have a simple system of magic > magic = burst. Or call it something like "euclidation". Basically, either a RDM can cast off themselves to create a desired burst or off another casters magic.
Rather then mix and matching.. I think a linear progression only...for ex, thunder III > thunder II = what's the thunder combo impaction? I would say III > II because opposite might take too long to successfully link.
Ifwe're talking about casting off another caster, then simply casting a like- spell right on top of their cast could "burst"

---

Lol, they should give this ability to us at 30 so that other jobs can take everything that is good and unique about or job, jk. I'm sorry if i'm ruffling your feathers. I personally would rather it on Enspell as well so that you have the identity as a front line mage. Why else do we have phallanx if we arent supposed to be at risk?

I like the idea of our Enspell 2s being useful and I would love our Magic Burst bonus to be useful. +1 to idea.

You couldn't fire off 2 T4 nukes fast enough to SC and then a 3rd fast enough to MB unless you were using Chainspell.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by noodles355

You couldn't fire off 2 T4 nukes fast enough to SC and then a 3rd fast enough to MB unless you were using Chainspell.

---

You could if you had at least 50% fast cast and you used lower T4 nukes to close and MB.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by noodles355

You couldn't fire off 2 T4 nukes fast enough to SC and then a 3rd fast enough to MB unless you were using Chainspell.

---

Yes you can, as SCH you can cast a tier V then tier IV then MB with another spell, and they only have around ~30% casting time. RDM can get 50% easily and now the cap has been raised to ~80% you can do it even easier.

I don't have any problem making an SC with two tier IV spells on SCH, without Alacrity. I'm not sure if it's true but I've read that the window for Immanence is larger than for normal SC chains. If that's the case, and it's necessary to chain tier IVs, of course the same could be done for the RDM ability. I don't know for sure if it's required if all FC gear is included in the pre-cast but I could never hit the MB window on tier IV or V on my own SC without Alacrity.

I love self SC on SCH but am just as confused as anyone why the ability to SC with spells was given to SCH instead of the melee mage. I'm sure the standard "slap in RDMs face" reason applies.

So, I love this concept, especially that it makes use of enspells to promote melee and just to give them a bit more utility. I'd like it if it were a combination of weapon strike and spell to distinguish it from Immanence and to require the melee part.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Merton9999

I don't have any problem making an SC with two tier IV spells on SCH, without Alacrity. I'm not sure if it's true but I've read that the window for Immanence is larger than for normal SC chains. If that's the case, and it's necessary to chain tier IVs, of course the same could be done for the RDM ability. I don't know for sure if it's required if all FC gear is included in the pre-cast but I could never hit the MB window on tier IV or V on my own SC without Alacrity.

I love self SC on SCH but am just as confused as anyone why the ability to SC with spells was given to SCH instead of the melee mage. I'm sure the standard "slap in RDMs face" reason applies.

So, I love this concept, especially that it makes use of enspells to promote melee and just to give them a bit more utility. I'd like it if it were a combination of weapon strike and spell to distinguish it from Immanence and to require the melee part.

---

A skillchain in a way is a battle tactic, SCH was called a "Battle Tactician" so it fits in with the job.

Trick Attack in a way is a battle tactic, SCH was called a "Battle Tactician" so it fits with the job.

...really that statement is pretty much fill in the blank.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Supersun

Trick Attack in a way is a battle tactic, SCH was called a "Battle Tactician" so it fits with the job.

...really that statement is pretty much fill in the blank.

---

That's how I feel. I could come up with an "it fits" statement for self SCing on any job. My disappointment at update time had more to do with the fact that I already had a lot of neat new tricks to play around with on SCH while RDM was just as boring as it was at 75. A self SC combining melee and magic seemed a lot more exciting and long overdue.

My suspicion is that the reason for almost everything I thought would have fit RDM going to another newer job probably has less to do with what makes sense according to the job description and more to do with providing an incentive to level those new jobs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Supersun

Trick Attack in a way is a battle tactic, SCH was called a "Battle Tactician" so it fits with the job.

...really that statement is pretty much fill in the blank.

---

Not really!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Merton9999

That's how I feel. I could come up with an "it fits" statement for self SCing on any job. My disappointment at update time had more to do with the fact that I already had a lot of neat new tricks to play around with on SCH while RDM was just as boring as it was at 75. A self SC combining melee and magic seemed a lot more exciting and long overdue.

My suspicion is that the reason for almost everything I thought would have fit RDM going to another newer job probably has less to do with what makes sense according to the job description and more to do with providing an incentive to level those new jobs.

---

I think it's more to do with the fact the Dev's are too scared of giving RDM far too much of a boost that they make the job over-powered. Don't get me wrong, I'm with people on RDM it needs a massive buff as if it stays the same there is little to nothing at the 99 cap that you get RDM main, that you can't get /RDM other than Composure.

By the way, I think Composure is why they fear what they give RDM, on a whole it's the best JA any job can get, though being as it was touted as a increase for the melee side I don't think they fulfilled it with a massive gain of 15 accuracy.

An enspell and haste increase in my opinion is one of the biggest and easiest buffs they could add to it, if nothing else potentially in the new merit system.

--

You have people going on about giving stances, modes etcetera one melee one magic, we have that.

Composure active = Melee
Composure inactive = Magic

It's just on the melee side Composure isn't all that.

Not gonna lie though +15 acc for -25% recast is a REALLY harsh trade off lol

I mean for -recast samurais get almost that much acc along with Str and haste lol.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Supersun

Not gonna lie though +15 acc for -25% recast is a REALLY harsh trade off lol

I mean for -recast samurais get almost that much acc along with Str and haste lol.

---

Agreed. Still, the guys with all sets of gear that use the current mechanics to solo stuff are what the developers check their closets for at night. Either that or they fear that a large % of RDMs would suddenly go perma-melee and never look back if meleeing was made viable.

I'm fine with what SCH got. Yeah i would have liked it on RDM. But now it just makes me want something that is different and more in line with what i think a RDM should get.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ManaKing

I'm fine with what SCH got. Yeah i would have liked it on RDM. But now it just makes me want something that is different and more in line with what i think a RDM should get.

---

Magic as part of a skillchain infers to physical combat and magic meshing together. How is that not what a RDM should get?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Duelle

Magic as part of a skillchain infers to physical combat and magic meshing together. How is that not what a RDM should get?

---

Because they are still casting from back row and SCing. You still have to cast a spell for Immanence to work. If you want to MB then you have to cast another spell during the battle.

I want something front row and JA instead. So long as you enspell is up, you can activate it just like a WS.

I mean yes you would still have to cast the MB, but the point is we get MBB. We don't get SC bonus. I want to be able to JA so that I can get right to the MB. To me they are very different.

/sarcasm
I mean god forbid we get JAs. We've always had so many.
/end sarcasm.

Lack of JAs has always been one of my biggest gripes on RDM. Yeah we get a ton of spells, but so do WHM and BLM. And aren't we supposed to be the jack of all trades, TM. I'm pretty sure I would have jacked a couple more JAs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ManaKing

Because they are still casting from back row and SCing. You still have to cast a spell for Immanence to work. If you want to MB then you have to cast another spell during the battle.

---

It's still within the concept of RDM because it crosses that threshold between melee and mage, and as such SCH had no business ever getting something like that. Hell, if distance is a concern to you, make it a JA that reduces casting range to 5 yalms. Then you pretty much have to be in melee to get it off.

Don't get me wrong, because I agree in that we need more job abilities. The devs are the ones that have to pull their head our of the sand and figure how to make it work without redesigns of the class from the ground up. (which, to be frank, I would not be entirely opposed to)

The only reason I don't agree with you is that I think SCH should be it's own class. It stops me from ever thinking I should be a back line mage. If i wanted to be a casting RDM from the back row, I would play SCH. I really do believe that everyone should have their own class that is just tons of fun to play. I'm not going to take anything away from another class.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ManaKing

The only reason I don't agree with you is that I think SCH should be it's own class. It stops me from ever thinking I should be a back line mage. If i wanted to be a casting RDM from the back row, I would play SCH. I really do believe that everyone should have their own class that is just tons of fun to play. I'm not going to take anything away from another class.

---

SCH is still my favorite job to play and by no means do I want to take anything away from it. And you can certainly justify a spell + spell SC ability based on the Battle Tactician title. My problem is that I keep seeing all these abilities that seemed for a long time to be "missing" from RDM added to other jobs. I wanted Spell + WS = SC forever on RDM before BLU came out, so reading Chain Affinity in 2006 was my first wtf moment in this regard. After that it just kept happening: enfeebling weapon strikes on DNC, Enlight to PLD and Endark to DRK, then self SC with spells alone on SCH.

I don't want these things taken away from those jobs by any means. It's just annoying to see anything and everything I thought would be cool for RDM going to other jobs. Now let me be clear, I'm not at home fuming. In fact, it's more funny than anything now, because I know someone at SE is laughing all the way to the bank as they tempt me to level BLU, DNC and SCH. And they got me with BLU and SCH so far! Seriously that's the reasoning I'm going with because with god mode, every barrier being removed and almost every job able to solo what RDM could, I don't buy the "RDM would be too powerful" excuse anymore.

The worst part is it makes me reluctant to talk about any wish list items on the RDM board like Reflect, Runic, Double Cast, etc., because I know in August I'll be reading:

Runic: PLD 91
Double Cast: PUP 93
Haste 2: RDM 91

I'd quit. Then come back again. But I won't level PLD or PUP!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ManaKing

The only reason I don't agree with you is that I think SCH should be it's own class. It stops me from ever thinking I should be a back line mage. If i wanted to be a casting RDM from the back row, I would play SCH. I really do believe that everyone should have their own class that is just tons of fun to play. I'm not going to take anything away from another class.

---

I'm not sure I follow. SCH is more casting-focused than RDM. What I was saying is that say, we have the following JA given to Red Mage:

Quote:

---

Combat Caster: Your next cast elemental spell can be used to open a skillchain.

---

And had the following mechanics attached to it:

Quote:

---

- Doubles casting speed for the elemental spell in question
- Reduces casting range down to 5 yalms (trying to cast an elemental spell outside of this range would give you the "Target is too far away" message)

---

It stops being a ranged caster JA and becomes something along the lines of what you'd use in the front lines.

As merton put so well, a lot of things that are in line with RDM were given to other classes, leaving us utterly stagnant. If anything, I'd say other classes took lots of things that made sense for RDM. That trend needs to stop.

Yeah but why even bother with the spell cast? What I want is a job ability that opens the mob up directly for a MB. If I want to cast spells, I want them to count. I'm an Elvaan. Unless I'm in Aby my MP pool is finite. I don't want to spend levels 91-99 in aby.

I would get more out of my magic burst bonus, because I would be magic bursting in stead of SCing. Every mage in the group would want me there because they would be magic bursting as well.

It's not like I care that BLU can self SC. What I care about is that I need another person to be able to MB and they don't. It's not like I can't already participate in a SC. What I'm asking for is for my job to have more desirable things for the party. This is a desirable thing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ManaKing

It's not like I care that BLU can self SC. What I care about is that I need another person to be able to MB and they don't. It's not like I can't already participate in a SC. What I'm asking for is for my job to have more desirable things for the party. This is a desirable thing.

---

Self SC is one of those things that have been given out like candy to other jobs. At the same time, BLU being able to do so and RDM not just perpetuates that "lul blu iz teh meele mage, u r teh refresh bot" image we're trying to get away from, even more so when the SC is a product of a magic spell and a weapon skill, as is proper of a melee mage.

Opening the window for magic burst without the skillchain is odd and would probably open a can of worms somewhere down the line.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Duelle

Self SC is one of those things that have been given out like candy to other jobs. At the same time, BLU being able to do so and RDM not just perpetuates that "lul blu iz teh meele mage, u r teh refresh bot" image we're trying to get away from, even more so when the SC is a product of a magic spell and a weapon skill, as is proper of a melee mage.

Opening the window for magic burst without the skillchain is odd and would probably open a can of worms somewhere down the line.

---

What like a can of worms where people actually knew what a MB was and might want to look up how to achieve it themselves?
/shock

Sorry if I'm getting sarcastic, but i've played with enough people that dont even know what a SC or MB is to care about the ramifications of letting people MB without a SC. At least then, maybe some of those people might know what to do with one if they ever made it.

SE clearly doesnt think that SC or MB is super important with the way they setup the light system for Aby. I'm not saying that I agree with that, but if they aren't going to change the way they are going, why not come out ahead for once? It sure beats coming out behind everyone like we normally do.

Soliloquy sounds more like a PUP ability... maybe use a name from the fencing sport like Riposte or Remise.

For the record, my last post was before I edited my spellcast to not suck, and before my nukes started firing at 30ish %

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ManaKing

Yeah but why even bother with the spell cast? What I want is a job ability that opens the mob up directly for a MB. If I want to cast spells, I want them to count. I'm an Elvaan. Unless I'm in Aby my MP pool is finite. I don't want to spend levels 91-99 in aby.

---

You want to spare some MP outside of Abyssea? Open your SC with a T1-Spell. All you want is the SC. Either Don't MB, MB with an enfeeble or switch staff in after you WSed for more Nuke DMG.
You are in Abyssea? Get a higher tier spell for some added Dmg. You can even cast in Full Nuke Gear Except Weapon, Ammo and Ranged-Slot.
Can't see the problem here.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Limar

You want to spare some MP outside of Abyssea? Open your SC with a T1-Spell. All you want is the SC. Either Don't MB, MB with an enfeeble or switch staff in after you WSed for more Nuke DMG.
You are in Abyssea? Get a higher tier spell for some added Dmg. You can even cast in Full Nuke Gear Except Weapon, Ammo and Ranged-Slot.
Can't see the problem here.

---

I don't understand your first paragraph, to be honest. What are you referring to?

I'm talking about wanting to actually get to use my Magic Burst Bonus Trait. That is what I would want and that is why I support the OP.