FFXI Job Direction?? Dev Team, Please Respond.

[Leonlionheart]

This, as well as the whole "sticky notes on a dartboard" approach they've taken to Red Mage.

Why do people complain about RDM?

It's been overpowered to the point it can do everything BY ITSELF since it got meritable spells.

Not only could it solo better than everyone, but it was essential to party play too.

And for those who complain about RDM melee, well it's never been that in FFXI. It may have in FFI or FFIII, but it was never even close to that in FFXI. It gets some gear, it can use some swords, but its just never going to be worth while.

[Return1]

And for those who complain about RDM melee, well it's never been that in FFXI. It may have in FFI or FFIII, but it was never even close to that in FFXI. It gets some gear, it can use some swords, but its just never going to be worth while.

RDM was always intended to be a hybrid melee in ffxi. Hi2u enspells. Players just pigeonholed the job into a backline job. Convert was made so they never needed to rest mp. Refresh was added so MP users could rest less and melee more. Fast Cast was supposed to cut down on castng and make it easier to get spells off on the front lines. Spikes were for the front lines. RDM was put on light melee armor. RDM was given fairly nice swords, fencing swords. RDM got composure which increases melee damage by upping accuracy and decreasing time spent buffing, and the new Est. Set enhances this even further. Tier 2 enspells. SE is releasing loads of new melee Armor with RDM on it.

All of that is fairly good proof. Hell abyssea was designed so anyone could effectively melee, though RR unbalanced it and left SAM and DRK in the dust, and completely removed the need to rest at all. SE has been pushing all mages to melee more in fact. Through JAs, JTs, new WSs, spells, gear, and battle systems that encourages them to be on the front lines.

Don't believe me?

WHM: Given an entire job mode designed for being in the front lines that focuses on increasing MP efficiency. A spell that can greatly enhance melee accuracy, some tests parsing 35+ to acc, adds light damage, and gives subtle blow. Multiple native WSs capable of restoring large chunks of MP. New gear.

RDM: Covered above.

BLM: loloccult acumen. Spikes. Spirit Taker. Faster casting. New gear.

SMN: Spirit Taker, certain Avatar's Favor, Auto-Refresh II, MP recovery through syphon, and New gear.

BRD: Fencer, Crit defense, JAs can be used to keep specific songs on yourself, Military Parade, New gear.

SCH: loloccult acumen, Self SC, TP Regain spell, less casting of buffs through longer duraton and shorted casting times, New Gear.

Most of these changes have been made since the new introduction of battle systems that reward individuals based off of factors such as damage received and dealt, hp healed, enhancements granted, etc. The rewards of Beseiged, Campaign, WoE, and Bastion are heavily skewed in favor of those on the front lines. Better balance in these systems is probably why these jobs have seen a lot more useful front line ability boosts since their introduction.