Dragoon Manifesto thoughts

[Yugl]

I'm going to agree with Amador on this one. The boots are a waste of inventory space to the extent 200HP starting HP won't save your wyvern. Most NMs either burn wyverns via one-hit TP moves or a consecutive series of a AoEs that outpace Spirit Link. You already said the boots are a pre-fight antique, so they won't solve the latter issue. The boots solve the former issue only if the NM's most powerful AoE to land is the initial AoE and that AoE occurs within the duration of the stoneskin. This is almost never the case since most NMs save their most powerful AoEs for near the end of the fight.

Except its 200HP your wyvern didnt have before, Except it prevents a chunk of the damage. By your logic why bother Casting Shell V? Protect? Stoneskin? Blink? Phalanx? Utsusemi? I mean you can still die with them on! why bother buffing yourself?

Not only is that item annoying to craft every 20th NM, but his logic is sound if you phrase it properly by replacing "can" with "will", which more accurately describes the wyvern with a 200HP bonus. There's no point in buffing if the outcome is the same. If those spells will one-hit the wyvern regardless of buffs, then what is the logic in applying those buffs exactly?

I think AoE Haste is getting ahead of yourself, since Haste can already cap somewhat easily.

For DRG without 2hr buffs? Since when? I wouldn't mind having the bonus on the DRG equal the bonus on PT members for an ability like Impetus/Blood rage (A critical hit type ability) if, in total, we contribute more to overall damage than another heavy DD.

I'm getting roughly 73% haste with March 2x + Haste + Gear + Hasso.

[Karbuncle]

Not only is that item annoying to craft every 20th NM, but his logic is sound if you phrase it properly by replacing "can" with "will", which more accurately describes the wyvern with a 200HP bonus. There's no point in buffing if the outcome is the same. If those spells will one-hit the wyvern regardless of buffs, then what is the logic in applying those buffs exactly?

I don't think I've met a mob yet that will 1shot a wyvern that a player should be meleeing on anyway... But i see your point in that subject, and it makes it a little clearer.

But i still think my point stands. Not every NM in the game is going to have a TP move that 1 shots your wyvern, for the 99% of the game that doesn't, These boots would go a long way to helping your wyvern survive.

Plus, on buying them, its really cheap to get synth'd for you, and the materials are easy to come across as well. They don't take long to get.

If i had the ability to grant my Wyvern Scherzo, and Stoneskin, I'd do both, not one or the other. I just don't understand the logic of "It'll eventually die so why bother". I still believe its the same logic behind buffing yourself before a fight, every bit counts.

The concern about 1 shotting is real, But theres still multiple mobs that do not 1 shot a pet where a stoneskin would be a decent preventative measure. Plus, From the sounds of "Only spirit link cures our pets" I don't think some people even know that Dawn Mulsum exists :X

BTW, If its not clear I'm admitting earth greaves suck right now, Its the reason they aren't sold ever, but if they were buffed out of useless there would be market for them. Same as when Dawn Mulsum was discovered.

My point is still, If they buffed Earth Greaves (I specifically mention Duration) it would be another step in preventing wyvern death, and i think it would. I'm not implying its all that needs to be done, I'm not implying it makes your wyvern immune. I'm saying it would be another small step to help the problem

[Amador]

Depending on the Duration, You could activate it before a fight. During a fight its a different story, It'd be more like a "Pre-buff", Like when you pro/shell yourself before a fight. It would help your wyvern live a little big longer.

Except its 200HP your wyvern didnt have before, its the same reason people bother casting Shell, Protect, Phalanx, Utsusemi, Blink, Stoneskin, etc. They're all buffs that extend how long you can take a beating, Just like a 200HP stoneskin would.

I understand it doesnt sound like a lot of HP, but its 1 preventive measure. Plus you can remove the boots after using the effect.

They would really be like a Reraise Hairpin, Something you use before a fight as a preventive measure, not something you use during. It would just be a little extra boost to the Wyverns survivability. The only problem is their duration is too short. That was the improvement i asked for.

Thing is, everything else you just mentioned is infinitely more useful than a 200 damage stoneskin. There's nothing you'll fight other than EP that won't break through that 200, regardless. In your prior statement you said that's 200 HP your wyvern didn't have before. It wouldn't matter. Those spells one shot our Wyverns outside of Abyssea, which is why I mentioned them.

I'm sure better items will come in time, but hoping they revise something like Earth Greaves is just wishful thinking. They should just stick to abilities traits, passive traits that affect our wyverns and or the ability to have our wyverns cure themselves with their own Healing Breath.

As far as 'over powering' Dragoon. That's just something you can't do. They haven't given the job enough to even consider this simply by adding an Attack Boost, and Crit Boost. If anything, they over powered Warrior with what they're giving them. 100% Crit hit ability coming up, Blood Rage. Shall I go on? They cater to certain jobs, mainly the jobs played by a vast majority.

They can't over power something they have never catered to.

AoE abilties that increase attack or haste would be a bit much, and probably be low durations like Warcry or Blood Rage. Dragoon needs something for it's own caliber perhaps it's own set of stances, that define it's job even more. Something that can take it away from the binds of /SAM.

Dragoon isn't the only job SE hasn't catered to, there are others that are in desperate need for revision that are still waiting.

[Leonlionheart]

For DRG without 2hr buffs? Since when? I wouldn't mind having the bonus on the DRG equal the bonus on PT members for an ability like Impetus/Blood rage if, in total, we contribute more to overall damage than another heavy DD.

Haste: 14.65%
Gear: 25%
Hasso: 9.96%
=
49.61%

March1+3: 12.31 (Assuming March+1 = +1000/1082 haste)
March2+3: 15.43 (Assuming March+1 = +1000/1082 haste)
=
27.74% + 49.61% = 77.35% (Same as WAR)

Ok. It's not cap.

Edit: Spirit Surge will only get you to 78.71%.

[Karbuncle]

An Ability for Wyverns to cure themselves with Healing Breath would be nice, but it might cause problems to a DRG soloing, could cause a death.

But i like the sound of it.

Also, i can admit wanting Earth Greaves to not suck is wishful thinking. There were just so many items that could have been semi-useful if they werent so terribly thought out. that was one of them...

Edit: Also i can't understand some of the hostility from some of you, Its not like I'm here saying DRG doesnt need an Update, I was just pointing out an Item, That if "fixed" could help with wyvern survivability.

[Leonlionheart]

An Ability for Wyverns to cure themselves with Healing Breath would be nice, but it might cause problems to a DRG soloing, could cause a death.

But i like the sound of it.

Also, i can admit wanting Earth Greaves to not suck is wishful thinking. There were just so many items that could have been semi-useful if they werent so terribly thought out. that was one of them...

Edit: Also i can't understand some of the hostility from some of you, Its not like I'm here saying DRG doesnt need an Update, I was just pointing out an Item, That if "fixed" could help with wyvern survivability.

Damnit Karbuncle stop picking fights

[Amador]

If that was part of the update, I could do without it.

Resorting to an item that would have a delay, of give or take 10 seconds to cast, probably 5 to allow you to use an ability after would really be horrible. A waste of time, and a waste of potential FF updates. :|

[OMEGA_HACK]

Something I made for DRG's stances in the DRG forum:

Dragoon stances
Just some ideas that popped into my head today while I was fooling around, most jobs have some kind of stance that alters their play style, so why not give something similar to DRG?

Ability Name: Spirit Scout (Stance 1):
Flavor Text: Sends your Wyvern high into the sky to keep a watch out for the Dragoon.
Effects: While under this stance the Wyvern disappears from combat, not being able to be attacked from any damage nor can it attack any target. Dragoon gains the ability of Wide Scan III, gains an increase to defensive stats: Vitality+10, Agility+5, Defense+45, Magical Defense+15, Enemy Critical Hit Rate-15%, Parry+15 and Evasion+15. CANNOT use Breath Commands while under this stance.
Duration: 2 hours
Recast: 3 minutes

Ability Name:Spirit Bond (Stance 2)
Flavor Text: The Wyvern and Dragoon share their strengths and weaknesses.
Effects: Grants the Dragoon an increase to offensive stats: Strength+10, Dexterity+5, Attack+25, Accuracy+25, Critical Hit Damage+10% while decreasing their defensive stats: Vitality-10, Agility-10, Defense-25, Magical Defense-15, Enemy Critical Hit Damage+10%. Grants the Wyvern an increase to offensive stats: Attack+30, Accuracy+30, Critical Hit Rate+10%, Haste+15%.
Duration: 2 hours
Recast: 3 minutes

Ability Name: Spirit Breath (Stance 3)
Flavor Text: The Dragoon focuses his strengths within the Wyvern to increase survivability.
Effects: Grants the Wyvern with various beneficial stat increases: Wyvern HP+500, Healing Breath Potency+5%, Wyvern Defense+30, Wyvern Magical Defense+30, Elemental Breath Potency+10%, Wyvern Damage Taken-30, Breath Recast-10. Grants the Dragoon with various stat alterations: HP-250, Defense-15, Magical Defense-15, Attack Speed-5%, Vitality-15.
Duration: 2 hours
Recast: 3 minutes

Of course only one of them can be active at a time newer applications overriding previous stances. While under all these stances the Two Hour ability "Spirit Surge" will still be available since the Wyvern is still technically "called out". Also just to restate, while under the first stance the Wyvern will NOT be able to use Breaths of any kind.

Also, I don't like the idea of more gear to give the Wyvern added effects...I'm tired of being forced to sacrifice slot space (when other jobs just get the damn abilities forever) this is why I don't really care for those Wyvern: Stoneskin boots, and more than likely if they make the Ability a stoneskin effect the boots won't stack (as no stoneskin effects do currently)

And to further the note on Stoneskin effect, it will more than likely be 300-350 dmg absorbed, does anyone look at their logs when a Wyvern takes damage from a high tier elemental spell/ability from a NM? You can assume if you get hit for 600 the tack an extra 300 dmg and that is what your Wyvern is taking, and the Wyvern has what, 990HP @75 (not sure what its at @90 but I'm sure its no more than 1300 or so and that I feel is being a generous increase).

More than likely one of the two things will be problems with this "Stoneskin Ability" it will have a 3min recast OR it will sacrifice your own HP to give your Wyvern a Stoneskin effect and share a recast timer with Spirit Link (they will name it Soul Link I am sure...)

Problem with that is: 3min is a long time a NM is going to use that devastating attack again before that 3min recast is back up, also if you have to lose HP to do it, healers are not going to want us in the party, I know it pisses Healers off already when I Spirit Link (since the ratios for PChp <-> Whp is severely skewed out of our favors)

Honestly the ONLY way to make the Wyvern live longer (and reps PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE forward this to those devs, is to give Wyverns -damage (all types) taken traits; silly stoneskin effects are a novelty at best, and please don't make that little Wyvern grow in size if it means sacrificing REAL job improvement as this has happened in the past, note my previous post on details)

Well this post as gone on for long enough, I'll end it here although I could say more on the matter.

[Karbuncle]

If that was part of the update, I could do without it.

Resorting to an item that would have a delay, of give or take 10 seconds to cast, probably 5 to allow you to use an ability after would really be horrible. A waste of time, and a waste of potential FF updates. :|

They could throw it in the mini updates :O? Fix a bunch of crappy old items!

[Amador]

Those stances would be horrendous. Absolutely, just no. God no, please no.

I love how many Dragoons like playing the role of "Back up DD", instead of taking head charge and being one of the "Main DD". I personally enjoy -tanking- nms, and I am a main dd in my party always. The idea of switching into a stance, and taking +10% Critical Hit Damage is just evil. I would cry, and honestly it would ruin the job for me for what it is.

Look at Samurai, what sacrifices do they make? Spell Casting +50%! Oh no, they wept. Then they gained you know, +10% Ability, +15 STR or whatever, and other stuff.

I'd say stances implemented while they should be defensive and offensive, should not have a ton of negative effects. As I said, check SAM.