Spell Wishlist

[Duelle]

Basically, it boils down to Player base views. Adding more JAs won't make people say: "Hey! Totally sweet! Don't stand back there and cast, come up here and hit this." It'll be the same as it was for SMN. Run in, use your buff and then get your butt back to the rear and keep casting. I mean sheesh, look at BLU, It has two more JAs then we do, and those two are merited and may not even be used by a particular BLU, and yet they're still seen as a DD.

BLU is heavily protected by game mechanics, which is why it hasn't been completely crammed into the role of healer.

All it would take is a mechanic in place to ensure the RDM is still there hitting things. On the topic of using an ability to land some sort of effect on the mob, you could probably make it a 10 second duration with time extentions on the effect being granted for ever melee hit the RDM lands. That'd be a decent starting place.

Personally, I don't care either/or to stand in the front line in a party. Maybe a boost to Sword and Dagger Skill will give the DMG results you want, open up the full list of WS to use. If people don't want you melee like you did in Valkurm Dunes, they're going to make it happen.

Clear-cut options would prevent that. The further removal of excuses to not let a RDM melee would also go a long way.

RDM can Solo just as many NM, BCNM, and other things in the game.

Irrelevant in a game built from the ground up on partying. Melee needs to become something more than just a solo toy.

You want to get RDM to the front line, then there needs to be something to add to compliment what we already do best. Saboteur was a prime example of such things.

As I mentioned in the melee thread, to build on enfeebling I'd want to see enfeebling tied more to melee. All Saboteur did was further reinforce back-lining.

The auras you talk of, you mean Holy Circle, Warding Circle, and Ancient Circle? Because they're only so useful, giving a "Killer Trait" is a situational need. I mean there's also War Cry, Rampart, Conspirator, and Blood Rage (Mind you I don't play many melee jobs as is so there maybe more... when I level them, I'll look.) which are also helpful, but what aura would you give RDM? Would it again change players minds and let you melee, because if I'm not mistaken, the above abilities work as an AoE and once it's in effect you don't have to stand near the person.

I misread that as similar to an idea I saw a while back that would allow certain buffs (Refresh, Regen, Haste) be castable on self as an aura effect for a set duration, thus negating the need to cycle spells. That's make for one less excuse to keep the RDM form meleeing, specially since it's not like you need specific gear to cast any of that.

I know well and good about Stupid NMs, had to hunt Shikigami Weapon for 2 Weeks to finally get my first Yin Yang Robe, but if it's something you want, and you feel it's worth the time to get, then you're going to find the time to do so, or pray that SE makes a trial exclusively for RDM and their En-Spells. As for En-II, I use them all the time, it's like a constant Ninja Elemental Wheel Effect. Of course I'd like to see them hit more than once since they can only be used my main RDM regardless of the new level cap, but I can see why they don't allow it.

There's a notable difference between gear that compliments what a job can already do and gear that helps a job do something to acceptable levels. Enhancing Sword and Chimeric Fleuret are a kick to the stomach to most Red Mages because both are stupidly difficult to get and are the only worthwhile swords that actually build on Red Mage melee. Enhancing Sword alone was more a status symbol than anything else because of the low drop rate and the fact it dropped from Bune. If there were a line of other swords that had similar stats built in (kind of like BLU and the ton of BLU-specific Kilij that were made just for them) this wouldn't be much of an issue.

[Protey]

Enhancing Sword and Chimeric Fleuret are a kick to the stomach to most Red Mages because both are stupidly difficult to get and are the only worthwhile swords that actually build on Red Mage melee

This is wrong. Almace/Badelaire +2 are awesome for boosting rdm melee... way farther than enhancing/chimeric. Hi2u 2.5k+ WSs.

[Zeargi]

BLU is heavily protected by game mechanics, which is why it hasn't been completely crammed into the role of healer.

BLU is actually as really good healer when needs to be.

All it would take is a mechanic in place to ensure the RDM is still there hitting things. On the topic of using an ability to land some sort of effect on the mob, you could probably make it a 10 second duration with time extentions on the effect being granted for ever melee hit the RDM lands. That'd be a decent starting place.

Like I've been saying... En-Spell III

Clear-cut options would prevent that. The further removal of excuses to not let a RDM melee would also go a long way.

Easy fix, start the party...No one can complain what you do if you're the party leader. Or just start meleeing anyway, and cast spells as you normally would. I mean, I can most definitely still cycle spells while I melee. Heck, I've been playing two characters at the same time for God only knows how long. Again, it's Player Views, you can't change them if you don't put forth the effort to do so. I love PUP, it's a great job. It's very much like the RDM in the fact is can be the Jack-of-All-Trades. Do PUPs get invites? Usually No. Why? Because people that don't play them, have no real clue what it is they can do. And often time it's the bad players of a job that prevent the advancement you want. Going back to PUP, during a party, the group was shocked at the fact that I was doing what I was and actually dealing some numbers. One even when so far as to tell me that he was leery of having one in the party because the last time one was there he did nearly nothing to help either DMG wise or support.

Irrelevant in a game built from the ground up on partying. Melee needs to become something more than just a solo toy.

I'm sorry, but if you're worried about the party then you shouldn't be complaining about being asked to cast spells over running a sword through something. BRD often times becomes a puller and a buffer; they run back and forth casting their songs on the party then jump in from time to time to hit for mediocre damage. At least with our en-spells we can still deal decent damage over the course of time. The reason why I pointed the fact out that RDM can solo was for a good reason. It's got the potential to do more, it's not really lacking too much. It can cast Protect, Shell, Phalanx: the same as a PLD, which mind you; does often times horrible DMG. It can heal and debuff the same as a WHM, and cast the offensive magic the same as BLM. Do we do all of them great? No, but we shouldn't be able to. A quick macro to swap gear will give a boost to healing and black magic, another swap to help with meleeing here and there.

As I mentioned in the melee thread, to build on enfeebling I'd want to see enfeebling tied more to melee. All Saboteur did was further reinforce back-lining. I misread that as similar to an idea I saw a while back that would allow certain buffs (Refresh, Regen, Haste) be castable on self as an aura effect for a set duration, thus negating the need to cycle spells. That's make for one less excuse to keep the RDM form meleeing, specially since it's not like you need specific gear to cast any of that.

You really think that it'll move you closer to the front if you radiate any of those? SMN can do this as is. They can give Evasion boost, Double Attack, Magic Evasion, Crit. % Boost, Def. Boost. All of which get stronger over time, do most of them use those? No, hardly. They use Regen, Refresh, Magic Acc. Boost, and Magic Att. Boost. And where do they stand... in the back with the mages.

There's a notable difference between gear that compliments what a job can already do and gear that helps a job do something to acceptable levels. Enhancing Sword and Chimeric Fleuret are a kick to the stomach to most Red Mages because both are stupidly difficult to get and are the only worthwhile swords that actually build on Red Mage melee. Enhancing Sword alone was more a status symbol than anything else because of the low drop rate and the fact it dropped from Bune. If there were a line of other swords that had similar stats built in (kind of like BLU and the ton of BLU-specific Kilij that were made just for them) this wouldn't be much of an issue.

If you believe that either of those sword are the sole reason you move up to "acceptable levels," then your faith in them is completely far too high. Shikigami Weapon is just as hard, if not harder to hunt than any of the other Job specific NM drops. And while Refresh, Blood Pact Delay -, and Avatar Enmity+ are nice, in the long run the Austere's set with it's BP Delay-, SMN Magic Skill +, and Prep -1 is still just as good and less of a hassle to get. As a SMN, for the most part and the longest time, you didn't even see that Refresh unless you had Carbuncle's mitts and all the other -Prep stuff. Which even then, was only for Carbuncle that you'd get MP back. All of the Elemental Swords from the Trial of the Magians can bolster a RDM in some form or fashion. If it's too much of a pain to fight Bune, SE has made it more than easy enough to go down a more casual route. A +5 or +7 on En-Spells isn't all that great in the grand scheme of things when you can get: +20 to ATT and +9 STR or +15 ACC and +9 DEX. The only really great perk of the Enhancing Sword is that you can equip it to get both ACC and ATT boost at the same time long before level 75. But a lot of RDMs have sub NIN so eventually you'll be about to do the same with the Fire and Lightning Swords from the Trial (Duel Wielding, baby!)

[Duelle]

BLU is actually as really good healer when needs to be.

Indeed they are. That, however, never stops one from going to the front-line because of game mechanics. Specifically, they need to set their spells for their role in the front. Just like they need to set their spells to heal. That's what I meant when I say they are protected by game mechanics.

Like I've been saying... En-Spell III

You fix what is currently in-game, not toss in something brand new just 'cause.

Easy fix, start the party...No one can complain what you do if you're the party leader. Or just start meleeing anyway, and cast spells as you normally would. I mean, I can most definitely still cycle spells while I melee. Heck, I've been playing two characters at the same time for God only knows how long. Again, it's Player Views, you can't change them if you don't put forth the effort to do so. I love PUP, it's a great job.

Cop out response. That's plainly unreasonable. Breaking the mold is what changes player views, and that's not something we as players can do.

Do PUPs get invites? Usually No. Why? Because people that don't play them, have no real clue what it is they can do. And often time it's the bad players of a job that prevent the advancement you want.

Correction. PUP doesn't get invites because the automaton has a built-in cooldown for spells (that can be bypassed by ADA). If the automaton could actually cover for a real healer and had refresh, PUP demand would skyrocket. The job would (very much like us) get pigeonholed into healing, as well.

I'm sorry, but if you're worried about the party then you shouldn't be complaining about being asked to cast spells over running a sword through something.

You're misunderstanding me. I said what I said because I hate seeing people bring up RDM soloing as an excuse to not change anything about the job. My stance is that other roles should open up to us in parties. We can't at the moment because groups benefit from having us do support and heals and gains next to nothing when we are in the front lines.

You really think that it'll move you closer to the front if you radiate any of those?

I wasn't the one who came up with the suggestion. Personally, that would have to be something that came as part of a greater string of changes. That alone won't do it, but it does cut the cast burden significantly (which is the only reason I endorse that idea at all).

If you believe that either of those sword are the sole reason you move up to "acceptable levels," then your faith in them is completely far too high.

They play off something that is truly unique to our class. I'm more peeved to see the developers go out of their way to make such weapons difficult to get. This would be moot if they tossed in a damage bonus to enspells as job trait or as baseline addition to composure.

PS: While cycling buffs from the front lines is doable, to me it isn't very fun. Not to mention spell casting cuts into our melee time.

[Supersun]

If the automaton could actually cover for a real healer and had refresh, PUP demand would skyrocket. The job would (very much like us) get pigeonholed into healing, as well.

Not sure about you, but I sure as hell wouldn't trust that pup AI. I don't need a blindna when I'm in red HP XD.