Stormsurge vs Boost/Gain.

[Sotek]

My only concern with an ability is that there is a finite number of separate ability recasts a job can have, though I don't think SCH is anywhere near the limit. Might be a concern with Group 3 merits coming in October, though. Then again I think they were working on fixing that issue anyway.

I'd still want an adjustment for Stormsurge regardless though, as it is it just isn't all that great as a merit option. Until recently it was our best merit option and it still is one of the better options, which is just pathetic. In my opinion, they should give it the stats boost by default, maybe limit it to Light Arts only casting in a similar fashion to how Regen works (whether that makes it SCH specific is up for debate). Change Stormsurge into a blatant copy for Avatars Favor, Hailstorm giving MAB, Firestorm giving ATK, Voidstorm giving Refresh, etc. to provide some actual utility to them and the Enhances "Stormsurge" effect could remain exactly the same. As secondary buffs, stats boosts just aren't merit worthy in my opinion, MAB and Refresh are. Voidstorm would no doubt be balanced in a similar fashion to how it currently is.

That would couple nicely with a Geomancer ability, depending on how they work it. Rather than the ability itself giving double weather, I think it could work better if they treated Storm spells in a similar fashion to BRD songs. Usually you can only have one cast on you at a time, Geomancer ability allows you to have two on at one time (heck, I'm tempted to say screw the ability and just slap that on Tupsimati, throws any complaints of balance right out the window). That would allow for double weather to be cast as well as different combinations to provide some versatility to the job. Hailstorm and Thunderstorm gives weather for the most common nukes as well as MAB and INT for both, Thunderstorm and Firestorm gives STR, DEX, ATK and ACC for DDs and so on. Refresh on Voidstorm might seem a bit overkill, but I'd say it would mostly be useless. Aurorastorm and Voidstorm for healing? You'd get both their Stormsurge buffs, but surely the weather bonuses would cancel each other out. If that isn't enough, they could just make it so weather still overwrites to a degree while retaining the ability to stack two weathers. Firestorm overwrite Hailstorm for example.

Regarding Modus Veritas, I'd like to think they'll admit its broken now, they did remove it from the stagger list in Voidwatch after all. Libra was one of the first things I mentioned on this forum and I've never seen them respond to it, so that's great. If Modus is still working as expected and Libras range is a balance issue, I'm sure I'll get myself banned from here in the rage posts that would follow. I don't even care that much about the abilities (though I love my Modus suggestion, but thats practically a whole new ability), I just cant tolerate that level of incompetence anymore.

Only other thing I'd really like to see for SCH is some more (more? are there even any?) Stratagem related abilities. Something like;
-An ability that makes it so Stratagems you currently have in effect are not used up on your next spell, which would be great for conserving Stratagems and casting buffs or using Immanence.
-An ability that switches your Arts/Addenda (LA to DA, AB to AW, etc), which would just be useful and also conserves Stratagem usage to a degree since you wouldn't have to blow a Stratagem on an Addenda when switching Arts.
-An ability that augments the effect of your next Stratagem, such as Accession/Manifestation working on more spells, Rapture/Ebullience enhancing the effect or duration of enfeebles, Perpetuance enhancing potency (stronger SS, Regen, etc.) and Immanence giving a Burstbound effect (Chainbound for Magic Bursts) regardless of whether you successfully executed a SC with it.
Honestly, that last one could have been Enlightenment, give it a 5 minute duration and have it wear off after X Stratagems are used, where X is the number of merits put in it. Certainly beats INT/MND on my Rereaise recast, couple that with a Stormsurge adjustment and I might actually have to put some thought into what I merit.

[Ophannus]

So true. WHM/SCH is capable of giving the weather boost and an independent stat boost, both of which provide simultaneous benefit. It really shoots the devs' dual-benefit defense for limited Stormsurge stat boosts out of the sky.

And SCH/RDM has Sublimation and a full power convert.

In any case WHM/SCH can give aoe stat boosts AND weather but lot of jobs can double up on things with a sub that the sub can't do as a main.
-DRK/WAR gets a 25% attack boost, 3 minute last resort as well as 3min Berserk. WAR/DRK doesn't get a full powered Last Resort though.
-SCH/WHM gets Rapture+Divine Seal+aoe cure, WHM/SCH only gets Divine Seal and AoE.

[Daniel_Hatcher]

I'm not spending merits to give people weather, i'm spending merits to give them a pathetic stat boost.

See the problem?

Don't get Stormsurge then. See the solution?

The argument of SCH/WHM doing (some) of the weather bonus' is absurd. There is so many cases SCH/RDM as an example where the main job (SCH99) has far more of a benefit than the subjob at 99 (RDM99).

You're also forgetting WHM unless you scatter the party has to give the same Stat bonus to ALL party members, SCH does not.

Basically: If you want the same potency as two spells that only do the stat buff, then I want my stat buff spell to give weather as well.

[Sotek]

The argument of SCH/WHM doing (some) of the weather bonus' is absurd. There is so many cases SCH/RDM as an example where the main job (SCH99) has far more of a benefit than the subjob at 99 (RDM99).

Are you kidding? That would be relevant if I were saying "SCH should be superior with SCH spells and RDM spells/abilities". I'm not. SCH should be superior with its own unique spells. If I were a RDM in the RDM forum, guess what I'd be saying?
If a job has a predominant and unique aspect, that job should boast mastery at it. That message is true for any job, RDM are welcome to claim Phalanx back from SCH, in fact I'd agree with them, but this is the SCH forum and we're talking about SCH. RDM sucks so SCH (or any job for that matter) should suck is not a valid argument, if you have an issue with SCH being superior with RDM spells/abilities, go argue that RDM should be superior with them and hopefully the irony wont be lost on you. Such an issue is in no way an argument against another job excelling at what makes that job unique.

You're also forgetting WHM unless you scatter the party has to give the same Stat bonus to ALL party members, SCH does not.

You're also forgetting that BLMs will only ever want INT and in all likelihood DDs will only ever want STR, and that WHM can then tailor weather to suit their needs while SCH is stuck giving a BLM who wants to cast Aero an absolutely worthless AGI boost. Heck, if SE lowered the level on Storm spells (which again, I'd be perfectly OK with), WHM could have Aurorastorm and a MND boost while SCH is stuck with the most worthless stat in the game; CHR. As a merit option, Stormsurge is just pathetic. Feel free to claim every job has pathetic merit options so Stormsurge sucking is OK, I just love repeating myself.

I swear, this kind of lazy thinking is exactly why I'm beginning to hate FFXI. Balance is a mess and people would sooner say "That's just the way it is" than take a jobs unique aspect and build upon it. Granted, that pretty much is the way it is, but "The development team sucks" is not an argument against receiving better content, it's an argument for getting a new development team.

[Daniel_Hatcher]

Are you kidding? That would be relevant if I were saying "SCH should be superior with SCH spells and RDM spells/abilities". I'm not. SCH should be superior with its own unique spells. If I were a RDM in the RDM forum, guess what I'd be saying?
If a job has a predominant and unique aspect, that job should boast mastery at it. That message is true for any job, RDM are welcome to claim Phalanx back from SCH, in fact I'd agree with them, but this is the SCH forum and we're talking about SCH. RDM sucks so SCH (or any job for that matter) should suck is not a valid argument, if you have an issue with SCH being superior with RDM spells/abilities, go argue that RDM should be superior with them and hopefully the irony wont be lost on you. Such an issue is in no way an argument against another job excelling at what makes that job unique.

You're also forgetting that BLMs will only ever want INT and in all likelihood DDs will only ever want STR, and that WHM can then tailor weather to suit their needs while SCH is stuck giving a BLM who wants to cast Aero an absolutely worthless AGI boost. Heck, if SE lowered the level on Storm spells (which again, I'd be perfectly OK with), WHM could have Aurorastorm and a MND boost while SCH is stuck with the most worthless stat in the game; CHR. As a merit option, Stormsurge is just pathetic. Feel free to claim every job has pathetic merit options so Stormsurge sucking is OK, I just love repeating myself.

I swear, this kind of lazy thinking is exactly why I'm beginning to hate FFXI. Balance is a mess and people would sooner say "That's just the way it is" than take a jobs unique aspect and build upon it. Granted, that pretty much is the way it is, but "The development team sucks" is not an argument against receiving better content, it's an argument for getting a new development team.

No more pathetic than WHM's Regen Merit, RDM's Accuracy merits and so on. SCH's is actually quite good in comparison.

Even if they upped to stats to be equal to the max of RDM and WHM Aurorastorm will forever be CHR, same as the others. SCH doesn't have a line of stat boosting spells, just weather spells with a small bonus for some people.

SE will never allow Double Weather, unless they added tier II stormspells, so in other words never.

As i said before: If you don't like Stormsurge: DON'T MERIT IT

[Sotek]

No more pathetic than WHM's Regen Merit, RDM's Accuracy merits and so on. SCH's is actually quite good in comparison.

I know I kind of told you to bring up this line of argument, but I honestly didn't think you'd be stupid enough to do it. Bravo. RDM or WHM having sucky merit options is not an argument against SCH having better merit options, its an argument for RDM or WHM getting better merit options as well. This is the SCH forum, so we're going to talk about SCH and not every other job. Get the hell over it.

But wait a minute, I think I'm missing something here... Oh right, Regen and Macc merits are Group 1 merits, Stormsurge is Group 2. Good job clutching at straws (FYI, SCH has Macc merits as Group 2 merits, though I guess at least they're not split by element), if you want to compare Group 1 merits I'll just throw Modus Veritas out there for you.

As i said before: If you don't like Stormsurge: DON'T MERIT IT

OK, sure.
Legion sucks, I better not suggest ways the could improve it and just not do the event.
Voidwatch sucks, better not suggest ways they could improve it and just not to the event.
FFXI sucks, better not suggest ways they could improve it and just cancel my damn subscription.

I swear, are you even aware of the purpose of this forum?

[Daniel_Hatcher]

I know I kind of told you to bring up this line of argument, but I honestly didn't think you'd be stupid enough to do it. Bravo. RDM or WHM having sucky merit options is not an argument against SCH having better merit options, its an argument for RDM or WHM getting better merit options as well. This is the SCH forum, so we're going to talk about SCH and not every other job. Get the hell over it.

But wait a minute, I think I'm missing something here... Oh right, Regen and Macc merits are Group 1 merits. Good job clutching at straws (FYI, SCH has Macc merits as Group 2 merits, though I guess at least they're not split by element), if you want to compare Group 1 merits I'll just throw Modus Veritas out there for you.



OK, sure.
Legion sucks, I better not suggest ways the could improve it and just not do the event.
Voidwatch sucks, better not suggest ways they could improve it and just not to the event.
FFXI sucks, better not suggest ways they could improve it and just cancel my damn subscription.

I swear, are you even aware of the purpose of this forum?

I'm well aware what it's for:

People to post to fake the belief their opinion is actually even remotely considered by the developers, when in reality the official forums are as useful as unofficial forums in that they don't care for opinions on either.

Do you know what they're for?

[Cowardlybabooon]

Can you make accession at least have a bigger AoE range?

[Daniel_Hatcher]

Can you make accession at least have a bigger AoE range?

See this is an alright idea, though I'd imagine it'd come in the form of equipment, since it's how they did it for BRD and COR.

[Sotek]

I'm well aware what it's for:

People to post to fake the belief their opinion is actually even remotely considered by the developers, when in reality the official forums are as useful as unofficial forums in that they don't care for opinions on either.

Do you know what they're for?

A brilliant attempt to change topic, but no. The forums are for us to post suggestions, regardless of whether they'll actually be considered (I do find your point hilarious though, considering on multiple occasions I've pretty much stated that my opinion is something the developers will completely disregard). You post absolutely nothing that can even be considered remotely useful to molding a decent suggestion, "Don't merit it" is by far the most worthless thing you can possibly say but damn it, looks like you're going to keep on saying it.

So, back on topic. Do explain how job X having sucky merits is an argument against job Y getting an adjustment, and not an argument for job X getting an adjustment as well (I even took the names out to help remove your obvious bias).

See this is an alright idea

It would be if this topic wasn't about Stormsurge, keep trying to steer away from an argument you were clearly failing from the start, I'm sure I wont notice sooner or later.