New 2-hour Abilities

[Nebo]

All interesting, but I think I like the fourth one best. Might limit it to just stealing all of the mob's current TP instead of the arbitrary 300 TP value, though. Certainly wouldn't consider that unbalanced, considering drk's SP2, and the timer reset would generally allow the thf to immediately use a stacked weaponskill along with it.

As an aside, Stealing all of the Monster's TP could also solve the SAM SP1 Ability issue as well.

[Mirage]

Let the new THF Special steal 2hours, and then continue to steal multiple buffs after that.

First effect guaranteed, and always a 2H if appliciable, chance of absorbing another buff depends on melee accuracy. Steal all buffs until the first time the thief "misses" a steal. It would be like a Barrage-Aurasteal, where the first steal was guaranteed.

Know how annoying it is when you've buffed up like crazy and a mob just goes "lol I absorb all your buffs"? You'd be doing that to the mobs, vengeance would be so, so sweet.

[Arcon]

Stealing the ability BEFORE they use it would be harder to use strategically than trying to REACT to it after they use it? I don't understand your argument?

Are you trolling me? How can that not be obvious? It's easier to react because you actually know when they use it. They use Chainspell, you steal it. Simple. Using it before means you're gambling on when/whether they'll use it. At worst you completely wasted your JA.

You don't think the ability to steal TP and use a stacked WS right after would be much better than this? I disagree.

And I disagree with you, I think it's borderline useless. An SP ability that gives THF one WS? That would be one of the worst DD abilities in the entire game. And in an alliance, it wouldn't even register in the parse, so it's completely useless there.

Likewise, I don't understand your contentment with this weak, HIGHLY SITUATIONAL (even for THF) SP2.

Pretty much every SP ability of every job is highly situational and that's how it should be, because the very concept of SP abilities is retarded. If they make one ability amazing for everything (like Embrava and PD) it will be used to devise entire strategies around those instead of regular job features, which not only dumbs down strategies in general, diminishes the role of a given job, or even rewrites their essence, but makes events themselves a chore, waiting for everyone's SP timers to be up, or, if in a hurry (which is almost always the case), reset them all.

No ability should ever be on more than a ten minute timer, it's horrible for game design. I'm glad they reduced all regular abilities to ten minutes or less, and even that is bordering on terrible.

[Nebo]

Are you trolling me? How can that not be obvious? It's easier to react because you actually know when they use it. They use Chainspell, you steal it. Simple. Using it before means you're gambling on when/whether they'll use it. At worst you completely wasted your JA.

Oh, I see. You are just misunderstanding what I meant. I meant stealing the 2 hour from them before they get a chance to use it. There is no gamble.

As in: "THF uses SP2" "THF Steals Mighty Strikes from NM" At which point THF gains the effect of Mighty Strikes for the ability duration and the NM loses the ability to use Mighty Strikes (In this way, theoretically, it could also be used on a lot of other "instant" SP1)

Kinda sorta like Dessication that Land worm NMs use? Well they doesn't really steal your 2 hour so much as reset the timers but...you get the general idea.

And I disagree with you, I think it's borderline useless. An SP ability that gives THF one WS? That would be one of the worst DD abilities in the entire game. And in an alliance, it wouldn't even register in the parse, so it's completely useless there.

But we are not talking "in place of" we are talking "in addition to" And I will repeat: No, it's not OMGWTFBBQ powerful, but it is a realistic idea, and I, for one, would find it to be quite useful. Especially if it Steals the TP from the NM (Can deal with SAM SP1 etc.)

Pretty much every SP ability of every job is highly situational and that's how it should be, because the very concept of SP abilities is retarded. If they make one ability amazing for everything (like Embrava and PD) it will be used to devise entire strategies around those instead of regular job features, which not only dumbs down strategies in general, diminishes the role of a given job, or even rewrites their essence, but makes events themselves a chore, waiting for everyone's SP timers to be up, or, if in a hurry (which is almost always the case), reset them all.

No ability should ever be on more than a ten minute timer, it's horrible for game design. I'm glad they reduced all regular abilities to ten minutes or less, and even that is bordering on terrible.

I would agree with you if the game wasn't programmed the way it is. But we do have 2 hours (soon to be 1 hour? Maybe in a year adjusted to 30 minutes?) and retarded timers...And this is the hand we have to deal with. Clearly they are moving ahead with this SP2 abilities, I doubt they will change their minds about implementing them....so......I want a good one. Not this weak crap.

And For sure, Embrava and PD needed the nerf bat, but the opposite end of that spectrum is also undesirable....we must find a BARANCE!!!!!!

[Raksha]

Oh, I see. You are just misunderstanding what I meant. I meant stealing the 2 hour from them before they get a chance to use it. There is no gamble.

As in: "THF uses SP2" "THF Steals Mighty Strikes from NM" At which point THF gains the effect of Mighty Strikes for the ability duration and the NM loses the ability to use Mighty Strikes (In this way, theoretically, it could also be used on a lot of other "instant" SP1)

"THF uses SP2" "THF Steals Mijin Gaikure from NM"

SE: TROLLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Otherwise I kinda like the idea.

[FrankReynolds]

"THF uses SP2" "THF Steals Mijin Gaikure from NM"

SE: TROLLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Otherwise I kinda like the idea.

Hah! I wouldn't put it past them.

[Camate]

Good morning everyone!

I wanted to share the reasoning as to why the development team chose the path they took for puppetmaster’s new special ability.

The new special ability started with the idea that since the original special ability “Overdrive” had an effect that was common between all automatons, they wanted to go with a slightly different concept and have effects be different based on the type of automaton so that each one could utilize the special ability of the respective job.

Since the special ability data is separate for automatons, it’s possible to make adjustments to certain aspects which should eliminate some of the concerns that there would be no use for these special abilities since automaton’s battle parameters are different.

Also, we are currently looking into adjusting “Overdrive” at the same time the new special ability is added.

[Byrth]

Good morning everyone!

I wanted to share the reasoning as to why the development team chose the path they took for puppetmaster’s new special ability.

The new special ability started with the idea that since the original special ability “Overdrive” had an effect that was common between all automatons, they wanted to go with a slightly different concept and have effects be different based on the type of automaton so that each one could utilize the special ability of the respective job.

Since the special ability data is separate for automatons, it’s possible to make adjustments to certain aspects which should eliminate some of the concerns that there would be no use for these special abilities since automaton’s battle parameters are different.

Also, we are currently looking into adjusting “Overdrive” at the same time the new special ability is added.

This is a good development concept because Puppetmasters pick their pets for their versatility, but despite the different effects the strategic use of most of the available SP Abilities are not different.

Here are the current JAs:
Mighty Strikes - Doesn't matter that much in terms of DPS because Automatons can't exceed 50% Haste and will at most get ~2 WSs off during Mighty Strikes (using Tactical Switch). This is just a damage spike, but at least it's a damage spike that takes a little work to make the most of.
Invincible - . . . Might have some kind of strategic use for extreme pet pulling? Attack something, retrieve, train the entire zone with an invincibled pet?
Eagle Eye Shot - 5x ranged damage is just a damage spike that you can use once an hour.
Chainspell - Oh good. I look forward to my auto silencing crabs faster. Assuming optimal usage, this is a damage spike JA.
Manafont - With the auto's casting timer, this will not create very many free spells unless you adjust its AI. Even when it does, this is a damage spike JA at its best.
Benediction - Probably the most useful 2-hour out of all of these, and the only one that doesn't really vary in potency between main jobs and automatons.


If you go back to adjust Overdrive, I would recommend making it wipe the Overload status and reducing burden to 0 when the Overdrive status wears off. Additionally, I would recommend reducing magic casting time, increasing frequency, and adding 25% Snapshot if it does not already do that. As it is right now Overdrive seems to benefit the melee auto disproportionately.

[SpankWustler]

I feel like a jerk pointing out such a small mistake, but you might want to correct that minor "Sharpshot" typo, Byrth? Any sane person knows you actually meant Snapshot, but I could totally see a Development Bro adding a 25% chance of the Automaton using Sharpshot before vigorously firing its cute little arrow hand.

Since the special ability data is separate for automatons, it’s possible to make adjustments to certain aspects which should eliminate some of the concerns that there would be no use for these special abilities since automaton’s battle parameters are different.

Manafont and Chainspell would both benefit from a change to the Automaton's AI when the ability is used, to make it focus entirely on Elemental Magic (and maybe Cures for Chainspell?) for the duration. Manafont, for example, could eliminate the puppet's desperate and nonsensical need to cast Aspir, often accomplishing nothing but resetting the global recast timer, when used at low MP values.

[Demon6324236]

Camate, is there any word on the RDM SP, and is there any chance of us seeing the one we asked for? All we want is the SP ability to give us +50~100% potency on our enhancing magic, BRD has had double potency songs as their SP for years, is it to much to ask we get +50% since we get so many more spells? Also, can the ability please last for 3 minutes so we have time to use our buffs properly? It seems fairly wrong that a RDM would need chainspell just to get off all their buffs on themselves in time, let alone their party, it really limits the use of the ability which is why we originally did not like the SP, but the idea of enhancing our enhancing magic was well accepted I believe.