New Jobs info released

[SpankWustler]

The two new jobs sound like a lot of fun. In particular, I'm excited about Rune Fencer's ability to shield others from elemental damage and Geomancer's job abilities that fine-tune the performance of Luopans and even blow them up for damage.

I notice a couple of things that sound really uncomfortable for them, though. Well, other than current absence of difficult monsters that attack with only one magical element and the current presence of Area of Effect Everything when fighting a difficult monster. Those are more FFXI-wide than job-specific.

Anyways, time to complain like somebody's great-uncle with a fear of the future and a full colostomy bag!

Rune Enchantment has a five-second cooldown and can stack several times, which gives the class some of the flavor of the Dancer when you consider that you can consume your stacked runes for an overall effect.

Job-ability delay, which the Development Bros have never even acknowledged thus far, is going to be a big problem for Rune Fencer. Between using Runes and casting, Rune Fencer has the potential to spend half its existence slogging through delay periods.

I worry that because of this delay Rune Fencer will turn out much like Dancer, which performs best in groups when played as an Anointed Monk of the Order of the Poking Dagger. Rather than being played like a Rune Fencer with a heap of unique abilities, job ability delay may force Rune Fencer to be played much like a Warrior with only the very strongest abilities being used when necessary.

Indicolure spells give the character a buff that extends out around the player, affecting all enemies or allies within the area of effect.

With the initial information from Vanafest, it sounded like these buffs could be centered on any player but there hasn't been any mention of that recently. If these can only be stuck on the Geomancer, that's going to make Indicolure melee buffs and Indicolure enfeebling effects really annoying to maintain.

Mages in FFXI are oddly more durable than melee overall, and may become even tougher if the defense update makes defense food relevant and no powerful mage food is added. Still, there's the matter of casting interruption and status ailments if a mage has to idle amongst the melee. Oh, oh, the status ailments Geomancer will know!

Enfeebling through Indicolure, in particular, seems suspect. You want to use an Indicolure effect to paralyze a monster? It will show you the true meaning of paralysis as all your Geomancer job abilities are lost to the void of "...is paralyzed." The monster might even put up an Amnesia or Silence aura if you don't get the message right away!