New weapons with higher base damage then relics

[Zhronne]

Did you wield level 69 weapons at level 75?

Not level 69 but I did wield lv 71, 72 and 73 weapons.
Destroyers, Shenlong Baghnaks, Perdu Blade, Senjuinrikio, Hagun (to name a few).

[Asymptotic]

And those weapons were released with what level cap in mind?

LV90 empyreans were released for a 90 cap game, you're lucky that any of them were ever competitive at 99 in the first place.

There will be an adjustment to 99 prestige weapons however, for two reasons :

1.) SE knows better. Mythics in particular have a 350+m market value and people won't take it well if they're marginalized (any further than they already are by the limitations of mythic weapons). In particular, SE has also strongly implied (if not virtually directly stated) that they will introduce mythic weapons for GEO and RUN, so there isn't a huge interest in eliminating the competitiveness of the entire line of weaponry. 99 RME may not remain on top all the time for all purposes, but they will remain (well , those that are useful now) high in the hierarchy.

2 .) The language and structure in the JP and NA posts regarding 99 RME makes it pretty apparent that they're going to adjust the 99 versions of the weapons somehow. The only reason they would go out of their way to confirm that Afterglow weapons and non-afterglow weapons will receive the same treatment and to exclude instruments / shields because they will remain "the highest caliber" is that they plan to directly adjust the performance of these weapons. What sort of adjustment? There are a lot of things they could do, we'll just have to wait.

But yeah, continue the chorus of BRING ON THE DEMISE OF THE PRESTIGE WEAPON BECAUSE I'M ANNOYED THAT I DON'T HAVE ONE AND CAN'T COMPETE. Enjoy your AH weapons and LV85 Empyreans Q.Q

P . S . The actual Skirmishes are not difficult, so you don't need 99RME to compete in there (It's not much more difficult than Meeble Burrows). The only hard part is statues to enter , because they drop randomly in things like Reives, HELM, Soul Pyres, and Coalition Assignments.

[Denmork]

You people do understand that there is a possibility that the skirmish weapons will impact a lot more than just the RME holders themselves right. Dynamis currency, heavy metal plates, and Alexandrite are all great sources of money that literally everyone can farm. Removing that option cuts down the way to make money by a huge amount and can create a inbalance of super rich Vs. super poor much like the super inflation from years past. It's actually already started happening on my server Dynamis coins has started dropping at a pretty fast rate, and few are buying for fear of the unknown.

[Asymptotic]

If there's anything SE knows how to do it's destroy an economy.

[Werewolf]

It took me roughly a year and a half to complete my relic which I finished back in mid 2007, then probably almost another 6 months (all of this pre-nerf, 1,500 relic ws + 7,500 relic ws kills) in trials (back when the 90 trial took about 2 1/2 weeks alone, pre neo-dynamis); I just finally got enough marrows to finish my 99 relic and litterly the next day they patched the new weapons and we started finding these higher DMG augmented Skirmish weapons...

I just really wish we knew what SE true intentions were, other than a vaguely worded message that offers very little reinsurance, especially for people who put a lot of work into these type of weapons.

[Luvbunny]

If there's anything SE knows how to do it's destroy an economy.

Who knows, maybe it will get better - I am sure they will adjust the R/M/E to make it still viable. Otherwise they will set themselves to crash and burn the game if they choose to render the pre-SoA content as outdated. Seriously, SoA is one of the WORST expansion to date that ever hit FFXI. Keeping all the old content valid would be the best idea they can come up with, even if that means a lot more people decided to not buy SoA. Why not try to come up with a good groundbreaking content that has blockbuster written all over it - then start charging us $30-40 for this.

If you all keep voicing your distaste, they will have to do something soon. Especially if what follow is nerd rage and people bum rush to SE Account management and canceling their accounts. Make your voice counts, say it if you don't like it, make suggestions. If nothing is done, then do the last thing, cancel. Come back when actual contents are updated and you deem the game worth paying and playing. I just hope it is not too late - we probably do not need another server merger.

[Asymptotic]

Just remember, poor people! Relics / Mythics /Empyreans being good means you have something to sell to rich people!

[Jaall]

Why don't SE keep the already good content good and just introduce equip that allows for more diversity and options alongside a great story. I'm sure everyone would be happy to get gear sets with store tp instead of haste etc so they have different options to choose from and it would mean people wouldn't be running around looking exactly the same like they are now.

[Demon6324236]

Problem is there are no options when it comes to the best, which is what most people aim for, there is one thing that is above everything else in that situation.

[Zhronne]

And those weapons were released with what level cap in mind?

75, which is why you asked "were you wielding level 69 weapons when the cap was 75?" and I replied "not 69, but 71, 72 and 73".
I don't get what your point is.

Are you trying to assume that when the level cap is X then level X gear/weapons are always gonna to be better than level X-1 gear/weapons?
If this is what you're trying to say yes, you're mostly right, but there have always been several exceptions in FFXI and there continue to be.
I still use level 54ish gear in some slots (for macros and situational stuff of course) for some jobs.
Chatoyant staff is a level 51 weapon if I recall and blah blah blah, we could go on forever but we'd enter the field of "special" items with special properties that kinda get ruled out because of their uniqueness.

The examples I provided in the first line instead were weapons with a level under the cap of the time, which in spite of that were still some among the best weapons the respective jobs could get access to. There wasn't anything particularly special about them, they were just freaking awesome, period


In spite of all of this, it's not the first time SE uses this approach FOR GEAR and, as a matter of fact, I don't think nobody ever whined about that because after almost 11 years people got used to the pattern and the consequent balancement.
It is though the first time this happens for weapons. There is no correspondant gear that takes as much work to be obtained as R/E/M weapons and they have always represented a "roof" over which normal weapons could never go over.
The only time they disregarded this rule was when they introduced Empyreal weapons, but it didn't last long since adjustments to Relics and Mythics came shortly after.



As I already had the chance to write on BG, I don't think SE is doing this to "stimulate people into going to the new areas", it's not necessary and the new gear/newstuff was a motivation good enough, and they know it.
I rather think they are doing it for another reason.
Over the last year(s) Empyreal and Relics become so common they destroyed a "balance" there was within the game.
All other weapons become much less interesting because the majority of people were aiming for Relic/Empy, and we got to a point were people were required to have a mandatory R/E/M even for just being CONSIDERED for an invite (considered, not actually invited) to a lame and easy PUG.
Such a situation was a bit preposterous.
I think SE is trying to make so R/E/M remain cool but a thing for "a few cool people" and not for the mass.
How they're goin to do that?
Simple.
They release new better weapons and at the same time they update only the lv99 R/E/M.
Since the majority of people have 85/90 Empy and 95 Relics, they'll have to bite the dust and get the new easy weapons.

Result? Everybody gets an upgrade, the "mandatory R/E/M" attitude will die, hardcore players with 99 R/E/M won't see their precious treasure become useless because of a subsequent update.
Done! Everybody's happy!


I'm pretty confident this is their main motivation, but while I agree it's for "the greater good" it still makes me angry they're moving so late to "repair" to a mistake done over 2 years ago. I wish there could be some other way because you can't expect people to put months of works into something to see it become useless by something that can be obtained in a couple of days and feel happy about it.