To allow more unique character development, I propose that you allow characters to merit "elemental affinity" as part of the new level 99 merit system.

Having affinity towards an element could provide the following benefits:

- damage boost for attacks of the same element

- potency boost for buffs, cures and debuffs of the same element

- greater resistance to damage and negative statuses of that element

- occasional absorb effect for damage and status (absorbing a negative status would turn it into as close as possible to the opposite- slow becomes haste, attacks lost to paralysis becomes extra attacks, gravity becomes movement speed, silence becomes fast cast, plague becomes regain and refresh, DOTs become regen plus possible stat boosts, etc.)

- boost to the primary stat associated with the element (light-> HP, darkness->MP, fire->STR, etc.)

- reduced weakness time for KO caused by damage of same element

- lowered interruption rate on spells of same element

- higher chance of learning blue magic of same element

- reduced perpetuation cost for avatar and elemental of same element

- occasional intimidation effect on elementals and avatars weak to element

- all bonuses transfer to pets

- higher success and HQ rate for synthesis using same element

Effect size of these improvements would be increased by higher merit level, by day of the week, weather, and SCH storm effects. Light bonus would further be improved by full moon, darkness bonus improved by new moon.

These bonuses should not be "balanced" by matching penalties to the weak-to element.