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[saevel]

Those 6ks are with every possible buff/JA that BLU has, numbers that can already be reached with Sneak Attack if you really cared to replicate them. Doing a 6k Heavy Strike on an Easy prey clionid in abyssea is a very far cry from doing consistent and worthwhile damage on a notorious monster that actually matters.

The people on these boards that have absolutely no idea how BLU works and go around spouting how amazing and powerful it is never fail to amaze me. Idiots, the lot.

Do go try any spell that Blue Mage currently has access to on any monster that checks above VT, especially higher level NMs. You'll be lucky to hit over 500.

Your either using hyperbole, or you really REALLY suck. I'm betting the former.

On IT+ I can get 800~1K without using JA's on VC, Q.Cont and GR, although GR varies between 500 and 1200 while QC goes between 700~1500 depending on how many hits land. Diss still dish's out 500~1K damage depending on target.

So yeah your just crying at this point in time that your super awesome spell was given a acc reduction to balance it out, not even a damage reduction just an accuracy reduction. Something you can fix with either sushi or /THF.

[Tashan]

Your either using hyperbole, or you really REALLY suck. I'm betting the former.

On IT+ I can get 800~1K without using JA's on VC, Q.Cont and GR, although GR varies between 500 and 1200 while QC goes between 700~1500 depending on how many hits land. Diss still dish's out 500~1K damage depending on target.

So yeah your just crying at this point in time that your super awesome spell was given a acc reduction to balance it out, not even a damage reduction just an accuracy reduction. Something you can fix with either sushi or /THF.

Is that within Abyssea or outside?

Either way, you're comparing High-Level NMs to Incredibly-Tough monsters.

Or End Game to a Merit Party.

...I don't get it.

[Prothscar]

Also I'd like to add that your Vertical Cleave damage is outrageously wrong.

Assuming the monster is level 97, which it would be higher if talking about a VWNM (which we are) and has 100 VIT (reasonable) and 400 DEF, you have 170ish STR, max vertical cleave is 631 damage, not 800-1000.

Even more reasonable for a VWNM: lv110, 460DEF, 100VIT, you with 170 STR, max V.cleave would be 297. Goblin Rush is 301, QC 470.

[Daniel_Hatcher]

This is the stupidest argument I've ever read, and that's saying a lot after considering gems like Rosina. You're justifying a poor form of game design, by no means should it be that anyone should ever have to sit out or not be included in something because of their poorly implemented job mechanics or poorly implemented battle systems.

What BLU is suffering in Voidwatch has existed in most content for jobs such as PUP, DRK, PLD and so on.

Of course it's poor design, I don't deny that not even a little, but this isn't something exclusive to BLU.

[Nightfyre]

What BLU is suffering in Voidwatch has existed in most content for jobs such as PUP, DRK, PLD and so on.

That does not make it acceptable, merely the newest symptom of an ongoing problem.

[Prothscar]

I'm certainly not saying it's exclusive to BLU, but that does not excuse SE for not fixing the issue. They need to start looking at the problems that we're telling them to fix rather than creating useless JAs and spells that no one wants.

[Tashan]

It's true it does need to be addressed.

[Mefuki]

So what I see here is a new spell with the potential to fill a niche - efficient physical spell vs high-level NMs - and it's been nerfed into the ground for those NMs because of how dire the need for acc is in that situation even without a penalty. What we have now is a new spell for old content instead of a new spell that will lead the way into new content... and really, why shouldn't we get new and effective spells? There will be more spells at 99, and some of them may replace old mainstays. I'm okay with that. But not once in this entire discussion, despite your repeated asking, have I sought for Heavy Strike to replace these old physical spells. I've sought for it to fill a niche they never had a place in to begin with.

Exactly. This is a design phliosophy that I adhere to in regards to Blue Mage and I'd hope the develepers would have the same one. There's no point in wasting time adding redundant (Dark Orb), penelty-heavy (Barrier Tusk, Mortal Ray) and downright useless spells due to lack of a niche to fill (post acc mod Heavy Strike).

The central points when designing these spells should be: Where would this spell be used? Does the mp cost/casting time/recast time etc warrant their use? Keeping in mind that Blue Mage is a hybrid job and can do many things but cannot fufill all the roles at one time, what spells can we add that are still lacking from it's repertoire, things that need to be added to round out their various roles.

It's like Nightfyre said, when going after lower level/defense monsters, most just use Delta Thrust. In fact, we have a nice set of spells to use on these kinds of monsters. That's not the problem. That aspect of our job is fine. But, we still have niches that need filling. What purpose does it serve to add yet another good on lower level/defense spell but bad on high level NM's? Why would I even bother with Heavy Strike, acc penelty and all, on these weaker monsters when I already have spells that fill that role?

Heavy Strike has a chance to fill in a missing space in one of our roles and all of our spells should follow suit. They need reasons to be used and SE can make it happen if they're clever about their effects, gives them reasonable opportunity costs and allows them to fill niches that have been empty for a long time.

[Yugl]

So uh, what am I looking forward to this update?
- Thunderbolt I hear is crap
- Hardenshell is good, but only for 1or3min/5?
- Barrier Tusk stinks
- Heavy Strike gimped
- Dark Orb? Maybe
- Sudden Lunge I get mixed reviews on; the cast+recast time stinks, but the duration rocks
- White Wind I hear is ok, but it's expensive for outside fights
- Ray is crap
- Water bomb looks like the new Enmity generating Regurgitation? Not much on this.

[SpankWustler]

This is a stupid and pointless and probably already answered question in addition to deviating from the current line of discussion, but gear that enhances breath spells has no effect on White Wind, right?

That sounds like a very accurate description of Water Bomb given what I remember of the modifiers while high on painkillers at 5 AM, Yugl.

As for Dark Orb, I am excited about finally having two strong spells of the same element (Everyone's Grudge, Dark Orb) for nuking in Abyssea. Not that I or anyone else does that particularly often anymore, but the animations look neat and I like to justify the horrific amount of inventory space that a nuking set takes up by using mine sometimes.