Ideas for Paladin Modification

[Panthera]

Paladin desperately needs attention! With Atmas, there is little Paladin can do to keep up with the hate that just about any job is able to get from damage. Perhaps Paladin needs an + Enmity trait.

Also, "Cover" is one of the main things that has always defined Paladin. I don't see it it getting turned into a trait, as that is simply too radical, but perhaps substantially extending its duration via traits might work.

I can't agree about the "Counter" idea. Counter belongs to Monks, and I hate to see it spread across so many jobs, like War and Samurai, that being a Monk doesn't mean what it used to. It takes away from the uniqueness of the job. Some things can be shared across several jobs, others shouldn't.

[JagerForrester]

I can't agree about the "Counter" idea. Counter belongs to Monks, and I hate to see it spread across so many jobs, like War and Samurai, that being a Monk doesn't mean what it used to. It takes away from the uniqueness of the job. Some things can be shared across several jobs, others shouldn't.

I would say the same thing about Dual Wield, but look where it is now. The jobs that have it now has utilized that subjob combination for the added bonus of holding another weapon and the spell that reduces the chance of being hit.

[Cursed]

An alternative way towards game ballance:

1. Job Specific Atmas - equipable only when on said job. or the likes should SE wish to move the game outside of abyssea in the future. These Atmas should/could be earned by attaining lv.99 and finishing the last genkai, or through a tier 3 merit system. They should be epic for each job.

2. Job specific Abyssite - same as job specific Atmas. or something along the same lines should the game's new end game move outside abyssea.



Specific examples for PLD
1. Job Specific Atmas -

(A) Atma of the holy knight. Attained by attaining Lv.75 PLD, Artifact Armor and Relic Armor.
Cure potency +Major
Shield block rate + Superior
Refresh Major
Grants ability to cast spell "Reflect"
grants Immunity to doom/death.
Reflect - Reflects 50% of AOE Elemental Magic attacks for party and 75% of single target elemental magic spells for PLD.

(B) Atma of the Avenger Attained by attaining Lv.90 PLD, Empyrean Armor +2
Haste+Major
Enlight+ Superior
Damage taken - Major
grants access to Sword Weapon skill "Divine Reckoning"
Divine Reckoning - Deals critical light Magic damage, aftermath: Resets Party/Alliance Enmity and grants PLD with an Enmity Bonus.
Durations - 100% TP = 30 seconds, 200% TP = 45 seconds, 300% tp = 60 seconds

2. Job Specific Abyssite
(A) Celestial Abyssite of Valor - Grants an additional 15% and 30% of MP and HP and a 30% reduction time on all Job Abilities.
(B) Celestial Abyssite of Chivalry - Grants a cumulative Enmity Bonus - +15% over enmity cap.

[AnjinLeviathan]

Why not just change VIT from a 2 = 1 def equation to a 4 VIT = 1% damage reduction equation. (I'd say 2 for 1, but let's be honest, that'd probably break the game.) That would definitely aid monks with their naturally high VIT scores, but PLD weapons and armor afford much more VIT.

[Neisan_Quetz]

Would still just use Mnk over paladin still if they did that, just that Mnk has increased survivability now with CC up fulltime.

[Dale]

Paladins also need a reliable interrupt. Shield bash on a 5 min cool down isn't too useful. It should be changed to like 10 or 15 sec to be more in line with head butt. Or have a whole new JA together thats low damage but interrupts the mob. Part of tanking is stopping devastating moves from your enemies so that's why I think PLD needs it.

Although I am tempted to agree with you on this due to seflishness, for the good of game balance I'm going to have to disagree with you. Giving Paladins a 10 second stun would make this class far too powerful. Other jobs specialize in interrupting abilities.

[Dale]

A lot of people talk about changing Enmity and other such things, but I had a long discussion on another board about this and a few things I will be listed seem to make the most sense, while not giving too much of a heavy change to the game (Unless I note so otherwise.)

Note - This is about changing existing traits/abilities, etc not adding new ones (for the most part)

1) Change Job Ability - "Cover" Into a Job Trait. (and Add Cover II or even Cover III as well)

= If the paladin stands infront of a party member who has main hate (most hate), they will cover that party member.

Each increase in the trait (II and III) will increase the chance of a paladin blocking with a shield while covering.

2) Change Job Trait - "Defense Bonus" to "Damage Reduction"

= A increase and defense does not seem to make much change as the levels go higher in a sense of reducing damage, however turning the traits into Damage Reduction, lets say. "Damage Reduction I - V" Gives a 5% gain each time for lets say lv 99 with 25% dmg reduction. This would allow paladin to take more hits and increase it's use without making other jobs less useful or over powering pld as a DD.

3) Updating Job Trait "Shield Mastery"

= A job that is the main user for shields should have a bit more of a boost to using a shield, in contrast to wanting to dual wield as a /nin or /dnc

For example, lets say it should increase the damage rate when using Shield Bash (which would make it a bit more useful overall) so there is currently 3 Shield Mastery traits, so lets do the dmg increase by 25% with each trait, so lets say Shield bash does 30 dmg at lv 90 + 4 traits = +75% so +22 dmg making it do 55 dmg with shield bash

Or if not a damage increase, than with each trait, the stun effect last longer?


NOW, we go on to minor adds to the job.

1) Add Job Trait - "Counter" (Or something similiar)

= I know this thing is big for Monk, but hear me out. A paladin is a Shield and sword combo class. So we can give it a Counter like trait, where if you successfully block with a shield you have a 5-10% chance of countering with your weapon (Sword in this case) But the trait can only work if you have a shield.

2) A job trait or ability (Preferable a Trait) that allows more damage when using a Sword.

= My logic on this is that Paladin is a A+ using a Sword, while like Red Mage and Blue Mage are lower than that (even if slightly so). They should be more potent when using it, So what about something like

"When using a Sword and Shield, increase damage to the main hand weapon. (Similiar to how Fencer increases damage if a Warrior using a one handed weapon, but it has to be a Shield and Sword combo for paladin)


These are all my suggestions and fixes for job. What you guys think?

Turning cover into a job trait that is always active sounds way too powerful to me, so I woudn't support that. If they would make any changes to cover, i'd like to see it to where it automatically leaps in front of the person you cover like on all the other FF games. That would be nice - as trying to position yourself with that move can be a huge pain in the butt.

I like your change our defense traits into damage reduction traits though. Similiar to the change they did with Sentinel a long time ago, so that suggestion I would support.

I think our shield mastery is fine as is.

Giving Paladins a "counter" ability seems kind of weird to me. I'm not opposed to the idea of adding some kind of retaliation move - but that's a monk thing really, and I'd liek to see the jobs on this game retain their individualality.

[Dale]

I think the best way to adjust Paladin without going overboard would be to give them abilities that would vary based on whether they're equipping 2-handed weapons or the traditional sword/shield.

1-Handed: Paladin would now fill a desirable Tank/Support role. Permanent aura effect that grants 2-tick regain, regen, and refresh. Additionally, a new job ability that absorbs 30% enmity from all surrounding allies (45 second recast). Lastly, on successful shield blocks, the Paladin has a chance of leaving the monster "prone" for a short period of time, increasing critical hit rate and damage of allies (higher % chance the larger the shield).

2-Handed: Paladin would fill a DD/Healing role, getting a "Crusade" buff of sorts. The Paladin would gain a permanent enlight (approx +30% of physical damage dealt) that can crit. Also, a 25~35% increase in cure potency, and a job ability that distributes the damage dealt between the current target of the monster and the Paladin. The job will play quite different than it had in the past.

I like these ideas, pretty cool.

[Dale]

Also, "Cover" is one of the main things that has always defined Paladin. I don't see it it getting turned into a trait, as that is simply too radical, but perhaps substantially extending its duration via traits might work.

.

You can already substantially extend its duration through merits. The main reason paladins don't use this ability more isn't really that it's bad, it's just too huge of a pain to position yourself in front of the desired party member. If they made it to where it automatically got in front of the person for you, I think more paladins would use it. But as it is now, it is such a pain. You have to be almost exactly in front of them for it to trigger + the party member has to have suffient room between you and the monster. It's just annoying to use.

[JagerForrester]

If they could widen the cover area, think it would make it more worth to use? I doubt it since many PLDs got use to standing still. Maybe they should give PLDs a bigger benefit to cover. For example, THFs who Sneak/Trick Attack, increase their effectiveness of Treasure Hunter also with the bonus of making their next attack either a critical or the emnity transferred to the character in front of them.

What if during the ability Cover also increases our Shield blocking and Defense? In my mind, I can see a PLD getting in front of a troubled party member in order to protect them and put up their shield in doing so. I know when I did use Cover (shocker), I didn't do anything to pull hate to myself till Cover wore, as if I put all of my thoughts on defending.