Like i said, i understand limitations in an engine, but the fact we see constant exceptions, made to classify as something other than a regular action, prove it can be done, spike spells and additional effects (enspells, en-doom on monsters) are examples of these, and ignoring them is just plain stupid. As ive stated, the player doesnt technically perform another action when spikes/enspells are triggered, they are added atop, with the scripted attack event triggering them, but like a counter, or like a parry/guard/evade/block, there can simply be a check to see if the character is in range, in attack mode during a spell cast, and if it checks as yes, then it could perform some damage. Sure its complicated, time consuming, and expensive to impliment something like this, but so was retaliation, the code can be made, but dont mistake me, i am not persay for this, nor am i saying it will be done, But it can be done.

Over the years in ffxi lots of people blame ps2 limitations, the engine, and the community of this digital dinosaur of a game, but guess what? theyre still adding content, and they are still adding new monsters, gimicks, and more. I remember when people just like you great guardian came on to the messageboards proclaiming "they cant fit any more onto the ps2 harddrive, we wont have any more expansions" after wotg, and look, we got "A Crystaline Prophecy," "A Moogle Kupode'tat," "A Shantotto Ascension," and "Visions, Scars, and Heros of Abyssea." The game didnt start melting Ps2s, and the servers were adjusted, as was the game's code in ways we cant imagine. Yet here again, someone is here lecturing us with no proof, and just talking in a condesending manner. Sure i cant prove that this can be implimented, but ive offered FAR more examples of how it can be done than you have of how it cant be done. So frankly, either provide the official documentation as provided from SE, or a Third Party Source, or admit you are making educated, but not officially stated assumptions.

We know mine are assumed, lets hear about yours.