Merit / Trial to upgrade any Weapon Skill

[Ryce]

This is not a thread about the existing Merit Weapon Skills. Please take that discussion elsewhere.

I'd like to see a merit category or new line of trials that allows us to upgrade old Weapon Skills in a similar fashion to the new ones. I envision this as a creative way to establish the ever-elusive "balance" between job classes, while allowing players to pick the Weapon Skill(s) they love to be their personal money shot.

This system would allow a player at 99 to upgrade an existing weapon skill in 5 stages. By upgrading a weapon skill, that weapon skill's previous stats are replaced by a new formula. This formula is the same* for all weapon skills. By reaching 5/5 upgrades on a weapon skill, you will have an attack comparable to the best non-relic/mythic/empyrean weapon skill in the game.

This would not apply to non-damage dealing weapon skills (MP drain, etc). It would apply to elemental, non-elemental, single-hit, and multi-hit weapon skills.

The formula for calculating damage would be based on a stat modifier (STR, DEX, VIT, etc) derived from the original modifier on the WS. Every WS upgraded this way would use the same modifier percentage (STR-based WSs would upgrade to 100% STR modifier, MND-based WSs would upgrade to 100% MND modifier, etc).

They will all share a common fTP modifier.

Multi-hit WSs will be include a variable that grants full power only if all hits are landed ( for a 3-hit WS, damage = formula/3 * hits landed ). Elemental WSs would deal damage entirely in that element - which could be either resisted or be more potent depending on the weakness of the enemy.

Combat skill should also play into these WSs. I'm thinking 100% damage should be achieved at the 99 skill cap for a class with an A rating in the weapon. Any skill less than this will see a % damage reduction, skill above this (merits/equip) will grant a % increase in total damage. This is a factor because some will argue the validity of, for example, a WHM having access to a weapon skill on par with that of a WAR. If both had spent equal time/effort training in a particular weapon, however, I think they'd be equally competent.

I'm really interested in what the community thinks of this concept, and how YOU would see this implemented. I'll take a stab at the formula, and let the conversation evolve it:

(at 5/5 upgrades)
fTP 100%=1.00 200%=2.00 300%=3.00
Modifier: Main stat (from existing WS formula) 100%
Combat Skill Modifier: Damage*(combat skill/combat skill cap at 99 for A rating)
Skill chain properties: From existing WS
For elemental WS: All damage subject to resistance/weakness of target
For multi-hit WS: Final damage calculation/number of # of swings * number of hits

These numbers might be far from realistic, so please feel free to correct. The goal is for all weapons to have a WS of equal potential (subject to gear, merits, skill, target weakness). The WSs should not surpass relic/mythic/empyrean WSs, but match or surpass the best non-relic/mythic/empyrean WSs.

[Ryce]

Oh. I see how it is. Just a man and his thoughts.

And a smartphone.

With an eTrade app.

[Dew]

Would be nice to see merit category for all the ws's in the game. That way you can boost even relic ws's.

[DrStrangelove]

This is not a thread about the existing Merit Weapon Skills. Please take that discussion elsewhere.

I'd like to see a merit category or new line of trials that allows us to upgrade old Weapon Skills in a similar fashion to the new ones. I envision this as a creative way to establish the ever-elusive "balance" between job classes, while allowing players to pick the Weapon Skill(s) they love to be their personal money shot.

This system would allow a player at 99 to upgrade an existing weapon skill in 5 stages. By upgrading a weapon skill, that weapon skill's previous stats are replaced by a new formula. This formula is the same* for all weapon skills. By reaching 5/5 upgrades on a weapon skill, you will have an attack comparable to the best non-relic/mythic/empyrean weapon skill in the game.

This would not apply to non-damage dealing weapon skills (MP drain, etc). It would apply to elemental, non-elemental, single-hit, and multi-hit weapon skills.

The formula for calculating damage would be based on a stat modifier (STR, DEX, VIT, etc) derived from the original modifier on the WS. Every WS upgraded this way would use the same modifier percentage (STR-based WSs would upgrade to 100% STR modifier, MND-based WSs would upgrade to 100% MND modifier, etc).

They will all share a common fTP modifier.

Multi-hit WSs will be include a variable that grants full power only if all hits are landed ( for a 3-hit WS, damage = formula/3 * hits landed ). Elemental WSs would deal damage entirely in that element - which could be either resisted or be more potent depending on the weakness of the enemy.

Combat skill should also play into these WSs. I'm thinking 100% damage should be achieved at the 99 skill cap for a class with an A rating in the weapon. Any skill less than this will see a % damage reduction, skill above this (merits/equip) will grant a % increase in total damage. This is a factor because some will argue the validity of, for example, a WHM having access to a weapon skill on par with that of a WAR. If both had spent equal time/effort training in a particular weapon, however, I think they'd be equally competent.

I'm really interested in what the community thinks of this concept, and how YOU would see this implemented. I'll take a stab at the formula, and let the conversation evolve it:

(at 5/5 upgrades)
fTP 100%=1.00 200%=2.00 300%=3.00
Modifier: Main stat (from existing WS formula) 100%
Combat Skill Modifier: Damage*(combat skill/combat skill cap at 99 for A rating)
Skill chain properties: From existing WS
For elemental WS: All damage subject to resistance/weakness of target
For multi-hit WS: Final damage calculation/number of # of swings * number of hits

These numbers might be far from realistic, so please feel free to correct. The goal is for all weapons to have a WS of equal potential (subject to gear, merits, skill, target weakness). The WSs should not surpass relic/mythic/empyrean WSs, but match or surpass the best non-relic/mythic/empyrean WSs.

Either:

a) this would make many existing WS insanely overpowered

or

b) SE would have to modify each of the possible 180 WS people would try to modify so they wouldn't become insanely overpowered

The way to create balance is to take existing conditions and try to balance them with few and tiny tweaks.

The way to create imbalance is to add massive changes to hundreds of items simultaneously to every job and weapon.

This is designed to imbalance the game.

[Alerith]

The way to create balance is to take existing conditions and try to balance them with few and tiny tweaks.

Hush! Tanaka might hear you. >_>

[Ryce]

What I'm suggesting is to replace the formula for an existing weapon skill with a new one that is available to all weapons/jobs. Would it increase the power of the WS you choose to upgrade? Yes. Overpower? No. The reason being that this common WS formula that I'm talking about would be set to a level where it's the strongest non-relic/myth/emp WS.

It's essentially one new WS, but it can be performed on any weapon you choose using the animation of an old WS.

[Kristal]

This would be overpowering and unbalancing, to say the least... and a more balanced version of it has already been done in the form of magian trials (like Barracudas>Sphyras for H2H).

[Daniel_Hatcher]

What I'm suggesting is to replace the formula for an existing weapon skill with a new one that is available to all weapons/jobs. Would it increase the power of the WS you choose to upgrade? Yes. Overpower? No. The reason being that this common WS formula that I'm talking about would be set to a level where it's the strongest non-relic/myth/emp WS.

It's essentially one new WS, but it can be performed on any weapon you choose using the animation of an old WS.

The fundamental WS would skill exist, changing the modifier unless it's made weaker on some weapon skills would be OP.