Solo Accomplishments, Party Barriers, and Enhancing the Community

[Ophannus]

It's easier to reduce the capabilities of one job than to buff the capabilities of 20 other jobs. Not only is it more efficient, cost effective, faster, more intuitive to just weaken one job, it also requires less testing. Furthermore, if you buff 20 other jobs you vastly increase the probability of something unbeknownst slip through the cracks and now the playerbase jumps onto the next overpowered melee.
When you buff more than 1 job at a time, it takes months for players to recognize the new damage hierarchy and more time still for the devs to catch on. So lets say they buff WAR DRK THF BLU DNC for more damage in a single patch. People play with them and after a few weeks realize that now DNC and BLU are OP when they spam some WS or JA or spell, then it'll take for SE to catch on and nerf those jobs.

It's easier to nerf than to play catch up for 20 other jobs especially because by buffing other jobs you create a whole new host of potential problems and exploits.

[Afania]

Then I would suggest you explain at length and in-depth. I'd certainly like to see a well-written explanation on this forum myself, just for posterity.

If not you, then perhaps Byrth would be the best suited...

I'm no Byrth but I can kinda tell why MNK is popular.

Current content already require different dmg type, for example: Piercing phrase/slashing phrase on Tojil, Wopket weakness etc. The reason why everyone /shout for MNK, is more than just DD issue.

1. MNK is the easiest DD job to gear, easiest DD job to play. It is much easier to play MNK close to dmg ceiling. The JA is easy, the weapons are not hard to obtain. Unlike jobs like WAR DRG you pretty much need a mythic to catch up.

Once there's one person /shouting for a MNK in skirmish, then he sent /tell and ask me to join his pt. I have no MNK, so I asked him why he'd want me to join when he wanted a MNK, he replied "Because MNK is the best to /shout for gimpy"

When you /shout, you can't expect to get a elite DD, so MNK is the best to /shout for.

2. High HP. Again, makes thing easier for PUG. You don't really NEED pro DT- set or pro WHM if you just have higher HP than everyone else.

3. Formless: So even if there's some sort of physical dmg reduction or needing magic dmg, MNK can still get through it.

Due to the above reason, even if the dev wants to make the content requiring different type of dmg, MNK is still the way to go. Further more, 90% of the player that wants to play DD more or less already have a geared MNK but not geared other DD. By making the content needing other type of DD, it actually makes things harder....now I need a BLM for X event? Where can I find a BLM?

[Rwolf]

I think this is a horrible way to try and address closing the gap on what jobs are invited. The issue is too complex to be handing down blanket nerfs on hand-to-hand damage, hurting Puppetmaster even further, and restricting certain types of attacks (so certain jobs are invited) to certain fights. Monk and Rangers are generally invited because they have high durability (Monk through MAX HP and Ranger through being out of range and enmity transfer) and can deal good damage, better than others in some instances.

The problem doesn't lie on these jobs. It lies on this stack of horrible issues that befalls the game. How horrible area of effect attacks are currently and defense against them for players and pets, the horrible amount of magic evasion on most of the new content, magic accuracy of additional effects, the effects and use of enfeebling magic, enmity system, list goes on and on.

I'm starting to see a trend of not fixing things, but just making new stuff on top of it to try to balance it. Don't fix jugs, just add new HQ ones. Don't fix Blue Magic, just add new ones. Don't fix pet damage/defense/attacks, just add new gear/food. Don't fix magic accuracy, add job points and gear with magic accuracy. List goes on and on. Which is a horrible way to fix things, it just makes the issue more complicated with adding elements to the game and so far it's not fixing anything. It's just overly cautiously inching forward as if it will be catastrophic to the game if suddenly other jobs and their abilities are viable.

[Babekeke]

As for nukers, unless each tier V nuke does 20k damage and doesn't immediately put you at the top of the enmity list, no one will ever invite nukers to DD in serious content.

You obviously haven't seen this

[detlef]

You obviously haven't seen this

Somebody complains about magic damage enmity generation and you respond by demonstrating that SCH can be strong in a situation where enmity is meaningless?

[Olor]

It's easier to reduce the capabilities of one job than to buff the capabilities of 20 other jobs. Not only is it more efficient, cost effective, faster, more intuitive to just weaken one job, it also requires less testing. Furthermore, if you buff 20 other jobs you vastly increase the probability of something unbeknownst slip through the cracks and now the playerbase jumps onto the next overpowered melee.
When you buff more than 1 job at a time, it takes months for players to recognize the new damage hierarchy and more time still for the devs to catch on. So lets say they buff WAR DRK THF BLU DNC for more damage in a single patch. People play with them and after a few weeks realize that now DNC and BLU are OP when they spam some WS or JA or spell, then it'll take for SE to catch on and nerf those jobs.

It's easier to nerf than to play catch up for 20 other jobs especially because by buffing other jobs you create a whole new host of potential problems and exploits.

OH GAWD! I SEE! BUFFING CRUMMY JOBS MIGHT MAKE THEM POPULAR!

Derp! Of course the solution is to ignore the problems of crappy jobs and do a derpy nerf of monk that will probably only really hurt PUP! OTHERWISE CATASTROPHE, UNPOPULAR JOBS MIGHT BE POWERFUL!

[Mitruya]

Please don't hurt PUP with this!

[Tennotsukai]

I want to agree with the majority of everyone and ask that you guys (the devs) not hurt Pup through these adjustments. Also, what do you guys have against breath damage? Poor Drg's and Blu's....

[Babekeke]

Somebody complains about magic damage enmity generation and you respond by demonstrating that SCH can be strong in a situation where enmity is meaningless?

Enmity is irrelevant if everyone in your pt is a nuker.

/sigh

[Babekeke]

OH GAWD! I SEE! BUFFING CRUMMY JOBS MIGHT MAKE THEM POPULAR!

Derp! Of course the solution is to ignore the problems of crappy jobs and do a derpy nerf of monk that will probably only really hurt PUP! OTHERWISE CATASTROPHE, UNPOPULAR JOBS MIGHT BE POWERFUL!

Of course it is. It's always been the theme with SE, if you remember.

DRG was too powrful: nerf TP gain from Penta Thrust.

RNG was too powerful: Nerf Ranged Attacks.

Footwork was too powerful: Nerf it so noone ever uses it.

BLM was too powerful: Release ToAU where almost all mobs had massive MDB or -MDT or reflect....

BST was too powerful (in dynamis/salvage): Nerf Pet TH.

There's more, I'm sure, but that's all I can think of off the top of my head.