RNG Ammo

[Ryx]

Hello!

Producer Matsui has been carefully looking into ways to address players’ concerns about ammo costs, and is planning on the below changes:

• Recycle job trait
  
  • Instead of acquiring this trait via merit points, it will be learned naturally through leveling. The strength of the effect will increase in tiers depending on your level.
  • Adding merit points to the Recycle category will enhance the activation rate.

While there were other suggestions given as feedback, the development team feels that increasing the effect of Recycle holds the most benefit. They are still in the midst of discussing what would be a good amount to enhance it, but as a starting point they have currently mentioned a rate of 90% with the job trait, merit points, and equipment. Please note that they are not planning any kind of damage decrease to go along with these changes.

We will be sure to keep you posted on any additional information we hear!

Camate, please tell Director Matsui this: Don't waste your time with insignificant gimmicks, focus on the real issues the jobs are facing.

I would like to call attention to what was said in the "Job Adjustments Manifesto" ( http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...entｓ-Manifesto )

• Vision
  Hunters who use the wisdom they gain from tracking Vana'dielian beasts to deliver excruciatingly painful and precise attacks from long range, yet almost never draw the target's attention away from the front lines.
  
  We plan to enhance rangers' ability to stay out of sight and out of the minds of their targets while rewarding their long-distance efforts.
• Example Adjustments
  • Adding the effect of Subtle Blow to ranged attacks that are unleashed from a suitable distance.
  • Adding an effect to ranged attacks from an enemy's side or back that reduces enmity.
  • Adding an ability that increases enmity towards party members positioned between the ranger and his/her target.

Nowhere in that list do you see ammo as a concern. It's a trivial matter compared to the real issues surrounding Ranger: HATE.

Ranger deals its best damage at a distance, but when Ranger deals its best damage, it draws the monster's attention. Ranger draws the monster's attention, the monster chases the Ranger, drawing the monster away from the melee who are on it, and reducing Ranger's damage by no longer being at a distance.

It's really pushed a reliance on the relic weapons, Yoichinoyumi and Annihilator, because of their fixed-hate weapon skills, and even that's not enough to keep them out of trouble, as the white damage on those weapons is crazy.

The third example turned out to be Decoy shot, and it helps, but it's not nearly enough. We were promised a TRAIT enmity reduction based on our position, and that hasn't come through for us. Ranger has NO defensive ability to speak of, is severely lacking in damage reduction gear, and inconveniences everyone else when they pull hate unless they're standing in melee range and that's exactly what you're NOT supposed to do on Ranger.

I'm not saying the natural recycle is a terrible idea for Ranger, but I don't want you to think "We gave Rangers natural recycle (that we don't really need), so we're not going to give you an enmity reduction trait (that we DO NEED)." The current situation is such that a person basically NEEDS a relic weapon in order to be able to play the job as it's intended.

That's my feelings on the matter. I'm all for seeing Ranger get some much-needed love, but give us what we need, not some silly distraction.

-Ryx