Creating "Job Abilities" for Throwing, Shield, Parrying, and Blocking

[Kimble]

The only jobs with Native Skill shield skill other than PLD is WAR, WHM, BST, THF, RDM. War has C+, WHM D, BST E, and RDM and THF are at F.They would need their base skill to be raised by a lot to even begin to make it useful. On top of that, WAR is always always going to use a Gaxe, if they really want to block damage or reduce the amount of damage taken, they simply would use a PDT or MDT set accordingly. THF will have a very hard time making use of ANY adjustments to shield because their Eva is A+ and their Parry is A-, so if you change Parry to proc better, thats going to be 2 checks before Shield even has a chance to proc.

Again, to make the changes you want, a revamp of the entire system will be needed to even make the changes you want some what useful.

[kingfury]

The only jobs with Native Skill shield skill other than PLD is WAR, WHM, BST, THF, RDM. War has C+, WHM D, BST E, and RDM and THF are at F.They would need their base skill to be raised by a lot to even begin to make it useful. On top of that, WAR is always always going to use a Gaxe, if they really want to block damage or reduce the amount of damage taken, they simply would use a PDT or MDT set accordingly. THF will have a very hard time making use of ANY adjustments to shield because their Eva is A+ and their Parry is A-, so if you change Parry to proc better, thats going to be 2 checks before Shield even has a chance to proc.
Again, to make the changes you want, a revamp of the entire system will be needed to even make the changes you want some what useful.

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You're correct that these jobs have varying combat skill levels natively, and that some planning from the player would be needed in certain cases to begin to see the full benefits from these types of enhancing abilities. Those jobs with lack luster combat skill ratings would have to work a bit harder than those jobs that have higher ratings natively, but that doesn't mean it can't be accomplished with some carefully devised gear sets, weapons, sub job choice, merits and through the possible Enhancing Abilities that could be added.

I've said in a recent post that the biggest reason that other jobs like WAR don't frequent using shields is due greatly to the fact the only job that has shield abilities and enhancements is PLD. If that fact is changed, the strategy around "effectively" shield tanking with other jobs could spring up all over the place. The number of creative Enhancing Abilities that could be added would hold the key to such new possibilities.

I've said recently that unlike Atmas, these Enhancing Abilities would see their full potential based on the combat skill level of the player, so I'm not suggesting enhancements that wouldn't take some strategy and effort from the player to see the full benefit. Atmas don't care if you have a combat skill level of 5 or 350, they just have set enhancement percentages once the player puts them on so very little strategy from the player is needed to see their benefits. I didn't want to change the "effort and strategy" part of things with these abilities since that would be a big part of the rewarding feeling you get from seeing all your planning and skillups come together to make something unique.

I don't know about others, but seeing shield proc on WHM is awesome to me ^^ lol. I've successfully put together a very effective DD'ing WHM over time, and would love to add some new combat diversity such as creative shield enhancements to that mix. The same way I've planned around the concept of turning my WHM into a DD, I could plan around seeing the most out of pushing the defensive shield qualities too.

In response to your THF example, so long as that shield is being equipped and careful attention is paid to increasing the skill level, whenever the shield does proc (since no one can evade 100% of the time) it would nice to see an enhanced effect out of it. The goal of such evasion masters is not to get hit, but in the event the monster succeeds in getting a hit in, something like "Shield Retaliation" reflecting back that damage could be very rewarding.

[Bulrogg]

Not really, for instance with atma of the roaring laughter anyone can /mnk and counter like a pro without a "revamp of the entire system". I think this is the type of comparison he is trying to make. With new changes/updates like these and similar to the ones in Abyssea new plays styles are poping up.

[Kimble]

What new play styles popped up exactly in abyssea?

Please define what you consider new, as most that I know of, were used before abyssea as well.

[Bulrogg]

What new play styles popped up exactly in abyssea?

Please define what you consider new, as most that I know of, were used before abyssea as well.

WHM/MNK soloing nms in abyssea is a new play style. Maybe you witnessed it prior to abyssea, in that case it's new to me.

I too have seen eva WARs soloing nms in Abyssea. I am not arguing against the case that their dmg is taking a major reduction, of course it is. And yes the nms would die quicker with a better party set up. But not everyone lives in a Bob Ross painting. They are going out and soloing KIs during the day and doing the boss fights in the evening when the rest of the LS gets on. And yes, eva tanking is not new to the scene but more jobs are able to utilize it and some are even soloing with it. And again, I admit their damage is reduced but they aren't trying to zerg something down with a huge party, they are soloing their KIs. And yes, it would go quicker with a different party setup but like I said before, not everyone lives in a Bob Ross painting.

[kingfury]

WAR being an evasion tank is one. ^^lol I used that example, because I've built this play style myself. Though I had the gear before Abyssea, the effectiveness was no where near as prominent as they are inside Abyssea. A dozen others exist, but I'm heading to the pool amt

/Kingfury grabs his towel and sunglasses /cheer

[HFX7686]

WAR being an evasion tank is one. ^^lol I used that example, because I've built this play style myself. Though I had the gear before Abyssea, the effectiveness was no where near as prominent as they are inside Abyssea. A dozen others exist, but I'm heading to the pool amt

I have never come across a single person playing WAR as an evasion tank. I don't think that is even possible, and if it is, the WAR is probably doing terrible damage.

Besides, evasion tanking is not a new style of play.

[Kimble]

If you are using atma and gear sets to eva take on war, that means your damage is WAY down, and you are most likely not doing enough damage to even keep hate off other DDs.

As far as duoing, well, your WHM will have more than enough MP to keep you alive.

[wish12oz]

I completely agree, while if you waste your atmas and gear on supporting your evasion you may make enemys miss you a lot, but you're doing terrible damage, and if there's other melees around worth a crap, you'll never be the one the mobs are attacking anyway. Beyond that you could just play thf nin or dnc if you needed an evasion tank, those jobs can do it without requiring evasion gear or evasion atmas, and will outparse your evasion war.

[wish12oz]

How much haste gear do you use in your evasion set?