This is actually a very good idea. I applaud the OP for thinking outside the box a bit. :)
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This is actually a very good idea. I applaud the OP for thinking outside the box a bit. :)
Folks like to bash this game over the "lack of choice" / "illusion of choice" but honestly the devs have said themselves that if they did give us paths, choices and etc that everyone would still gravitate to the same cookie-cutter build.
And they are 100% correct. EQ1, EQ2, WoW, honestly almost every MMO that had these features went that way.
Arguing against the idea...
Why would you want say a WHM who is gearing fully for say accuracy and crit? That WHM's heals would then be laughable while the WHM job is designed to be a healer.
Arguing for the idea...
Some classes could really benefit. BLM being able to build as a quick caster ast the cost of some of the "umph" their spells pack is a very legitimate choice.
Many folks might actually like it as it could debateably give BLM more mobility and alleviate those moments where every AOE and mechanic targets the BLM and in effect CC's the BLM.
I'd rather they take away us speccing in main stats and let us spec in Determination, Crit Chance, Spell Speed, Skill Speed.
Or...
Just give us modifiers/choice in traits. Like a boost in the main or secondary stats or overall cooldown reduction.
Paths/Trees end with multiple traits that are:
1. Taken to unlock a "good" ability/skill
2. Stat increases you'd normally get during the leveling process if you did not have a tree.
3. 1 Tree that is found to be lackluster and thusbfrowned upon by 90% of the community.
4. Cookie Cutter specs.
@OP
I like the thinking out of the box. Honestly...I think if they homogenized/merged the secondary stats into the main stats theu could simplify things and just have main stats on armor & weapons and thus make gearing and nateria less of a PITA.
They are 100% Incorrect.
Cookie cutter builds exist, yes, even in games like GW2 with relatively speaking no powercreep at all (absolute oposite of XIV) there are cookie cutter builds for dungeons/PvP/Alliance PvP (world vs world vs world). But outside that, you have an incredible freedom of choice, and in fact, something XIV has that GW2 is in dire need is of a profile collection system to easily change gearsets/classes which in XIV could be expanded into stats.
Maybe in high end savage level raids or extreme primals i would run the cookie cutter build, but i don`t see why an ultra skillspeed (incredibly low damage, 0.5s skill speed xD) or an evasion off-tank DRG don`t have a room in dungeons or overworld.
In fact i will always take in consideration Ragnarok Online, which of course had cookie cutter builds, but the freedom was so inmense and so fun that "for fun builds" were basically the motivation to raid/get incredibly rare gear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu24yfMuzDM
Of course build is radically diferent, but i don`t see why we can`t have for example a dedicated healer gladiator, and even more, such freedom would bring back the classes into relevance since you can cross much more skills. Make more skills cross-able and you would never need to add an spellsword class, make it yourself.
We kinda had this in 1.0. For example MNKs WSs had an INT modifier along with STR, so you'd see a lot of INT penta-melded MNK head pieces etc (materia was limited as to what could be melded where).
Give jobs a second mainstat
example Monks damage can be based on Str and Int (like during 1.21-1.23c). Int can give bonus damage if the Monk is in a Fist stance (and Fist stance can consume MP over time while active)
Of course if they give us different path, people will find wich one gives the most damage...since EVERYTHING in this game is about damage.
What does STR do ? Increase damage
What does DEX do ? Increase damage
What does INT do ? Increase damage
What does MND do ? ...increase damage for Cleric Stance
What does VIT do ? Nobody cares...what ? tank damage based on VIT ? Then, it increases damage
What does PIE do ? Please...
What does Accuracy do ? Bothering us, so it disappears more and more from gear AND from requirements
What does Crit do ? Increase damage
What does Determination do ? Increase damage
What does Skillspeed do ? Increase damage
What does Spellspeed do ? Increase damage
What does Parry do ? Make people run away from it
What does Defense do ? Who cares, the same ilvl always bring the same Defense
What does M.Defense do ? See above
Do you see a pattern, there ? Do you see how bland the stats are ?
Personally I would prefer if they removed the primary stats and only kept the secondary stats.