Blue mage at patch 4.5

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sandpark

This is what I expected, expect beastmaster to be introduced like this if that job makes the cut eventually.
On that note I don't like the look of blue mage. Look's like a 1970-80's hero that Bruce Lee played called Kato. I would rather have the middle eastern vibe with scimitars as in FFXI.

http://chrysaliswiki.wdfiles.com/loc...emage_ff11.jpg

---

I don't like that look either and looking at the CG artwork it looks even worse for me (personal taste) :(

https://press.na.square-enix.com/fn/...GAS%5F29%2Epng

https://image7.cosp.jp/images/member...7/10573406.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3429/...7c88dae885.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Elleia

Yeah, I have a sinking feeling BLU is going to essentially be "side content" and won't be able to be used in any group situations. I can't imagine they'd call it a limited job if it wasn't it's own thing. If it was just going to be a normal job that's capped at 50 for now, they probably would have said that - but calling it a limited job makes me think it's a completely new system.

---

Sounding like it's basically going to be a playable Hildebrand.

The BLU design seems inspired by the original FFV version that also had the masquerade and cape.

I really was not expecting them to retain their original method of learning skills, so I'm curious as to just how many there will be available to learn.

The fact that it's referred to as a "limited" job makes me worried that it won't actually be usable in all of the content standard jobs are, though. It would be understandable if they wanted to give players freedom to learn a huge array of monster abilities, since that would be a balancing nightmare.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Arrius

Just doesn't need a class requirement to unlock it. Don't confuse class (/jobs) with role (tank/heal/dps).

---

I wasnt confusing them. Just speculating that it could be the case. That said, it'll probably remain a DPS but be "limited" to selecting a certain amount of actions to set.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Elleia

Yeah, I have a sinking feeling BLU is going to essentially be "side content" and won't be able to be used in any group situations. I can't imagine they'd call it a limited job if it wasn't it's own thing. If it was just going to be a normal job that's capped at 50 for now, they probably would have said that - but calling it a limited job makes me think it's a completely new system.

---

I thought it was unusual that the video clip shows the Blue Mage only playing solo in a dungeon and against a primal. Usually these sneak peek videos show a party.

I'm wondering if by "limited job" they mean that it is for solo play only? i.e. for people who want to play FF14 like it is a single player RPG without dealing with DF? Just a wild guess...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mikita

I thought it was unusual that the video clip shows the Blue Mage only playing solo in a dungeon and against a primal. Usually these sneak peek videos show a party.

I'm wondering if by "limited job" they mean that it is for solo play only? i.e. for people who want to play FF14 like it is a single player RPG without dealing with DF? Just a wild guess...

---

Potentially - they're also adding the NPC Trust system for that very purpose as well. But they said BLU will have it's own unique duties to do, so it may just be that. Hopefully we get more information tomorrow.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mikita

I thought it was unusual that the video clip shows the Blue Mage only playing solo in a dungeon and against a primal. Usually these sneak peek videos show a party.

I'm wondering if by "limited job" they mean that it is for solo play only? i.e. for people who want to play FF14 like it is a single player RPG without dealing with DF? Just a wild guess...

---

I don't recall the Red Mage one having a party, to be fair, but that was a simpler showcase.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stormfur

When they say it's "not tied to any class" - what does that mean? Do they just mean it starts as its own job like SAM/RDM did?

---

Correct. They appear to be trying to separate away from the class-job system of ARR and go to a job only game. We saw this as well with DRK, AST, and MCH, and that was further pushed with the removal of the cross class system in favor of cross role. Very likely we will eventually see the devs eliminate the base classes of all jobs. Probably a goal since it will make balancing SCH and SMN easier.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nariel

I don't get the point of having a job you can't really play outside of its own duty or in anything relevant.

---

For the time being, it's likely both a testing phase for the developers, as well as the ability to let interested players test out the job, and learn skills before the main launch of the next expansion, meaning those people who really enjoy it can have the job ready to go.

I can't wait to play this! But that job gear looks terrible. I'll be glamouring that off asap. It looks like he is attending an Eternal Bonding for Merlwyb and her pack of bloody Sea Wolves. Ahoy Captain Blu!

But hoping for more important information in tomorrow's live letter. I really hope this is not just the first ever solo content only job.

if it really is solo only for everything, then I'm done with this game. my 2 cents.

Everything I've read leads me to believe this class is going to be isolated to its own content. If that's the case, then they just ruined the one class I've been waiting for above all in this game. Time will tell...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheJarvisMan

Everything I've read leads me to believe this class is going to be isolated to its own content. If that's the case, then they just ruined the one class I've been waiting for above all in this game. Time will tell...

---

I fail to see a job isolated to its own content. This is an MMO, not a ARPG. That said, it looked more like duties much like your normal jobs have solo duties to progress their power and personal stories. They said there would be more information tomorrow, so lets look at this in a more positive way than fearing the worst. :P

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Syphin_Polaris

I fail to see a job isolated to its own content. This is an MMO, not a ARPG. That said, it looked more like duties much like your normal jobs have solo duties to progress their power and personal stories. They said there would be more information tomorrow, so lets look at this in a more positive way than fearing the worst. :P

---

I'm certainly confused by how they're handling it, but I agree...let's not jump to conclusions just yet. I can't seem hyping up BLU the way they did if it wasn't going to end up being an integral part of the game like all other jobs.

On the bright side you don't have to wait till the next fanfest for more BLU news, just tomorrow as part of the 4.5 live letter talk.

I am mixed in feeling.
I have wanted BLU for a long time, but I am concerned that there will be disappointment in its implementation and I can appreciate the challenge SE faces with balancing it - but there are multiple ways it could work with XIV's system. If the limitation is content and that we're dealing in "BLU Only" content or for it to be an aside to the main jobs then I'm siding with pessimism, because I don't see that content get the attention it'd need to be compelling. I am just thinking of the disappointment in side content that ends up being fun the first couple of times but dies out. PoTD, HoH, Diadem, Eureka all being cases of "I love this idea, this could be really cool" and finding the implementation being not what it could be and it not taking long to get bored.

However, if it is testing the waters for a job system that may be more interesting and trying something new and good to break the current mold then I can get behind it. If I can main a Blue Mage, I'll be even happier. However, I guess it'll be a "wait and see", but fortunately, it won't be very long before we do. I just really hope SE don't mess this up, I've been anticipating Blue Mage since spotting references to FFXI BLU related things in game back in 2.0. They managed to get RDM right IMO, despite its being a jack of all trades being its appeal.

Maybe doing the release for 4.5 will be sensible because *hopefully* it gives something SE to go on for improving it for the expansion release if there is feedback to improve it.

Guessing it's been said but got the impression this would be limited to its own instances and so won't be able to take on MsQ or into dungeons or raids. Blue Mage instances only: thankfully we only need to wait a day for confirmation if true.

The more I think about it, the more it feels like filler until 5.0 comes out. Besides blu, all we have is 24 man, primal, msq, for the next 7-8 months. I wouldn't be surprised if they make this a tedious grind.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Xlantaa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK1BSO7A9Ew

The video.

I sitll dont know how the heck will work in this game.

---

Looks like it will be similar to how it works in FFXI. You have to let the mob use the action 1st, so you can "see it" then from the video you either have a chance to learn it. Either way we'll find out more during the LL tomorrow.

Looks like I was right about how it will work, it's pretty much the same as in FFXI.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BillyKaplan

Yeah this would've been murder to balance or even just support if released alongside the expansion. I'm guessing this is basically a glorified beta stage for BLU. Kind of smart of them

---

As it is entirely a hero class and, if no fourth raid tier, will have no real balance repercussions unless to the point of having one for every slot... yeah, couldn't have picked a better time. Or rather, that'd be the advantage if this was an actual job. As it's basically a GS minigame, it really wouldn't matter anyways.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Berethos

Shouldn't be baffling.

They wanted to add the traditional Blue Mage, which has a design that doesn't jive with the design of other classes and balancing for content (obviously they could have, but is that really Blue Mage or just a caster with a Blue Mage flavor), and have decided to add its own content to the game as its own (solo-focused) "current content."

Expand your definition of "current content" outside of the narrow "level-cap dungeons and raids" and suddenly it's not at all confusing.

---

You're asserting a false ultimatum. A "standard caster" or "not there". The only necessity is that something has to give, but with a coming expansion, that could have instead been the treatment of the job roster instead, towards better design in general, not just the players' desire to see a BLU and for it to actually be a BLU.

And... content? I mean, maybe in the sense that Chocobo racing is content, but... you don't create a minigame and call it a job.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rhus

Guessing it's been said but got the impression this would be limited to its own instances and so won't be able to take on MsQ or into dungeons or raids. Blue Mage instances only: thankfully we only need to wait a day for confirmation if true.

---

I can see them limiting it at launch, because as others have said we're basically testing the viability of the class for them with the way it's being introduced. Limiting what we can do during the first few stages of testing before slowly opening up our horizons is a smart way of doing things. Ergo I hope that if fears are true, that'll be what's happening. I can't see them banning a class outright from group content. That's just too much money to spit down the drain. However they have done stupider things.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KageTokage

The BLU design seems inspired by the original FFV version that also had the masquerade and cape.

I really was not expecting them to retain their original method of learning skills, so I'm curious as to just how many there will be available to learn.

The fact that it's referred to as a "limited" job makes me worried that it won't actually be usable in all of the content standard jobs are, though. It would be understandable if they wanted to give players freedom to learn a huge array of monster abilities, since that would be a balancing nightmare.

---

Prediction: Alphinaud becomes BLU

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KaplanHomahru

if it really is solo only for everything, then I'm done with this game. my 2 cents.

---

It's probably going to be an involved storyline akin to how Alphinaud 's side story was setup. You probably won't be able to use BLU until you finish the sidequest "job" like how all sidequest's for jobs have been, except in this case you get an actual 10-part storyline that isn't gated by levels.

Or who knows, maybe Yoshi-P doesn't care that much about lore and will hand it out to anyone who's finished MSQ 2.0 regardless of references to it in the AST storyline and the 4.3 "The Swallow's Compass" dungeon.

My opinion however, is that it's likely that "limited" content means that BLU's party content might be limited to Eureka content, FATE's and unsynced dungeons. Because how it's learned is different than being handed out like other jobs, you don't want to get a party that doesn't have the BLU skills to make it work. Another possibility is that it might be allowed in all content, but requires slotting in as tank/healer/dps, by which only skills designated for that role would be usable, consider how other jobs are synced, you can still play a synced job, but a BLU might have all skills as "level 50" and thus can't play any content that isn't level 50.

Anyway, another possibility is that it's intentionally a "solo" sync for all content, and it's more of a time-trial.

I can't see them making this a solo only job, maybe at first while leveling and so on but at cap and later levels it would make no sense. Maybe making it versatile solo or grouping up.

UPDATE: Well I was wrong about the solo part. It's not entirely solo only, in the sense that you can do pre-made parties just not matchmaking parties. So you can do trials and such in a pre-made.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Awful

My issue with this classless base for BLU is that limited could mean that it's used in "limited content" which means it can't go into raids for 24 man raids, EX primals etc, which would really turn a lot of people off I hope that's not the case. My hopes is that we can use monster abilities to build how we wanna play (DPS/tank/healer) that way the choices are limited not the class.

---

I'm hoping that's just for now; I hope we see changes to the other classes/jobs, too, which move towards job identity over mere role identity with 5.0, making those distinctions a non-issue. Thus we eventually get a real job, rather than... leveling ourselves... as if a Kirby-chocobo.

Heck, with the trailer's 1.x flashbacks and seeming emphasis on moment-by-moment details, I'd really hoped we were going to move away from Role Actions finally, and maybe really doubling down on what makes XIV characters unique. I'm no huge fan of the XIII, XIII:LR, or X-2 systems at the far end of that extreme, but at least think that's a better direction than the utter nonsense of Role Actions. At the very least, I hope there are some well-designed and optionally very difficult solo fights that make use of that mechanic.

Design could go even further or broader that that, though. For instance, I'd like to see job changes permitted in raids as well, presumably through a raid-wide vote that siphons a bit of the permitted role pool from 3/15/6 to, say, 3/14/7. Once the role for "More healers!" succeeds, parties' individual members are allowed to volunteer for a swap, with other flagged candidates visible to them from the raid bars. Individual party members, in turn, could request to transfer out of or into a role, whenever they wanted. (Ideally, in such a world you'd want to be then be able to see their commendations, how many were in that role, their ilvls for each (non-redundant) job in role or the top three or so therein, with the one they're suggesting highlighted, and achievements generally and in-role, at a glance, but you could technically do without all that.)

I don't see how they could balance BLU to be on par with other classes in content like savage/ex if the players can choose their abilities freely.
Most BLUs will be horribly gimped, because a lot of the abilities won't work properly on bosses.

As such, it makes sense to exclude it from high level content.

Locking it to 50 seems a bit extreme though. It should be able to handle normal Lv 70 content.

My predictions:
1. BLU will be made even with other jobs by the times ShBr comes out.
2. BLU will not be able to change abilities at will but merely use toned down versions from select monsters you defeat via MSQ for its class.
3. BLU will have a similar quest chain as every other job: Every 5 until 50. One ever 2 levels 50-60. One every 3 60-70 so one so forth.
4. The term BLU has with "limited" strictly means limited upon release. Instead of doing all the hotfixes SE had to do in regards to NIN in ARR with its release, they can now do it this way intelligently letting people test the job and fixing it before launch. This is both smart in relation to appeasing subscribers and SE maintaining #s.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheRealMadruck

3. BLU will have a similar quest chain as every other job: Every 5 until 50. One ever 2 levels 50-60. One every 3 60-70 so one so forth.

---

They literally, specifically, said that Blue Mage won't get any skills at all just from leveling. Since most skills are gotten from leveling, not class quests, then if they did get skills only from their job quests they would have what...11 skills in total?!

Not to mention that they said we will be surprised at how many actions they can learn. So rather than less, they are likely to have MORE skills than any other class. Also it's pointless to focus on the "actions they can learn" part if they are acquired as quest rewards, not actually learned.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kikix12

They literally, specifically, said that Blue Mage won't get any skills at all just from leveling. Since most skills are gotten from leveling, not class quests, then if they did get skills only from their job quests they would have what...11 skills in total?!

Not to mention that they said we will be surprised at how many actions they can learn. So rather than less, they are likely to have MORE skills than any other class. Also it's pointless to focus on the "actions they can learn" part if they are acquired as quest rewards, not actually learned.

---

Remember Kiki, in 4.5 you will be leveling to a max 50 and acquire skills like every other job in the current system of FF14. Like DRK, AST, MCH had a number of skills preset when you start at 30 and RDM/SAM at 50...it is incredibly safe to assume the same will happen to BLU. They are only now going a different way...instead of handing them out, they are making to which you acquire them via normal leveling. Why? It is simple...SE is in this for $ and they know BLU is a incredibly popular job in the FF universe. They are more than likely doing it this way to keep people subbed, which to me is completely reasonable.

Sorry, but this will not be the BLU you may expect if you played FF11 or any in the past that had BLU. Like RDM, we will see a variation of BLU in respects to FF14.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheRealMadruck

Remember Kiki, in 4.5 you will be leveling to a max 50 and acquire skills like every other job in the current system of FF14. Like DRK, AST, MCH had a number of skills preset when you start at 30 and RDM/SAM at 50...it is incredibly safe to assume the same will happen to BLU. They are only now going a different way...instead of handing them out, they are making to which you acquire them via normal leveling. Why? It is simple...SE is in this for $ and they know BLU is a incredibly popular job in the FF universe. They are more than likely doing it this way to keep people subbed, which to me is completely reasonable.

Sorry, but this will not be the BLU you may expect if you played FF11 or any in the past that had BLU. Like RDM, we will see a variation of BLU in respects to FF14.

---

They've already indicated that it is going to be different to other jobs and separate from them and is the first "limited job", but the latter is pretty ambiguous. So I don't think applying the same logic as the existing job system works. Whilst I am not expecting FFXI copy pasta, but there are some core fundamentals they adhere to in setting up jobs. For example they were clever with RDM because they managed to mix melee skills, magic spells and healing spells into the job and make them all useful to appeal to it's fast casting jack of all trades. But they have previously indicated the challenges of handling Blue Mage. However, we should learn more today.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Saefinn

Snip

---

We will find out...but I sincerely doubt SE will break from the norms we currently have in place creating a entirely new system for one job. Maybe if they retroactively did so for all but again...I have doubts.

I'm almost certain BLU won't be able to do much group content at all^^'

I think it's gonna be more of a skill collector minigame disguising as a job, where you can learn almost all of the skills monsters throw at you, but can only use them in the overworld/BLU specific duties.

Why? Because so far, every system the devs have put out has been fairly underwhelming compared to what people thought it would be. And that would be adequately underwhelming.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheRealMadruck

Remember Kiki, in 4.5 you will be leveling to a max 50 and acquire skills like every other job in the current system of FF14.

---

No...Like I just said, THEY are the ones that said there will be no skills acquired from leveling. You're saying something directly opposite of what they did. And I'm willing to bet that seeing as they will talk more about Blue Mage and about how hard it is to learn the skills of a Blue Mage (yes, they did say this as well, that it's actually going to be difficult in some manner), that they wouldn't lie to keep a secret for literally one day.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheRealMadruck

Like DRK, AST, MCH had a number of skills preset when you start at 30 and RDM/SAM at 50...

---

Blue Mage starts at lvl1. There is no assumption to be had there. It is going to start from level one and be leveled to fifty from there. It was on the screen with information given. So they will have no pre-leveled skills either. Only that water-like attack spell that the Blue Mage used to attack with in that teaser.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheRealMadruck

We will find out...but I sincerely doubt SE will break from the norms we currently have in place creating a entirely new system for one job. Maybe if they retroactively did so for all but again...I have doubts.

---

The way they announced it was as a new type of job called a "Limited Job", rather than announcing it as being limited on release with the implication that it wont always be limited.
Youd think if the latter was the case, they wouldn't hesitate to make it clear.

Rather it seems that "Limited" in this context doesn't refer to its level cap, but to what it can do, its limitations.

Leads me to believe you wont be able to queue for duties with it as it wont fit into the role system. Undersized parties maybe, but otherwise is an entirely seperate way to play the game, and thats how theyre able to make it so different from other jobs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Zojha

I'm almost certain BLU won't be able to do much group content at all^^'

I think it's gonna be more of a skill collector minigame disguising as a job, where you can learn almost all of the skills monsters throw at you, but can only use them in the overworld/BLU specific duties.

Why? Because so far, every system the devs have put out has been fairly underwhelming compared to what people thought it would be. And that would be adequately underwhelming.

---

I'm assuming this to keep my expectations tempered.

BLU is one of my favourite FF classes so I'll still get some use out of it if it's like this, but I admit it'll still be disappointing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheRealMadruck

We will find out...but I sincerely doubt SE will break from the norms we currently have in place creating a entirely new system for one job. Maybe if they retroactively did so for all but again...I have doubts.

---

This is my feeling. Usually when we get promised "new, unheard of content" we get Eureka: Diadem 3.0 or crafting turn ins, which was literally the equivalent of Rowena in bulk, limited times. They have got to learn that "different" needs to be mechanically different, not just "the same thing with a different skin".

As for getting "more than only 11 skills"? You'll get a hunt log that has 10-20 mobs in it and you'll kill those to get a set number of skills.

I'd love to be wrong, but as much as I love the game, as much as I don't mind the same old thing, I don't listen when they promise "new and exciting".

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Krokov

I can't see them making this a solo only job, maybe at first while leveling and so on but at cap and later levels it would make no sense. Maybe making it versatile solo or grouping up.

---

It doesn't seem like it would be "solo only" as in you can't party ever, but because the way the skills are aquired, you likely won't be able to do any DF party content without having the respective tank/healer/dps skills unlocked for the role queued as. Like it would kinda suck to get a BLU in a raid who only unlocked one skill, and it's equivalent to casting Stone I/II/III/IV.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Zojha

I'm almost certain BLU won't be able to do much group content at all^^'

I think it's gonna be more of a skill collector minigame disguising as a job, where you can learn almost all of the skills monsters throw at you, but can only use them in the overworld/BLU specific duties.

Why? Because so far, every system the devs have put out has been fairly underwhelming compared to what people thought it would be. And that would be adequately underwhelming.

---

I'd say you're being pessimistic if I didn't agree with you. That is my main worry, that it is battle side-content, which has a poor track record. They are often good concepts, but delivered in an underwhelming way.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by InkstainedGwyn

This is my feeling. Usually when we get promised "new, unheard of content" we get Eureka: Diadem 3.0 or crafting turn ins, which was literally the equivalent of Rowena in bulk, limited times. They have got to learn that "different" needs to be mechanically different, not just "the same thing with a different skin".

As for getting "more than only 11 skills"? You'll get a hunt log that has 10-20 mobs in it and you'll kill those to get a set number of skills.

I'd love to be wrong, but as much as I love the game, as much as I don't mind the same old thing, I don't listen when they promise "new and exciting".

---

If they can add 50 skills to the Logos system, they can do the same for BLU.

Of those 50 logos actions, only about 12 are actually "new".
-
To me it just doesn't make any sense in developing and revealing a fan-favorite, call it a job, show it doing stuff in combat, and then have it *not* be a job.

Doesn't matter what you call it at that point. If it can't raid, it's not a job, and it's not content. At that point, it's a joke. No better than the Wind-Up Red Mage's description.

What's most disappointing is that this is a real possibility.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Zojha

I'm almost certain BLU won't be able to do much group content at all^^'

I think it's gonna be more of a skill collector minigame disguising as a job, where you can learn almost all of the skills monsters throw at you, but can only use them in the overworld/BLU specific duties.

Why? Because so far, every system the devs have put out has been fairly underwhelming compared to what people thought it would be. And that would be adequately underwhelming.

---

I really hope its not the case but I fear that Blue Mage will just be a job with Logos actions but instead of finding them and creating them you have to bash x amount of monsters to get them.

Maybe such a Blue mage would be their way to fix the empty overworld..by having a job that only can do stuff on the maps and not in the instances...I really hope this is wrong.