Does FF14 have a button bloat problem?

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Originally Posted by TaleraRistain

I like the trait idea. I also wish we could have some way to swap from single target to AoE but use the same buttons instead of another set. Though it would have to keep in mind instances where there are more AoE than single target. Just something where I could streamline that transition a bit more would be nice. I love Ninja, for instance, but I feel like you have to be an octopus to play it. And I love DRG but it has some button bloat going on, too.

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DRG feels like one of the better ones to me, almost got all my skills now at 77. Only thing I don't like about current DRG is positional skills.

If we have to prune I'd rather it be cooldowns instead. Automating combos just feels like another ez mode win for casuals. You can beat the whole game as a casual with AoE rotation, 1-2-3 combo and a few cooldowns. Do we need to go further and reduce it to 1-1-1 for single target and 2-2-2 for aoe?

As a controller player the only jobs that have severe button bloat are PLD and AST.

Dragoon, I would say, has too many buttons, but the others are fine.

One thing that on controller helped me on tank and DPS jobs was to set up one hot bar for single target rotation and skills and a second hotbar for AOE. Like there's no reason I need Arm of the Destroyer if I'm facing a single boss, and vice verse for Dragon Kick. So you can keep things a lot simpler if you split up the skills in that way.

So far it’s only a issue that will have to be addressed sooner or later.

Ranged dont have this issue at all, considering the low amount of skills they received independently. All of DNC new skills are locked behind buffs, MCH has 1 skill added ,and BRD only has 1 with others being Shallow upgrade, charges and Burst tied to Apex which isn’t a bad thing. RDM I don’t even think it received more than 2 skills, SMN skill count is crazy low and BLM isn’t bloaty and didn’t get many skills anyways. It’s certainly a Melee issue as SAM is dangerously close to being too much

One Solution probably down the line would be doing the PVP rotation to only those that apply
This can’t be done with diverging rotations like essentially all the melee (RPR pending) and WAR. The only rotations this really effects is those with very very simple rotations or finishers like RDM melee combo, MCH, DNC,PLD,GNB, and DRK. Could also have Refulgent turn from Burst Shot rather than having them as independent skills. Another way to save space is turning traits like Enochain and Blood of the dragon did in EW.

What don't you guys like about DRG? Most of the skills seem to do different things to me. In comparison I'd look at Gunbreaker, it has like 7 defensive cooldowns, that could be pruned lol. I was told DRG is one of the easier DPS.

I've only gotten 3 jobs up to 80 at this point, GNB, AST, and BLM, and I'm fine with the current number of buttons there are. If much more is added it'll get bothersome, but otherwise it's ok to me.

Some jobs do feel a little more bloated than others [looking at you, PLD and AST] but at the same time, every button is still used rather often, so it's kinda difficult to prune abilities off without altering the job in a significant way. [and then there's objective trash like SMN's Physick, Repose, Blizz II, Undraw, Fluid Aura...]. Hide...is a debatable one, since it's only there as an 'obstacle' to use mudras, so it's literally just there for button bloat, but also technically part of NIN's identity and mechanic so...

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Originally Posted by _Pigzig

What don't you guys like about DRG? Most of the skills seem to do different things to me. In comparison I'd look at Gunbreaker, it has like 7 defensive cooldowns, that could be pruned lol. I was told DRG is one of the easier DPS.

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DRG is straight forward but it’s leagues ahead of MCH and DNC in terms of easier, soon to be SMN too. And maybe like neck and neck to RDM

It's not an issue for every job, but there are definitely some that have too many to be comfortable. For me, it has to be SAM. Basically every button they have does have a purpose or use and nothing really feels completely superfluous, but there's just so much. If any job is a definite candidate for having it's basic combo(s) compacted into single buttons with multiple presses, it's them, especially now that they're getting a second charge for Meikyo where you'll have even less need for their standard combos anyway.

This is the first MMORPG I have ever played that had more than 10 buttons involved and honestly, back then, it stressed me out seeing people’s interface for the first time with all their skills spread across hot bars on their screens lol. It’s definitely possible for 10 buttons or less to be fun. The SMN overhaul might be a testament to that with how few buttons we will have in Endwalker. It just has to be done right, along with encounters in this game become more engaging outside of endgame.