Since the open world is going to be more difficult, will aggro types be varied?
Since we finally will have a reason to be careful and avoid aggro, will we see aggro types feature a more prominent role? Both in FFXI and FFXIV 1.0 (and technically 2.0), mobs had different aggro types attached to them. Most aggroed by sight (so hiding behind them didn't aggro). Some by sound only like bats or eyeless monsters (walking around them didn't aggro, running or using abilities did), undead detected the dying, and elementals aggro magic cast near them, etc.
FFXIV ARR does indeed still have the aggro system in place from 1.0, but due to the lack of danger it's not noticed by most players. That and most mobs aggro by sight. However it's still in place; Nankas in Hullbreaker and various swarms for example can be "walked" around. It would be awesome if this took a bigger role.
Since I can't find a page on FFXIV's aggro mechanics... here's XI's which follow (more or less) the same rules:
Code:
Sight: The enemy will detect you if you are within 15 yalms, inside the enemy's "field of vision," and not Invisible.
This "field of vision" is approximately 60-75 degrees from the direct front of the enemy, and can be avoided by walking around or behind the field (and the enemy itself).
The faint inner circle on the radar is at about 15 yalms.
Sound: The enemy will detect you if you are within 8 yalms of it and not Sneaked.
Sound aggro is detected in a circular radius from the center of the enemy's model. As such, walking behind the enemy will not avoid aggro to sound.
The Ninja Job Trait Stealth and the Ranger Job Trait Alertness can occasionally reduce detection to sound-aggroing enemies.
Magic: The enemy will detect you if magic is cast within 20 yalms of it (counted from where you are standing; the position of the target does not matter).
Magic aggro is detected in a circular radius from the center of the enemy's model.
Spells that do not cost MP will not cause magic aggro. As such, Ninjutsu and Bard songs are safe to use.
The outer circle on the (non-Ninja) radar is at about 20 yalms.
Ability: The enemy will detect you if you use a Job Ability or Weapon Skill within 20 yalms of it.
Ability aggro is detected in a circular radius from the center of the enemy's model.
At the moment, only certain monster families from Aht Urhgan regions exhibit this behavior.
Low HP/"Blood": The enemy will detect you if your HP color is yellow, orange, or red while within 20 yalms of it.
Blood aggro is detected in a circular radius from the center of the enemy's model.
True Sight: A version of Sight aggro that ignores Invisible status. (All other conditions of Sight aggro will apply.)
True Sound: A version of Sound aggro that ignores Sneak status. (All other conditions of Sound aggro will apply.)
Sleeping Non-Aggro: Some mobs in Treasures of Aht Urhgan and Abyssea areas are Diurnal or Nocturnal, and will therefore occasionally be sleeping. The "Zzz"s floating from their heads indicate that they will not aggro until they are awoken (either because they are attacked or because the clock changes to their "awake" time). Unlike normal Sleep, any type of aggressive action will cause them to awaken from this type of sleep, even if it does not deal any damage.
Spawned Monsters: Many spawned monsters will immediately attack the person who caused the monster to spawn. In some cases, it may be possible to spawn the monster(s) with a Sneak effect up and cause the monster(s) to spawn passive (not aggressive). (Spawning monsters with an Invisible effect up is generally impossible because it prevents you from examining/trading to ???s or similar points.)
Scent: Many enemies pursue their target (in addition to their detection methods) using Scent. It is possible to "lose" aggro on these types of enemies if the player Deodorizes him or herself while he or she is out of the enemy's widest detection range. If aggro was successfully lost, the enemy will give up chasing the player at the point where Deodorize was applied.
Water element (Rain) weather and walking through bodies of water will have a similar effect to that of Deodorize.
