So instead of attempting to show off a job concept of something more demanded, I decided to go for something a bit different. Something a bit more fun.
Same fair warning here that this is a LOT of text and there will not be a TL;DR version, so once again for those who do intend to go through all of it, 1) thank you, and 2) grab some snacks, because some of the sections here are a lot longer than the others. This will also be done in spoiler text for some level of reading convenience.
Without further ado, I give you the Juggler.
Origin
Just like before, the Origin here refers to the story components of the job within the game in the forms of background lore and the story told through the job questline. Without this component, the job would have no reason to exist within the confines of the game world, thus having no purpose for developers to its creation. The "short" story presented here provides a possible means of establishing Juggler into storylines already implemented into the game:
The Sad Clowns
The introductory questline starts with the Warrior of Light encountering a pair of Lalafell performers known as the “Famous Telo Twins” (the location for now is not as relevant). After they finish a performance, the Telo Twins come to the Warrior of Light. The first to get close to the Warrior of Light comes running in, trips, and slides face-first past them, while the other casually walks up and introduces himself as Perotelo as well as his brother Augutelo, who has gotten up and rushed next to his brother with a grin still full of dirt. Perotelo rolls his eyes at his brother and looks back to the Warrior of Light, explaining to the player that they love performing, with Augutelo excitedly agreeing and almost violently nodding his head, and that they wish to open their own carnival so they can continue to perform and provide a long-lasting source of entertainment for all.
Upon briefly elaborating on their vision, Augutelo suggests that the player could assist in making their dream come true, to which Perotelo agrees and pitches the idea to the player, and in return for helping them out, the brothers would teach their craft. Once the player agrees, Perotelo hands the player a soul crystal. Immediately after, Augutello says “oh yeah, you should take this too” and hands the player a dagger, which results in his brother almost instantly asking why he still had that in his possession.
From Oddities to Spectacles
The starting job storyline would primarily focus on the creation of the Telo Eorzean Carnival. Each quest would start with one of the Telo twins instructing the Warrior of Light on a particular technique and then advising where to test the trick out. The player would then go to the suggested area--usually someplace with people ill or downtrodden--and perform their newly acquired technique either by themselves or on a target (if the skill or ability requires a target). At the end of each of these job quests, the trick would become a job skill or ability that can be used in combat.
Doing these acts though would attract a larger crowd, including one man who introduces himself by the name of Mubran, who asks the player a question or two after every performance. When the Warrior of Light tells the Telo twins of this man, they make it immediately clear that he is a threat. At the end of starting storyline, Mubran's attempts to sabotage the creation of the carnival are made clear to all and Mubran himself is forced to flee after being mercilessly pranked by the Telo twins, defeated by the player, and is ultimately forced to flee from an angry mob of carnival supporters gained through the storyline.
”Come One, Come All!”
The following job storylines would focus on garnering more support for the Telo Eorzean Carnival and protecting it from forces who would see it closed down. Along the way, there would be more practicing of techniques, more comic relief moments, and more acts now performed on the carnival main stage.
Role
The role for this concept of Juggler has been classified as a support-type ranged damage dealer.
Basically this means three things. First, it’s a DPS (that’s a given). Second, it’s a physical ranged DPS (slightly more obvious). Third is that it’s “support-type” DPS, which means it will have slightly more focus on utility (buffs and debuffs) compared to “assault-type” DPS jobs which have only one or two features built around raid utility.
Mechanics
The goal for this job is a physical ranged DPS that not only meets the primary demand of players who prefer ranged DPS with more mobility (amirite bard 2.x players), but also provide that in a package which would allow for storylines that can give a more lighthearted tale for players while also providing writers another good outlet for comic relief.
Mobile Ranged DPS
Normally the main reason why fans of physical ranged DPS prefer the role is because they are not casters. Although there are a handful of skills and abilities with cast times, these are designed to make cast times feel rewarding for the player standing still rather than making that player feel as if they are being punished for having that extra mobility.
Sticky Fingers and Juggle Toss
The main support feature comes from a pair of lengthy cooldowns. Sticky Fingers would apply three random minor debuffs to an enemy target while providing the Juggler three individual charges of Juggle that can be used by the Juggle Toss ability to grant corresponding buffs to their party members.
The easiest way to think about it is “borrowing” items from an enemy and briefly giving them to friends.
Antics Galore
This is a job inherently designed for comic relief. If it appears absurd, idiotic or otherwise cartoon-like in any possible way, then all the more reason for the Juggler to use it in combat.
Outfitting
Outfitting is simply the gear and core stat preference. As Juggler is a physical ranged DPS, there should be no issue with it using the same Dexterity-based Aiming gear used by Bard and Machinist. Any relic armor associated with the job would be almost be exclusively linked to one among a variety of older and more simplistic clown themes (as to not outright horrify people).
The weapon of choice for Juggler would be a single knife held by the tip of the blade. The average size for this knife would be roughly the same size or smaller than most Rogue/Ninja daggers, with most likely different models not only because of the way the knife is held, but that many of the Rogue/Ninja daggers aren't designed to be thrown.
Abilities
First off, neither the abilities nor their values are set in stone. This list of abilities is to mainly provide some idea as to the basic combat functions of Juggler and getting an idea of how it would fight. This is also not set up as a complete list of abilities as to not convolute or confuse anyone reading it and trying to bounce back and forth attempting to link skill relations. Lastly, TP costs have been omitted for now, but one asterisk (“ * “) means there is a TP cost.
Skills and abilities will have their names and attributes listed under this order: potency, periodic potency (“X periodic”), effect duration, range, radius (if it is an AoE effect), cast time (only if there is a cast time involved), and recast time. Any secondary effects and their durations (if applicable) will be listed afterward along with a description as necessary for cooldown effects. Visual descriptions will be noted for some skills and abilities (because I am still HORRIBLE at art).
Balltread: 15 second duration, 60 second recast. Increase movement speed. Allows casting of weaponskills while moving. Visual: the caster balances themselves on a black metal ball with a diameter approximately one-fourth the height of the caster.
*Knife Throw: 150, 25y range. Visual: an overhead knife throw....that's pretty much it....
*Pie Toss: 120, 15 second duration, 25y range. Reduce cast times, weaponskill recast times and auto-attack delay by 5%. Additional effect: Blind (15 second duration). Visual: the caster throws an old-fashioned cream pie at the target's head (if it has one).
*Torch: 100, 50 periodic, 18 second duration, 25y range. Visual: the caster throws a torch up into the air, which lands on the target.
Bonk Hammer: 160, 5 second duration, 25y range, 60 second recast. Stuns the target. Visual: the caster tosses a “toy” mallet at the target with the word “BONK!” painted on it.
Apple Shot: 50, 1 second duration, 25y range, 20 second recast. Silences the target. Visual: the caster throws an apple at the target's face (if it has a discernable one).
*Bomb Toss: 130, 25y range, 5y radius. Visual: caster throwing a cartoon-style bomb.
*Cocktail: 60, 35 periodic, 30 second duration, 25y range, 5y radius. Visual: the caster throws a molotov cocktail.
Sticky Fingers: 20 second (10 second PvP) duration, 25y range, 120 second recast. Applies three of the following random debuffs to a target and granting the caster three applications of Juggle:
Weapon: damage dealt reduced by 5%.
Shield: damage taken increased by 5%.
Boots: applies Heavy (+20%).
Gloves: cast times, weaponskill recast times and auto-attack delay increased by 5%.
Lenses: critical chance reduced by 5%.
Visual: caster reaches outward, launching a set of strings that pull off three random items to represent the three debuffs applied. The caster then begins to juggle the three items along with their weapon.
Juggle Toss: 20 second (10 second PvP) duration, 25y range, 5 second recast. Applies a buff to a party member based on the order of debuffs applied by Sticky Fingers. Can only be used while under the effect of Juggle.
Weapon: damage dealt increased by 5%.
Shield: damage taken reduced by 5%.
Boots: movement speed increased.
Gloves: cast times, weaponskill recast times and auto-attack delay reduced by 5%.
Lenses: critical chance increased by 5%.
Visual: while still juggling the items pulled by Sticky Fingers, the caster tosses the item corresponding to the buff being granted to the target party member. Once all three items have been tossed and their associated buffs given, the caster will stop juggling and revert to their normal combat stance.
Smile: 80, 12 second duration, 25y range, 120 second recast. Grants Refresh to a party member. Visual: the caster tosses a stuffed moogle toy to the target party member, making a moogle noise and a heart pop up over the party member's head.
Razzle Dazzle: 15 second duration, 2.5 second cast, 90 second recast. Gradually restore TP over time. Visual: Twirl, jazz hands and a burst of glitter (because why not).
Focused Throws: 60 second recast. The next five instant weaponskills will have cast times and their damage increased by 30%.
Cannonball: 350, 25y range, 60 second recast. Can only be used under the effect of Balltread and removes the effect. Visual: caster flips to a handstand on the ball and flips forward, launching the heavy ball high into the air that lands on top of the target.
LIMIT BREAK – Carnival of Hells: Ranged Limit Break.
Casting visual: the Juggler throws out a large red curtain and quickly pulls it off to reveal a massive wheel loaded with firebombs.
Attack visual: the Juggler gleefully ignites the wheel, causing it to rocket forward in a trail of explosions.
And Now For Something Completely Different...
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12-22-2016, 01:00 PMKazrahAnd Now For Something Completely Different...
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12-22-2016, 01:58 PMMadepossible
Not another ranged dps xd! Mch was bad enough lol most boring job in the game tbh xD
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12-22-2016, 01:59 PMMadepossible
Wait u have a skill called sticky fingers? LOL OK then XD
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12-22-2016, 02:57 PMKazrahYeah, that was one of the many, MANY issues I have with Machinist, which is why I at least made some endeavor to give this ranged job a more suitable level of entertainment value.Quote:
Originally Posted by Madepossible
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12-22-2016, 03:20 PMKrokov
So this isn't about Monty Python's And Now for Something Completely Different?
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12-22-2016, 03:51 PMKazrahNo, but almost as silly. Almost.Quote:
Originally Posted by Krokov
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12-22-2016, 04:25 PMFluffernuffWait, why is this a cooldown with a maximum duration instead of a toggled stance!?Quote:
Originally Posted by Kazrah
That's not how ranged DPS works in this game.
EVERY. SINGLE. RANGED. DPS. NEEDS. PERMANENT. CAST BARS!
Try again. -
12-22-2016, 09:31 PMKazrahNot sure if sarcastic or just forgot to gripe while on a ranged DPS so I could take that complaint seriously.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fluffernuff
This job concept was for the players who prefer that extra mobility on a ranged job. Also as I stated in the Mechanics section....
Quote:
Although there are a handful of skills and abilities with cast times, these are designed to make cast times feel rewarding for the player standing still rather than making that player feel as if they are being punished for having that extra mobility.