Three Simple Fixes to Black Mage

So hiya, I'm a relatively new Level 70 Black Mage and I believe I see the easy fixes that could change Black Mage's fortune around. I need put a disclaimer though, just in case.

What I'm going to say is not confirmed for Patch 4.2 Rise of a New Sun, this is merely speculation of a man who has way to much time on his hands for a job he's fallen in love with recently.

Raid Utility:

Ley Lines: Now provides the same effect to all casters who stand in the circle as the Black Mage receives.

Mana Ward: Effect reduced to 15% of the users maximum HP, but works in an AOE around the Black Mage.

Traits

Thunder Master II: Upgrades Thunder ll to Thunder lV also when under Thundercloud, Thunder III and lV become oGCD

Those are my proposed changes to Black Mage that could change the caster around and secure them a spot within a group.

Those changes wouldn't be anywhere near enough and flat out ruins the identity of the class.

OGCD Thunder in particular is lazy design. BLM is not about OGCD damage. Mana ward's changes while strong, wouldn't be unique enough to be essential and even if it was, would just lead to the same problem RDM has.

The Ley Lines buff wouldn't be worthwhile because people only run 1 caster, and the only casters that scale well from attack speed gains are black mages.

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Originally Posted by VenusStar

Ley Lines: Now provides the same effect to all casters who stand in the circle as the Black Mage receives.

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PUG healers and casters are already too cuddle-happy, this would make it much worse. If you think Ley Lines is a boss bull's eye now, imagine putting 3-4 people in it.

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Originally Posted by HaroldSaxon

Those changes wouldn't be anywhere near enough and flat out ruins the identity of the class.

OGCD Thunder in particular is lazy design. BLM is not about OGCD damage. Mana ward's changes while strong, wouldn't be unique enough to be essential and even if it was, would just lead to the same problem RDM has.

The Ley Lines buff wouldn't be worthwhile because people only run 1 caster, and the only casters that scale well from attack speed gains are black mages.

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I fail to see how it would lead to RDM's issue imo, but Thunder idea seemed the simplest solution without completely changing Black Mage's rotation. But on Ley Lines, I think it would a worthwhile change since healers do count as Casters, and I'm at least partial to the idea even if it doesn't scale as well.

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Originally Posted by VenusStar

I fail to see how it would lead to RDM's issue imo

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Low DPS but unique defensive skill. Since both BLM and RDM deal low damage.

Thunder idea would change more off BLM's rotation that you think. Also Harold said it doesn't fit the job's base design that is have no OGCD damage source.

I'd like each consecutive Foul to do more damage as long as you maintain Enochian, along with passive dmg buff increase each cast(no longer 10% static) while maybe increasing the 30secs requirement to balance it out.

I think the only way you can fix black mage is to make it top tier of dps period. They have zero mobility as they need to stand still most of the time. Red and sum have more mobility and is not rooted to a circle as black mages are. My fix would be - keep everything the same and just buff the numbers higher make them top damage as a trade off.

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Originally Posted by Poptartzilla

I think the only way you can fix black mage is to make it top tier of dps period. They have zero mobility as they need to stand still most of the time. Red and sum have more mobility and is not rooted to a circle as black mages are. My fix would be - keep everything the same and just buff the numbers higher make them top damage as a trade off.

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this is actually the way they do it since years and also a way most of the com aren't satisfy with. I'm glad that they try balancing via hot fixes in design-matter than just in pot since late HW/early SB. It took longer yeah but it is less boring just pushing pots will result in unbalance with similar cls like SAM -> than an unbalance between SAM and other melees will pop up... and the circle starts again. Just raising pots is bad, always was and alway will be Imo.... and its just a proof that you (the devs) are clueless how to handle the problem by its core so no - simple pot-raise isn't the answer (in a long term).

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Originally Posted by VenusStar

I fail to see how it would lead to RDM's issue imo, but Thunder idea seemed the simplest solution without completely changing Black Mage's rotation. But on Ley Lines, I think it would a worthwhile change since healers do count as Casters, and I'm at least partial to the idea even if it doesn't scale as well.

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Red Mages issue is that it does not have enough raid dps, but is taken because of its chain rezzing ability.

The thunder idea while simple would completely change Black Mages rotation because we would need to start clipping in order to use the procs, and Black Mage is the only class in the game with no damaging OGCD's - which is an inherant part of its identity.

Regarding Healers being buffed - If that was the case, it wouldn't make much difference because you still don't buff Ranged Physical/Melee's or Tanks which take up the majority of the party spots. Furthermore, haste has its own situational issues where sometimes its a large gain (getting an extra cast into a buffed burst window), and sometimes you don't get much gain out of it (not getting an extra cast due to a break in the fight).

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Originally Posted by FFgame

I'd like each consecutive Foul to do more damage as long as you maintain Enochian, along with passive dmg buff increase each cast(no longer 10% static) while maybe increasing the 30secs requirement to balance it out.

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That would completely break the flow of Black Mages rotation because Black Mage relies on the spell in Umbral Ice phase to ensure continuous casting. It would require changes to Black Mages mana to work, and would also require changes to AF so you can reliably fit it into your rotation. I personally prefer the idea of tying it to number of casts.

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Originally Posted by Neela

this is actually the way they do it since years and also a way most of the com aren't satisfy with. I'm glad that they try balancing via hot fixes in design-matter than just in pot since late HW/early SB. It took longer yeah but it is less boring just pushing pots will result in unbalance with similar cls like SAM -> than an unbalance between SAM and other melees will pop up... and the circle starts again. Just raising pots is bad, always was and alway will be Imo.... and its just a proof that you (the devs) are clueless how to handle the problem by its core so no - simple pot-raise isn't the answer (in a long term).

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Black Mage has never done the most damage in the game. SAM, while it has, has never been meta because it does not do enough damage to justify being taken. A Raw damage is essential to BLM being fixed - either that, or a nerf to the damage of BRD/DRG/NIN/MCH/SMN/MNK/SAM.