Battle Mechanics [Idea!] - Movement Skills and more...

First of all, I like the ideas used in the ifrit fight. Especially the facts that ifrit's eruption can target ANY pt members, regardless of hate. Those kinds of void-zone moves should be given to normal monsters as well. They should keeping their random targeting feature, but they should have a "Distance Trigger", so that the only ones who might be targeted are ranged classes (mages and ranged DD), and moreover void-zone skills should target MORE those ranged players who are doing the most Damage or Healing or when they get redflagged (RED-nonflashing hate) in the PT, (maybe Damage should get an higher chance of being targeted).

But of course ranged classes must get some new skills, to counter these moves.

Mage classes should have the duo rampart/sentinel removed, for an AREA magic barrier (like the one in the opening) that shields them and any nearby ally from any attacks (with impressive damage reduction) for 2-3 secs, with some cool graphic effects as the barrier breaks down for impacts. These could do with a longer recast time (a lil bit longer than sentinel) or a stack-up feature, and could be used against homing void-zone moves like Ifrit's Eruption, or against bosses hyper moves like Hellfire.

It would be cool to have a whole PT duck under some elemental barriers to avoid bosses hyper moves.


Ranged classes should get a TP-consuming dodge skill, that moves them out of the designed void-zone, even while they're in the middle of another animation. Recast time of course should be adjusted to prevent spam, or the ability could have a 2-3 times Stack-UP feature. You should be able to avoid enemy attack all of the time using the dodge skill feature, but if do too much hate/damage you get more attacks and you will have to manually walk out of them.

Trying to land a combo in fights where your enemy moves around like crazy might be fun, but it's often a challange.

What about a stylish movement skill that puts you instantly on an enemy side (or back? or front?) with a mid-recast time (1min), that will prevent you from spamming it?

You may also need a trigger for the skills like: successfully land an hit or a critical hit. Or maybe a parry/defend trigger for a tank.

I do not know if the game engine does allow for a "forced movement" but it works for "pushback" moves like Ifrit's Vulcan Burst.

So your attack pattern could just be like:

start on front=> hit 1500TP => hit 2000TP => side movement skill (500TP) => start side combo

or you can mix it in the middle to land more complicated combos:

start on side => hit 2000TP => start side combo -1500TP => movem. skill -500TP => finish combo on the back.

or the tank could use it to avoid cone like attacks, or to istantly move to the back of a target to use skills to build more hate with damage. (Like Blind side+Riot Blade)
Even tho the DDes might curse him for moving the target while they're comboing XD
Oh...and get Cover back for the tank.

Sounds pretty nice and I'd REALLY REALLY want to see that barrier skill from the opening :3

edit: they'd have to take care not to go back to the old "every monster has a ranged attack"-setup though. Ranged classes are usually built on the idea of keeping the range (else, they die), if they give every mob a ranged attack, there will be no use for bind for example.

Though I guess an eruption-like skill wouldn't make it that bad, because unlike normal ranged attacks you can still run away without being hit.