Caster Auto Attacks

Has anyone else noticed that RDM, BLM, and PCT auto attacks now all do 1 damage even when crit+dhit? SMN auto attacks are doing about 150 in the Lv90s. You know, the one with the book, not the one with the sword >.> The healers are all auto attacking for more than 1 damage, though between the four of them they seem to be quite inconsistent.

I don't super care insofar as the contribution of auto attack damage to DPS output is concerned; I just find these numbers to be uncomfortably nonsensical. It feels like if they want the caster auto attacks to do 1 damage, they should all do 1 damage and so should the healers.

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Originally Posted by Rongway

Has anyone else noticed that RDM, BLM, and PCT auto attacks now all do 1 damage even when crit+dhit? SMN auto attacks are doing about 150 in the Lv90s. You know, the one with the book, not the one with the sword >.> The healers are all auto attacking for more than 1 damage, though between the four of them they seem to be quite inconsistent.

I don't super care insofar as the contribution of auto attack damage to DPS output is concerned; I just find these numbers to be uncomfortably nonsensical. It feels like if they want the caster auto attacks to do 1 damage, they should all do 1 damage and so should the healers.

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It’s because of an old stupid stat distribution where SMN (and by extension SCH) were given super high strength for a caster because ifrit (the pet, not the modern iteration) used to scale off strength rather than stats casters naturally have

It’s strange they decided to force all caster auto attacks to only doing 1 but didn’t fix this particular old design

<thwack!> 1
<thwack!> 1
<thwack!> 1!!

My auto attacks do more damage at lvl 50 than they do at lvl 100

At least give Red Mage meaningful autoattacks for style reasons. Come ooooonnn...

FFXIV: where being smacked by a book hurts more than being stabbed with a pointy sword

I've always said that RDM should have low, but still important auto attack damage.

Interesting; I assume the the broad purpose of this is to reduce any incentive to optimize dps by standing in melee range. Which overall, is a laudable goal for classes that are supposed to be ranged with vestigial melee attacks.

But I do agree that it seems out of place on RDM. RDM has a sword and should feel like a bit more of a hybrid, even if they are officially categorized as a "Caster".

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Originally Posted by LilimoLimomo

Interesting; I assume the the broad purpose of this is to reduce any incentive to optimize dps by standing in melee range. Which overall, is a laudable goal for classes that are supposed to be ranged with vestigial melee attacks.

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I've never understood this argument, "ranged should stand at range 'cause they're ranged."

Plenty of mechanics are much more easily handled if you are at or close to melee range. AoE donuts centered on the boss. Conal cleaves, especially rotating conal cleaves.

Just because the WHM and SCH bubbles are 30y wide doesn't mean the party needs to stand 30y apart and test the healer's ability to precisely position the things. Or imagine where the healer needs to stand for an AoE heal if everyone else is scattered to the four winds...

Besides, the last time standing in melee range was actually randomly dangerous was back in, what, ARR? (Ignoring cleaves aimed at the tank. Standing in melee range doesn't mean you have to hug the tank.)

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Originally Posted by AmiableApkallu

I've never understood this argument, "ranged should stand at range 'cause they're ranged."

Plenty of mechanics are much more easily handled if you are at or close to melee range. AoE donuts centered on the boss. Conal cleaves, especially rotating conal cleaves.

Just because the WHM and SCH bubbles are 30y wide doesn't mean the party needs to stand 30y apart and test the healer's ability to precisely position the things. Or imagine where the healer needs to stand for an AoE heal if everyone else is scattered to the four winds...

Besides, the last time standing in melee range was actually randomly dangerous was back in, what, ARR? (Ignoring cleaves aimed at the tank. Standing in melee range doesn't mean you have to hug the tank.)

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It is of course true, but if you take any savage encounter, the ranged positions are ranged for a reason. There are many mechanics where you're just not at melee range for extended periods of time. With its melee combo, RDM is usually better positioned as a fake melee than a ranged job already, so adding significant autos to the job would definitely lock it in a melee position, which I think the devs aren't exactly willing to do.